The Importance of Tajweed when Reciting the Qur’an

The reciter of the Qur’an should observe all rules of Tajweed when reciting the Qur’an.
Some reciters, may dismiss the Tajweed rules as an innovated thing which was not practiced by the previous generations.
In fact some schools do not even bother with these rules, and teach the children, in any manner.
Later when these children start leading people in prayer, many major mistakes can be noticed.
We should try our best to educate ourselves and our children with these very important rules.
At the time of the Companions they did not learn the Tajweed as a knowledge, because all of them could read the Qur’an properly. The Qur’an was revealed in their language.
In that time, they did not even need to put dots on the letters. They could differentiate between them easily. After a few generations, after the Muslims started conquering and the people entered Islam in large numbers, people could not read the Qur’an properly. So they put dots and rules how to read the Qur’an.
Allah, the Exalted says,

Tarteel is reading the Qur’an appropriately and beautifully. One cannot recite the Qur’an appropriately and beautifully unless he is applying all rules of Tajweed!
Inshallah, every month we will add, some important rules. We will try to add Arabic text, to make it easy, if that is not possible right away we will use Arabic transliteration.
Jazaak Allah

Al-Isti’aatha and al-Basmallah

It is Mustahabb (loved) to recite the Isti’aatha before reciting the Qur’an.

It is waajib (compulsory) to say Bismillah at the beginning of the Sura, except when reciting Sura at-Tawbah (also called Sura al-Bara’ah).
As for Bismillah in the middle of the surah, it is up to the reciter to say it or not.

Rules of Istiadthah and Basmallah

It has four rules:
1.Qatt’ al-Jamee: To say the Istiadthah, the Basmallah and the beginning of the surah separately.
e.g. (Isti’adthah--Bismillah--Surat).
2.Qatt’ al-Awal: To say the Istiadthah separately then the Basmallah and the beginning of the Surat.
e.g. (Isti’adthah--Bismillah/Surat).
3.Wasl-Al-Awwal: To say the Istiadthah joined with the Basmallah, then to say the beginning of the Surat separately.
e.g. (Isti’adthah/Bismillah--Surat).
4.Wasl Al-Jamee: To say Istiadthah joined with Basmallah joined with beginning of Surah.
e.g. (Istiadthah/Bismillah/Surat).

Bismillah between the two Surah

1.Qatt’ al-Jamee: After finishing the Surat, we should stop, then say the Basmallah then stop, then say the next surah.
e.g. (Surat--Bismillah--Surat).
2.Qatt Nihayat as-Soorah: To stop at the end of the first surah, then to say Bismillah joining it with the next surah.
e.g. (Surat--Bismillah/Surat).
3.Wasl Al-Jamee: To join the end of the surah with the Basmallah, and to join with the next surah.
e.g. (Surat/Bismillah/Surat).
The previous three are all Jaa’iz (lawful).
The fourth one is Mamnoo (prohibited). The reason for it being prohibited is that it was said that Bismillah is for the beginnings of the Surah, not the endings. It was also said that not one think that Bismillah is part of the previous surah. Allah knows best.
4.Wasl Al Basmallah: To join the Basmallah with the first surah, then stop, then continue reading the next surah.
e.g. (Surat/Bismillah--Surat).

The Noon and Meem Mushaddud
(w)

Waqf

It means to pause or to make a stop by breaking off the breath at the end of the word. There are four kinds:
a. Waqf Taam: it is to pause at the end of a statement where the succeeding statement is not related to the preceding statement, neither by words nor by meaning.

b. Waqf Kaafi: it is to make waqf at the end of a word which has a relationship in the context of the meaning to the words preceding and succeeding it, but has no grammatical connection with the words before or after it.

c. Waqf Hasan: it is to make a waqf at the end of a word which has a linguistic connection with the word appearing after it, nevertheless the words together combine to form a full sentence.
Where Waqf Hasan is made one should not commence the recitation after this word on which the waqf was made, but should restart the recital.

d. Waqf Qabeeh: to make waqf on a word which has both linguistic and ma’nawi relationship (in meaning) with the words following it. On such a waqf the meaning would remain incomplete.
It is not permissible to make Waqf Qabeeh. One should restart the recital from the word preceding the word on which the Waqf Qabeeh was made.

Saktah

A Saktah is also a stop or a slight pause. The difference between the two is that the breath is broken off in the Waqf, whereas the breath is not broken off in the Saktah.

The Letters of Isti’laa

These letters are pronounced in a heavy fashion. They should be differentiated between the letters that are pronounced in a light fashion.
They are:

(Khaa,Ssaad,Ddaad,Ghain,Ttaa,Qaaf,Dthaa)

The Letters of Istifaal

These letters are pronounced in a light fashion, opposite of the letters of Isti’laa.

Al-Qalqalah

This is a tool which beautifies the recitation of a person. It literally means to shake or move. When the letters of the Qalqalah are pronounced in the saakin state, a slight rebound (or echoing sound) of the letter results.

There are three divisions in Al-Qalqalah.
•Kubra, if the Qalqalah comes at the end of the word and it is mushaddad.
•Wusta, if the Qalqalah comes at the end of the word.
•Sughra, if it comes in the middle of the word.

Ar-Raa

The Letter ‘Raa’†is pronounced lightly when either it is affixed with the Kasrah (zaire), or has a sukoon and the letter before it has a Kasrah (zaire). Also if it is preceded by a ‘yaa’ or if you stop on it and before it is a letter with a sukoon, other than the yaa, and before the sukoon letter, there is a Kasrah.
It can be pronounced in a heavy form when it is affixed with the Dhummah (Pesh), or Fathah (Zaber), or has a sukoon and the letter before it has a Dhummah (pesh) or Fathah(zaber). Also if it is saakinah, after an original kasrah, and the letter after it is an ‘isti’laa’ letter.
Also if it is Saakinah, and the letter before it has a kasrah which is aaridah.

Allah

‘Allah’ can be pronounced in a light and heavy way. It is pronounced in a heavy way if it is preceded with a Dhummah (pesh) or Fathah (zaber), or if it was preceded by a sukoon and before it was a Dhummah or Fathah.
It is pronounced in a light manner when it is preceded by a Kasrah(zaire), or if it was preceded by a sukoon and before it was a Kasrah.