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Musical Performance Of The Holy

Quran With Assistance Of The Arabic
Maqams
Mohammed ali Reda Hassan Al, Tsonka Al Bakri

TOJET The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology

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 TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology – December 2016,
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Musical Performance Of The Holy Quran With Assistance Of The Arabic Maqams

Tsonka Al BAKRI
College of Fine Arts, Music Department
Yarmouk University Jordan
[email protected]

Mohammed MALLAH
College of Fine Arts, Music Department
Yarmouk University Jordan

ABSTRACT
When a West European observer is listening to a professional performance of the Holy Quran, he notes its chant-like
character. This paper has been prompted by the widespread performance of the Holy Book by the present-day
mudjawideen (those reading/chanting the Holy Quran) in everyday life of the Arab people. These performances are
characterized by outstanding melody-making, beautiful melodizing and remarkable improvisation. This has led the
researchers to the idea of studying the roots and rules of the musical presentation of the Holy Quran.
It has been an undisputed fact that the intellectual and artistic advancement of the Arabs in the Middle Ages led to a
specific manner of reading the Holy Quran, modifying it from the recitation-like reading al tartil to a new, original
and specific method of singing al tajweed. This study will be devoted to al tajweed and the use of different maqams
from the realm of Arabic music. In this paper, the researches will focus their attention on the suitable timbres,
appropriate for the performance of the Holy Text, according to Arabic academic literature, as well as the emotional
characteristics of the most frequently used maqams and their respective application to the specific parts of the Holy
Quran.

INTRODUCTION
This paper aims to outline the real picture, associated with the musical presentation of the Holy Quran, the historical
facts and information available regarding the manner of its performance. The most frequently encountered maqams
applied in the Holy Quran reading will be presented and their specific features shall be defined. Readers will be
introduced to the madkhalat soutieh (the degrees composing the maqams), the Jins or Adjnas as plural (tetrachords)
and the fasel tanini (the transition linking up the two tetrachords). The researches will try to facilitate and assist those
reading the Holy Quran and interested in the connotative meaning of the music by representing the diverse colors
and moods, created by the different maqams in the reproduction of certain texts of the Holy Quran.
The aim of this paper is to be a useful tool to every mudjawideen seeking to read the Holy Book and understand the
meaning of the existence of some musical elements in the realization of the Holy Quran. Furthermore, it is the
authors’ ambition to familiarize Western theorists with the musical aspect of Islamic theological practice. The
formulated aims are as follows:
1. To define the maqams used in the al tajweed of the Holy Quran.
2. To present the ancient semantic idea of the existence of “colors”, a specific emotional impact of every
maqam, which determines its respective use in recreating the atmosphere of certain Suras.
3. To present the maqams as a means of “invigorating” the Holy Quran, enriching its beauty and strength.
The authors believe that this information will help in the formation of an adequate evaluation of the true role of
music and its real place in Islamic Culture.
The researchers define the problems accompanying this elaboration in the following order:
-Division of the social and academic view on the status regarding “the permissibility” of music as art within the
frameworks of Islam.
-The absence of adequately sufficient thorough academic studies devoted to the subject.
-The absence of Music education among the Sheikhs reading the Holy Quran, which reflects on their ability to
correctly define the musical phenomena.

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-A willingness on the part of the theological community to consider music to be profane and disregard its power of
impact during the performance of the Holy Texts.
The methodology on which the paper rests, is a case study. The main attention will be concentrated into the sphere of
performance of the Holy Quran, and at the same time other objects and subjects involved and directly related to it
will also be presented.
Key words: Quran, Music, Maqam, al Tartil, al Tajweed.
The paper cannot be started without an introduction explaining and defining the problems, which the researchers
encountered due to the division of views for and against conducting such an investigation in the first place. On the
one hand, music is within the realm of the banned (haram) arts, alongside the spectacular genres, the art of dancing
and the images of people and animals in paintings. On the other, despite the established bans, the Arabs have created
a rich heritage in various spheres of the art of music. During the time of the Middle Ages and golden age of “The
House of Wisdom”, sciences, along with music theory and aesthetic norms attained heights unknown to Europe, just
to prove the intransigence of knowledge over religious dogmatism. The question regarding “the permissibility” of
music in Islamic culture has never ceased being a topic of discussion over the course of many centuries. This has
been due to the absence of direct instructions or an explicit ban in the Holy Quran itself, which allows freedom in
dealing with the subject to the interpreters of the Holy Book. Over time an indefinite compromise situation took
shape, which allows music in the form of a “pure” art, which engenders noble feelings, while at the same time rejects
music in the forms giving rise to “sinful” or erotic thoughts. Tolerance to music became established, although the
possibility remains that this tolerance could turn at any moment into rejection and complete ban of any kind of music
events. The status quo has proven this claim. Existing in quite a number of Arab countries are music conservatoires,
colleges of arts, schools for music. “Music” is presented as a subject in secondary schools, while in other Arab
countries all this is prohibited. Arabic satellite channels broadcast ethno-pop music, performed by male and female
singers, which exercise their rights to repeat or quote stereotypes of behaviors, vision or dancing aesthetics, directly
borrowed from West-European and American pop trends. At the same time there are families, entire settlements,
regions and even states where access to these channels is strictly banned and defined as an expression of the purest
evil. Consideration must also be given to the extreme orthodox Islam, preached by the so-called Islamic State, some
structures of Al Qaeda et al. which provide the death penalty to people dealing with music or arts. Despite, or
precisely because of what has been presented, the topic of the existence of music in the cult art of Islam is an
extremely delicate theme. Every discussion or study undertaken regarding these types of questions encounters
numerous opponents and a number of obstacles in the collection of adequate information, especially related to
theological texts, as well as a certain amount of distancing on the part of the very performers and interpreters of the
Holy Quran. Other obstacles in carrying out the current investigation have been the lack of knowledge or
unwillingness on the part of the religious interpreters and performers to define and, respectively, give answers on
topics related to the correlations between the subjects of the paper; Music and the Holy Quran.

