Can I Teach Quran Despite Not Having Obtained an Ijaza?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
Can I teach the Quran despite not having obtained an Ijaza?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Yes, you can teach Quranic Tajweed (proper recitation of the Quran) as long as you are proficient in it. Obtaining an Ijazah is not a prerequisite for teaching. However, Some things must be made clear regarding this matter:
Ijazah in Teaching the Quran
An Ijazah is essentially a certification that verifies a student’s skill and proficiency. It signifies that the student has become a model of his teacher concerning performance and proficiency, as if the teacher says to the student when he grants him an Ijaza, “You have become capable of teaching like me, and I authorize you as my teachers authorized me, upon the same conditions.” In this sense, a teacher who has not received an Ijazah cannot grant Ijazah to others. One cannot give what they do not possess.
Simplicity of Tajweed
Tajweed is a relatively straightforward science compared to other vast Islamic fields of study. A dedicated learner can grasp the theoretical aspects of Tajweed within a short period and, with the right motivation and preparation, can also gain practical proficiency. It is unlike the science of Quranic Qira’at (variations in recitation), which requires learning from qualified teachers with a recognized and established chain of transmission.
Teaching Certain Recitation Styles
A teacher must not teach Quranic recitations other than the common and accepted style in their region without obtaining Ijazah from qualified scholars. For example, Hafs ‘an ʿAsim is the common recitation in most parts of the world, so it is not permissible for someone who does not have an ijaza in the recitation of Khalaf ʿan Hamzah or Ruways ʿan Yaʿqub to teach these recitations; they must first learn them directly from scholars.
Transparency in Teaching
Anyone teaching without receiving an Ijaza must clarify that to his students and not mislead them. Most students are looking for teachers with Ijaza to learn from in order to have verifiable credentials.
In conclusion, anyone who learns correct recitation from an expert is allowed to teach others, even without an Ijaza. The most noble endeavor to spend your time on and dedicate your life to is learning and teaching the Book of Allah. I advise you to stay by the side of a shaykh who has an Ijaza, read Quran to him, and learn the rules of Tajweed to obtain an Ijaza from him before beginning to teach others. This is the best approach, and a means of perfecting what you do, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) urged: “Allah loves that when any of you does something, he does it perfectly.” [al-Tabarani]
Allah knows best.
Allah’s blessings and peace be upon our Master and Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.
