the Quranic Ijazah

1. Definition of the Quranic Ijazah (الإجازة القرآنية)

The Quranic Ijazah is the process of oral transmission of the Holy Quran from generation to generation (عمليةُ النَّقلِ الصوتيِّ للقرآن الكريمِ من جيلٍ إلى جيل). In this process, the certifying Sheikh (Mujīz) attests that the recipient's (Mujāz) recitation is 100% accurate (صحيحةً مئةً بالمئةِ) according to the narration(s) he is certified in. The Sheikh then grants him permission to read and teach the Holy Quran to others (يَأذَنُ له أَنْ يَقرأَ ويُقرِئَ غَيرَه القرآنَ الكريمَ). (1)

2. Conditions for Obtaining the Ijazah (شروط الإجازة)

To obtain the Ijazah, the following conditions must be met:
Complete and proficient memorization of the Holy Quran (حفظ القرآن الكريم كاملا حفظاً متقناً).
Studying the science of Tajweed (علم التجويد), knowing its rules, and practicing them practically.
Reciting the entire Holy Quran from memory (سرد القرآن الكريم غيباً) to the certifying Sheikh>

   (القراءات) 3. Definition of the Science of Qira't

The science of Qira'at (readings) is: "A science by which the manner of pronouncing the Quranic words is known, and the way of their performance, whether in agreement or disagreement, with the attribution of each manner to its conveyer." (علم يعرف به كيفية النطق بالكلمات القرآنية، وطريق أدائها اتفاقا أو اختلافا مع عزو كل وجه لناقله) (1). Or, as defined elsewhere, "The science of how to perform the words of the Quran and their variations, attributed to their conveyer." (علم بكيفية أداء كلمات القرآن واختلافها معزوا لناقله)
 (2).Subject Matter (موضوعه): The words of the Holy Quran in terms of their pronunciation and manner of performance.
Source (استمداده): The authentic and consecutively transmitted reports (Nūqūl) from the scholars of Qira'at all the way back to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, (النقول الصحيحة والمتواترة عن علماء القراءات إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم).
Ruling (حكمه): It is a communal obligation (Farḍ Kifāyah) (فرض كفاية) to learn and teach it.
Fruit and Benefit (ثمرته وفائدته): Protection from error in pronouncing Quranic words (العصمة من الخطأ في النطق بالكلمات القرآنية), safeguarding them from distortion and alteration, knowing what each Imam of the Reciters reads, and distinguishing between what is recited and what is not.

Status (مكانته): The science of Qira'at is among the noblest sciences in rank and highest in status (من أجل العلوم قدرا، وأعلاها منزلة) due to its connection to the most honorable of the divine books, the Holy Quran.

4. Qira'ah, Riwayah, Tareeq, and Wajh (القراءة والرواية والطريق والوجه)

4.1. What is Qira'ah (القراءة)?

Qira'ah (Reading): Every variation attributed to an Imam among the Ten Reciters (إمام من أئمة القراءات العشرة) that the narrators unanimously agreed upon from him.

Example: The Basmalah (In the name of Allah...) between two chapters is the Qira'ah of Ibn Kathīr (قراءة ابن كثير), meaning the narrators from him all agreed on this rule.

4.2. What is Riwayah (الرواية)?

Riwayah (Narration): Every variation attributed to the Narrator (Rāwī) from the Imam (الرّاوي عن الإمام), even with an intermediary.

Example: Opening the Ḍād in the word $\text{(ḍa'f)}$ (ضعف) in Sūrat al-Rūm (Chapter 30) is the Riwayah of Shu’bah from Āṣim (رواية شعبة عن عاصم). This means the narrators from Āṣim differed on this ruling. Shu’bah reads it with a fatḥah (opening), while Ḥafṣ has two ways: opening the ḍād and joining it (ḍammah).

4.3. What is Tareeq (الطريق)?

Tareeq (Path/Way): Every variation attributed to the one who took (received) the narration from the Narrator (الآخذ عن الراوي), even if the chain is lower.

Example: Opening the Ḍād in $\text{(ḍa'f)}$ (ضعف) in Sūrat al-Rūm is the Tareeq of ‘Ubayd ibn al-Ṣabbāḥ from Ḥafṣ (طريق عبيد بن الصباح عن حفص).

Common Usage: One might say: The Qira'ah of Nāfi’, Riwayah of Qālūn, Tareeq of Abū Nashīṭ (قراءة نافع رواية قالون طريق أبي نشيط).

