The Ruling on Learning Tajwīd

Theoretical and Practical Tajweed:

• Theoretical Tajweed: This refers to the knowledge of the rules and principles that regulate the correct performance of Qur'anic words. Learning this aspect is a collective obligation (Fard Kifayah). If some members of the Muslim community undertake it, the obligation is lifted from the rest, and those who do not learn it are not sinful.
• Practical Tajweed: This refers to applying the rules of Tajweed while reciting the Qur'an. The ruling on this depends on the definition of 'lahn' (errors) in Qur’anic recitation, as follows:

First: Major Lahn (Clear Error):

Definition: A mistake that affects the letters or vowel marks of the word.

Examples of Major Lahn include the following:

• 1. Replacing one letter with another, such as pronouncing the letter (س) as (ص) in the word: ﴿يَسۡطُونَ﴾ so it becomes (يَصۡطُونَ), or pronouncing the letter (ز) as (س) in the word: ﴿ٱلرِّجۡزَ﴾ so it becomes (ٱلرِّجۡسَ).
• 2. Omitting one or more letters,such as:
  • Omitting the ‘(و)’ from the beginning of ﴿وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ﴾ and reciting it as (إذ قال ربك).
  • Softening a doubled letter, like reading ﴿إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ﴾ with a single ‘ي’.
  • ج. Omitting a madd letter, such as omitting the alif at the end of the word ﴿مُوسَىٰٓ﴾ in the verse: ﴿رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ﴾, so it is read as: (رَبِّ مُوسَ وَهَٰرُونَ).
  • د. Merging the lām with some moon letters, such as the letter (ج), as in the following words: ﴿ٱلۡجَنَّةَ﴾, ﴿ٱلۡجَمَلُ﴾, ﴿ٱلۡجَحِيمِ﴾. They are incorrectly read as: ﴿ٱلۡجَنَّةَ﴾, ﴿ٱلۡجَمَلُ﴾, ﴿ٱلۡجَحِيمِ﴾.
• 3. Adding extra letters,such as:
  • Adding a ‘(و)’ to the start of ﴿إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا﴾ to read it as (وإن للمتقين مفازاً).
  • Prolonging a vowel until it becomes a madd letter, e.g., lengthening ﴿ثُمَّ﴾ to sound like (ثومَّ).
  • ج. Doubling a letter that should be light, such as reading the word ﴿لَٰغِيَةٗ﴾ in the verse: ﴿لَّا تَسۡمَعُ فِيهَا لَٰغِيَةٗ﴾ by doubling the letter yā’, like this: (لاغيَّة).
• 4. Changing vowel marks, such as:
  • أ. Replacing one vowel mark with another, such as pronouncing the tā’ in the word ﴿أَنۡعَمۡتَ﴾ with ḍammah instead of fatḥah in the verse: ﴿صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ﴾, so it is read as: (أَنۡعَمۡتُ).
  • ب. Adding a vowel mark to a letter that should have sukūn, such as vocalizing the mīm in the word ﴿يَعۡلَمۡهُ﴾ in the verse: ﴿وَمَا تَفۡعَلُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرٖ يَعۡلَمۡهُ ٱللَّهُ﴾, so it is read as: (يَعلمُه).

Ruling: It is strictly forbidden (haram) to intentionally commit this type of error. The reciter must learn Tajweed to correct such errors, and this becomes an individual obligation (Fard ‘Ayn). This is agreed upon by scholars.

Second: Minor Lahn (Hidden Error):

Definition: An error in recitation that affects the completeness of pronunciation or established norms of recitation, without affecting the structure, meaning, or grammar. It includes mistakes in rules such as nasalization (ghunnah), prolongation (madd), and nun sakinah rules.

Examples of Minor Lahn include the following:

• 1. Omitting ghunnah on a doubled mīm when stopping, as in the word ﴿ٱلۡيَمّ﴾ from the verse: ﴿فَإِذَا خِفۡتِ عَلَيۡهِ فَأَلۡقِيهِ فِي ٱلۡيَمّ﴾. It is incorrectly read without ghunnah like this: ﴿ٱلۡيَمّ﴾.
• 2. Omitting the required extra lengthening of madd, such as omitting the connected madd in the word: ﴿لِلۡفُقَرَآءِ﴾ in the verse: ﴿إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَٰتُ لِلۡفُقَرَآءِ﴾, so it is read as: (لِلفُقَرَاءِ).
• 3. Clearly pronouncing the nūn where idghām is required, as in the verse: ﴿فَمَن يَعۡمَلۡ﴾, so it is incorrectly read as: (فَمَن يَعۡمَلۡ).

Ruling: Scholars differ in opinion:

• - Forbidden: According to most early scholars, as it affects correct performance. Learning Tajweed to correct such errors is an individual obligation.
• - Disliked (Makruh): According to some scholars, since it does not affect meaning or structure but impacts the completeness of recitation. Thus, learning Tajweed to avoid such errors is obligatory for those who take a leading role in Quranic narration and performance but recommended for the public.

- Some scholars further differentiated: Clear and apparent errors in rules like ghunnah, madd and vibration in letter of qalqalah warrant accountability, while finer nuances known only to specialists—such as advanced pause rules and degrees of merging—are excused for the public but mandatory for experts.