Seven Reasons to Read the Glorious Qur’an

[Mizz Ish]

PeAcE B WiTh ALL MuSlImZ

 

Inimitable

 

It dares you to disprove it. How? It says that humans cannot write a book like this even if they pooled all their resources together and got help also from the spirits. The Qur’an said this fourteen hundred years ago and yet no one has been able to disprove it. Billions of books have been written-but not another one like the Qur’an.

 

Incorruptible

 

It is the only religious sacred writing that has been in circulation for such a long time and yet remains as pure as it was in the beginning. The Qur’an was kept intact. Nothing was added to it; nothing was changed in it; and nothing was taken away from it ever since its revelation was completed 1400 hundred years ago.

 

Unsurpassable

 

The Qur’an is God’s final revelation to humankind. God revealed the Torah to Moses, the Psalms to David, the Gospel to Jesus, and finally the Qur’an to Muhammad. Peace be upon them all. No other book will come from God to surpass His final revelation.

 

Indisputable

 

The Qur’an withstands the test of time and scrutiny. No one can dispute the truth of this book. It speaks about past history and turns out right. It speaks about the future in prophecies and it turns out right. It mentions details of physical phenomena which were not known to people at the time; yet later scientific discoveries prove that the Qur’an was right all along. Every other book needs to be revised to accord with modern knowledge. The Qur’an alone is never contradicted by a newly discovered scientific fact.

 

Your Roadmap for Life and Afterlife

 

The Qur’an is the best guidebook on how to structure your life. No other book presents such a comprehensive system involving all aspects of human life and endeavor. The Qur’an also points out the way to secure everlasting happiness in the afterlife. It is your roadmap showing how to get to Paradise.

 

God’s Gift of Guidance

 

God has not left you alone. You were made for a reason. God tells you why he made you, what he demands from you and what he has in store for you. If you operate a machine contrary to it’s manufacturer’s specification you will ruin that machine. What about you? Do you have an owner’s manual for yourself? The Qur’an is from the Divine Manual your Maker. It is a gift for you to make sure you function for success, lest you fail to function.

 

It is a healing from God. It satisfies the soul, and cleans the heart. It removes doubts and brings peace.

 

Your Calling Card to Communicate with your Lord

 

Humans are social creatures. We love to communicate with the other intelligent life. The Qur’an tells us how to communicate with the source of all intelligence and the source of all life-the One God. The Qur’an, tells us who God is, by what name we should address Him, and the way in which to communicate with Him.

 

Are these not seven sufficient points for reading the Qur’an?

 

Wa BiLLaHi ToWFiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiQ

[Hibo]

Masha Allah

 

i gained knowledge just reading that piece.

well done.

 

asalamu alaykum

[OG Moti]

Sister Jazakal lah kheyr

It is as you said the beauty of the Qur'an that never ends the more you read the more you want to read, I add one more thing, if you read the finest book most interesting book you could never read more than several times and then you get bored but the Qur'an the more you read the more you want to read again again and if Allah opens your heart to the Qur'an you would never stop reading it, I ask Allah to guide us toward him and toward his commands and to build the Love of Allah and the prophet and Qur'an in our hearts, it is amazing how much you could feel relaxed and calm and self satisfaction with the readin and memorizing of Qur'an, lets compete in memorizing of Qur'an, I have momerized so many Juz and stopped for sometime and as our prophet said if you get away from qur'an it will get away from you, because of you sister I shall start reading and momerizing the Qur'an again and inshaAllah you will be rewarded for helping realize that I and our nomad somalians for reading the Qur'an. I thank you wa salaamu caleekum

[Mizz-HurriCane]

MAshallah.. RuuSh Mahadsanid sis.. Jazaak allahuma kheyrna jazaa..

 

keep up the good work..

fi amaan allah

[Warrior of Light]

Mashallah, Jazakhallah kheir.

[Mutakalim]

The above-penned post states seven sufficient reasons for reciting the Quran. Equally important, although less conspicous, is the importance of listening to quranic recitations. I think lisenting to the Quran can be, at times, more fruitful than reciting it yourself, so much so, that it can effect a change in one's being. In this vein, I shall breifly paint an overview of the best and most melodious quranic recitation.

 

For those of you who are ecstatically passionate about Quranic recitations- especially, the Mujawwad (slower recitation) as opposed to the Murattal (faster recitation)- you shall esteem that certain recitors have been endowed with a talent. It is simply impossible to imitate them unless you have a like apptidude.