The music characterizing the reading of the Holy Texts is vocal, which has been due to the widespread view that the
musical instruments are the product of human hand and for that matter are carriers of “sinfulness”. It is not known
when and who had banned the use of instruments in the performance of the Holy Quran or whether at some point
there had been such a phenomenon at all, but practice has enforced the complete absence of any instrumental
accompaniment in the recitation of the Holy Book. This fact could also be attributed to the Arabs’ traditional
attachment to monody and the song.

SINGING/READING OF THE HOLY QURAN

It should be emphasized that when referring to a performance of the Holy Quran in Muslim countries, the word
“singing” is never used, instead, this is referred to as “reading\reciting” or “kura’a”. The poetic emphasis does not
fall directly on the musical aspect of what is being performed, but on the narrative, logos or spoken principle.
Recitativeness, characteristic of the reading of the Holy Quran is distinguished by a sing-song manner of a certain
genesis, rooted back in antiquity. The Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) waged a permanent planned struggle against
paganism. At the same time he cleverly borrowed the traditions of the centuries interweaving the new religion into
culturally generated structures from ancient times, through which he found the suitable way of combining tradition
with the new doctrine. This applies not only to the pilgrimage to the Black Stone- Kaaba and so called Hajj, but also
the poetical heritage from the pre-Islamic period. It has been common knowledge that quite a few of the sacral chants
of the Arabic tribes like Tahmeel and Talbeah were passed over to the way of reading the Holy Quran. It is well
known that the hallmark or way of using the rhymed prose of the Holy Book has been based on the Sadj or pagan
ritual genre. “Some structural stylistic specificities of the early Suras of the Holy Quran provoke certain associations
with the formation of the ancient maqams and the Sadj rhythm” (Filshetin’skij, 1971, 50).

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Reading of the Holy Quran has been accepted to be performed in the mosques and at gatherings during family events
including childbirth, weddings and death. In modern times listening to the Holy Book is usually done using
electronic carriers, over the radio and through satellite channels. The performance is done by well-known
mudjawedeen. This is due to the generally accepted view that the musical recitation of the Holy Quran by select,
trained and schooled performers is conducive both to the more lively emotional perception of the text and to the
thorough penetration into the philosophical and lexical semantics of the text.

The question naturally arises wherefrom does the tradition of melodic presentation of the Holy Quran originate. As
already pointed out, the Holy Book itself does not mention anything and there are no specific instructions along this
line. The only reference to the style of reading is found in the Sura “The Enfolding” “Al Musammil” that says “And
you should read the Holy Quran with moderation and piety”. (The Holy Quran, Ayah 3, 4, 5, 6). However, hadith[s]
or parables have been passed down the generations and left by the followers of the Prophet (pbuh), which give some
concepts along this line. One hadith is often quoted in which the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) insists that the Muslims
yataghannah (sing) the Holy Quran, whereby the significance and its beauty could be adequately shown.
Furthermore, the Prophet (pbuh) says: “Whoever does not yataghannah the Holy Quran is not one of us” and “You
should decorate the Holy Quran with your voices” (Bin Ibrahim 2005, 1029 ). This has also been brought up by
Ibrahim bin Hamzah, who heard it from Ibn Abi Hazem, who in turn had heard it from Yazid, who in turn had heard
it from Mohammed bin Ibrahim, who quotes Sulma and Abi Hureira, who had heard from the Prophet (pbuh) the
words “ God would not permit something which has been banned” (or musical performance of the Holy Texts) . Or:
“The believer is righteous who reads the Holy Quran with a beautiful voice” (Bin Ibrahim, 2011, 626). The
upholders of the “permissibility” of music in Islam lay stress on this hadith, pointing out that when the reading is
performed by a righteous man, having a beautiful voice, singing the Holy Quran finely, this could not be qualified as
a Haram (sin), rather has been allowed by Allah. They consider that in the combination of these few factors: the
righteousness of the performer, the beautiful voice and the perfect poetry of the Holy Quran, supreme virtues are
manifested which as a result entail strengthening of the faith in God and homage to his greatness.

Some of the supporters of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), who were acknowledged by He Himself as the best
readers of the Holy Quran have been passed down. They all were reported to have had rich and beautiful voices.
Owing to their merits as inspired and skillful singers, they had assisted the spread of Islam. These were Abi Mussa
Ashari, Salem Mulla Ibn Hudaifa, and, of course, Bilal Habashi. A hadith, based on information from Aisha, goes
like this: one evening she came home late to the Prophet (pbuh) and he asked her why she had been late. Aisha
answered that she had been to a meeting of his associates, at which one of his followers was reading the Holy Quran
in such a beautiful voice that she felt she had never heard the Holy Texts performed with such a magical force. The
Prophet (pbuh) answered her that this must have been Salem Mulla Ibn Hudaifa, and added: “Glory to God that
there are such men in our umma (community)” (Al Sharif, 2003, 61). A similar hadith was indicative that the Prophet
Mohammad (pbuh) advised his followers to follow an example of how his officers should perform the Holy Quran.
He listed the names of the four with the most beautiful voices: Abdallah Bin Masoud, Salem Mulla Ibn Hudaifa,
Mouad and Abi Bin Ka’a. The same hadith says that when these followers of the Prophet (pbuh) were reading the
Holy Quran, the Prophet (pbuh) himself used to say that “when someone was reading the Holy Text with such a
beautiful voice, even God Himself listened to him”. (Al Hrazi, 2001, 58).

