Reading and Reciting the Quran: Key Facts, Etiquette and Tajweed

For Muslims, the Quran is the Word of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Its very name, al-Qur’an, means “the reading” or “the recitation”: it is meant to be read, recited aloud, listened to and reflected upon. This page brings together the essentials for knowing it and reading it well: key facts about the Book, its virtues, the etiquette (adab) handed down by scholars, the basics of recitation (tajweed), the main readings and practical tips for getting started.

The Quran at a glance

According to Muslim tradition, revelation began in 610, during the month of Ramadan, when the angel Gabriel (Jibril) appeared to Muhammad ﷺ, then about forty years old, in the cave of Hira near Makkah. The Quran itself places its “sending down” in the month of Ramadan (Quran 2:185), during the Night of Decree, Laylat al-Qadr (Quran 97:1). The first verses revealed open Surah al-‘Alaq: “Recite in the name of your Lord who created – created man from a clinging substance. Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous – who taught by the pen – taught man that which he knew not” (Quran 96:1-5; the account is in Sahih al-Bukhari 3). Revelation then continued in instalments, in step with events, for about twenty-three years, until the Prophet ﷺ passed away in Madinah in 632.

• 114 surahs (chapters) of very unequal length: the longest, al-Baqarah (the Cow), has 286 verses; the shortest, such as al-Kawthar, have only three.
• 6,236 verses (ayat) according to the Kufan count, used in editions following the Hafs reading. Other early counts (Madinah, Makkah, Basra, Damascus) divide some passages differently and reach slightly different totals, without a single word of the text changing.
• 30 parts (juz’) of roughly equal length, each split into two hizb: a practical division for reading the whole Quran in a month. In the widely used Madinah mushaf, the text fills 604 pages, about twenty pages per juz’.
• Makkan and Madinan surahs: according to the classification printed in standard editions of the mushaf, 86 surahs are Makkan (revealed before the Hijrah of 622) and 28 Madinan. The former stress the oneness of God, the resurrection and the stories of the prophets; the latter deal more with community life, worship and law.
• Every surah opens with the basmala (“In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful”), except the ninth, at-Tawbah.

The Quran was revealed in Arabic: “Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an that you might understand” (Quran 12:2). The Arabic text is what is recited in prayer; translations, indispensable for understanding, are regarded as translations of the meaning, not as the Quran itself.

From revelation to the written mushaf

During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, many Companions learned the Quran by heart and scribes such as Zayd ibn Thabit wrote it down on the materials of the time. Every year the angel Gabriel went over the Quran with him, and twice in the year he died (Sahih al-Bukhari 4998). After the Battle of Yamamah (632-633), in which many reciters were killed, Caliph Abu Bakr asked Zayd ibn Thabit to gather all the fragments into a single collection (Sahih al-Bukhari 4986). Around 650, Caliph ‘Uthman had master copies made from that collection and sent to the main cities to unify recitation (Sahih al-Bukhari 4987). This “Uthmanic” text is the one reproduced in every mushaf (written copy of the Quran) today. Muslims see in this the fulfilment of the divine promise: “Indeed, it is We who sent down the message, and indeed, We will be its guardian” (Quran 15:9).

The virtues of reading the Quran

Many authentic hadiths encourage reading, learning and teaching the Quran:

• “The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5027).
• “Whoever reads a letter of the Book of Allah receives a good deed, and a good deed is worth ten like it. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter: alif is a letter, lam is a letter and mim is a letter” (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2910, graded hasan).
• “Read the Quran, for on the Day of Resurrection it will come as an intercessor for those who read it” (Sahih Muslim 804).
• “The one who recites the Quran skilfully will be with the noble and righteous scribes [the angels]; and the one who recites it falteringly, finding it hard, will have a double reward” (Sahih al-Bukhari 4937; Sahih Muslim 798).

That last hadith is a wonderful encouragement for beginners: the very effort of the one who struggles is rewarded. The Prophet ﷺ also compared the believer who reads the Quran to a citron, “whose taste is good and whose scent is good” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5020).

The etiquette (adab) of recitation

Scholars, notably Imam al-Nawawi (d. 1277) in his al-Tibyan fi Adab Hamalat al-Qur’an, have gathered the etiquette surrounding recitation. A few points are obligations; most are recommendations.

Before you begin

• Ritual purity: the great majority of scholars, including the four schools of law, require ablution (wudu) to touch the mushaf, relying in particular on the letter of the Prophet ﷺ to ‘Amr ibn Hazm: “that no one should touch the Quran unless he is pure” (Muwatta of Imam Malik). Reciting from memory without ablution, on the other hand, is permitted. In a state of major impurity (janabah), most scholars forbid recitation until the full bath (ghusl) has been taken; for a woman during her period opinions differ, the Maliki school notably allowing her to recite from memory. For your own situation, ask a scholar you trust.
• A clean place and a dignified posture: facing the qiblah if possible, seated calmly and humbly rather than sprawled carelessly. Scholars hold that the most rewarding recitation is the one made standing in prayer, especially the night prayer.
• Seeking refuge in God: “So when you recite the Qur’an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled” (Quran 16:98). One says a‘udhu billahi mina ash-shaytani ar-rajim, then the basmala at the start of each surah (except at-Tawbah).
• A sincere intention: reading for God’s sake and to be guided, not to be admired.

