DefinePK

Abstract

The word Tajweed linguistically means ‘proficiency’ or ‘doing something well’. When applied to the Quran, it means giving every letter of the Quran its rights and dues of characteristics when we recite the Quran and observing the rules that apply to those letters in different situations. We give the letters their rights by observing the essential characteristics of each letter that never leave it. And we give them their dues by observing the characteristics of each letter that are present in them some of the time and not present at other times.Arabic letters each have a Makhraj – an exit or articulation point - in the mouth or throat from which they originate and they also each have Sifaat – attributes, or characteristics - particular to them. Knowing the Makhraj and Sifaat of each letter is an important part of Tajweed. Sometimes two letters have very similar exits which makes mixing them up easy. So if a person does not know the attributes of each letter there is a danger that he will change the meaning of the words in Quran recitation. Observing the rules of Tajweed in reciting protects the reciter from making mistakes in reciting the Quran.