It is impossible to prove how and who specifically gave the idea of melodic rendition of the Holy Quran, because the
musical tradition of the Arabs is empirical and is based on improvisation, rather than on note-writing. The musical
tradition had been kept up by the correct and strict handing down of information from generation to generation. The
missing clarity on the matter and the available historical data do not preclude the real existence of tajweed, as a direct
expression of the art of musical rendition of the Holy Texts. Let us say that tajweed derives from tarteel. Tarteel,
this is “the right” way of reading the Holy Quran, or a kind of art recitation. The meaning of Tarteel is the slow,
measured rhythmic way of hymn type recitation. Tarteel teaches how certain letters are to be stressed and others
extended, whereby all this is put down in the Holy Quran itself in the form of diacritical signs, but the performance is
the objective of the performing improvisation. There are seventeen makharej al huruf, or emission points of the
letters, located in the different points of the vocal system use in performance of Islamic recitation. They are found
pronounced through the throat, tongue, mouth, lips, and nose, and all should be properly used in the vocalization of
the letters, the symbols of the beauty of the text. It should not be forgotten that as early as at its very appearance, the
Holy Quran was called even by pagans “mu'jizah” or “wonder” of the Arabic poetry, moreover in times of true
upsurge of the art of poetry. Tajweed or “to do better”, is aimed not only at the correct pronunciation of the Holy

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Book, but also at its vocalization. It is understood that it teaches how to articulate, how to make pauses in the text,
and how to culminate the dramatic tension. However, the most important thing that tajweed aims at is the reflexive
rendition of a number of spiritual rules, essential for the performance of the Holy Quran, or recognizing the meaning
of each pronounced word, read with the awareness that the text is no work of man, but the speech of the Lord.
Tajweed teaches the performer to clear his mind from everything material, and dedicate himself to sensing the logos.
It instructs that the texts are personally directed to everyone, reading or listening, and have respectfully to be
recreated with honesty and responsibility. It creates practices, lending to a song-like rendition of the text. Unlike the
available fixed written rules of Tarteel and Tajweed dedicated to recitation, such are lacking as far as the melodious
rendition goes. Singing in the Holy Quran radically differs from any other kind of vocal music. It is considered to be
the highest, most sophisticated kind of performance. He, who reads the Holy Quran, is duty bound to show the
beauty of the Holy Book and its philosophy, whereby singing is an auxiliary means, leading to the supreme goal of
penetration and involvement in the text. In order that the theological community may “approve” the reading of the
Holy Quran, it should not present manipulation of the words of the Lord by adding or cutting out any text, as well as
freely prolonging or reducing the words. Another important element is that the performer should not be carried away
by breaking into a song, thereby transferring the semantic accent of the text to the music. In conclusion: tajweed is
assumed to be an offspring of the spiritual, cultural and social progress of theological society. It has been assumed
that from its very creation the Holy Quran has been presented in the form of recitation accompanied by melody
making.” This kind of “reading” was called Al Quran al Murattal and was in the course of time turned into a new
way of reading/singing called Tajweed “. (Sami, 1071, 46). Tajweed is accepted as a science related to the oratory
art and with the melodic rendition of the religious text of the Holy Quran. The main idea of this kind of art is to
present “the right” or “significance” of each single letter, so that it can be correctly pronounced, to have a precise
ring, and not to lose its irreplaceable place among the rest. Tajweed postulates that each letter is unique in its essence
and as such deserves to get its exclusive place and meaning. “The grammatical and linguistic rules have been created
to emphasize precisely that irreplaceability “. (Al Akrabawi, 1991, 38). “It is common knowledge that the basic
letters in the Holy Quran are a total of fifteen, and each one of them finds self-expression in specific vibrations “, (Al
Hrazi,2001, 61), which influence the cosmic and spiritual tie-up of the person reading the Holy Quran with God. In
our times every mudjawideen studies this science in depth, which is an obligatory condition for the correct reading of
the Holy Quran. “(Al Hamd, 2009, 12). “ The art of reading the Holy Quran follows the norms of separating the
phrases, stressing on words or the phrase’ parts; pauses are due which are to lead to a definite concentration of the
attention. No wrong articulation is allowed, the vocal rendition is free, and there is no excessive decoration, whereby
all is subordinated to the idea of conveying the expressiveness of the text.” (Geta M. 1987, 57).
As a generalization, the professional readers of the Sacred Book should know tarteel (or how to read correctly, with
due rubato in the text, with mandatory pauses and stresses at definite places, emphasizing the meaningful accents on
the letters), tahkik (correct reading, without dropping or adding letters to the text) and tajweed (how to make it better,
melodizing, getting into song like recitation, attaining to the highest level of perfection in the performance of the
Holy Texts). Mudjawideen are trained over the course of many years in the ways and rules of performance, and all of
the knowledge is orally handed down from teacher to pupil. Let us refer straightaway to the Holy Quran, specifically
to Sura “The Resurrection” “Al Kaiama”, which reads: “And when we read (the Holy Quran) follow His reading (of
Mohammed (pbuh)). Thereupon our concern is the exponent (of the texts)”. (The Holy Quran, “Resurrection”, ayah
18, 19).
Arabic scholars list seven schools of Holy Quran recitation, which do not differ in the main principles. Three of them
are quoted as foundation-laying: Egyptian, Syrian and Maghreb (or Northern African). “The Egyptian school is best
developed in terms of music and is most liberal in ornamentation. Close to it is the Syrian, but more rigid, sparing in
ornamentation, with a clearer vocal outline, which is made up for with the faster speed of recitation. The Maghreb
School, in turn, is characterized by estheticism of the cantilena (melodiousness) and the vocal range not exceeding
interval forth.” (Eolyan, 1990, 72).

