II
Tilawat Wa
Tarteel
(Slow, thoughtful reading of the Qur'an with
correct pronunciation)
The Arabic equivalents for “reading” are qir’aat and tilawat. Both these terms have been employed by
the
Qur’an in connection with the reading of the Qur’an. The term tilawat is
used
for reading the Holy Book with all the reverence due to it as a sacred scripture, with an open mind fully
disposed to imbibing its influence, and with a keen desire to model our lives upon
its teaching. It is a term specifically used for the reading
of heavenly books. Qir’aat, however, is a general term
used
for reading any kind of book. This difference in the
connotation of these two words as equivalents of “reading” is borne out by
their
literal meanings; for tilawat means “to follow or walk
behind some one,” while qir’aat means just “to draw
or combine things together.”
In the beginning, the word qir’aat was used for learning the Qur’an and acquiring
its
knowledge, and a qaari was
originally a scholar of the Qur’an. As time passed, the term
was gradually torn from
its
original meaning and came to be used for reading the Qur’an with correct pronunciation
and modulation according
to the rules of tajweed, whereas the word tilawat came
to be used as a general term
for
reading the sacred book with fervor and devotion, for the purpose of seeking
guidance and blessings.
Tilawat of the Holy Qur’an is not only an important
form
of worship but also is an effective method of continually refreshing our Iman (faith). The Qur’an is not a book
to
be understood once and for all. It is a book
to be read again and
again and to be studied forever, because it provides sustenance to the human soul. As our earthly body is in constant need of
food
which is obtained from the earth, so too our soul which is
of heavenly
origin constantly
needs the help of Divine Revelation for fostering and strengthening
itself. If the Qur’an were to be understood once and for all, there would have been no need for the Holy Prophet (SAW) — of all people — to read it again and again. On the contrary,
we
find from the study of the Qur’an itself that he was advised to do so. In the earliest days of his prophethood, the Holy
Prophet (SAW) was especially instructed to stand for the greater part of the night in prayer before his Lord, reciting the Qur’an in
slow,
rhythmic tones. In
the
later stages of his prophetic career, particularly when he was
faced with heavy odds and was required to muster up special courage and fortitude
to sustain himself, the special instruction
he received from
his
Lord was to recite the Qur’an. In Surah Al- Kahf, he was given the following instructions:
And recite what has been revealed to you of the Book
of your Lord: None can change His Words, and none will you find as a
refuge other than Him. (Al-Kahf 18:27)
And again, in Surah Al-Ankaboot a similar instruction was
repeated:
Recite what has been revealed
to you of the Book and establish
regular prayer…. (Al-Ankaboot 29:45)
It follows from
the
facts stated above that constant and regular study of the Holy
Qur’an is essential because it provides food for the soul, because it is a mean of refreshing
and reviving
faith, and a reliable weapon for surmounting difficulties and obstacles that one encounters in the way of Allah (SWT). The
following ayah from
Surah Al-Baqarah describes how the lovers
of the Qur’an manifested
their great regard
for
this Book:
Those to whom we have delivered the Book recite it as it
ought to be recited…. (Al-Baqarah 2:121)
May Allah (SWT) give us strength that we may be able
to study the Qur’an as it should be studied. We have, first of all, to understand how the Qur’an ought to be recited and what steps
should
be taken if the required standard of recitation
is to
be attained.
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