The Repulsive Stop
Its Definition: It is the stop on what does not give a correct
meaning, and that is due to its strong attachment to what follows in grammar,
and in meaning.
It would be
if
one stopped on the adjective without the noun, such as stopping on the word
meaning 'mention' in:
[This is] a mention*
of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zechariah.
Stopping on
in:
It would also
be
if
one stopped on the verb without the subject, as in stopping on
in:
Allah said
*, Indeed, I will
send it down to you
There are many examples
of these. The repulsive stop (
) is not limited to just these categories. Any time the phrase is incomplete
in grammar and meaning it is,
or
repulsive. Some other examples follow. Stopping on the red asterisks on the
following examples of aayaat would have an incomplete and incomprehensible
meaning:
[All] praise*
is to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
The Day when We will fold
* the heaven like
the folding of a [written] sheet for the records.
They said, "How*
can we speak to one who is in the cradle a
child?"
The Arbitrary Stop
This stop follows.
Some reciters stop on their own whims without following the meaning and
grammatical make-up of the aayah and this is called the arbitrary stop:
There are degrees of
repulsiveness in
,
where one stop can be more than another :
1.
Stopping on a phrase
no meaning, as in stopping on the following words after only reading the one
word:
2. Stopping
on a word signifying a meaning other than what Allah, the Perfect wants, such
as stopping on the word 
"and the dead",
and not stopping on the compulsory stop on the word before,
"those who hear".
The aayah can be
interpreted in English as:
"Only those who hear
will respond. And the dead*-Allah
will resurrect them; then to Him they will be returned."
The incorrect stop
would then have a different meaning than is actually wanted, indicating
incorrectly that the dead hear too.
3. Stopping
on a word signifying the opposite of what Allah, subhaanah,
wants:
The explanation of the
meaning in English is:
"O you who have
believed, do not approach prayer *
while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying."
Stopping on the word
"prayer" would indicate that Allah, far exalted be He from such a statement,
was saying 'do not approach prayer', when in fact He is stating not to
approach prayer when intoxicated.
The
explanation of the meaning in English:
"But if they turn
away-then We have not sent you *,
[O Muhammad] over them as a guardian."
Stopping on the phrase
"We have not sent you" would indeed alter the intended meaning of Allah, Glory
be to Him, and not allowed.
These stops obvious
corrupt the meaning. All effort must be made not to stop at such places,
unless compelled due to reasons beyond ones control; if that happens, then the
reciter must go back a few words when starting again to convey the correct
meaning.
4.
Stopping on a place
that signifies that which is not a suitable description of The Exalted, or
that which contradicts our creed. The explanation of the translation of the
meaning of the aayaat follow each aayah:
"Indeed, Allah is not
timid *
to present an example-that of a mosquito or what
is smaller than it"
Stopping then on the
word "timid" would indicate a very unsuitable description of Allah, the
Exalted.
"So the disbeliever was
overwhelmed, and Allah*
does not guide the wrongdoing people."
One not stopping at the
indicated stop at the word 
and instead
stopping on the Glorious name of Allah would falsely claim that Allah, far is
He above this, of being overwhelmed, subhanahu wa ta'aalaa.
"For those who do not believe in the Hereafter is the
description of evil; and for Allah*
is the highest attribute."
Joining the
Glorious name of Allah with the description of evil would again put forth a
meaning not at all appropriate for Allah, ta'alaa.
5.
Stopping on a
negative and the exception to it follows, the English explanation of the
meaning will follow the aayah:
"So
know [O Muhammad], that there is no deity*
except Allah."
Stopping on the word
"deity" then would be a contradiction to our faith and creed.
"Similarly, there came
not to those before them any messenger*
except that they said, "A magician or a madman."
Also stopping on the
word 'messenger' without the word 'except' would be also be in contradiction
to our faith and creed.
Anyone who stops on
these last two categories without repeating the last one or two words has
sinned, transgressed, and is ignorant.. If someone stops on these types of
stops purposely, he has disbelieved!! May Allah protect from disbelieve after
having faith. Ameen
The
rule for the repulsive stop: These stops
and those similar to them are not allowed intentionally. They are only
allowed when compelled in such as a situation as unexpected shortness of
breath, sneezing, or forgetting. After the state that compelled the stop has
past, the reader then must repeat one, two, or more words, as necessary to
convey the correct and sound meaning. Sheikh Ibn Al-Jazaree pointed this out
in his work:
Meaning:
And other than that which is complete [in meaning] is repulsive and of it
The compelled stop, and
start [after it] with that before it.
In the next tidbit
lesson, insha' Allah, we will discuss the start, or
.