CONDITIONS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE HOLY QURAN BY MUDJAWIDEEN (THOSE

READING/SINGING THE HOLY QURAN)
It has to be emphasized that it is practically impossible to be fixed, the exact note highs of the performance of the
Holy Quran, because the ornamentation is overly-rich and each performance, even by one and the same performer,
differs from the preceding one. The vocalization is realized in a certain way by drawing the sound from the
rhynopharinx and the throat, rather than from the chest or the diaphragm. This methodology of sound production
leads to the extraction of a specific timbre, which does not allow any outstanding singing, but helps a very precise
reproduction of the sounds through interaction of the vocal cords, tongue, nose and the lips.

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The idea to read the Holy Quran by using the Arabic maqams probably came with attempt of sophisticating the
sound of the Holy Text through the means of music. The melodious line no doubt helps with the memorization of the
text by way of the color it lends. The use of music also entails “a beautification” of the Holy Quran, emphasizing
definite meaningful accents from the text, through the resources provided by musical expression. This, however, led
to the need for structuring a clear-cut standard of performance in order not to allow everyone to chant the Holy Texts
in their own way, thereby distorting the meaning of the words or, generally speaking, the idea. Presented below are
some conditions mandatory for all the mudjawideen, teachers, scholars and performers of the Holy Quran.
- Precision of expression of the language. In other words, notwithstanding the melodic rendition, the
pronunciation has to be impeccably precise. “The Arabic language is a beautiful and singing language,
which is easily subjected to vocalization. It is specific and this results in a typical musical color,
distinguishing it from the other languages” (Drar, 2012, 41).
- A beautiful voice. This requirement includes the availability of data, which should be perfected. In this
sense the condition is made that each performer should have a beautiful timbre, but also should study and
perform with his heart and feel the texts, in order to successfully reach out to the hearts of the listeners.
- To have knowledge about theology and the maqams. “The knowledge about the interval correlations, the
modes and the way we move between these intervals helps to reach the true art.” (Al Helu, 1972, 14).
Regretfully the majority of performers of the Holy Quran do not possess even an elementary musical
culture, at the expense of streamlined and thorough theological knowledge. The musical aspect of their
performances is the fruit of long years of exercising and memorizing the melodious lines and vocal
specificities directly from their teachers. As a result of this, a level is reached that is typical of people who
have worked in the field of music for many years.
- Knowledge of the laws of tarteel, and tajweed.
- “The availability of physical and vocal features, securing sufficient power of the sound, to carry the text
within the frameworks of the whole mosque.” (Al Khalek and Hafeth, 1984, 85). The performer has to
possess a rich and strong voice with a decent vocal range and power that would help him perform fully his
obligations.“Availability of musical features: a sense of the different degrees of the tone and a good ear for
music.” (Al Sharif, 2003, 62).
It should be emphasized that the Holy Quran may be read in mosques and public places only and solely by men.
It is traditionally considered that the female voice carries a feeling of eroticism and its beauty would distract the
believers from their main objective of concentrating their attention on the text. It is considered that the
performers of the Holy Quran should not rely on the features presented by their voice, but should be trained by
way of persistent vocal exercises. These exercises should be purposefully and individually selected by the
teachers with the basic idea to lead to the attainment of perfection in the declamation and vocal presentation of
the Holy Text.

Kinds of Human Voices Suitable for the Performance of the Holy Quran
Human voices are divided into two basic groups by Islamic theologists. The first group includes the beautiful human
voices “al latifa”, which translates as “soft”, and the second group “al makruha”, which translates as “undesirable”
voices. (Al Khalek and Hafeth, 1984, 85). Listed below are the voices defined as Al Latifa:
- Sot al shedji - “melodious” voice, which is the most beneficial for reading, because of its pure musical sound.
- Sot al naghem - a “soft” voice, which is defined as light, airy and melodious.
- Sot al rateb wa al nadi – this voice is described as a “humid”, “velvety” voice, “flowing like water”.
- Sot al abah - “horse-like” voice, (Ibid 66) is a hoarse, raucous, dusky voice, which can also sound well.
- Sot al aghan - “a sheepish” voice. (Ibid 62) The timbre leans towards getting into a large vocalization, but if well
trained it may sound sweet and beautiful.
- Sot al kroani - the timbre of a “crooked beak”. (Ibid 67) This voice is pure, soft, “elastic” and easily makes the
transitions between the tones.
The undesirable human voices:
- Sot asiahi - “shrill” voice, with a high obtrusive timbre, producing false tones and unpleasant feelings.
- Sot al muzaghradj - “indolent voice” or heavy obstructive intrusive voice, which is not melodious in its
character/nature. (Ibid, 67&68).
- Sot al musalsal -”rough, primary” voice lacking beauty and a sense of art. (Al Sharif, 2003, 63).
Relations of Arabic Cult Music with the Medieval Philosophical Heritage
Music is an art based on mathematics and the science of music; an art related with the aesthetics, psychology and its
very sound essence. Even back in ancient times the Arabs took a keen interest in studying the sounds, their colors
and impact. The study of sounds and language was descriptive and precisely outlined in the tracts of the medieval

