The One with the Best Qur’an Recitation Should Lead the People in Prayer

يؤم الناس أقرؤهم للقرآن الكريم

The One with the Best Qur’an Recitation Should Lead the People in Prayer

Translated by: Reza Ervani bin Asmanu

This article, “The One with the Best Qur’an Recitation Should Lead the People in Prayer,” is included in the Islamic Questions and Answers Category

السؤال

Question:

هل تجوز قراءة القرآن الكريم في الصلاة جهرا بطريقة القراءة العادية بدون تجويد (كأنه يلقي خطبة) مع العلم بأن القارئ إمام مسجد مع الشكر الجزيل.

Is it permissible to recite the Noble Qur’an aloud during prayer in an ordinary manner without tajwid, as though delivering a sermon, considering that the reciter is the imam of a mosque? Thank you very much.

الإجابــة

Answer:

الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله، وعلى آله وصحبه، أما بعد:

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, and his Companions. To proceed:

فالواجب العناية بقراءة القرآن، قال تعالى:

It is obligatory to give proper care and attention to the recitation of the Qur’an. Allah Most High says:

(وَقُرْآنًا فَرَقْنَاهُ لِتَقْرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ عَلَى مُكْثٍ وَنَزَّلْنَاهُ تَنْزِيلًا) [الإسراء: ١٠٦].

“And it is a Qur’an which We have divided into parts so that you may recite it to the people gradually, and We have sent it down progressively.” (Surah al-Isra’, verse 106).

وقال تعالى:

And Allah Most High also says:

(وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا) [المزمل: ٤].

“And recite the Qur’an with measured recitation.” (Surah al-Muzzammil, verse 4).

وقد ذهب المتقدمون من علماء القراءات والتجويد إلى أن الأخذ بجميع أصول التجويد واجب يأثم تاركه، سواء أكان متعلقاً بحفظ الحروف ـ مما يغير مبناها ويفسد معناها ـ أم كان متعلقاً بغير ذلك، مما أورده علماء القراءات في كتب التجويد كالإدغام والمدود والغنة، ونحو ذلك.

The earlier scholars of qira’at and tajwid held that observing all the fundamental principles of tajwid is obligatory and that the one who neglects them is sinful. This applies whether the matter concerns preserving the correct pronunciation of the letters — where an error could alter their form and corrupt the meaning — or other matters mentioned by the scholars of Qur’anic recitation in books of tajwid, such as idgham, madd, ghunnah, and similar rules.

روى ابن الجزري رحمه الله في كتابه النشر عن نصر الشيرازي أنه قال:

Ibn al-Jazari, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated in his book an-Nashr from Nasr ash-Shirazi that he said:

(حسن الأداء فرض في القراءة، ويجب على القارئ أن يتلو القرآن حق تلاوته) أ. هـ.

“Proper performance is obligatory in Qur’an recitation, and the reciter must recite the Qur’an as it ought to be recited.”

وقال:

He also said:

(ولا شك أن الأمة كما هم متعبدون بفهم معاني القرآن وإقامة حدوده، كذلك هم متعبدون بتصحيح ألفاظه وإقامة حروفه على الصفة المتلقاة من أئمة القراءة، والمتصلة بالنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم).

“There is no doubt that just as this Ummah is commanded to understand the meanings of the Qur’an and uphold its rulings, it is likewise commanded to correct its wording and articulate its letters according to the manner transmitted from the imams of Qur’anic recitation, whose transmission is connected to the Prophet ﷺ.”

ولا شك أن ذلك مطلوب، لا سيما على من قدر عليه، ولم يمنعه عن ذلك مانع من عُجْمةٍ أو عيب في لسانه.

There is no doubt that this is required, especially of one who is capable of it and is not prevented by non-Arab speech habits or a defect of the tongue.

قال محمد بن الجزري فى الجزرية: والأخذ بالتجويد حتم لازم من لم يجود القرآن آثم

Muhammad ibn al-Jazari said in al-Jazariyyah: “Adhering to tajwid is a binding obligation; whoever does not properly recite the Qur’an with tajwid is sinful.”

وقال أحمد بن محمد بن الجزري في شرح الطيبة ـ وهو ابن الناظم ـ: (وذلك واجب على من قدر عليه) أ.هـ.

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Jazari, in his commentary on at-Tayyibah — and he was the son of the author — said: “That is obligatory for the one who is capable of it.”

وأما اللحن الخفي فقال: (لا يتصور أن يكون فرض عين يترتب العقاب على قارئه لما فيه من حرج عظيم).