While reciting

• Read at a measured pace: “and recite the Qur’an with measured recitation” (Quran 73:4). Asked how the Prophet ﷺ recited, Anas ibn Malik said that he drew out the sounds, lengthening bismillah, ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim (Sahih al-Bukhari 5046). When a man boasted of having read all the short surahs at the end of the Quran (the mufassal) in a single unit of prayer, Ibn Mas‘ud reproached him for “rattling it off like poetry” (Sahih al-Bukhari 775).
• Live what you read: Hudhayfah reported that the Prophet ﷺ, reciting at night, glorified God when he passed a verse of glorification, asked of Him when he passed a verse of supplication, and sought refuge when he passed a verse mentioning punishment (Sahih Muslim 772).
• Know when to stop: “When one of you gets up at night and the Quran becomes muddled on his tongue so that he does not know what he is saying, let him lie down” (Sahih Muslim 787).
• Listen in silence when the Quran is recited: “then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy” (Quran 7:204).
• The prostration of recitation (sujud at-tilawah): at certain verses, marked in the mushaf with the sign ۩, it is recommended to prostrate. Their number varies between the schools of law, from eleven to fifteen.

Aloud or quietly?

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The one who recites the Quran aloud is like the one who gives charity openly, and the one who recites the Quran quietly is like the one who gives charity secretly” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1333; Jami at-Tirmidhi 2919; authentic). Both, then, are good. As with discreet charity, reciting quietly is better when you fear showing off or might disturb someone praying or sleeping; reciting aloud is better otherwise, because it helps concentration, drives away drowsiness and benefits those who listen. Even when reciting quietly, most jurists require the words to be genuinely articulated, especially in prayer: purely silent reading in the mind does not count as recitation.

It is also recommended to beautify your voice: “Beautify the Quran with your voices” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1468; authentic). The Prophet ﷺ praised Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari for his recitation, telling him he had been given “one of the flutes of the family of David” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5048). Everyone does this as best they can, without affectation. What many early scholars disapproved of was not a beautiful voice, but melodies that force sounds to be stretched or clipped in breach of the rules of recitation.

Reflecting on what you recite

The purpose of reading is understanding and reflection (tadabbur): “[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded” (Quran 38:29). Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet ﷺ spent a whole night in prayer repeating a single verse: “If You should punish them – indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them – indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise” (Quran 5:118; Sunan an-Nasa’i 1010 and Sunan Ibn Majah 1350, graded hasan). It is likewise reported that the Companion Tamim ad-Dari prayed until dawn, or nearly, repeating in tears the verse: “Or do those who commit evils think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds?” (Quran 45:21). And when Ibn Mas‘ud recited Surah an-Nisa’ to the Prophet ﷺ as far as verse 41, he saw his eyes overflowing with tears (Sahih al-Bukhari 5050).

The scholar al-Ghazali (d. 1111), in his Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya’ ‘Ulum ad-Din), describes the inner attitude of the reader. It can be summed up as follows:

• remember that you are reading the Word of God, not human speech, and be mindful of the greatness of the One who speaks;
• be present in heart and reflect on each verse: reading “[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who created the heavens and the earth” (Quran 6:1), contemplate His power in creation; reading “Have you seen that which you emit? Is it you who creates it, or are We the Creator?” (Quran 56:58-59), reflect on how a human being is formed from a mere drop;
• remove whatever blocks understanding: the excessive scruple that makes you repeat a letter again and again in case you mispronounced it, or stubborn attachment to a sin, which tarnishes the heart as rust tarnishes a mirror;
• feel personally addressed: the stories and warnings are not there to entertain but to guide, like a letter a sovereign might write to each of his subjects;
• stay humble: whoever sees their own shortcomings, rather than feeling pleased with themselves, draws closer to God.

How often should you complete the Quran?

The Prophet ﷺ advised ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr to read the whole Quran in a month; when he said he could do more, the Prophet ﷺ told him: “Then read it in seven days, and do not go beyond that” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5054). He also said: “Whoever reads the Quran in less than three days does not understand it” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1394; Jami at-Tirmidhi 2949; authentic). The early generations had very varied habits, and it is even reported, through a chain Ibn Hajar judged authentic, that Caliph ‘Uthman once recited the entire Quran in a single unit of prayer. Al-Nawawi concluded that the right pace depends on the person: someone who draws deep reflections from their reading, or who is busy teaching and with other useful duties, should keep to what lets them understand well without neglecting those duties; others should read as much as they can, without reaching weariness or haste.

