The Etiquette of Recitation

Al-Nawawi establishes at the outset of this chapter that reciting the Quran with proper tajwid is not merely a recommended practice but an obligation derived directly from the Quranic command to 'recite the Quran with tartil,' that is, with measured, careful, and melodious delivery. The scholars of recitation have elaborated this command into a science with precise rules governing the pronunciation of each letter, the lengthening and shortening of vowels, the rules of assimilation and pausing. Al-Nawawi insists that anyone who recites the Quran incorrectly when he has the ability to learn the correct pronunciation is sinning, because such recitation distorts the divine word. He urges those who are uncertain about their recitation to seek out a qualified teacher and correct any errors before the habit becomes fixed.

Before beginning a recitation session, the reciter should be in a state of ritual purity (wudu), though al-Nawawi notes the scholarly difference of opinion on whether wudu is strictly obligatory for oral recitation without touching the Mushaf. The preferred and more cautious position is to maintain wudu as a mark of respect for the Quran and to ensure that one's spiritual state is aligned with the honor of what is being recited. The reciter should face the qiblah where possible, wear clean clothing, and choose a clean and quiet place for recitation. He should begin by seeking refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaitan as commanded in the Quran, then pronounce the basmala at the start of each surah except Surah al-Tawbah, following the well-established practice of the reciters.

Al-Nawawi addresses the question of pace and tone. The reciter should neither rush through the Quran at a pace that prevents reflection nor drag it out in an artificial manner. The goal is a pace that allows the heart to attend to the meanings of what is being recited. Al-Nawawi quotes numerous reports from the salaf describing how they would weep during recitation when they encountered verses of warning, punishment, or the descriptions of the Day of Judgment, and how they would pause and repeat such verses. He encourages the reciter to cultivate this emotional and intellectual engagement with the text rather than allowing recitation to become a mechanical exercise divorced from the heart. Recitation that does not move the reciter toward greater consciousness of Allah has missed its essential purpose.

On congregational recitation, al-Nawawi addresses the etiquette that governs collective recitation sessions. When one person recites aloud and others listen, those listening should maintain silence and attend carefully, since Allah commands in the Quran: 'When the Quran is recited, listen to it attentively and remain silent, that you may receive mercy.' The listener should follow the recitation internally, moving his lips silently if he knows the passage, and should not interrupt the reciter for any reason short of a serious mistake. At the conclusion of a recitation session, it is recommended to supplicate to Allah, since the ending of a Quran recitation is among the times when supplication is answered. Al-Nawawi notes that the circle of those who gather to recite or listen to the Quran is surrounded by angels and covered by Allah's mercy, as described in the well-known hadith, and the participants should depart with a sense of having been in the presence of something sacred.