Miscellaneousinformation:

PublishedbyTheWorldForumforProximityofIslamicSchoolsofThoughtP.O.Box15875-6995Tehran,IslamicRepublicofIranTelephone+982188321411Fax+982188321414www.taghrib.irTheopinionsexpressedinthisjournaldonotnecessarilyreflectthoseofthepublisher.©2008Thiseditionfirstpublishedin2008

EverwonderedwhytheholyQur'anisrecitedthewayitis?Whatpurposeandaimsucharecitationis?WhethertheQur'anisconsideredproseorpoetry?IfyouhaveeverponderedabouttheaboveissuesthisarticlewillprovideyouwiththeexplanationsandexamplesmadetodemonstratethemelodiousnessandthemiraclenessoftheholyQur'an.

AGlimpseintotheMelodiousnessoftheQur’anAkramDayyani

TranslatedbyAliKarmali

Abstract

OneofthemostimportantfeaturesoftheQur’an’smiraculouseloquenceistheharmonyoftherhythmandmelodiousnaturethatonefindswithinit.Insofarasmusicalandmelodioussoundsplayaneffectiveroleinthetransformationofthehumansoul,itisnowonderthatAllahhasinfusedtheversesofHisBookwithamusicthatisbothextraordinaryandmiraculous.

ThisarticleattemptstoexplorethedivinemelodiousnatureoftheQur’an,aswellasthefactorsandfoundationsunderlyingthismelody.

Keywords:art,music,melodiousnessoftheQur’an,miraculouseloquenceoftheQur’an,rhythmoftheQur’an,tartīl,forbidden(haram)music.

Introduction

Manandarthaveevolvedtogethersincethedawnoftime.Whereas,theoriginsofhumandisciplinessuchasphilosophy,mathematicsandexperimentalsciencesareoftentracedbacktoaparticularperiodwithinrecordedhistory,thesameisnotthecaseforart.Definingarthasnotbeenaneasytaskandanumberofdifferingopinionshavebeensuggestedbyvariousscholars.

AccordingtoaFrenchphilosopher,“Artistheattempttocreatebeautyortocreatetheideal.”1

Tolstoy,aRussianwriter,comments,“Whenapersonconsciouslyandthroughexternalmeansconvertshissentimentsobtainedthroughexperienceinsuchawaythatthosesentimentsaretransmittedandcausestherecipienttoexperiencethesamefeelingsthathehadexperienced,thisactiscalledart,andtheperson,anartist.”2

HerbertReidremarks,“Artistheexpressionofeverydesirethattheartistcaninfuseinanembodiedform;artisthehumanattempttocreatedelightfulforms.”3

AsforSayyidQuthub,heremarks“Artistheattempttoportraythesensoryeffectsresultingfromtherealityofexistenceinabeautiful,vibrantandeffectivemanner.”4

Muchhasbeensaidandwrittenaboutartanditsroleinthelifeofman,butinreality,theseobservationshavebeenlimitedtoaparticularhistoricalmanifestationoftheartofman.Thetruerealityofart—aswellasitsroleinrelationtothedifferentfacetsofman—hasyettobeuncovered.Uncoveringthishiddenrealitycanonlybecarriedoutbyreligionandman’sspiritualknowledgeofthetranscendence.

Fromancienthistoryuntiltoday,religionhastraversedthelabyrinthofman’slifeandexistenceinthesamewaythatarthas,andinfact,evendeeper.Ithaspolishedthehumansoulwithclarityandluster,madesmooththeruttedroadoflife,andhasdrawnoutmanfromhisterrestrialsoiltowardshigherlevelsof

existence.

Duringthespanofhistory,artandreligionhavebeensointerwoventhatseparatingthemfromeachotherisnexttoimpossible.Perhapsthisisduetothefactthatbothreligionandartarerootedandconcealedinthedepthsofman’sexistenceandwiththemcanbeheard:

theoriginationofAllahaccordingtowhichHeoriginatedmankindQur’an30:30.

Inthesamewaythatreligionissacredandsublime,arttoohasitsrootsinthesacredandupliftingaspectsofman.Moreover,justasfaithispronetostrayingwithouttheassistanceoftheprophets,artistrytoo,ifitdoesnotfallundertheguidanceoftheCreatorofart(andexistenceingeneral),caneasilyswerveoffitstrack.Itisforthisreasonthatthemutualrelationshipbetweenartandreligionmustbemaintainedtilltheendoftime,andman—beingdecadentandhelplessshouldseekrefugeinitslighttofindawaytowardshumanperfection.

Fromanotherangle,GodtheAlmighty,WhoistheCreatorofmankindandallthingsbeautiful,revealedtheQur’anfortheguidanceandblissofhumanityandfordevelopinghissplendourandperfection.

TheQur’anisabookthathasadeepinterior,abeautifulexteriorandasweetexpression.5Itisaglowingtorchwhichwillneverextinguishanditsrayswillremainthroughouttheages.Itsnoveltydoesnotfadewithage;infact,astimepasses,itscoreconceptsandunderstandingbecomemoreevident.Howmanyadeepconceptandhiddenintellectualsecrethasbeenrevealedsimplybythepassageoftime.TheQur’anisanendlessmiraclethatcontainsseveralextraordinaryandwondrousaspects.Formerandcontemporaryscholarshaveelaboratedextensivelyastothedifferentfacetsofthemiraculousnatureofthe

Qur’an,andtoday,wecansummarizedtheseintothreeimportantandessentialcomponents:

*Miracleofexpression

*Miracleofknowledge

*Miracleofguidance(throughtheshari’ah)

SincethetopicofthepresentarticleisabouttheQur’anandartistry,weshalldescribeandexplainthemiracleofQur’aniceloquence,concentratingonitsmelodiousnature.