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Arab philosophers. “Linguists theorized the conjugations as alal, ebdal, idgham (different grammatical genders in
the Arabic language), depending on which are the diacritical signs and stresses associated with the use of vowels
between the consonants and their relation to music”. (Mallah, 1990, 71). During the time of Umayyads and
Abbasids, and following of the Arabic Islamic philosophy, music was based on the Mesopotamian theories and the
Ancient Greek scholars who calculated the intervals depending on the length of the strings of the musical
instruments. This theory has been known as the theory of Pythagoras. In following these trends, a streamlined Arabic
system was gradually developed to the musical scales and tetrachords, which were naturally related to the heights of
the tones. Listed below are some of the Arab philosophers, who had dedicated thesis on music and more specifically
on the music scales and maqams:
- Doctor Abu Bakr Mohammed bin Zakariya Al-Razi, (854-923), who wrote “Madjalle fil Musika” or “Journal
about Music”
- Philosopher Abi Nasri Al Farabi (872-950), who wrote “Ketab al musika” “Book About Music”; “Hasa al Ikaat”
or “Kinds of Time Signature”, “Words in Music” and “The Great Musician”.
- Abu Jusef Ya’qub Al Kindi, (801-874), who left 15 well-known books dedicated to music, among which was “Ketab
al muzica” “Book about Music”.
- Safi Ad Din Al Urmawi (1216-1294), who developed the foundation laying maqams art in “Al Kitab al Adwar”
“The Book of the Modes”.
- Abu Al Faraj Al Isfahani (897-967) who left a rich musical theory legacy, among which was “Kitab al Aghani al
Kabir” “The Great Book of the Songs”.
- Ishaq Al Muwsili (767-850) was one of the most famous and prominent musicians of the Middle Ages, who also
left several “Ketabat” books about music. (Al Jaleel, 2001, 64).
In Arab philosophy, music is categorized in one group, together with mathematics, philosophy and astronomy. This
tradition is a natural continuation of the Ancient Greek Scholastics. Music is not discussed solely from the point of
view of the elementary theory of music; it is remodeled in a kaleidoscope of influences together with other sciences:
psychology (impact of the music tones on man’s emotional world, the impact of the maqams on the listener’s mood),
physiology (tying up of the sound and more specifically its vibration with various somatic features: ethos, physical
characteristics), medicine (direct tie-up of music with the treatment of various diseases, structuring of the discipline
of music therapy and its application in practice), astronomy (the influence of the vibrations and energies, flooding us
from the planets and the universe as a whole, and their impact on the sounding and quality of the overtones, as well
as of every sound by itself, its interrelation in specific energy series of tones- maqams, possessing characteristic
energy), philosophy (poetic association of music with the spiritual development, with aesthetic and moral models).
This wealth of ideas, empathic relations between the knowledge of music, man and the universe, naturally exert their
influence on cult tradition. Though in Islamic theological literature the musical theory is considered completely
profane, the accumulated knowledge and concepts have been imperceptibly interwoven, orally handed down and
never written. In this way a phenomenon is created. Ideas originating from medieval Arabic tracts have become
interwoven in practice, turning into an indelible part of the performance of the Holy Texts, without this being visibly
shown. These practices have been handed down by the generations, having lost their philosophical and original
interpretation, lawless and defaced, but alive in the actual, real performance of the Quranic texts.

Arabic Maqams as a music phenomenon

“The term maqam has an Arabic origin and means place, state or stop. The new studies testify that the term maqam
was reached during the Middle Ages, but it appeared considerably after the time when the very system of the
maqams had taken shape”. (Agaeva, 1987, 79). ‘ If you look up the etymology of the term “maqam”, we find that
this is an Arabic word more common in the pre-Islamic era. It means location or place where he met the tribe itself,
gatherings of people, or attendees.” (Dolinina , 1999, 9) . According to information of H. Kushnarev “the system of
the maqams became established in the 10th century”. (Kushnarev, 1958, 86) Maqam is the name of a mode or kind
of a tone in Persian-Arabic and Middle Eastern music. Each maqam has its system of mode links, inclinations and
different interrelations between the degrees of its code. (Musical Terminology Dictionary, 1979, 181). Each one of
the degrees of the maqam is built in a definite order with respect to the others, through fixed interval links. A modal
scale is composed of an octave that consists of a combination of two or three sequences of the following: trichords,
tetrachords or pentachords, (in Arabic: “Tabe' ”, “Jins or Ajnas” as plural, and “Eqed” respectively). Accordingly,
every mode has one primary sequence, and one or more secondary sequences. The three methods of creating modal
scales of the tetrachordal joining (“Jam’e” ) in the modal system are:
- Detached (Munfasil).
- Conjunct (Muttasil).
- Overlapping (Mutadkhil).

