Tajweed Quran in a Brief

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Blessings and Peace of Allah be upon the master of all Messengers, Muhammad, and upon his family, Companions, and those who are loyal to him till the Day of Judgment. Praise belongs to Almighty Allah, Who sent down the Holy Quran to the last of all Prophets, Muhammad, so that he may be a mercy for all worlds. Among the Signs of Allah’s divine Mercy is that He taught man the Quran and eloquent speech. He taught him with the pen. He taught him what he had never known. * * * It is Allah’s divine Wisdom, as manifested in all aspects of our human life in all places and times, confirming the unchangeable basic elements and verifying them, and dealing with the changeable subsidiary elements and modifying them so as to enrich the basic ones but not to contradict or abrogate them. * * * It is the norm of survival for a people who understand… This is how the innovational idea of Moushaf At-Tajweed arose on the axis of historical documentation and that of scientific innovation:

-In the first stage, Allah’s divine Words were initially written under the command of Allah’s Messenger, Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. At that time, only an eye-reading of the Quranic script was possible in the absence of any vocalization or dotting marks. The rules of Tajweed were received and monitored orally, i.e. through the direct imitation and repetition of the instructor’s typical reading. Example: The Quranic verse:

assumed the following forms:

- In the second stage, of the inscription of Allah’s Words – which took place at the time of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah honor his face – was carried out by Abu Al-Aswad Al-Dou’ali and Al-Khalil bin Ahmad Al-Farahidi, who added the vocalization marks (i.e. the diacritical marks: Al-Fat-hah, Al-Dammah, Al-Kasrah, and Al-Sukoun) to the Quranic script.

Example: A Fat-ha was added over Allah’s Name (اللَه) so that it became (اللَهَ). At this stage an eye-reading of the Quranic script with the vocalization marks was possible, while the dotting marks and Tajweed rules were still orally received.
It is remarkable that this stage of Quranic inscription both included and replaced the previous stage. However, the role of direct oral reception was not abolished but rather reinforced to learn the actual articulation of the vocalization marks added to the Quranic words.
-In the third stage of the inscription of Allah’s Words – which took place at the time of the Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan – was carried out by Al-Nasr bin ‘Assem Al-Laithi, who added the dotting marks to the ambiguous letters of the Quranic words.

Example: The letter (ذ) was marked with a dot on top in order to distinguish it from the letter (د). Similarly, the letters (ج) and (خ) were marked with dots to distinguish them from the letter (ح)…etc. In this stage, an eye-reading of the Quranic script with the vocalization and dotting marks was possible, while Tajweed rules were still received orally.
This stage of Quranic inscription both included and replaced the previous stage. However, the role of direct oral reception was not abolished but rather reinforced to learn the actual articulation of the letters assuming the same form.
-In the new stage of the inscription of Allah’s Words – which has been recently developed – includes a time-color coding of the letters that are subject to the rules of Tajweed. In this stage, the Quranic script includes all elements: words, vocalization marks, dotting marks, and rules of Tajweed.

This new stage of Quranic inscription both includes and replaces the previous stages. However, it does not, and will not abolish the role of direct oral reception. It rather reinforces the role of direct oral reception for the actual articulation of the letters subject to the rules of Tajweed. This has been done for the facilitation of a proper reading of the Holy Quran in accordance with Allah’s divine Command: (ورتل القرآن ترتيلا)

At first sight, it seems that 28 colors have been used to distinguish 28 Tajweed rules. However, if this were the case, it would be confusing rather than helpful. Therefore, in order to realize the importance of the time-color coding of the Tajweed rules, using only three color-groups instead of 28 different colors, we have to make the following contrast between the old method of the application of inflectional rules and the new innovation of time-color coding of the Tajweed rules: The inflectional marking of the letters by using the four vocalization marks (Al-Fat-hah, Al-Dammah, Al-Kasrah, and Al-Sukoun) is very important, as it denotes the different syntactical and inflectional cases of the letters and words. Al-Fat-hah, for example, denotes the past tense form of the verb (e.g. قالَ), the subjunctive form of the verb (e.g. حتى يأتيَ), the accusative forms such as object nouns (لا أعلم الغيبَ), causative object nouns, cognate causative nouns, specification expressions, circumstantial expressions, …etc.
The same vocalization mark of Al-Fat-hah is used to distinguish the different above-mentioned syntactical and inflectional cases of the letters or words and to show the different syntactical or inflectional rules for such cases. Knowledge of such rules is not necessary, but the proper articulation of the Quranic words and a good understanding of their meanings are both indispensable for a correct reading of the Holy Quran.
Example: The Quranic words
Although the knowledge of the syntactical rule of the word (الصالحاتِ) in the above Quranic verse is unknown to many readers of the Holy Quran, its proper articulation or pronunciation is indispensable.
It is indispensable for the reader of the Holy Quran to pronounce the word (الصالحاتِ) with a Kasrah but not any other inflectional marks at its end. It is also indispensable for the reader of the Holy Quran to understand the meanings of the verses. The study of the grammatical explanations and rules of the different syntactical elements is a specialist work.
Here comes the essential qualitative move introduced by our publishing Center in Mous-haf Al-Tajweed to help the reader of the Holy Quran to observe and master the rules of Tajweed directly (after having learned the proper articulation of the sounds and letters from the Sheikh or teacher), just as he/she learns to distinguish between the letters (ث) and (ت) from the Sheikh or teacher. The same thing applies to the learning of the vocalization marks. All the reader has to do is recognize only three groups of colors: 1. Red, with its shades, for the sounds that are subject to the rules of prolongation, 2. Green, with its shades, for the sounds that are subject to the rules of Ikhfa’ (concealed sounds) or Ghunnah (nasal sounds), 3. Dark blue for Al-Raa’ Al-Mufakhamah [the emphatically pronounced (r)] and sky-blue for the sounds of Qalqalah (plosive sounds). As for the color gray, it is used for silent letters, i.e. letters that are not pronounced.
Mous-haf Al-Tajweed also includes a special Appendix for the 28 basic rules of Tajweed. Therefore, the readers how seek theoretical information about the rules of Tajweed are recommended to refer to this Appendix.