MiracleofExpression

ThemiracleoftheQur’an’sexpressivenaturecanbedividedintothreesections:

1)TheQur’an’sSelectionofTerminology

Fromagrammaticalpointofview,ArabrhetoriciansconsidertheQur’an’smiracletolieinitsincrediblefluencyandeloquence.Theclarityofitsmessage,thefluidityofitsphrases,theprecisionintheselectionofitsterminologyandorder,andthearrangementofitsversesaresuchthatwhenitcomestointerpretingandtranscribingthewordsoftheQur’an,itisasiftheyhavebeenwovenandknitbythesamethreadinsuchawaythataninseparableunityisapparentthroughoutitsversesandchapters.AllofthisatteststothefactthattheQur’anisthewordofGod.

ThetermsintheQur’anhavebeenselectedsothat:

Theproportionofsoundsofequallevelisadheredto,suchthatthelastletterof

eachprecedingwordisinvocalharmonywiththefirstletterofthefollowingword.

Themeaningsofthewordsareinaccordancewitheachothersuchthat,intermsofunderstanding,thereisharmonybetweenthem.

Theeloquenceofthewordsselectedarecoherentwiththeconditionssetforthinthescienceoforationandrhetoric,suchthateachwordisplacedinsuchawaythatitisnotpossibletoreplaceitwithanother.

Ibn‘Athiyyahinhisexegesiswrites,“IfawordoftheQur’anisremovedandtheentireArabiclanguageissearchedforareplacement,suchatermwillnotbefound.”6

Onthesamepoint,IbuSulaymanBastiwrites:

KnowthattheunderlyingpillaroftheeloquenceoftheQur’anisbasedonthefactthateachwordhas,initsessence,apeculiaritythatqualifiesitforaspecificplaceappropriatetoit,suchthatifanotherwordisusedinitsplace,eithertheoverallmeaningwouldchangecausingtheintentoftheversetobecomecorrupt,oritwouldgiveupitsbeautyandtherebyloseitseloquence.7

Shaykh‘abdal-QahirJurjaniregardingthissays:

ThescholarsofgrammarandeloquencewerecompletelyfascinatedbytheprecisionandselectionofthewordsoftheQur’an,sincetheywereunabletofindacaseofawordthatwasinappropriatelyplacedoraworduselesslyplaced,

norcouldtheyfindawordmoreworthythanwhatwasused.Instead,theyfounditsoprecisethatitdumbfoundedthewiseandbewilderedthemasses.8

ThistypeofemphasiswithregardstotheselectionandplacementoftheQur’anicwords,pointsnotonlytothemiraculousnatureoftheQur’an,butalsotothefactthatsuchattentionandskillisbeyondthecapabilityofman.Thisisduetothefactthattheprecisionintheselectionofwordsandsentences,thecompleteproficiencyandexpansiveknowledgeofvocabulary,andtheacuteattentivenessrequiredinsuchanendeavour,isusuallynotpossibleforthecommonperson.

Inthisregard,thewordsofWalidibnMaghirahMakhzumi,whoiscountedasoneofthemostfamousoratorsanddistinguishedArableaders,andwhoalsowasoneofthestaunchopponentsofProphetMuhammad(S),isworthnoting.UponpassingbytheProphet(S)inthestateofprayersandhearinghimreciteseveralQur’anicversesfromthechapterofBelievers(Mu’min),hetooktowardstheMakhzumtribeandregardingtheQur’an,remarked:

IswearbyGod,IheardspeechfromMuhammad(S)thatisneithersimilartothatofmannorthatofjinn.IswearonGodthathisspeechhadaspecialsweetness,beautyandfreshness,justlikeafertiletreewithbranchesfulloffruitsandrootsdeepandextensive.Verily,thisspeechhassuperiorityoverothersandtherewillneverbeaspeechsuperiortoit.9

RegardingthebeautyandattractivenessoftheQur’anhealsosaid,“ThatwhichthechildofAbuKabshah10says,byGod,itisneitherpoetrynormagicnorexaggeration;withoutadoubthisspeechisthespeechofGod…”

SimilarconfessionsregardingtheattractionandeffectivenessoftheQur’an,fromamongsttheopponentsofIslamhavebeenvastlyreported,andthisitself

denotestheunmatchedmiraculousnatureoftheQur’an.

2)TheQur’an’sMethodandStyleofExpression

EventhoughtheexpressivestyleoftheQur’anwasattractivetotheArabs,itsstylewasnotsimilartoanyofthosethatwereprevalentatthetime.TheQur’angavewaytoanewmethodofexpressionthatwasunprecedentedandcouldneverbereplicatedafterwards.EventhoughtheorderandwritingoftheQur’anwascompletelynew,itwasnotoutsidetheconfinesofArabicspeech.Thisisoneofthewondersoforationwheretheoratorcreatesastyleinsuchawaythatitisacceptedandlikedbythelistenerdespiteitbeingunconventional.Whatismoremiraculousisthatitgainssuperiorityoverallotherstyleswithoutcontainingevenatraceofthemwithinitself.