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Generally every maqam is divided into two tetrachords of four degrees each. The first tetrachord begins with the first
degree of the maqam. “The second tetrachord turns out to be a branch or the crown of the tree and is built on the
four higher degrees”. (Al Hameed Mish’el, year not available, 99). “Eistiljah musiki (scale order), is made up of
two groups called diwan or tetrachord. Every scale is based on eight tones, whereby the basic tone is repeated in the
first and eighth degree.” (Abbas, 1986, 29). There are nine basic Arabic modes, and many other modes can be
derived from them. “The number of Arabic modes is very large…it has reached 235 modes, however, after the first
conference in Cairo was held in 1932, the modes practiced in Egypt and Syria were limited to only 52 modes…” (
Shoura, 2006, 12). Arabic musical culture determines the place and use of each single maqam depending on its
features, both the distance between the degrees and its “color”. Arab musicians recognize the maqams by their
emotional impact. Additionally it is maintained that the ear distinguishes the color and feature of each different
maqam and it is precisely owing to these variations that the different feelings or senses are derived from the direct
impact of the maqam. The Arabic musical system differs from the major-minor European one. While the European
system was based, from the time of Hellenism, on definite relations between half and whole tones, the Arabic
musical system is based on interrelations between smaller intervals “kar flat”and “kar sharp” or quarter flat and
quarter sharp. There are interval differences in the performance of the kar flat and the kar sharp in the different Arab
countries. This brings confusion and makes it impossible to precisely fix the size of the kar flat and the kar sharp
with respect to their frequencies. “This is also the cause of the lack of consensus in the creation of a uniform system
for determining the size of the kar flat and the kar sharp in Arabic academic music from the Conference of Arabic
Music in 1932 in Cairo” (Katat, 2003, 7). By going back to the manuscripts of Arab philosophers from the period of
the Abbasids, it can be a defined that certain conclusions concerning the differences in the frequencies of the
intervals within the framework of the scale have been attainted emperically using mathematical or astronomical
calculations. These differences in the size of the intervals have a direct connection with the length of the strings of
the ud, which has its roots in the theory of Pythagoras. The Arab philosophers gave a name to each one of the strings
of the ud, which names transfer over to the names of the maqams. The Tonic of the maqam usually takes the name of
the string carrying the name of the Tonic.
Nowadays, scales are being built in Arabic theory using the main pillar of Western musicology known as “nidam
muaddal” (interval co-relations). The “Scale” is being construed as a code, whereby the tones are arranged
according to height in an upward or downward direction from a Tonic to a Tonic, and their degrees are placed in
certain interval correlations within the frameworks of an octave, and are co-related in a position of stability or
instability of one with respect to the other.” (Hadjiev, 1993, 115&116). Arabic music is based on the quarter tone or
Comma. The Comma in Arabic music is of two kinds: Comma pythagoricien and Comma Holderien (Katat, 2003,
52). In 1932 an International Arab Conference on Music was held in Egypt, which defined and put into use the term
“arba’a al muaddal” or the comma tone interval (Mish’el, year not available, 5). ). Al Farabi introduced the tonal
system in 25 unequal temperaments, giving mathematical evidence to support his theory. The first scholar to present
the tone system as 24 equal temperaments was Mikhael Mishaqa (1800-1888) in his book “Al Risala Al Shihabiya”.
At the same time an attempt was made to preserve the scholastic interrelation with the European theoretical model,
enforced in the practice of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Arab Conference however, divided the scale not into 12, but
into 24 Commas.
Notwithstanding its overall complexity, the existence of Music within the frameworks of Islam has been developing
by way of the verbal handing down of knowledge in the monadic tradition. The system of the maqams has been
gradually perfected over the course of ages as a result of the efforts of generations of musicians in an extensive
region in terms of geography, from the Gulf to the African countries and from Iraq to Spain. In the foundation-laying
works of the great scholars from the Middle Ages, Al Kindi, Al Farabi, Ibn Sina, and Safi Al Din, the term maqam
was not always used in its current modern meaning. The discussion whether the maqam is a mood or mode, a
melodious structure, a model or a shape-forming principle associated with an emotional charge characterizing it
continues until the present day. “ The word maqam acquires great importance in many areas, such is the main pillar
in Bedouin tents which is called maqam. Art miniatures were created illustrating the literary genre maqam . One of
the most valuable pieces are the works of Yahi al Vasitim maqam to the famous writer al- Hariri (1054-1122)”
( Kaptereva , 1989 , pp 38-39). This question has been discussed with special significance in Russian musicology as
the result of the differences in perception of the maqams on the part of different Middle Eastern states some of which
are former members of the USSR. Similar standpoints can be found in the work of a number of West European
theorists. “The link-up of the maqam with a concrete artistic and aesthetic idea is widespread in the East, in the same
way as the idea of imaginative concepts and symbols, rigorously attached to each one of them (the maqams), visible
even at first sight”. (Chottin, 1939, 82). There is a similar discussion in Arabic literature, but this does not invalidate
(or negate) the fact the maqam is perceived by the majority of musicians as a model of mode or scale. It is
understood that for the people of the Middle East the maqam has its own functional meaning of a concrete mode, but

