Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

altmuslim

Home
Muslim
Ramadan 2014 – The Quran and the Recitation

Ramadan 2014 – The Quran and the Recitation

Last updated on: July 9, 2014 at 10:17 pm by Guest Contributor

Ramadan 2014 – The Quran and the Recitation 2014-07-09T22:17:26-04:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This article comes on Day 12 of our special Altmuslim/Patheos Muslim Ramadan #30Days30Writers blog project, in which we are showcasing the voices of 30 Muslim leaders, activists, scholars, writers, youth and more (one on each day of Ramadan) as part of our commitment to own our own narratives and show how we are one Ummah, many voices. To demonstrate how our Ramadan experiences are shared yet unique to each of us.

By Rabia Chaudry

Ramadan is the month of the Quran. It’s not just the month it was revealed to the Prophet (saw), but it’s also the month I frantically rummage around my car for Quran cds to trade out for the standard Qawaali/Bollywood/Disney tracks that entertain us (I know, it’s sad) for the other 11 months. I am nothing if not a true Ramadan warrior (again, sadly).

We all have our favorite Qaaris, those who literally haunt you with their recitation, squeeze tears to the surface, and bring God’s words to life — Mishary, Basit, Sudais. We can recognize them as soon as we hear them. They are the standard bearers for delivering with emotion and melody the tremendous institution that is the Quran. In the tradition of beautiful recitation we have international Qirat competitions, dedicated Qirat learning programs, and open most Muslim events with the Divine words intoned by one of our young men.

This is why a session last year at the annual ISNA conference was so jarring. One particular forum was opened with an extraordinarily beautiful recitation. But not by a young man. It was opened by a young woman — Tahera Ahmad, the associate Muslim chaplain at Northwestern University. Years before, when both Tahera and I lived in Connecticut, I had heard her recite Quran in my living room, but not with full throated, richly embodied Qirat. Not like this:

The room was so very still, and I remember this heat rising to my face as I listened, and finally it spilled out. I sat there crying quietly as Tahera continued. For me it was the most emotional and profound moment of that entire conference. I didn’t realize until weeks later why.

It was the first time I had heard Quran recited, as beautifully as I have ever heard it recited, by a woman. And so too, in a public gathering. It was the first time I heard the words of my Lord in the voice of our sisters, mothers, and daughters. Having the Arabic proficiency of a fourth grader myself (apologies to fourth graders), I certainly have never recited Quran with Qirat myself. And it never even occurred to me, in all these years, that I had never heard a Qaariah, a female reciter.

Recitation, like so many of our other spaces, is a space for men. Though we know Allah (swt) is above gender, the beautiful recitation of His words has been largely reserved for men in public spaces. And though just as stunningly moving from the lips of male Qaaris, half of the population has not only missed out on hearing the Quran recited with Qirat in their own voice, but has relinquished the right to do so. We’ve relinquished the very reason our voices were created — to recite The Recitation. Allah (swt) says “and recite the Qur’an in slow, measured rhythmic tones. (Quran 73:4)”. It is the right of the Quran not to be spoken, but to be recited.

It saddened and troubled me deeply that Tahera was harassed badly after her recitation. The link had to be removed from YouTube, and she received many admonitions that her voice (and the voice of women in general) is awrah. How the noble Aisha (RA) taught the sahaaba karaam, which is well documented, without her voice is a question to be directed to the critics. Perhaps they’ll distinguish by saying it’s not just voice, but a seductive voice. And I can only respond that the recitation of Quran should seduce us all towards Allah (swt), but if it seduces you in a base or vulgar way, you may need therapy.

Last year none of our respected scholars addressed the treatment Tahera received, but recently Imam Suhaib Webb did. I’m grateful to him, as should be all of us, for giving her and other women who may want to learn Qirat support and an authentic religious foundation to do so.

So this Ramadan, this month of the Quran, The Recitation, I am seeking out the voices that will speak to me and my daughters. Voices like this, this, and this. And I look forward to the day that I can, at an ISNA conference, purchase a cd set of the Quran recited in its entirety by Tahera.

Rabia Chaudry is an attorney, president of the Safe Nation Collaborative, an Associate Fellow of the Truman National Security Project, and a blogs at “Split the Moon” for the Muslim Channel at Patheos.

Previous Post

July 8, 2014

Ramadan 2014 - When Deprivation is the Journey

Next Post

July 10, 2014 Ramadan 2014 -Resurgence, Renewal and Keeping it Real

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 2012 Elections 30 Dayd 30 Writers (2017) 30 Days 30 Writers 30 Days 30 Writers (2015) 30 Days 30 Writers (2016) 30 Days 30 Writers (2018) 30 Days 30 Writers 2017 Ali Asadullah Ali Eteraz Alper Bilgili Arthur Richards Asides Asma Uddin Black History Month Briefings Charles Turner Commentary Cyrus McGoldrick Eman H Aly Fatimah Popal Hajj Hajj and Dhul Hijjah Hesham Hassaballa Hisham Hellyer Ibrahim Abusharif Inas Younis Irfan Yusuf Jalal Baig Junaid Afeef Laila Alawa Laila Alwala Mas'ood Cajee Muqtedar Khan Nakia Jackson Newsmakers Parvez Ahmed Podcasts Rabia Chaudry Rafia Zakaria Ramadan Reviews Safiyyah Ally Saud Inam Shahed Amanullah Svend White The Opinionated Oncologist Visions Wajahat Ali Zahed Amanullah Zahir Janmohamed Zainab Khan

Select a Month November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the main theme of Galatians?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Justification by faith Church discipline Love above faith Spiritual gifts