Thetypesofspeech,ingeneral,thatwerepresentamongstthearticulateArabsatthetimewerepoetry,proseandrhymedprose,eachofwhichhaditsownvirtuesandflaws.

TheQur’anicstylecontainstheattractionandeloquenceofpoetry,thetotalfreedomofprose,andtheelegancefoundinrhymedprose,withoutbecomingdependentonrhythmorrhyme,norbecomingfragmented,norputtingitselfintodifficultyorarduousness.ThisfundamentalmatterastoundedtheArabrhetoricianssincetheyfoundthemselvesfacedwithspeechthatalthoughnewandpeculiar,hadacertainattractionandelegancethatwasnotfoundinanyotherformaldiscourseofthattime.

Kashifal-Ghitha,alearnedjuristandfamousgrammarian,remarks:

TheoutstandingorderandexoticmanneroftheQur’an—whichisunlikethe

styleusedbytheArabsintheirpoetryorprose—hadnoparallelneitherbeforethemnorafterthem,andnoonehadtheaptitudetocomposesomethingsimilar.Instead,theywereastonishedandleftbewildered,notknowinghowtoapproachit—whethertoconsideritaspoetry,orasprose,orasrhymedprose,orasepicversesthatwereinfashionatthattime...andsoitwasthattheArabeliteandtheirforemostrhetoriciansfelltotheirkneesinthefaceoftheQur’an.11

NasiribnHarithibnKaldah—consideredoneoftheleadersoftheQurayshandknownforhisclevernessandwitamongsttheArabs—displayedanopenenmitytowardstheProphetofIslam(S).InagatheringamidtheheadsofQuraysh,whilediscussingtheproblemthattheProphet(S)posedforthem,hesaid:

IswearbyGod,aneventoccurredwhenMuhammad(S)wasaproperyoungmanamongstyou,likablebyall,butyoudidnotsearchforaresolution.Inhisspeech,hewasthemosthonest,andinhissafekeeping,themosttrustworthy...untilwhitehairbecameapparentonthetwosidesofhisfaceandhebroughtthatwhichhebrought.Atthattimeyousaid,“Heisamagician”.No,ByGod!Innowayishesimilartoamagician.Yousaid,“Heisasoothsayer”.No,ByGod!Hisspeechisnotthatofasoothsayer.Yousaid,“Heisapoet”.No,ByGod!Innowayishisspeechonthepatternofpoetry.Yousaid,“Heiscrazy”.No,ByGod!Heisinnowaysimilartoacrazyperson.Thereforeyourealized,andcorrectlyso,thatagreateventhappenedandthiscannotbeunderestimated”.12

3)TheQur’an’sRhythmandMusic

OneofthemostimportantaspectsthatcontributestothemiraculouseloquencefoundintheQur’anisitsrhythmandmusic.Inhisdefinitionofmuslic,IbnKhaldunstates:

Musicisdefinedasinfusingatuneintorhythmicpoetrythroughtheseparationofsoundsintoproportionatesegments.Eachofthesesounds,whenpausedupon,

bringsaboutacomplete“seal”13which,inturn,formsatune(apleasingsound).Thistune,thereafter,iscombinedwithothersinaccordancewithspecificrelationships,anditisforthisreasonthattheequilibriumthatcomesaboutfromthesesoundsbecomespleasingtotheear.14

Asmusicalandmelodioussoundsplayaneffectiveroleinthetransformationofthehumansoul,AllahhasinterlacedtheversesofHisBookwithamusicthatisbothextraordinaryandmiraculous.Therhythmandtuneofthewordsarenotonlyinharmonywiththemeaningandintentoftheverses,butalsohelpcreateanatmosphereofsanctity,purity,passion,enthusiasm,andlureinthehumansoul,suchthathavingbeencaughtintheclutchesoftheQur’an,thesoulinevitablybecomesintoxicatedintraversingthepath(sayrwasuluk)withinthecelestialambienceoftheverses.

TherhythmthatliesinthewordsoftheQur’anproducesaheart-warmingmelodyandaheart-renderingcrythatexcitesthesoulandinfatuatesitwiththeQur’an.ThebeautythatliesintheresonanceoftheQur’anstirstheheartsofallwhohearit,includingthosewhoarenotArabs.WhilelisteningtotheupliftingtoneoftheQur’an,thefirstthingthatattractsapersonisthenovelaudiblestructureandstyle.Inthisstructure,thepunctuationandpauseshavebeenadornedinsuchawaythatitaffectsthesoulofthelistener.Thisimpressiveeffectstartswiththeproperpronunciationofthecharactersandwords,andcontinueswhenanexpressivetuneisadheredto;theclimaxofitisachievedwhenitisrecitedinasombreambienceaccordingtotheparticulartonealongwithitsprecisehighandlowpitches.

Thefluencyofthewordsandexpression,theeloquenceandmiraculousprecisionintheselectionofthesewords,andtheharmonytheQur’andisplaysinrelationtoitscontentandcontext,arousesatornadointhehumansoulandtakeshimoutofthestateofsluggishnessandsleep.ItisnowonderthatinthetraditionsfoundwithintheschooloftheAhlal-bayt(‘a),recitingtheQur’aninitsArabictone(lahn-e-’arabi)hasbeenemphasised.