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it likewise has a certain emotional charge and a specific psychological sphere of influence. In “Kitab al Advar”,
composed by an anonymous Azerbaijani author, each maqam has been defined as corresponding to a certain time of
the day, season, temperament of the listener or performer, going as far as dependence on the physical features of the
person – whether he/she is fair-haired, or dark-skinned. “The dark haired are more highly emotional characters and
matching them is the Al Iraq maqam, while those who have tender but warm nature fit the Isfahan maqam. The fair-
haired who are cool and ‘humid’ match Rast”. (Anonym. 1974, 29). This understanding for the specific colors of
each maqam slinks in the performance of the Holy Quran. It is traditionally confirmed that some maqams are widely
used in the performance of the Holy Texts, and others are never employed. Additionally some are implemented in
lyrical or story tale ayahs while others are in use in majestic or glorifying places. This particular practice indisputably
originates from the influence of the ancient Arab philosophers and their concepts of music as an immanent vibration
and vital force, having its own colors and power.
Maqams Used in the Performance of the Holy Quran
The spread of Islam in the Arab countries brought about the blossom of the art of performing the Holy Texts. This
was accomplished with the resources of the philosophers in the region. As explained earlier, music was part of the
philosophic education and it can be presumed that the educated people, who preached the new religion, used the
maqams and music tools to express the beauty of the Holy Book. All knowledge concerning aesthetic and
philosophic ideas, implemented in the theory of maqams poured into the Cult of Islam. The tradition of performing
the Holy Quran was verbal and there are no written documents showing the way in which particular maqams were
being chosen, who was responsible for and how the tradition of the performance was established. There is no doubt
this did not happen at once and instead this is the result of a long path, the fruit of the work and talent of many
unknown theologists and musicians. Nowadays, the basic musical maqams used in the performance of the Holy
Quran can be observed and specified as:
Maqam Rast
Maqam Bayati
Maqam Hazan
Maqam Nahawand
Maqam Sikah
Maqam Hijaz
Maqam Ajam
Maqam Saba
Maqam Kurd

Following is a review of the maqams most used in the performance of the Holy Quran with their theoretical and
emotional characteristics.
Maqam al Rast
Maqam Rast has Persian roots to which it owes its straightforwardness and simple beauty. Rast is typical with its
masculine power and peace. It is used when more melodious and poetical Ayahs are being read. Most imams from
Madina Minawarah and Haram Sharif (Mecca) like Alhadifi, Sdais and Al Mushsinio, read the Holy Quran in
Maqam Rast. During tajweed most readers start with a Rast or Bayati, because these are recognized to be among the
most beautiful scales. Rast consists of two tetrachords, the first of which is Jins Rast of daradjeh (degree) Rast,
while the second Jins is a Rast of Noah degree. (Abbas, 1986, 36). There is al Tanini division between the first and
the second tetrachords.

Maqam Bayati
Maqam Bayati is the broadest maqam in the recital of the Holy Quran. This is a simple maqam, calm like a deep
quiet sea, vital and gently joyful. It gives the feeling of humility, prayer and fear of the Lord. Reading the Holy
Quran often starts and ends with it.” This maqam makes us think while listening to the Holy Text and look for its

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deep meaning.” (Ibid, 39). There are two Jins: the first is Bayati at Docah degree, the second is Nahawand at the
Noah degree. Fasel tanini is at the end of the first and the second Jins.

Maqam Al Hoozam
This maqam is slow and stretching and it gets into the depths of the heart. This maqam helps the readers and listeners
to attain the wisdom of the Holy Quran. “It is soft and expressive, giving beautiful emotions and tenderness. It is
used in ayahs about paradise” (Ibid, 43). Maqam Al Hoozam consists of two Jins. The first is a triple Sikah on a
Sikah degree, while the second is Al Hijarz on a Noah degree. Fasel tanini appears at the end of the first and second
Jins.

Maqam Al Nahawand
This maqam carries tenderness and a soft ring, which makes us feel humble and start thinking. It is characterized by
seriousness and discourse. Nahawand is an Iranian town, with which the origin of the maqam has been associated.
Among the best known readers in this maqam were Al Fassi and Shatri. It is most used in the expression of Quranic
stories. Maqam Al Nahawand has two Jins: the first is nahawand on daradjet Rast, the second is Card of daradjet
noah. Fasel tanini follows every Jins.

Maqam Sikah
The name Sikah comes from the Persian language and consists of two words: “si” meaning “three”, and “ka”,
meaning “string”. This mode features stretching and sadness, evangelism and forgiveness. Its sonority helps get into
Ayahs dedicated to the greatness of the Lord. It is used also in the reading of tales and legends in the Holy Quran.
There are numerous cult songs based on the Sikah maqam. One of them has come down to us, “Talla al Budr alena”
or “The Full Moon Has Shown Itself to Us”. With this song, the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) was welcomed by the
people in Madina Monawarah. This song is often quoted by the music adherents as evidence of the fact that the
Prophet (pbuh) liked music and, respectively, joyfully welcomed this song from those welcoming him. The maqam
consists of a triple Sikah trichord called Tabe' Sikah, while the second tetrachord is a Rast on darajet Noah. Fasal
tanini is again at the end of every Jins.

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Maqam Al Hidjaz
This maqam is juicy, smooth and tender and brings quiet sadness. It is used in Ayahs telling about the bliss of
paradise. Maqam Al Hidjaz consists of first Jins Hidjas on daradjet Dokah and a second Jins Nahwand on daradjt
Noah. Fasel tanini is available at each end.

