Learning to read and understand the Quran is mandatory for all Muslims. Not only is it a source of great rewards in this world as well as in the hereafter, one gets to know the purpose of life and the teachings and guidance from Allah.
Since the holy Quran is in Arabic, non-Arabic speakers find it difficult to grasp the correct pronunciation of the alphabets. Also, there are different rules which when applied at certain places make Quran recitation correct and beautiful. It is sometimes difficult for Non-Arabic speakers and beginners to identify and apply these rules correctly.
To make it easy to identify Tajweed rules and the correct pronunciation of different alphabets, color-coded Qurans are used.
What is a Color Coded Quran?
A color coded Quran is a copy of the Quran that uses different colors to indicate different Tajweed rules. For example, the blue color is used to indicate the Qualquala rule of Tajweed. The red color indicates Ghunnah and so on. A color coded Quran also uses colors if an alphabet needs to be pronounced in a certain way.
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Although a color coded Quran is a great way to help beginners read the Quran with correct rules of Tajweed, it also has some disadvantages. In this article, we will see what are the pros and cons of reading from a color coded Quran.
Pros of a Color Coded Quran
- Precise Quran Recitation
The first advantage is obvious. The basic purpose of a color coded Quran is to help the readers identify and apply the rules of Tajweed with ease. It makes their Quran recitation perfect. They no longer have to memorize each Tajweed rule and look which rule to apply where. They just need to know which color stands for which rule. This is also not a problem as it is written on every page of the color coded Quran. So readers can easily apply the relevant Tajweed rule at appropriate places and read each alphabet from the correct origin.
- Good for Translation and Hifz
The Quran is great if you want to study the Quran with meanings apart from reciting it correctly. As you don’t have to worry about Tajweed, you can easily focus on the meanings of the words. Thus, while on the one hand, you get to recite the Quran correctly, on the other hand, your mind is left free to contemplate and understand the meaning of holy Quran.
A color coded Quran is also ideal for Hifz students whose main aim is to memorize the verses with correct Tajweed and rhythm.
- Good for self-learning
The Quran is a good self-learning tool. If you want to improve your Quran recitation without the need of a teacher, use The Quran. This does not mean that you will understand all the Tajweed rules by just using a Quran that uses colors. It will just assist you in identifying appropriate places for each Tajweed rule.
Cons of a Color Coded Quran
- Inability to Read Correctly from Non-Color Coded Quran
The biggest downside of reading from a Quran is that you become reliant on it. When you get used to identifying Tajweed rules from colors, you are unable to apply Tajweed when there are no colors.
You will not necessarily have a color-coded Quran all the time. You should be able to recite the Quran correctly whether it’s color-coded or not. Therefore, it’s necessary to understand all the Tajweed rules one by one and practice it using a plain Quran.
I have a personal experience with this. I had a student who started with a color coded Quran and read till Juzz 7. He was using all the Tajweed rules correctly and his pronunciation and fluency was good. When I was sure it’s time for him to start using a plain Quran, I was amazed by how he struggled with Tajweed. He was unable to spot any Tajweed rule and I had to remind him. I had to work very hard with him all over again. This was because he had become dependent on Tajweed colors.
- You Become Overwhelm with Colors
There are about 24 Tajweed rules. There are many types of alphabets. Then there are different stop signs. If a color is used to highlight each Tajweed rule, alphabet type and stop sign, you will feel so overwhelmed that it will make it all the more confusing for you. Also, it will impact your fluency if you focus on the different colors.
So What is the Solution?
We saw that using The Quran has advantages as well as disadvantages. Now what is the way forward to a flawless Quran recitation without being reliant on colors? Here are my suggestions.
- Understand each Tajweed rule from a teacher
- Focus on one rule at a time
- Practice one rule for a week
- Find the rule and apply it in the Quran when you recite
- Don’t start from a color coded Quran
- Try teaching the rule to someone when you are confident in it
I hope the above discussion will help you reach a conclusion as to whether using a The Quran is beneficial or causes hindrance to your goal of prefect Quran recitation.