Asanexample,theProphetofIslam(S)hassaid,“Everythinghasadecor,andthedecoroftheQur’anisitsbeautifulrecital.”15Healsosaid,“AdorntheQur’anwithyourpleasantrecitals.”16Itisnosurprise,thenthattheArabscalledtheQur’anmagic:

Saying,‘Itisnothingbutmagichandeddown.’(Quran74:24).

Dr.Darraz,regardingthemusicaleffectsoftheQur’anremarks:

Whenapersonobservesthatfromcinderducts(ofthelarynx),glitteringgemscomeoutintheformoforderedlettersasifdecorationsonastreet,hewouldreachastateofendlessraptureandattainaneverlastingsourceofenergy.Itisasif,thefirstletterisplaying,thesecondisreverberating,thethirdisawhisper,thefourthisacry,thefifthshakesthebreath,whilethesixthclosesitspassage,andyoufindthebeautyofitsrhythmwithinyourreach.Itisacompositeandharmonizedcompilationthatisneitherrepetitivenorredundant,neithermellownorharsh,andthereisnodecayinitslettersorsounds.

Inthismanner,theQur’anisneithertheharshspeechoftheBedouinsnorthesoftspeechoftheurbandwellers;ratheritiscontainsthefirmnessofthefirstandthedelicatenessofthesecond.Itisasifthereisablendingofbothlanguagesandtheresultisaninterminglingofthetwodialects.

Indeed,theQur’anhasbothnoveltyandbeautyandthiscombinationislikeashellwhichcontainsvaluablepearlsandpreciousgemswithinitself.Soifthebeautyofthecrustdoesnotpreventyoufromseeingtheburiedtreasureheldwithin,andifitsnoveltydoesnotbecomeacurtainbetweenyouandthehiddensecretsthatliebeyondit,andifyouremovethecrustfromthepithandseparate

theshellfromthepearl,andifyoureachtheorderandadornmentofitswordsinthesplendourofitsmeaning...itisthenthatamorewonderfulandmagnificentessencewillmanifestitselftoyouandyouwillfindtheclarityinitsmeaning.

ItisherethatliesthesoulanddepthoftheQur’an,wheretheflamethatpulledProphetMusa(‘a)totheburningtreeintheblessedmausoleumontheshoresofthevalleyoffaith,andwherethebreezeoftheHolySpiritsays,“IndeedIamAllah,theLordofalltheworlds!”17

RegardingthemusicofQur’an,SayyidQuthubalsoadds:

Thismelodyhascomeaboutasaresultofaparticularstructure,theharmonybetweenthelettersinaword,andtheconcordancebetweenthewordsinasection.Itisfromthisperspective,thattheQur’anhasboththespecialcharacteristicsofproseandtheparticularitiesofpoetry,withthisdistinguishingfactor,thatthemeaningandexpressionoftheQur’anhasbeenfreedfromtherestrictionsandlimitationsofrhyme,whileatthesametime,containingwithinitbothproseandpoetry.

DuringtherecitationoftheQur’an,theinnerrhythmcanbecompletelyperceived.Thisrhythm,displaysitselfmorewithintheshortchapters—wherethe“spacing”18isclosertogeher,andingeneral,withinitsillustrationsandsketches—andlesssowithinthelongchapters.Inbothcases,though,therhythmicorderisalwayspresent.Forinstance,inSurahNajm,weread:

Iswearbythestarwhenitgoesdown.

Yourcompaniondoesnoterr,nordoeshegoastray;

Nordoeshespeakoutofdesire.

Itisnaughtbutrevelationthatisrevealed,

TheLordofMightyPowerhastaughthim,

TheLordofStrength;soheattainedcompletion,Andheisinthehighestpartofthehorizon.

Thenhedrewnear,thenhebowed

Sohewasthemeasureoftwobowsorcloserstill.

AndHerevealedtoHisservantwhatHerevealed.

Theheartwasnotuntruein(makinghimsee)whathesaw.

What!doyouthendisputewithhimastowhathesaw?

Andcertainlyhesawhiminanotherdescent,

Atthefarthestlote-tree;

Nearwhichisthegarden,theplacetoberesortedto.

Whenthatwhichcoverscoveredthelote-tree;

Theeyedidnotturnaside,nordiditexceedthelimit.

CertainlyhesawofthegreatestsignsofhisLord.

HaveyouthenconsideredtheLatandtheUzza,

AndManat,thethird,thelast?

What!foryouthemalesandforHimthefemales!

Thisindeedisanunjustdivision!

Qur’an53:1-22

These“spacings”haveapproximatelythesamebeatalthoughtheyarenotbasedontheprosodicorderoftheArabs,andtherhymehasalsobeenadheredto,andbothofthesemakeupanotherdistinctivenessoftheQur’an,whichunlikerhymeandbeat,maynotbeapparent.Bythesynchronizationofthelettersinthewordsandthecoordinationofthewordswithinthesentences,amelodiousrhythmhasbeencreated.Duetoaninternalsenseandmusicalunderstanding,thislatterdistinctivenessisthereasonthatbetweentherhythmoftheQur’anandotherrhythms—eventhoughthe“spacing”andbeatmaybethesame—adifferenceexists.

