CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction 1.1    Background to the Study               In every religion there is a scripture which is considered its canon of law. People of the past also had theirs; Tawrāh,  Injīl(  the  Bible),  Zabūr  (the  Psalm) and  the Qur‟ān were revealed to Mūsā (Moses),„Īsā(Jesus),Dāwūd(David)and  Muhammad respectively. The  last  revealed  scripture,  which  is  the Noble Qur‟ān,  occupies  a  very  important position  in  the  life  of  Muslims.  It  is  the  word  of  Almighty  Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad through Angel Jibrīl. Its recitation serves as an act of worship. Recitation of the  Holy  Qur‟ān  is  highly rewardable  in  Islam  as it  attracts  many  rewards.  It  was reported  that  the  Prpohet Muhammad said: “Whoever  recites  a  letter  from  the  Book  of  Allah  will have a reward and that reward will be multiplied by ten. 

I  am  not  saying  that Alif Lām  Mῑm is  a  letter,  rather  I am saying Alif is  a letter, Lām is a letter and Mῑm is a letter”.1      

Furthermore, there has been a thirst for such great reward among the Muslims of the past till the time of the contemporary Muslims.  The virtue gained in recitation of the Qur‟ān encourages the Muslims towards learning  and  teaching  recitation  of  the Qur‟ān.  This attitude  also  serves  as  part  of  the  features  of  the  best among the ummah. This is in consonance with the sayings of Prophet Muhammad who was reported to have said:  

“The  best  amongst  you is  the  one  who learns the Qur‟ān  and teaches it”.2 

The  Prophet  of  Islam  was  himself  a  reciter  of  the Qur‟ān;  he  was  taught  by Angel Jibrῑl and  his companions also learned it from him. Thus, there were many reciters among the companions such as Ubayy bn Ka῾b, Zayd  bn  Thābit,  Abdullah  bn  Mas῾ūd  among  others. It is  documented  in  the  books  of  Hadῑth  that  the Prophet  once  asked  one  of  his  companions (Ibn  Mas῾ūd)  to  recite  the Qur‟ān for  him  and  that  when the companion reached verse 41 of chapter 4, the Prophet burst into tears.3 

During  the  time  of  the  first  caliph,  Abūbakr,  the Qur‟ān was  compiled  after  the  loss  of  eminent reciters among the companions in the battle of Yamāmah.4 It was done in order to safeguard the Qur‟ān from alteration so also to enhance the recitation of the Qur‟ān. The trend of Qur‟ān recitation continued after the era of  the  companions  till  date.  Also, Qur‟ān recitation  later  became  a  field  where  scholars  have had  various 3 contributions. It was an attempt to correct the wrong recitation of the Qur‟ān among people. This happened as a result  of  wide  range  of  the  non-Arabs  entering  into  the  fold  of  Islam.  In  order  to  correct  errors  in  the recitation of the Qur‟ān, scholars started writing books on the science of Tajwīd.  

Historically,  writing  in  the  science  of  Tajwīd  started  in  the  2nd  century.  Although  it  was  not  until  the 4th century of Hijrah that Tajwīd started as a separate science on its own.  As a matter of fact, it started with Abu Muzāḥim  Al-Khāqānī 320  A.H whose  name  is  Mūsā bn  „Ubaydullāh  bn  Yaḥyā bn  Khāqān5.  Abū Muzāḥim wrote some metres of poem emphasizing the importance of Tajwīd in the recitation of the Qur‟ān.

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