Qur'an reading is the reading (tartil, tajwid, or taghbir) aloud, reciting, chanting, or singing of portions of the Qur'an. Though not considered music by Muslims, when sung the style is of its own musical genre and structurally similar to secular Arab music. Even if singing the performer is called muqri' , tālī, murattil, or mujawwid, or "reciter". (Touma 1996, p.153-154) Reading is an enjoyable pastime for many people. ... A chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, either on a single pitch or with a simple notes and often including a great deal of repetition or statis. ... The Quran (Arabic al-qurʾān أَلْقُرآن; its literal meaning is the recitation and is often called Al Quran Al Karim: The Noble Quran, also transliterated as Quran, Koran, and less commonly Alcoran) is the holy book of Islam. ... Music is an art, entertainment, or other human activity which involves organized sound, though definitions may vary. ... Islamic music is Muslim religious music, as sung or played in public services or private devotions. ... Musical genres are categories which contain music which share a certain style or which have certain elements in common. ... Arab music is the music of Arabic-speaking people or countries, especially those centered around the Arabian Peninsula. ...

Reading and even singing must be done according to rules of pronunciation, intonation, and caesuras established by Muhammad, though first recorded in the eight century CE, the most popular reading being that of Ibn Hafs. As in secular Arabic music, musical performance may include the presentation of a full maqam, however qur'an reading may be based on one to three tones only. Similarly, each melodic passage centers on a single tone level, but the melodic contour and melodic passages are largely shaped by the reading rules, creating passages of different lengths whose temporal expansion is defined through caesuras. Skilled readers may read professionally for mosques in cities. The mandatory introductory and final phrases are always restricted to the first tone of the maqam row. (ibid, p.154-155) Pronunciation refers to: the way a word or a language is usually spoken; the manner in which someone utters a word. ... Intonation is the variation of tone used when speaking. ... A cæsura, in prosody, is an audible pause that breaks up a long line of verse. ... This is Muhammad, I lied god isnt real I just wanted some attention ... In music, a maqam [sic] (plural maqamat) is a technique of improvisation that defines the pitches, patterns, and development of a piece of music. ...

The Qur'an is marked with twenty-six symbols, circles, rectangles, dashes and letters, some in color, written above, below, or beside the letters of the alphabet and that do not resemble cantillation marks. These indicate the pronunciation of consonants, whether the blending of neighboring or adjacent consonants is allowed, and where recitation pauses and caesuras are forbidden and possible. (ibid, p.155) See also consonance in music. ...

Source

• Habib Hassan Touma (1996). The Music fo the Arabs, trans. Laurie Schwartz. Portland, Oregon: Amadeus Press. ISBN 0931340888.

External links

• Explanation of Tajweed (http://www.abouttajweed.com/index.htm)