4.4. What is Wajh (الوجه)?

Wajh (Permissible Face/Way): A permissible option that gives the reciter a choice to use any of the valid ways (ما يرجع إلى تخيير القارئ أن يأتي بأي وجه من الوجوه الجائزة).

Example: The permissible ways of stopping on a temporary sukūn (عارض السكون). The reciter has a choice to use any of them. If he uses only one, it is sufficient and is not considered a defect in his reception of the reading.

4.5. What is Sanad (السند)?

Sanad (Chain of Transmission): They are the men (and women) who transmitted the Holy Quran to us orally (الرجالُ الذينَ نقلوا لنا القرآنَ العظيمَ مُشافَهةً). Each of them recited to his Sheikh, and his Sheikh to his Sheikh, and so on, until the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, from the trusted Angel Jibreel, from the Lord of Glory, Blessed and Exalted is He (إلى رسولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، عن أمينِ الوحيِ جبريلَ، عن ربِّ العِزَّةِ تبارك).

5. Obtaining the Quran Ijazah: Methodology

Many Quran memorizers ask: "How can I obtain an Ijazah for reciting and teaching the Holy Quran?" (كيف أحصل على إجازة في قراءة وإقراء القرآن الكريم؟)

Obtaining the Ijazah, according to its recognized conditions, can be done in two ways:

First Method: Face-to-Face (الطريقة الأولى): Sitting directly with the certifying Sheikh, meeting him face-to-face (وجهاً لوجه), and reciting the entire Quran to him from memory and orally (غيبا ومشافهةً), according to the rules of Tajweed and the fundamentals of the Qira'ah or Riwayah.

Second Method: Distance Learning (الطريقة الثانية): The Ijazah is obtained remotely (عن بُعد) through direct communication on a video conferencing application. The certifying Sheikh sees and hears the student clearly, and the student sees and hears the Sheikh clearly and directly. The student then recites the entire Quran to his Sheikh from memory (غيبا عن ظهر قلب) according to the rules of Tajweed and the fundamentals of the Qira'ah or Riwayah.

Getting the Online Ijazah through Tawaqua Academy

Tawaqua Academy (أكاديمية تواقة) for Quran teaching has a department of certified scholars, Sheikhs, and female scholars (Sheikhāt) (العلماء والمشايخ والشيخات المجازين والمجيزات) in all Quranic Qira'at and Riwayahs with their different Wajhs. This includes those certified in the Minor Ten Qira'at (القراءات العشر الصغرى), Major Ten Qira'at (القراءات العشر الكبرى), Shādhdh (Irregular) Qira'at (القراءات الشاذة), and additions (Zawā’id).

The Ijazah at Tawaqua Academy involves the student sitting with one of the certifying Sheikhs (or certified Sheikhāt for women - الشيخات المجيزات للنساء) remotely (عن بُعد) and reciting the entire Holy Quran to him from memory (غيبا سرداً), from Sūrat Al-Fātiḥah to Sūrat Al-Nās, with correct recitation (قراءة صحيحة) according to the rules of Tajweed and the fundamentals of the Riwayah.

This is done via direct audio and video communication (بالصوت والصورة المباشرة) where both see each other, through video conferencing programs like Zoom or Google Meet, along with the explanation and study of the science of Tajweed according to the Qira'ah, Riwayah, or Tareeq in which the Sheikh certifies him.

After completion and passing the examination, the Sheikh grants him the Ijazah to recite and teach the Quran to others (ليقرأ ويُقرئ غيره) according to that Qira'ah, Riwayah, or Tareeq, so the student becomes a certified Sheikh and Reciter with a connected chain (Sanad Muttaṣil) (شيخا مقرئا للقرآن الكريم بسند متصل).

The Sheikh then issues the Ijazah for teaching the Holy Quran with a connected chain to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him (بسند متصل للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Note: This Ijazah is a trust (Amānah) (أمانة في عنق الشيخ المجيز والمجاز) upon the certifying Sheikh and the recipient, and it is only given according to its conditions and to those who deserve it (لمن يستحقها).

Sources (المصادر)

Al-Itqān fī Ḍawābiṭ Tasjīl al-Qur'ān [‘Arafah bin Ṭanṭāwī]

Dirāsāt fī ‘Ulūm al-Qur'ān - Fahd al-Rūmī