The word Tajweed’s literal meaning is “to make better” and originated from the word “Jawdah” which means “quality”. Tajweed is following specific rules, pronunciation, and intonation while reciting the Quran. The science of Tajweed is learned to recite the Quran the same way as our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did. 

Tajweed is critical to preserve the correct pronunciation necessary to convey its correct meanings and messages. A slight change in pronunciation changed the meaning and altered the message.

Importance to learn the Quran with Tajweed  

Learning Quran with Tajweed is essential for reading and reciting the Quran to keep its message intact. Its high importance in Islam is due to the following reasons 

Preserve the original meaning & message of the Quran

If Quran words are mispronounced or recited with incorrect intonation. It will change the meaning which will lead to misinterpretation. To preserve its meaning and message Tajweed is important.

Understand the context by intonation applied

Following the principles of Tajweed, each letter of the Quran is recited in a variety of contexts.  Since the revelation of the Qur’an, rules of intonation have been applied to it to recite it in the specific manner as angel Jibrael (AS) recounted and demonstrated Allah’s message to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

How to learn Tajweed?

There are a few steps to learning the Quran with Tajweed from basic to advanced levels. 

1. Noorani Qaida for Kids & Beginners

Noorani Qaida is for kids in English who have no prior knowledge of the Quran or Arabic. It’s a small booklet to learn 

∙         Recognition of the Arabic Alphabet and its pronunciation 

∙         Connecting the alphabet to make words 

∙         Reading words 

∙         Characteristics and articulation of the letters.

Other than traditional sources, there are many free resources available online such as YouTube, websites, and online academies. Online academies provide free Noorani Qaida and audio & visual lessons to learn. 

2. Recite the Quran with Basic Tajweed

After the successful completion of the Noorani Qaida booklet, the next step is to learn to recite the Quran with basic Tajweed from a qualified teacher. They will monitor your reading and correct mistakes. This step helps you learn 

• Recite the Quran with basic Tajweed 
• Get fluent and effortless in reading and reciting the Quran

Basic essential Tajweed rules for beginners include various types of pauses namely 

• The rules of madd (elongation)
• Pronunciation of letters with shaddah (diacritical) marks 
• Rules for waqf (stopping) & ibtida (starting) recitation.

3. Advanced Rules of Tajweed for Experienced Reciters

Experienced reciters of the Quran can move on to advanced Tajweed rules after learning basic rules, they learn advance rules which include learning

• Makharij (the different types of letters)
• Sifat (the rules of articulation)
• Timings i.e. when to apply different Tajweed rules such as 
• the rules of ‘idgham, ‘ghunnah,’ & ‘iqlab.’

4. Memorizing Arabic & Quranic words and Phrases 

This is a very important step in learning Tajweed rules. This helps with fluency and pronunciation. 

1) Quranic surah, verses, 2) Arabic words and common phrases are essential parts of learning Tajweed.

This can be done by repetition, writing them down, or using mnemonic devices. Being consistent and regular helps with the process. 

5. Reciting with a Qualified Teacher 

Reciting with a teacher qualified in Tajweed rules helps tremendously as they give immediate feedback. This also speeds up the process as they provide personalized support and guidance. 

You can traditionally hire a teacher or use an online academy. Hiring a private teacher is pretty hard and expensive especially in Western countries due to scarcity of teachers. Online classes are a much cheaper alternative to get a much better quality as highly qualified teachers are hired after rigorous testing. Online academies have a wide pool of teachers to choose from. The classes are flexible as students can choose the time. 

Al-Quran Academy like many others provides free and paid resources to learn the Quran with Tajweed.  

Conclusion 

To learn Quran with Tajweed is essential for correct pronunciation and interpretation of the Quran. Tajweed ensures the proper way of reciting the Quran. At the start, it may seem a bit difficult, but being consistent and regular is the key.  There are sources available both free and paid to get a Tajweed education. Modern technology made online Tajweed classes possible other than traditional classes. These classes provide convenience and flexibility which traditional classes lack.