Question

Salaam

Hope you are well. I just wanted to ask a few questions regarding the Maqamaat Egyptian Qurra use. Many people say they are music tunes some say they are not. Especially the youth listen to the Egyptian qurra alot. Are we allowed to recite with these Maqaamat and listen to them? As many people nowadays are confused with regards to this particular issue. JazakAllah

Answer

Reciting Quran with a sweet voice and a melodious tone is recommended.

Once Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam heard Salim mawla Abi Huzaifa reciting the Quran in a beautiful tone. He remarked “All praise is for Allah who made among my Ummah such a beautiful reciter” ( Ibn majah)

Huzaifa ibnul yamaan narrates that Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said “Recite the Quran according to the clear and eloquent language of the Arabs. Recite it fluently without any pretension. Do not recite it according the singing tunes of the people of the book (the Jews and the Christians), nor the tunes of ahle fisq ( the transgressors). Some people will come after me who will recite the Quran in the tunes of songs or like the recital of monks or like someone doing nawha (lamenting). Quran will not surpass their throats. Their own hearts will have fallen into fitnah and those who admire their recital will also have fallen into fitnah” (by tabarani in al awsat and by al bayhaqi)

“The most beautiful reciter among you is he who’s recital makes you feel that this person is fearing Allah swt” (Ibn majah, daarami from jabir rad)

“Beautify the Quran with your voice, because a good voice increases the husn and beauty of the Quran” (daarami)

“Allah does not pay as much attention as he does to a prophet reciting the Quran with a beautiful tone” (Bukhari and Muslim.

Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam heard Abu Musa al ashari reciting the Quran and loved his recitation. In the morning, he said “Had you seen me listening to your recitation last night! (ie you would have felt good). You have been blessed with a throat like that of Dawood alayhissalam” Abu Musa said “Ya Rasulallah! If I knew you were listening, I would have recited even better”. (Muslim) Tuhfae huffaz p221

One Hadith says
ليس منا من لم يتغن بالقران
“He who does not recite Quran with a melodious tone is not from among us”

Shaykh Abdul Basit Abdul-Samad is one of the most famous Qur’an reciters of our time. The recognized qurra’, like Shaykh Abdul Basit, stay within the rules of tajweed. If you have any doubts about a particular reciter, I suggest you refer your questions to a scholar of tajweed. The style of Egyptian reciters varies from those in Pakistan, India or Syria for example. However, these variations are generally permitted as long as the reciter adheres to the basic guidelines of tajweed and recites on the tunes of the Arabs.