Question

Assalamu Aleikum

May Allah bless you for your help and  kindness in answering the questions.

I have a few questions concerning the recitation of the Qur'an in the prayer. 

1. During Taraweeh prayers for example, I have noticed that some imams recite the surats in a very fast pace. Is this way of fast recitation going against what Allah said in surat 73 verse 4: "... and recite the Qur'an (aloud) in a slow , (pleasant tone and) style." even though the rules of the tajweed are applied? 

2. Would you please give me the meaning of this phrase:"Fath kurûnî ath kurkum alâ bithikri lâhi tatt ma innul qulub"

3. Would you please tell me who was responsible for classifying by order (from Surah 1 to surah 114) the surats of the Qur'an? 

May Allah help you in finding the answers inshallah.  Ma Salam

Answer

Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh,

May Allah bless you also.

The word, “tarteel” has many definitions in English, and some hadeeth point to that part of the meaning is slow, but it is not an exclusive meaning.  The scholars of tajweed have laid down three possible speeds in recitation and described them thoroughly in the books of tajweed.  These are all considered “tarteel”, as far as proper recitation.  Please see the following link for this information: http://www.abouttajweed.com/281101.htm

 2.  These is not one phrase but instead it is parts of  two different aayaat.

The first aayah is:   (Al-Baqarah 152)

The translation of the explanation of the meaning is: Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying), I will remember you...  

The second is:          (Ar-Ra'd 28)

The translation of the explanation of the meaning is: Verily, in the remembrance of Allâh do hearts find rest.

3.  The order of the suwar (plural of surah) is part of the revelation and is known to been established at the time of the Prophet, .  There are hadeeths that give proof to this, one is the following [translation of the meaning]:

The Messenger, , said: “I was given in the place of the Torah the seven long ones, and I was giving in the place of the Zuboor [psalms] the 100’s, and I was given in the place of the Gospels the ‘mathaanee’, and I was favored with the munfaSSal.”

Related by Ahmed and At-Tabaraanee and graded as Saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaam’I As-Sagheer 1/350 hadeeth 107.

The seven longs ones are: Al-Baqarah, Aali ‘Imraan, An-Nisaa’, Al-Maa’idah, Al-An’aam, Al-‘Araaf, and either Al-Anfaal or At-Tawbah, or the two together.  

The 100’s are those that follow the seven long ones, and are called that because they all are near or more than 100 aayaat.  

Al-Mathaanee are those that follow the 100’s and called that because they follow them, they are less than 100 aayaat in these surahs.

Al-MunfaSSal group is from either Al-Hujuraat or Qaaf until the end of the Qur’an, and further divided into three groups:

             The long MunfaSSal: From Al-Hujuraat until the end of Al-Mursalaat

             The medium MunfaSSal: From An-Naba’ until the end of Al-Layl

              The short MunfaSSal: From Al-Layl until the end of the Qur’an.

They were named al-munfaSSal because of the many separations in them with the basmalah between the suwar.  [Fann At-Tarteel wa Uloomuh, Ash-Sheikh Ahmed At-Taweel, volume one].  

As you can see, the order of the suwar were established at the time of the Prophet, , and are considered “restricted”, in that we are not allowed to change their order and was well known among the companions, may Allah be pleased with them all. 

Wa assalaam alaikum wa rahmatu Allah.