Inaccordancewiththescienceofmusic,therhythmofitssentencesisneithershortnorlongbutofamoderatelength,andbyrelyingontheruwwi19character,itproducesarhythmicchain.Allofthesecharacteristicsareperceivable,insome“spacings”moresothanothers.Forexample,considertheabovementionedchapterofQur’an:

Ifitwouldhavesaid:

therhymingeffectwouldhavebeenlostandthetunedisturbed.Alternatively,ifitwouldhaveread:

Thebeatwouldhavebeendisrupted.Similarly,considerthenextlineinthedivinespeech:

Ifitwassaid:

thetunewhichwasmadeconsistentbythewordwouldbedisrupted.Thisdoesnotmeanhoweverthatwordssuchasى األخر orثة الثال or ذا orredundantareا

extraandthattheyonlyappeartopreservethepatternortoadheretotherhyme.RatherthesewordshaveamoreimportantrolewhichistocollaborateinconveyingthemeaningwhichisyetanotherspecialcharacteristicoftheartoftheQur’an:thatawordcanbothconveymeaningaswellaspreserveaparticulartuneorbeat,anditdoesbothsuchthatneitherhaspreferenceovertheother.

Aswasstated,inversesandin“spacings,”thereisarhythmthatisapparentthroughouttheQur’an.Theproofforthisisthatifawordappearsinaparticularway,anditwasreplacedwithasynonymorrelocatedinthesentence,disorderwouldarise.

Below,afewexampleswillbedemonstrated:

Firsttype

Intheseverses,thefirst-personpronoun"ي"hasbeenomittedinthewordsforthepreservationoftherhymingeffectwithwordslike.Similarlyintheverse:

theoriginal"ي"ofیسرhasbeenomittedsoastobeinharmonywithجر تر , ح شر , ع,رو فج .Orintheverses:

ifthe"ي"oftheword الداع wasnotomittedthepatternwouldbebroken.Likewise,ifintheverse:

weprolongthe"ي"ofغ bewouldpatternanalogy—thetocorrespondto—نبdisturbed.Thissamestatewouldoccurifa first-personthetoaddedwasهpronoun"ي"inthefollowingverses:2021

Secondtype

Unlikethefirsttypewhereweconsiderchangingaparticularword,inthistype,welookattheorderofthewordswhereiftheywererearranged,themusicalrhythmoftheverseswouldbedisrupted.Forexample,considertheverses:

Ifthewordwastopreceandthereforethephrasewouldbeitwouldfeellikethepatternwasdisturbed.

Thereforeaswasmentioned,atypeofinnermelodywithintheQur’anexistswhichisperceivablebutdifficulttodescribe.Thismelodyisthewarpandweftofthewords,andishiddenwithintheinternalstructureofthesentence,whichisonlyperceivedbyasubconsciousfacultyorthroughthepoweroftheAlmighty.InthiswaytheinternalmusicoftheQur’anaccompaniesit,andwiththeserhythmicwords,raisesthesensationssuchthattheslightestchangewouldcauseittofallintodisorder.Thisisdespitethefactthatthesewordsarenotpoetryanddonothavethelimitationsassociatedwithmanypoems—whichnotonlylimitthefreedomofexpression,butalsopreventmanfromattaininghisgoals.22

MustafaRaf’i,regardingthis,states:

TheArabsusedtocompeteandrevelwitheachotherinwritingpoetryandrecitingprose,butthestyleoftheirwordswasalwaysbasedononeform.Theywerefreewiththeirspeechandhadmasteredtheartoforation.Ontheonehand,however,theireloquencewasinstinctual,andontheother,itreceiveditsinspirationfromnature.ButwhentheQur’anwassentdown,theynoticedthatanewstylehadappeared.Theletterswerethesameaswhattheyknew,buttheynoticedthatthisnewstylewasfreeflowing,anditsorder,coordinationandharmonywereatapeak.Asaresult,theywereastonishedbyitssplendourand

eminenceandtheyrealizedtheweaknessoftheirownabilitiesandtheemptinessoftheirownintelligence.Moreover,theeloquentamongsttheArabssawatypeofexpressionthattheyhadneverseenuntilthen.Inthelettersandwordsandsentencesofthisnewspeech,theywitnessedawonderfultune.Allofthesewordsweresoappropriatelyarrangednexttoeachotherthatitseemedasifitwasonepiece.TheArabsclearlysawthatarhythmicorderflowedwithinthedepthsofthesewords,anditwasthisthatconveyedtothemtheirownweaknessandinabilityinthisdomain.

AllwhohaveexperiencedthesecretofthemusicandthephilosophyofthefluencyoftheQur’an,arefirmlyofthebeliefthatnoskillcancompeteorevencomparewiththenaturalarrangementofthewordsoftheQur’anandthesoundsofitsletters,andnoonecanfindfaultinevenasingleofitsletters.Fromanotherpointofview,theQur’anismuchgreaterthanmusic,andthisparticularityaffirmsthefactthattheQur’anisessentiallynotmusic.

Inmusicalsongs,thefactorsthatcontributetotheexcitementofthesoulincludeavarietyofsounds,flows,echoes,softandhardtunes,andthevariousvowelsoundsthatitincludes,aswellasthehighandlowpitchesandtreble,whichisallreferredtoas‘eloquenceofsound’inmusicalterms.