As for lahn khafi, the subtle errors of recitation, he said: “It cannot reasonably be considered an individual obligation such that a reciter would be punished for it, because that would involve great hardship.”

فإذا كان إمامكم يحسن إخراج الحروف ولا يغير مبناها ولا معناها، وإنما يترك ما يحسن القراءة أو يلحن بعض اللحون الخفية، فلا يأثم بذلك ولا يذم عليه،

Therefore, if your imam properly articulates the letters without altering their form or meaning, and merely leaves some aspects that beautify the recitation or occasionally makes some subtle errors of lahn khafi, then he is not sinful for that and should not be condemned.

والأولى له أن يكون متقناً للقراءة، لأن التجويد حلية التلاوة وزينة القراءة، وليس بين التجويد وتركه إلا رياضة امرئ بفكه، ويكون ذلك بالتلقي من أفواه المتقنين، والتكرار والتمرين.

Nevertheless, it is preferable for him to perfect his recitation, for tajwid is the adornment of tilawah and the beauty of Qur’anic recitation. The difference between proper tajwid and neglecting it can be overcome through training the tongue and mouth, which is achieved by learning directly from proficient reciters, along with repetition and practice.

وإن كان يخل بالحروف مبنى ومعنى، فالأولى أن يتقدم غيره ممن يحسن التلاوة ويجيد القراءة، إن كان لا يؤدي إلى فتنة، لقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم:

However, if the imam mispronounces the letters in a manner that alters their form and meaning, then it is preferable for someone else who recites properly and is more proficient in Qur’anic recitation to lead the prayer, provided that doing so does not lead to discord. This is based on the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:

“يؤم القوم أقرؤهم لكتاب الله” رواه مسلم.

“The one who is most proficient in reciting the Book of Allah should lead the people in prayer.” (Narrated by Imam Muslim).

وكان أقرؤهم هو أحفظهم، وكانوا لا يحفظون إلا بإتقان التلاوة والعمل بالأحكام، فإن كان تَقَدم غيره يؤدي إلى فتنة ـ أو كان يصلي بمثله ـ فلا حرج في إمامته، وينصح بالسعي في سبل إتقان التلاوة.

The one who was considered most proficient in Qur’anic recitation among them was generally also the one who had memorized the most, because they did not memorize the Qur’an except with mastery of its recitation and observance of its rules. If putting someone else forward as imam would cause discord, or if he is leading people whose recitation is similar to his, then there is no harm in his leading the prayer. He should nevertheless be advised to strive to perfect his recitation.

وإن كان قصدك بسؤالك أنه لا يطرب أو لا يترنم ويتغنى، فلا أحد من أهل العلم أوجب ذلك فيما نعلم، بل إنهم اختلفوا في جوازه: فمنهم من منعه وزجر عنه، كسعيد بن المسيب، والقاسم بن محمد، والحسن، وابن سيرين، ومالك وأحمد. وممن أجازه أبو حنيفة والشافعي وهو اختيار الطبري.

If what you mean by your question is that the imam does not recite melodiously, use rhythmic intonation, or beautify his voice with melody, then, as far as we know, no scholar has considered this obligatory. In fact, the scholars differed regarding its permissibility. Among those who prohibited it and warned against it were Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib, al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, al-Hasan, Ibn Sirin, Malik, and Ahmad. Among those who permitted it were Abu Hanifah and ash-Shafi’i, and this was also the view preferred by at-Tabari.

وقد ذكر القرطبي أن الأصح هو القول الأول. ومع الأسف فقد وقع كثير من القراء المعاصرين في التكلف على وضع لو أن المجيزين رأوه لرجعوا عن القول بالجواز فيما نظن، فالتكلف مذموم على كل حال، وهو في هذا أحرى بالذم، فالله جل وعلا يقول:

Al-Qurtubi stated that the stronger view is the first one. Unfortunately, many contemporary reciters have fallen into excessive affectation in their style of recitation to such an extent that, in our view, had the scholars who permitted melodic recitation witnessed it, they might have reconsidered their opinion. Affectation is blameworthy in all circumstances, and it is even more deserving of criticism in this matter. Allah, Glorified and Exalted, says:

(قل ما أسألكم عليه من أجر وما أنا من المتكلفين) [ص: ٨٦].

“Say: I ask you for no reward for this, nor am I one of those who affect what is unnatural.” (Surah Sad, verse 86).

وقد فسر العلماء التكلف بالتصنع.

The scholars explained takalluf as artificiality and affected behavior.

والله أعلم.

And Allah knows best.

Source: IslamWeb