 

The seven chief Atwaar or Maqaamaat- اطوار او مقامات- (Nahawand, Sega, saba, hijaz, bayyat, and rast) can be recombined and mixed to create around 150 new Atwaar. Though the seven main "ladders of melody" are euphonious when recited properly, the Atwaar that are created by the creative mixing of the seven Maqaamaat are simply remarkable. Of course, some recitors have had more success with some specific maqamaat, and it is only natural that one enjoys listening to these parts more.

 

Muhammad Siddeeq Al Minshawi (Mercy upon him. He is, by far, the most spiritual recitor, who represents a new school of recitation [following in his father's footsteps]. He recites creatively in sega, cheharga, hijaz, nahawand, saba, bayyat, and rast, and has a very deep, rich and emotional voice [his voice is a gift]. In his earlier recitaitons his voice was very sharp. Every one of his recitations contains something new, and although I have heard, and studied and analyzed some of them hundreds of times, I can still listen to them as fresh recitations. Of course, he recites in the six maqamaat (mentioned here) in every recitation, and projects the meaning of the verses. All the recitors in his family follow his school)

 

'Abd Al-bassit (Mercy upon him. He is an exceptionally gifted recitor. He has a very long breath, very strong cords, and avery clear (and high) voice. The most popular recitor in the world, and the first recitor to commercialize his recordings. I think he has the most imitators as a recitor. Although relatively simple, his style requires amazing gifts, such as strength in voice, length in breath, with cords that can easily hit the highest notes and keep them for good 35 seconds at a time. Normally, he recites creatively in hijaz, saba, rast, and 'ajam, (rarely sega). Some video recorded recitations of his are very "provocative". Here are a few musts: al fatiheh, maryam, youssuf, al hashr, al qyiameh, an-naba', at-takweer, at-tariq, al-ghaghyieh, al fajr, al balad, ash-shams, ad-duha, ash-sharh, and at-teen)

 

Mahmoud Khaleel Al husaree (Mercy upon him. A scholar of recitation and a recitor. He exemplefies the perfect execution in the grammar of recitation. Further, his perfect pronunciation is the result of a lot of practice and, as a result, he is unmatched in tarteel. His tajweed is perhaps the calmest among the big recitors.

 

Mustafa Isma'eel (Mercy upon him. He is, in my opinion, the most capable and creative recitor in terms of melody, because he recites creatively, even invents with genius, in rast, hijaz, nahawand, saba, 'ajam, chaharga, bayyiat and sega. His voice needs at least a good 8 minutes of warm up. He can hit exceptionally high notes. Though his voice is not very smooth, and his breath is not very long, but his unexpected turns and manoeuvres in melody, and his very strong cords more than make up for it. Finally, he has many "provocative" recitations. For example, I love and just cannot handle that crazy surge that pervades my spirit, body, and emotions when I hear the Nahawand by Mustafa Ismael.

 

I think I have let myself go... this is enough fow now

 

With Salaams

PK

 

P.S. It would be unfair to compare Egyptian reciters to reciters of the gulf states. The latter group is infinitely inferior in terms of recitation.

[sheherazade]

^ u speak of things I'd like to know more of. Do u have any books/sites to suggest, please?

 

I always try and listen. It hijacks all my senses. It's a matter of finding a reader that appeals to your ear/soul.

 

I was listening to Bassit when I read this. I've moved to Ismail.

 

Thanks

[Warrior of Light]

Mutakalim, Jazkhallah kheir for sharing. Sheh, excellent qn, Im interested to.

 

I like listening to AbdulBassit but when reading the Quraan listen to AbdulRahman Al Sudais, just love em. Mashallah

[Kashafa]

It would be unfair to compare Egyptian reciters to reciters of the gulf states. The latter group is infinitely inferior in terms of recitation.

I was told that Abdullah Basfar(a saudi reciter) currently holds and is widely considered as the authority in 3ilm Al-tajweed today. I forgot the name but he holds a title that goes back centuries, where it would be bestowed on the best reciter alive. 33rd man to hold that position in a chain going back since the completion of the Qu'ran.

[Haddad]

If my memory serves me right, Abdul Bassit has visited Somalia. Those are seven benevolent & impressive reasons. Allah yajzii the poster bountiful kheyr.

[sheherazade]

WOL, Al Sudaisi is the one I listen to the most actually. Something homely about his voice.