WhenweconsiderthisaspectofrecitingtheQur’an,werealizethatthereisnolanguagemoreeloquentthanthelanguageoftheQur’an,anditisthisveryaspect,whichupliftshumanemotionsofbothArabandnon-Arab.Keepingthisunderstandinginmind,thephilosophyofencouragingtherecitationoftheQur’aninaaudiblemannerbecomesclear.

These“spacings”withwhichtheversesoftheQur’anend,isacompleteimageofthedimensionswhichthemelodioussentencesendwith.The“spacing”—initsownessence—isdeeplyconnectedtosound,andbythetypeofsoundandthemannerinwhichitispronounce,ithasauniquenesslikenoother.Fromoneperspective,mostofthese“spacings”endwiththetwocharacters,nunandmīm

(bothofwhicharecustomaryinmusic),orwiththeprolongedvowel(harf-e-madd)—allofwhichisinherentintheQur’an.23

Someexpertshavesaid:

IntheQur’an,manyofthe“spacings”endwiththecharactersmaddandlīn,andtheadditionoftheletternun,andthewisdomofusingthesecharactersistocreateatypeoftune.However,evenifthe“spacing”doesnotendwithoneoftheaforementionedcharacters—forexample,ifitendswithanunvocalized(sakin)character—thereisstillnodoubtthatitsselectionisstillthemostappropriate.

Ofcourse,mostoftheaforementionedcharactersappearinshortphrasesandconsistofqalqalahletters(lettersthatresonateintheear)orotherlettersthatmaintainthemusicaltune.Theeffectofthismethodofincitingtheheartbymeansofthetongueisnaturalinallpeople.IntheHolyQur’an,awondrousrhythmicpatternpresentsitselftothelistener,whetherheunderstandsArabicornot.

Therefore,thewordsofthenobleQur’anarecomposedofletterswhich,ifremovedorreplacedoraddedto,willcreatedisruptioninthepattern.Intheprocess,thebeat,theresonanceandthetunewillappearweak,anditwillmakeitselfaudiblyapparent;ultimately,itwillappeartobeinerrorwithregardtoitsunityofstructure,anthologyofsoundsandpositionofletters,andwhenlisteningtoit,itwillgivewaytodiscordance.24

ThemiraculousspeechoftheQur’anistheapexintermsofcreatinganindescribablefeelingintheheartoftherecitorandthelistener.Inotherwords,characterscometogethernexttoeachotherinanunprecedentedwaysuchthatwithoutanymusicalinstrumentandwithoutthepresenceofrhymeorpattern,a

splendidtuneresonatesintheear.Thismiraclecanbeclearlyseeninthesesamples:

1.ProphetZakariyya’s(‘a)speechtoAllah:

2.ProphetIsa’s(‘a)speechfromthecradle:

3.Theverseregardingtheobedienceoftheprophets:

4.TheversedescribingseeingAllahontheDayofJudgment:

5.TheverseinwhichAllahtheMercifulspeakstotheProphet(S)inasweetandheartpleasingmanner:

Theverseregardingthosewhocommitcrimesandtheirpromisedpunishment.Inthisversethetonechangesintoaharshone,reverberatingintheears:

TheversethattalksabouttheDayofResurrection.Inthisverse,cut-phrasesandalertingwordsareused:

Inthechapterofal-Nas,inwhichthebeat,tuneandrepetitionofthecharactersīnandthephysicalformofit(س),bringstolightthehiddenwhisperingstoman:

Inthefollowingverse:

Thisversemaybelackinginrhyme,rhythmandtheprevalenthalf-versestanzas,butitisoverflowingwithmusicandeachcharacterhasaheart-rendingcry.Thisiswhatismeantbythe“innerQur’anicmusic”referredtopreviously.

ThisinnerrhythmorQur’anicmusicisoneofthestructuralsecretsoftheQur’an.Noothergrammaticalstructureisparalleltoit.ThisstructuralrhythmhasnothadandwillnothaveanyparallelinArabicliterature.AmongstArabictexts,theQur’anisinitsownclassasanineffablephenomenon.

FactorsofthebeautyanddivinemusicofQur’an

TheArabicpronunciationofthelettersandwords,theirtone,theorderoftheverses,thevoiceoftherecitor,hisspiritualpietyandhisinnerpurityarefourimportantfactorsthatcontributetothecelestialmusicoftheQur’an.Themostimportantofthesefactors,whichcausesapsychologicalandspiritualtransformationinthesoul,isthefourthone:thereverentialfearexhibitedbytherecitor.

Regardingthis,itissaidofImamSajjad(‘a),“He(‘a)wasthemostpleasingoftherecitorsoftheQur’an,suchthatthewater-carriers—whousedtopassbyhishouse—wouldpausebyhisdoorandlistentohisrecitation.”25

Attimes,theeffectoftheImam’s(‘a)heavenlyvoicewassoprofoundthatitwouldcausehisaudiencetocollapseintoaswoon.IthasbeennarratedthatamanwenttoAbual-HasanandreminiscedabouttherecitationoftheQur’an.

