Learning about the History of Tajweed makes you realize the meaning that Allah Himself has guaranteed to preserve and protect His book from alteration and distortion. Allah chose and favored the companions of our Prophet and those who came after them over others (The Successors) to safeguard His Noble Book.

This indirectly highlights the importance of Tajweed and how it protects tongues from mistakes in the Quran, so let us enjoy this acknowledgment in the following lines.

History of Tajweed:

The history of Tajweed means the story of the emergence and development of Tajweed. I have arranged them in Chronological Order as follows:

1. The Prophetic Era:

The Quran was revealed to the Prophet ﷺ in pure and eloquent Arabic, and he recited it to the people in this language. The Companions learned directly from the Prophet, peace be upon him, orally. Their recitation was naturally correct, so they did not need written rules.

The companions like Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud and Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari were already skilled in recitation. They recited directly to the Prophet ﷺ, so there was no need to establish Tajweed as a separate discipline at that time.

It is reported that Ibn Mas‘ud was teaching a man the Quran. The man recited the verse: “إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقاتُ لِلْفُقَراءِ وَالْمَساكِينِ” (Surah At-Tawbah 9:60) without elongation. Ibn Mas‘ud then said: “This is not how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught it to me.” The man asked: “How did he teach it to you, O Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman?” Ibn Mas‘ud replied: “He taught it to me with Madd (lengthening),” and he recited it with the proper Madd Mutassil. 

2. After the Islamic Conquests (late 1st century AH)

Unlike the early Islamic era, in which Tajweed was a practical practice transmitted orally, not a documented science, and the student received it directly from their teachers. AT That time, the problem of pronunciation mistakes began to appear over time. Since non-Arabs entered Islam.

Scholars realized how mistakes in Makharij can change the meaning, so they began to establish rules and principles to regulate this practice and protect the Quran from distortion. 

3. The Early Beginnings:

At this stage, there were non-independent attempts. Each attempt was made to correct an aspect of Quran recitation. For example

a. Abu al-Aswad al-Du’ali (d. 69 AH)أبو الأسود الدؤلي: 

Arabs were able to read the Quran without dots and vowels (Harkat al Hurouf). With the expansion of the Islamic conquests and the entry of non-Arabs into Islam, tongues began to deviate from their natural purity.

Under the command of Ali Ibn Abi Taalib, Abu al-Aswad al-Du’ali introduced dots and vowel marks to protect the Qur’an from mistakes.

This shows you the importance of learning basic Arabic grammar. You can start learning with our Arabic lessons for beginners.

B. Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi (d. 170 AH)الخليل ابن أحمد الفراهيدي: 

He focused on the articulation points Makharij and characteristics of letters, considered the founder of the phonetic principles on which Tajweed relies. 

He was the first to introduce the primary five articulation points and divide them into 17 special articulation points. They are explained in our Learn Tajweed for Beginners Course. 

C. Abu ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ala al-Basri (d. 154 AH)أبو عمرو بن العلاء البصري: 

He was one of the seven popular reciters. He is the author of a treatise on Idgham al-Kabir (major assimilation). His recitation was widely transmitted and later became one of the canonical Qurānic readings(Qira’at).

4. The 3rd Century AH

• In the third century, Abu Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam عبيد القاسم ابن سلام (d. 224 AH) authored Kitab al-Qira’at (The Book of Readings), considered among the first to record issues related to Tajweed.
• His work marked the beginning of the documentation of Tajweed as an independent science, although it does not concern Tajweed rules, but it is related to Quranic readings, such as Hafs ‘an Asim.

5. The 4th Century AH (The Emergence of Tajweed as an Independent Science)

Abu Muzahim al-Khaqaniأبو مزاحم الخاقاني (d. 325 AH) composed a rhymed poem of 51 verses, regarded as the first independent work on Tajweed. He discussed improving performance and controlling recitation. 

He did not use the word “Tajweed” but used the expression “good performance.” His poem was the first spark that influenced later scholars: some explained it, others cited it, and some debated it.

6. After the 4th Century:

 Scholars continued to develop and expand the science of Tajweed. They authorized many books. Tajweed Teachers usually study these books to master Tajweed nowadays. For example, we have:

• Abu ‘Amr al-Dani (d. 444 AH )أبو عمرو الداني:  He wrote Al-Taysir(التيسير), one of the most important books on Quranic readings and Tajweed.
• Imam al-Shatibiالإمام الشاطبي (d. 590 AH): He used  Al-Taysir book to compose (Al-Shatibiyyah), which is 1173 verses that summarize it.
• Ibn al-Jazari ابن الجزري(d. 833 AH): He became one of the most influential scholars of Tajweed since everyone knows the Jazariyyah Tajweed poem. The leading authority in Quranic readings and Tajweed.

Why did scholars document Tajweed rules?

To ensure that the Quran is free from omission, addition, inversion, or rearrangement. They documented its modes of transmission and narrations, clarified its grammatical structures, explained the articulation points and characteristics of its letters, and perfected the correct pronunciation of its words and expressions. 

They studied the circumstances and reasons for revelation, distinguished between the clear and the ambiguous, the heavy and the light sounds, the assimilated and the hidden, the shortened and the extended, the elided and the completed. They also identified its modes of pausing and urged people to learn and teach it, so that the Quran may remain fresh and preserved as it was revealed, without alteration or change, just as the Almighty promised in His clear revelation.

Read Also: Quran Verses And Hadiths About Tajweed – What Do Quran And Hadith Say About Tajweed?  

Learn Tajweed Rules and Recite the Quran and Beautify it with the best of your voices:

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• Arabic-related courses: whether you are a beginner or mid-level. You can choose your level and start from it. 
• Memorization (Hifz) Programs: Structured memorization plans that guide students through the Quran at their own pace, supported by experienced instructors.
• Tajweed Courses: Well-designed courses help Muslims to reach the right recitation of the Quran correctly. 
• Islamic Studies Courses: These courses help you know more about Islam and Tafsir. This is important since you need to understand the Quran and reflect on your daily life.

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Conclusion:

From the history of Tajweed, we realized that the science of Tajweed has developed gradually from Oral transmission from our Prophet and learning between muslims of the prophetic era and those who followed them to today’s stage, in which Tajweed has been documented in specific rules. 

Tajweed`s evidence and proofs are taken from the Holy Quran and the authentic Sunnah, which have been transmitted consecutively (mutawatir) through the scholars of Quranic recitation, all the way back to Prophet Muhammad(peace and blessings be upon him).

Thus, it can be said that the emergence of this science was a natural response to the Muslim Ummah’s need to safeguard its Noble Book. Tajweed stood as a testament to their great care for the Quran and their commitment to reciting it exactly as it was revealed, generation after generation.