Maqam Ajam
This maqam possesses inner strength, clarity and happy feelings. The soul strives for its sonority because of its
beauty. It is characterized by precision and fluency in its development which leads to strong emotions. It is used in
the performance of hymns and military songs, as well as at moments when there is talk about determining the fate of
the soul, or whether it would be directed to paradise or to hell. The maqam consists of Jins Ajem on daradjet Rast,
and a second Jinss Ajem of daradjet Noah. Fasel tanini is between the first and second tetrachord..

Maqam Saba’a
This maqam is characterized by a fighting spirit and enthusiasm, as well as sadness and pain. It is used in the places
concerning the divine blessings in the Quranic texts. By it, the reader may convey striking and shocking emotions.
“Ayahs, which are read with its assistance are those referring to the Apocalypse and the Last Day”. (Ibid, 49).
Maqam Saba’s consists of Jins Saba’s on daradjet Dokah and the second Jins Kurd on the daradjet Hseinwue. Fasel
tanini is between the first and second tetrachord.

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Maqam al Kurd
This maqam is very popular. It is emotional and tender, but can also be used on topics connected with kindness,
exquisiteness and delicacy in nature. “Al Kurd is a maqam, which can most outstandingly express the individual
feelings and emotions of the reader.” (Ibid, 53) Maqam Kurd consists of first Jins Kurd on daradjet Docah and
second Jins Kurd on daradjet Hseinieh. Fasel Tanini is between the first and second tetrachord.

The Best Known Readers of the Holy Quran in Our Times

At the end of this paper it is fitting to mention some of the best known contemporary readers of the Holy Quran:
-Salah Yamout, (1945) from the Yaslah family, known for their beautiful voices. He is a Lebanese, born in Beirut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP7GFGctMaU
Salah Yamout reads the Holy Quran without restricting himself to one maqam and often makes modulations and
transpositions from one maqam to another.
-Shaih Abdul Rahman Sdeis, (1962) general manager of the mosque in Mecca, imam in Medina.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r748pEV5MTw
He has an extraordinarily beautiful and strong voice. Sdeis mainly reads in Maqam Rast. His performances are
rendered in a highly emotional manner and on some occasions the Shaih was seen to cry.
-Shaih Mohammed Sadiq, Minshawui (1940) from Egypt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkHCmEHKPJo
One of the most esteemed readers of the Holy Quran by the theological community. At the age of eight years he had
learned by heart the Holy Texts. He uses almost all of the maqams listed in the paper.
-Sheih Abdl Baset Abdl Summet (1927-1988) also was Egyptian. He possessed a great number of awards for al tartil
and was called “The Golden Throat”. He sang in different maqams and delivered in the question and answer style.
He had a specific way of singing by using long stretching phrases. His style was distinguished by striking
vocalization and bursting into song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3NvDiJPhLQ

CONCLUSION
The researchers of this paper have tried to present the maqams as a center in Arabic Islamic musical culture. Some
historical and academic references have been quoted, which are to prove the place of the maqams in the music of
Islam and more specifically in the performance of the Holy Quran. The meaningful accents have been pointed out
over the tajweed and tartil in the performing art of the Holy Quran. The idea to familiarize the Western musicologist
with the unknown sphere, the use of music in Islam, has been achieved through presenting numerous quotations from
Arabic musical literature and philosophy, as well as by describing the concepts of the Arab musicians concerning the
structure of the maqams and their application in religious practice. The other axis of the paper, presenting the idea
about the “permissibility” and applicability of music in Islam, was directed to the Arab performers and teachers of
the Holy Quran. This has been achieved by presenting quotations and references for the historical roots of the
existing practice, as well as by showing the best known performers of the Holy Quran and the maqams through
which they realized their art. As a conclusion and consequence of the examples presented in this paper, it can be
concluded that in the performance of the Holy Quran, the maqams are used in varied ways, but always in conformity
with the quintessence showing their emotional expression. This is one of the crucial positions which the researchers
of this paper wanted to emphasize, that the performers of the Holy Quran should possess not only musical qualities,
but also the knowledge of musicians. They should know the rules of Arabic music, the structure and theory of the
maqams, as well as the aesthetic and form-shaping characteristics of the scales. With this knowledge, they could
achieve more emotional and full-fledged expression in their performances. The great number of talks, which the
authors of this paper held with different sheikhs and teachers of tadjeed, have led to the conclusion that most of the
performers of the Holy Quran basically proceed from the tradition, handed down to them by their teachers. Very
often the mudjawideen are not in a position to name the maqams they use, although this does not interfere with the

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ability to correctly recreate them as the result of well acquired practice. This does not preclude the existence of such
[performers] who are familiar with the history and theory of music, but are trying to get away from questions,
relating to music. There is also a small group, confirming their knowledge of the theory of music, and confirming
that this is the base of the real sensorial impact and indubitable successes of their performances. The authors would
refrain from criticizing or analyzing the fact in question, but will take the liberty of stating a view, that the antinomy
of the Music-Islam thesis should not be considered profane. On the contrary, the idea should be accepted and
covered about the sacred nature of Theism and music as its wordless expression. In this way, by knowing and
studying the science of music by the professional readers of the Holy Quran, the enrichment of the performance of
the Holy Text could be achieved, which, in turn, would lead to new horizons of self-expression and self-realization
of the Quranic texts in our time.

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