What matters most is regularity: “Keep refreshing your knowledge of the Quran, for by Him in whose Hand my soul is, it slips away faster than camels from their tethers” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5033). The Quran itself records the Messenger’s complaint: “O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur’an as [a thing] abandoned” (Quran 25:30). A few benchmarks to plan your reading, based on a 604-page mushaf:

When you complete a full reading (khatm), it is good to make supplication: Anas ibn Malik used to gather his family to make du‘a at that moment (a report whose chain al-Nawawi judged authentic). On the other hand, hadiths attributing to the Prophet ﷺ the promise of a supplication that is always answered at every khatm are graded weak by specialists. During Ramadan, many Muslims strive to read or listen to the whole Quran: see our article on listening to the Quran during Ramadan.

The basics of tajweed

Tajweed (literally “doing well”) is the set of rules for pronouncing the Quran as it was handed down: each letter from its point of articulation, with its qualities, lengths and connections. Scholars distinguish the obvious error (lahn jali), which alters a letter or a vowel, and sometimes the meaning, from the subtle error (lahn khafi), which affects the perfection of the recitation. Avoiding obvious errors is an obligation for every reciter; detailed study of the rules is a collective obligation that some must take on for the community. Here are the first notions a beginner meets:

• Points of articulation (makharij): the throat, the tongue, the lips, the nasal cavity. For instance, ح must be kept distinct from ه, ع from ء, س from ص, and ذ, ز and ظ from one another.
• Heavy letters: خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ are pronounced “full” (tafkhim), most other letters “light” (tarqiq).
• Nun sakinah and tanween follow four rules depending on the next letter: clear pronunciation (izhar) before the six throat letters (ء ه ع ح غ خ), merging (idgham) before the letters of the word يرملون, changing into a mim (iqlab) before ب, and a veiled, nasalised pronunciation (ikhfa’) before the remaining fifteen letters.
• Prolongation (madd): a natural long vowel lasts two counts; it is lengthened to four, five or six counts before a hamzah or a vowelless letter, according to precise rules.
• Echoing (qalqalah) of the letters ق ط ب ج د when they carry no vowel, and the nasal sound (ghunnah) of doubled nun and mim.
• Stops (waqf): small signs above the text show where stopping is required (م), preferable (قلى), optional (ج), allowed but less good than continuing (صلى) or to be avoided (لا).

These rules are learned above all by ear, with a teacher: the Quran has been passed on from mouth to ear since the beginning (talaqqi), and accomplished teachers grant their students a licence (ijazah) backed by a chain of transmission going back to the Prophet ﷺ.

The readings and transmissions of the Quran

The Quran was revealed in “seven modes” (ahruf). One day ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab heard Hisham ibn Hakim recite Surah al-Furqan differently from him; the Prophet ﷺ approved both readings and said: “This Quran has been revealed in seven modes, so recite of it whichever is easier for you” (Sahih al-Bukhari 4992). These modes are not the same as the readings (qira’at) taught today, all of which fit within the Uthmanic text. In the tenth century, Ibn Mujahid (d. 936) selected seven reference readers; Ibn al-Jazari (d. 1429) later recognised ten. Each reading is known through two principal transmitters, hence the term “transmission” (riwayah). The differences mainly concern pronunciation (length of prolongations, treatment of the hamzah, inclination of certain vowels) and sometimes the vowelling of a word, always within the same text.

If you read from a Maghrebi mushaf (Warsh or Qalun), you will notice some conventions of its own, such as the dot of the fa’ placed below the letter and that of the qaf above it, and verse numbering that sometimes differs. It is best to learn one transmission first: the one used around you or by your teacher.

Tips for getting started

1. Learn the Arabic alphabet and the vowel signs (fathah, kasrah, dammah, sukun, shaddah), ideally with a teacher: at the mosque, in a Quran school or through a reputable online course.
2. Start with Surah al-Fatihah, recited in every unit of prayer, then the short surahs at the end of the Quran (juz’ ‘Amma), such as al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas, which you will use in the prayer.
3. Read a little every day, at a set time, for example after the dawn prayer: a few verses regularly are worth more than a long session now and then.
4. Listen to good reciters and repeat after them. Sheikh Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary (1917-1980), renowned for the precision of his recitation, was the first to record the entire Quran in the murattal (measured) style and left a teaching version, al-Mushaf al-Mu‘allim, designed for learning by repetition. The recitation of Mohamed Seddik El Menchaoui (1920-1969) is also much loved by learners. Abdelbasset Abdessamad (1927-1988) is famous for his melodious mujawwad recitations, while Mishary Rashid Alafasy and Abdul Rahman Al Sudais, imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, are among the most listened-to voices today. Their recitations are all available on our Quran page.
5. Read a translation and a simple commentary alongside the Arabic text, so you understand what you recite.
6. Memorise little by little: repeat a verse until you know it, revise the old ones before adding new ones, and recite them in your prayers.
7. Be patient: the one who reads with difficulty receives a double reward.

Reading the Quran means beginning a conversation with God that lasts a lifetime. Let no one be discouraged by the difficulties of the start: every letter read is a good deed, and every verse understood sheds a little more light on the path.