TheImam(‘a)said,“Certainly,‘Aliibnal-Husayn(‘a)usedtorecitetheQur’an,andmanyatimesapersonwouldpassbyhimandfallintoaswoonduetothepleasantnessofhisvoice;truly,iftheImam(‘a)revealedevenasinglesecretregardinghispleasantvoice,peoplewouldnotbeabletoendureit.”26

TheFoundationoftheQur’an’sCelestialMusic

TheQur’anisabookofseriousness:

Itisindeedadecisivewordanditisnotajest.27

Itisalsoareminderofmankind’sgraveresponsibilityandaforewarningoftheillfortuneawaitingthosewhocarryfalsebeliefsorhavecorruptsouls,andwhodon’tpayattentiontotherealitiesofthisworldandthehereafter.Fromthispointofview,therevelationofQur’anismixedwithsorrowandgrief.

TheInfallibles(‘a)haverecommendedtherecitationofQur’aninastateofsorrow.Regardingthis,ImamSadiq(‘a)says,“Surely,theQur’anhasbeenrevealedforgrief(intheimpressionitimprintsonthehumansoul);thereforereciteitinagrievoustone.”28

Inanothertradition,ithasbeennarrated,“AllahrevealedtoprophetMusa(‘a):‘Wheneveryoustandbeforeme,standlikeadestituteandwheneveryourecitetheTorah,letmehearitinasorrowfulvoice’.”29

Thissorrowstemsfromknowingoneself,one’sweaknessandone’slackofmeans,andunderstandingthestationoftheLord’sessence(dhat-e-rububi).Itis

mixedwithfear,self-restraint,struggleandperseveranceinthepathtowardstheDivine.

TheDifferencebetweenForbiddenMusicandtheMusicoftheQur’an

Itisevidentthatrecitationinastateofdeepafflictionandsorrow—whichisbasedontheideaofasenseofresponsibilitytowardstheDivineandinaccordancewiththeprinciplesofrecitation—isdifferentthanmusicofdebaucheryandlibertinism.

TheProphetofIslam(S)regardingthishassaid:

RecitetheQur’anwiththesoundandstyleoftheArabsandkeepawayfrommusicofthosewhoareimmoralandwhoperformmajorsins.Withoutdoubt,agroupofpeoplewillappearaftermewhowillchurntheQur’anintheirthroatslikethechurningofcovetoussoundsandhymnsofmonkswhichdon’tgobeyondtheirthroats.Theirheartsandtheheartsofthosewhoareamazedbytheirworkare,inreality,inverted.30

ThecriterionusedinthishadithtodifferentiateQur’anicmusicfromthedecadentformofmusicthattheProphet(S)alludedtoispreciseandworthnoting:

Itshouldnotbesimilartosinfulmusic.Immoralmusicinstigatesanimalisticinstincts,slackness,pitilessness,andlanguidnessincarryingoutdivinecommands.Itcreatesalackofvivacityinworshipandspirituality,and

transformsoneawayfromastateofseriousnessandsorrow.

Qur’anicmusichasagoalofspiritualtransformationintermsofguidanceandgrowthinhumanvaluesandresponsibilities,whereasimmoralmusicnotonlyinhibitspositivespiritualtransformations,butalsoeliminatesthesacreddriveandvivacity.

Ifapersonispiousandvivaciousinhisworship,themusicthatemanatesfromhisthroatisofadivinenature,whereasforonewhoisuninterestedinworshipandpiety,hismusicisaninstigatorofcorruption.

Fromallangles,thenobleQur’anisaninterpretationofhumannature(fithrah)anditsmusicisinlinewithitsorderlycontent.Itspeakswiththelanguageofthesoulandthedivinenature,satisfyingman’sneeds.Forthisreason,everyperson—evenastrangertotheQur’an—canindirectlybenefitfromitsmeaningthroughitsverymusic.31InthewordsofArberry32andPikthal,theQur’anis,“aninimitablesymphony,theverysoundsofwhichmovementotearsandecstasy.”33

RecitingtheQur’anwithaPleasantVoice

AfterabriefexaminationoftheinnermusicandthebeautifulrhythmoftheQur’an,itisworthnotingthatinthetraditions,ithasbeenhighlyrecommendedthattheQur’anberecitedwithapleasantvoice.Moreover,thereciterhasbeenencouragedtopayattentiontotheslightestdetails,includingprolongingvarioussounds,andadheringtotheirhighandlowpitches.Someexamplesoftraditionsinthisregardare:

“AndresonateyourvoiceinyourthroatduringtherecitationoftheQur’an;for

Allah(GlorifiedandExalted)lovesbeautifulvoicesthatresonateinthethroats.34

“Indeed,theadornmentoftheQur’anliesinthebeautyofitsrecital.”35

“RecitetheQur’anandweep;andifyoucannotweep,makeasifyouareweeping,forhewhodoesnotrecitetheQur’anwithitsparticularmelodyandwithapleasantvoiceisnotofus.”36

Regardingthefollowingverse:

andrecitetheQur’anintartil37

ImamSadiq(‘a)hassaid,“WhatismeantbytartilistorecitetheQur’aninameasuredtone,andtomakeyourvoicesbeautiful.”38

Bibliography

TheNobleQur’an

IbnHisham,‘abdal-Malik,Sirahal-nabi(SiratibnHisham),Egypt:Mathba’MuSthafaal-Babial-Halabi,FirstEdition,Volume1,1355A.H.

IbnKhaldun,‘abdal-Rahman,MuqaddamahibnKhaldun(translatedbyMuhammadParwinGunabadi),Tehran:Shirkat-e-Intisharat-e-’ilmiwafarhangi,EighthEdition,Volume2,1997.

