Question

asalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu

I have done a search on your website but haven’t come up with a conclusive
answer hence:

Is there such a thing as an ijaza with an isnad, for reading only, not for a hafiz, just for somebody who knows how to read? I am getting mixed messages here in Egypt. If there is, what is it called in Arabic and what does it entail?
jazakumullahu khairan.
wasalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu

Answer

Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

Yes and no.  The origin of the ijaazah was that of certifying one’s tajweed and memorization as being complete and mastered.  This is the sanad that started and all that have a sanad today going back to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah upon him, have its source and origin in memorization with complete mastery of tajweed. 

Some shuyookh in modern times started giving ijaazah in tilaawah when they found the lack of memorizers of the Qur’an and the need for mastery of tajweed.  They gave an ijaazah in tilaawah then to try and raise the level of recitation in the area they were in.  There is no sanad going all the way back to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah upon him in tilaawah.  The sanad certificate that is given for tilaawah usually has only one or two of the last of the sanad that have read tilaawah, the rest in the chain of the sanad was with memorization of the Qur’an. 

We don’t know all that it entails outside of reading the Qur’an from the mus-haf with proper tajweed.  We encourage you to memorize the Qur’an and learn proper tajweed so that insha’ Allah you may receive an ijaazah in the traditional way. 

Wa iyaakum wa-l-muslimeen.

Wa assalaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh