al-Kawashif al-Jaliyya fi Hukm Qiraat al-Quran bil-Maqamat al-Musiqiyya
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- al-Kawashif al-Jaliyya fi Hukm Qiraat al-Quran bil-Maqamat al-Musiqiyya
al-Kawashif al-Jaliyya fi Hukm Qiraat al-Quran bil-Maqamat al-Musiqiyya (Arabic: الكواشف الجلية في حكم قراءة القرآن بالمقامات الموسيقية, lit. 'The Clear Disclosures on the Ruling of Reciting the Quran with Musical Modes') is a contemporary treatise by Abu Abd al-Rahman Arafa bin Tantawi examining the Islamic legal status of reciting the Quran according to melodic modes (maqamat) .
Background and Purpose
The treatise was written to address the widespread practice of reciting the Quran using musical modes, a style popularized by prominent reciters and widely imitated by the public . The author notes that learning these modes has become institutionalized through organized courses offering paid certifications, and that radio stations have made passing melodic examinations a prerequisite for hiring reciters .
Tantawi aims to establish a clear distinction between the legally prescribed beautification of the voice (al-taghanni bil-Quran) and the application of formal musical rules (al-maqamat al-musiqiyya) . He critiques the rebranding of these musical structures as "vocal modes" (al-maqamat al-sawtiyya), describing this shift in nomenclature as a deceptive alteration of terms designed to obscure their impermissible nature .
Structure and Contents
The work employs a descriptive-analytical methodology rooted in scriptural evidence and legal rulings . It is arranged into an introduction, two primary chapters subdivided into several topics (mabahith) and subtopics (matalib), and a conclusion outlining its primary findings :
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Chapter One: The Realities of Designations, Musical Instruments, and Related Matters (Haqaiq al-Musammayat wal-Ma'azif wa Ma Ilayha):
- Section 1: Discusses the distortion of concepts through the renaming of prohibited things, tracing this practice to the deception of Iblis .
- Section 2: Provides linguistic analyses of terms often invoked to justify melodious recitation, such as chanting (tarannum), melody (nagham), singing (ghina'), modulation (tatrib), and the definition of music (musiqa) .
- Section 3: Reviews the legal status of musical instruments (ma'azif), the consequences of declaring them permissible, scholarly consensus against listening to them, and classical warnings regarding their dangers .
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Chapter Two: Musical Maqamat and Related Matters (al-Maqamat al-Musiqiyya wa Ma Ilayha):
- Section 1: Explores the stance of the early Muslim generations (Salaf) regarding musical melodies, arguing that consensus among both early authorities and contemporary scholars prohibits chanting the Quran according to musical tunes; this section cites contemporary fatwas, including those of Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz and Salih al-Fawzan .
- Section 2: Presents critical notices regarding melodic recitation, highlighting that reciting with musical maqamat is an invented practice (amr muhdath) absent from the companions' practice; that Quranic recitation is a strictly regulated act of worship ('ibada tawqifiyya) requiring reverence and adherence to the prophetic method; and that focusing on melodic rules distracts reciters and listeners from contemplating the Quranic meanings (tadabbur) .
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