[Jacpher]

Muhammad Siddeeq Al Minshawi is my favorite recitor. I think I was exposed to his tapes in my childhood and I learned the Qur'an mostly from him. I used to listen him almost every night before morning dugsi. If someone plays Minshawi now, the hair of my skin stands. Few years back, some roommates of mine used to listen Sudaysi/Shureym/Abdiwadud Maqbuul and I think they spoiled me. Now I am lost. While Minshawi remains in my memory forever, I tend to listen different Sheiks which isn't good. If I want to prepare SUBAC, I would listen to Cabdulwaduud. In the car, I listen to Munshawi & Sudays/Shureym. I heard that xudayf is the best when it comes to pronunciations of the words, MAKHAARIJ XURUUF.

 

Anyone knows a site that has the complete Quran of Cabdulwaduud in mp3 format for my mp3 player? I have seen on islamweb.net but in .ram .ra (real media/audio) format but not in mp3/wma/wav format.

[Warrior of Light]

Absolutely, Sheh.

 

Allah said it better>>'The Quraan is a healing and mercy to those who beleive.'

 

Listening the Quraan being read correctly and with beautiful voices, soothes the ears and elevates the heart, Mashallah.

 

 

DUC,

I have heard of Al Minshawi but havent heard his recital. Inshallah, think its time I give him a chance.

[Mutakalim]

^ u speak of things I'd like to know more of. Do u have any books/sites to suggest, please?

 

We have been enjoined, good Sheherazade, to sing the Quran; singing is nothing more than creating musical sounds with your voice(try, for instance, singing your nick with different pitches and intonations. If you have the proper cords, you can produce a good spectrum of musical tones).

 

Reciting the Quran with Tajweed is not similiar to reading it with Tarteel. Though the Tarteel recitations employ "the rules of tajweed", such recitations do not optimally beautify the recitation. Mujawwad recitations (real ones) accord an insanely precise duration, pitch, and rhythm to each word within a given Maqam. With practice, even laymen can recognize whether the octave is going up or down. It is important to note that classic arabic only uses five of the seven musical notes of the western octave (Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti ). Though it has been donkey's years since I have read the science of music, I believe the letters "E", "F", two musical notes in the alphabetical notation, are absent from arabic music.

 

The Second Teacher and islamic philosopher,المعلم الثاني , Al-Farabi, has written a massive masterpiece on the science of arabic music; in fact, his book Kitaab Al-Musiqa , The Book of Music , does not only treat of the various tones and Maqaamaat in arabic, but it also gives a psycho-philosophical analysis of "sound" and "sentiment". Why does the Nahawand Maqaam, for example, induce sentiments of tenderness and compassion? I have only read a few chapters of the book myself as it is dauntingly and protractedly technical.

 

Now you see, quranic recitors, or artists, generally improvise when it comes to singing the quran as they have not a musical sheet. Some attribute the success of Mustafa Ismaeel, Menshawi et al in Tajweed recitation to thier acquaintence with music(even Abul Bassit had a background in music). Listen to Abul Bassit recitation of Sura Al-Qamar and Rahman, and you will literally be able to pinpoint when the melody is ascending the muscial ladder or when it is descending. Finally, I would recommend that you pay attention to the "Zakhrafa" (the creative maneovuring) that some recitors place on certain words. For instance, there are many ways that one can enunciate, or rather sing, the word "Allah". Try this experiment yourself, and place the emphasis on the first letter, then the "ll", then the last "a" all the while changing the pitch and duration of your intonation.

 

The perfect Maqaam is that which best combines the qualitative (the emotion, tone) and quantitative (the musical/mathematical rhythm)in unison.

 

I must own that I have a hearty contempt for persons who recite like As-Sudais. Notwithstanding his inferior length in breath and monotony, the speed at which he recites is too rapid for reflection and ecstasy . To be fair, in asmuch as his recitation is Tarteel, the art of tajweed cannot be applied to him.

 

Twenty of the 150 "atwaar" have been the subject of much unwarranted criticism in some uninformed quarters. Khaleel Al-Husaree is the only notable recitor who expressed a reservation about the combination of certain maqaamaat.

 

With Salaams

PK

 

P.S. The following site has many video and audio recordings (most Mujawwad) of recitors like Abdul Bassit, Menshawi, Ahmed Nu3ayna3, Mustafa Ismaeel etc. Quranic Recitations in Tajweed

 

P.P.S. If you are interested, and I have a sneaking suspicion that you are not, in the grammer of arabic music, viz., the maqaamaat, then I would recommend that you read السلم الموسيقى by Ibrahim Waraq, or "The Music of Arabs" by Habib Touman.

[LuCkY]

JazakaAllah Khayr.