What does tajweed mean?
The Arabic word tajwīd comes from the root j-w-d and means "to make something good" or "to perfect it". In recitation it means pronouncing every letter from its correct place of articulation (makhraj) and with its correct qualities (ṣifāt), and applying the rules that govern letters when they meet each other.
The Quran was revealed with a specific way of reading and passed on from teacher to student. Tajweed is the description of that transmitted sound. In this course we follow the most widespread reading today: Ḥafṣ ʿan ʿĀṣim.
Why it matters
- Some mistakes change the meaning, e.g. confusing ه and ح, or a short and a long vowel. Scholars call these clear mistakes (laḥn jalī).
- Other mistakes do not change the meaning but spoil the beauty of the recitation, e.g. a missing ghunnah. These are hidden mistakes (laḥn khafī).
- Tajweed is learned mainly by listening and imitating. Rules help you understand what you hear.
Isti'adha – seeking refuge
Before reciting, we say:
- أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
This follows the instruction in Surah an-Nahl (16:98) to seek refuge in Allah before reading the Quran.
Basmala
- بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
It is recited at the beginning of every surah except Surah at-Tawbah (9). In the middle of a surah it is optional.
Joining isti'adha, basmala and the surah
There are four permitted ways at the start of a surah:
- stop after each of the three,
- stop after the isti'adha, then join basmala and the first verse,
- join isti'adha and basmala, then stop and start the verse,
- join all three in one breath.
Between two surahs, avoid joining the end of a surah to the basmala and then stopping, because it sounds as if the basmala belonged to the previous surah.
Practice tip
Listen to one short surah from a well-known reciter three times, then record yourself and compare. Start with the isti'adha and basmala, pronouncing each slowly and calmly.