Conclusion: Reading only a few pages of Mushaf Al-Tajweed is very helpful to improve an easy reading of the Holy Quran with observation of the Tajweed rules. It also helps both the teacher and learner to attain the desired results. The red letter is prolonged, the green one is nasally pronounced, and the blue one is pronounced either emphatically or plosive.
The symbols of this easy and spontaneous reading of the Holy Quran are very similar to those of the traffic lights: red for “Stop”, green for “Go”. This is all done easily and spontaneously while the mind of the reader has the chance to reflect on the meanings of the verses.
Thanks to Allah’s great divine Grace, this significant work has been protected from abuse or distortion. This was done:
Juristically: through the approval of the concerned juristic authorities in both Arab and Muslim worlds to accept our Mous-haf Al-Tajweed as the only accredited source for the color-coding of Tajweed rules, by virtue of the report of the Masahif Control Committee in Al-Azhar Al-Shareef on 7/11/1999 AD. Legally: through the attainment of an official patent in 1994 AD. Practically: through the spread of millions of, and the increased demand for, copies of Mous-haf Al-Tajweed all over

Different Forms and Volumes: We have published more than 80 versions, with several different Quranic narrations but the same calligraphy and location of words. The narrations are:

Versions of Mous-haf Al-Tajweed translated into Six foreign languages: These versions include a translation of the Quranic text on the right page of the Mushaf and a transliteration on the left-hand one. This is done in a creative way, logically – not conventional – based. This is meant to allow an immediate reading of the Holy Quran in Arabic by new coverts. The languages are:

Other special versions of Masahif published: - Mushaf Al-Tajweed Wa Al-Tahajud: Each page of this Mushaf contains one quarter of a Hizb.

-Mushaf Al-Tajweed & Memorizing: In this version, the verbs are marked with a different background color to help the learner to remember the verbs of the verses being committed to memory. The verb background assumes the colors of light green and yellow respectively. This is meant to help the learner memorize the desired Quranic verses.
-Mous-haf of Miraculous Dual Versrs: Each page of this version includes a couple of verses between which there is textual relevance and a miraculous meaning-relationship that is worthy of reflection and deliberation.
Mous-haf Al-Tajweed (( Obvious Edition )) The Quranic verses in this version include spaces indicating places of optional full stops. This is meant to enhance a better understanding of the verses being read or recited. It is also meant to prevent any potential improper division of verses, which does not befit the divine sanctity and greatness of the Holy Quran. The words in this version are distinctly spaced – in the Uthmani script – maintaining their original location on the same Quranic line.

-Mushaf Thumn Al-Hizb: Each page of this version, includes an 1/8th of a Hizb. This is meant to replace the traditional wooden tablets.

-Horizontally Divided Mous-haf: The pages of this version are horizontally divided to allow an easier and more practical reading of the Holy Quran by maintaining the normal size of Quranic words but in a smaller volume.

-Mous-haf Al-Tajweed in Indian Script: This version includes footnotes marking names of Surahs, and it is uniquely beautiful.


- Mushaf Al-Muneer: For Devoted Recitation This set allows remote reading of the Holy Quran through large lighted pages that can be moved manually or with a remote control. This set allows the remote reading and better understanding of the Quranic verses in prayer, without any movement by the reader.

-Digital Mous-haf Al-Muneer: In addition to the options available in the Ordinary Al-Muneer set, this digital set allows the magnification of the Quranic text, several recitations by the most famous reciters of the Holy Quran, translation of the meanings of the Quranic words, transliteration of the Quranic text in different world languages, search for Quranic quotations for topics, Al-Azan, and Qiblah direction.
- DPQ (Digital Pocket Quran): In the original Uthmani script, colored letters, Hafs/Warsh narrations, beautiful voices, memorization program, interpretation, translation of meanings, English/French transliteration, extra speakers, Azan, and Qiblah direction.


- A Complete reading of the Holy Quran with visual Tajweed: It comprises 30 hours, with a translation of the meanings and a transliteration in English.

- (From the Seven Reading) Program: It comprises 300 TV episodes.

-(Quranic Topics Encyclopedia) Program: It comprises 251 episodes in both Arabic and English.

-(Surah’s of the Quran: Lessons and Pivots) Program: It comprises 200 episodes in both Arabic and English.

-(Let’s Learn Quranic Reading) Program: It comprises 604 episodes.

-(Rattil Al-Qur’ana Tartila) Program: It comprises 604 episodes.

-(Miraculous Dual Verses of the Quran) Program: Under Execution.

-(Come on! Let's read and get exalted) Program (for children): Under Execution.

Finally: We pray to Almighty Allah to make our work singled out for His Countenance and good Pleasure through unveiling more of the never-ending miracles of His divine Book.
Dr. Eng. Subhi Taha Director General of Dar Al-Ma’rifah Publishing House
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