从先知使命的最后阶段开始，就极为强调对《古兰经》的诵读。“古兰经”一词本身的意思就是“读”或“诵”，而最先降示的一节经文是：

From the beginning of the final phase of prophethood, great stress was placed on the recitation of the Qur’aan. The very name “Qur’aan” means a “reading” or “recitation,” and the first verse of the Qur’aan to be revealed was,

先知(ﷺ)本人曾敦促他的同伴们尽可能多地诵读《古兰经》。伊本·麦斯欧德传述,先知(ﷺ)曾经说:

The Prophet (ﷺ) himself urged his companions to recite as much of the Qur’aan as they could. Ibn Mas‘ood reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) once said,

阿布·乌玛玛传述，他说：

Aboo Umaamah reported that he said,

事实上,安拉的使者(ﷺ)鼓励我们每月将整部《古兰经》诵读一遍。阿卜杜拉·本·阿慕尔传述:安拉的使者(ﷺ)吩咐他一个月内诵完整部《古兰经》,他说:"我确实有能力做得更多。"于是先知(ﷺ)让他十天诵完,但他仍坚持自己能做得更好,于是先知(ﷺ)让他诵读的时间不少于七天。[37]先知(ﷺ)还警告我们要留意,不要忘记已经背诵的《古兰经》。他说:

In fact, the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) encouraged us to read all of it once per month. ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr reported that when Allaah’s Messenger (ﷺ) told him to read the whole Qur’aan in a month, he said, “Verily I have strength to do more.” The Prophet (ﷺ) then told him to do it in ten days, but he still insisted that he could do better, so the Prophet (ﷺ) told him to read it in no less than seven days.37 The Prophet (ﷺ) also warned us to beware of forgetting what we have memorized of the Qur’aan. He said,

因此,自伊斯兰教以最终形式确立之初,人们就对《古兰经》的诵读极为重视。人们小心谨慎,力求使《古兰经》的诵读尽可能接近其启示时的方式。专门研习《古兰经》诵读的学者,根据他们所学到的可靠诵法,制定了诵读规则。事实上,这些规则构成了阿拉伯语语音学的基础学科,规定了阿拉伯字母、单个词语和句子的正确发音方法。由对《古兰经》正确诵读的关注而发展出来的这门学问,被称为"提季维德"(tajweed)学。提季维德被定义为:正确而清晰地发出每一个阿拉伯语音,并依照先知一代人所使用的标准阿拉伯语,准确发出每一个辅音、元音、词语和句子。学者们还坚持认为,这一切应当在没有过度修饰和不自然做作的情况下进行。然而,依据先知的建议,人们应当以最好的、自然的嗓音诵读《古兰经》。

Consequently, from the early days of Islaam in its final form, great care has been paid to the recitation of the Qur’aan. Care was taken to see that the Qur’aan was recited as closely to the way it was revealed as possible. Scholars who specialized in the recitation of the Qur’aan formulated rules of recitation based on the authentic recitations which they had learned. These rules, in fact, formed the basic science of Arabic phonetics, outlining the correct method of pronunciation for the letters of the Arabic alphabet, individual words, and sentences. The science which evolved out of this concern over the correct recitation of the Qur’aan came to be known as the science of tajweed. Tajweed was defined as the articulation of each Arabic sound correctly and distinctly and the pronunciation of each consonant, vowel, word, and sentence according to the standard of Arabic spoken by the Prophet’s generation. The scholars also insisted that this should take place without excessive embellishment and unnatural mannerisms. However, one should recite the Qur’aan in the best natural voice possible, based upon the Prophet’s recommendation,

值得注意的是,尽管人们极其重视诵读的艺术,但它本身并不是一个应当追求的目标。诵读只是一种手段,一种载体,借此人能够领会经文的信息,从而落实信息所包含的要求。一般而言,诵读优于单纯的用眼阅读,因为它还调动了发声的器官和听觉,当诵读是出于自觉而非流于仪式时,这些都有助于加深对信息的理解。

It should be noted, however, that in spite of the great emphasis laid on the art of recitation, it is not a goal to be sought in itself. Recitation is only a means, a vehicle by which one may absorb the message so as to implement whatever the message entails. Recitation is, generally speaking, superior to mere reading with the eyes because it also involves the organ of speech and sense of hearing, all of which serve to reinforce the message when recitation is done consciously and not ritual-istically.