Question

Assalamu Aleikum

1. Usually, qualified masters of the Quran teach the rules of Tajweed and of course the reading of the Quran to students. Although Allah the Almighty sent down the revelation to prophet Muhammad (), is it correct to say that Allah was his teacher? If no, who then taught prophet Muhammad () the rules of Tajweed and the reading of the Quran?

2. In surat al Qiyâmah verse 16 "Lâ tuharrik bihii lisanaka lita' djalabih" (Move not your tongue  concerning (the Quran, O Muhammad) to make haste therewith) What is the message in the verse that we all have to keep in mind when reading the Quran?

Is it to read slowly by respecting the rules of Tajweed and not read fast without understanding the meaning of what we are reading?

I hope you understand the question inshallah. May Allah give you the right answers inshallah. 

Wa salamu Aleikum  

Answer

Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatu Allahi wa  barakatuh.

1.  Most of the tajweed rules that we study today were part of the normal Arabic dialect at the time of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah upon him.  Allah tells us in aayah 5 of surah An-Najm that Jibreel, peace be upon him taught the Prophet the Qur’an:  

It is not but a revelation revealed *Taught to him by one intense in strength.

The Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet, ,  with tajweed, so it can be said that the Prophet was taught by revelation from Allah through the angel Jibreel, peace be upon him.  

2.  The aayah in question two:

(Al-Qiyaamah 16)

Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur'ân, O Muhammad (peace be upon him)) to make haste therewith.

This was revealed to the Prophet , because he would race with his tongue to repeat what Jibreel would reveal of the Qur’an, out of fear that he would forget it.  Allah, the Exalted, then puts his heart at rest in this and the next few aayaat explaining that Allah will preserve the Qur’an.  This aayah then is about the revelation as it was being revealed to our blessed Prophet, .  

This of course does not mean that we should not contemplate the meaning of the Qur’an as we recite it.  The Qur’an is a guidance for mankind and we should read it and ponder its meaning.  May Allah increase us in understanding of the meaning of the Qur’an. 

Wa asaalaam alaikum wa rahmatu Allah.