Hurr‘Amili,MuhammadibnHasan,Tafsilwasa’ilal-shi’ahilatahsilmasa’ilal-shari’ah,TahqiqwataShihe‘Abdal-RahimRabbaniShirazi,Beirut:DarIhya’al-Tarathal-’Arabi,Volume4,1391A.H.

Kashifal-Ghitha’,MuhammadHusayn,al-Dinwaal-Islam,Volume1.

Kulayni,MuhammadibnYa’qub,Usulal-kafi(translatedbySayyidHashimMahallati),Daftar-e-Nashare-Farhang-e-Ahl-e-Bayt(‘a),Volume4.

Majlisi,MuhammadBaqir,Biharal-Anwar,Tehran:al-Maktabahal-Islamiyyah,Volume89-90.

Ma’rifat,MuhammadHadi,al-Tamhidfi‘ulumal-Qur’an,FirstEdition,Volume5,1396A.H.

-------------------Ulum-e-Qur’ani,Mu’assisah-e-Farhangi-e-Intisharatial-Tamhid.

Muhaddathi,Jawad,Hunardarqalamru-e-maktab,Markaz-e-Intisharat-e-Daftar-e-Tablighat-eIslami-e-Hawzah-e-’Ilmi-e-Qum.MuttaqiHindi,Kanzal-’Ummal,Beirut:Mu’assasahal-Risalah,1405A.H.

NaqiPur,Wali-Allah,TadabburdarQur’an,Qum:Intisharat-e-Uswah,1993.

Tabari,MuhammadibnJarir,Jami’al-BayanfiTa’wilÀyatal-Qur’an(TafsireTabari),Beirut:DaralMa’rifah,SecondEdition,Volume29,1392A.H.

Qummi,Shaykh‘Abbas,Mafatihal-Jinan,Tehran:Intisharat-e-Payam-e-Haq,1999.

Rafi’i,MuSthafa,I’jazal-Qur’an,Beirut:Daral-Kitabal-’Arabi,1393A.H.

SayyidQuthub,Muhammad,al-Taswiral-Funnifial-Qur’an,Beirut:Daral-Kitabal-’Arabi,1980.

Suyuthi,Jalalal-Din,al-Dural-Manthurfial-Tafsirbial-Ma’thur,Baghdad:Daral-Kitabal-’Iraqiyyah,

Volume3,1377A.H.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

1.Muhadathi,p.63.

2.Ibid.

3.Ibid.

4.Ibid.

5.Kulayni,vol.4p.399.

6.Ma’arifat,al-Tamhid,1396A.H.,p.21.

7.Ma’arifat,‘Ulum-eQurani,p.375.

8.Ibid.

9.Tabari,1392A.H.,p.98andIbnHisham,1355A.H.,p.288.

10.TheunbelieversusedtorefertoProphetMuhammad(S)bythisname,referringtotheProphet’smaternalgrandfather,whoopposedtheQurayshinmattersofreligion.

11.Kashifal-Ghitha,p.107.

12.IbnHisham,1355A.H.,p.320-321;Suyuthi,1377A.H.,p.180.

13.“Seal”(tawqi’orirtiqa’)isthebeginningofthe“stride”inmusicaltermswhichmeanstotuneorpitchsounds.

14.IbnKhaldun,1997,p.844.

15.Kulayni,p.420.

16.Majlisi,p.90.

17.Ma’arifat,p.381-382.

18.Whatismeantby“spacing”isthelastwordofeachverse,similartotherhymingpatterninpoetryorthesymmetrywithinrhymingprose.

19.ThetechnicaldefinitionofRuwwiinthescienceofprosodyistheprincipal

rhymingwordwhichsetsthebasisfortherhymingscheme.

20.Qur’an101:9-11.

21.Qur’an69:19-21.

22.SayyidQuthub,198,p.80-83.

23.Rafi’i,1393A.H.,p.188-216.

24.Ma’rifat,‘UlumQur’an,p.386-387.

25.Kulayni,p.420.

26.Ibid.,p.419.

27.Qur’an86:13-14.

28.Kulayni,p.418.

29.Ibidp.419-420.

30.Kulayni,p419.

31.Naqipur,1993,p.413.

32.MarmadukePickthallandArthurJohnArberryseparatelytranslatedtheQur’anintoEnglish.Inhistranslation,ArberryhasattemptedtohighlightcertainaspectsofthemusicoftheQur’an.

33.Ibid.

34.Kulayni,p.421.

35.Majlisi,p.190.

36.MuttaqiHindi,1405A.H.,p.2794andMajlisi,vol.89,p.191.

37.Qur’an73:4.

38.Majlisi,Ibid.,p.190-195.

SourceURL:

https://www.al-islam.org/al-taqrib/volume-2-number-3-winter-2008/glimpse-melodiousness-quran-akram-dayyani

Links

[1]https://www.al-islam.org/user/login?destination=node/42076%23comment-form

[2]https://www.al-islam.org/user/register?destination=node/42076%23comment-form

[3]https://www.al-islam.org/person/akram-dayyani

[4]https://www.al-islam.org/organization/al-taqrib

[5]https://www.al-islam.org/person/ali-karmali

[6]https://www.al-islam.org/library/general-quran-hadith

[7]https://www.al-islam.org/journals/volume-2-number-3-winter-2008

www.IslamicMobility.com