Recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha
For my first project, Recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha, I perform the first chapter and one of the most recited verses of the Qur’an. For this recitation, I was inspired primarily by Weeks 2 and 3 of lectures and course readings, which included Ziauddin Sardar, (“Reading the Quran: The Contemporary Relevance of the Sacred Text of Islam”), Osman El-Tom (“Drinking the Koran: The Meaning of Koranic Verses in Berti Erasure”), Al-Ghazali (“External Rules of Qur’an Recitation”), and K. Nelson (“The Sound of the Divine in Daily Life”). These readings and discussions emphasize Qur’anic recitation as a critical component of understanding and experiencing Islam, as well as creating a connection with God. The seven verses of Surah Al-Fatiha are as follows:
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds
The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Owner of the Day of Judgement
Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) was ask for help
Show us the straight path
The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not (the path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray
Specifically, these verses of Al-Fatiha are a prayer for Allah’s guidance and have a critical role in the Salaat, or daily prayer. Typically, Muslims recite the Surah Al-Fatiha seventeen times a day, at the beginning of each prayer. As Islam and teachings of the Qur’an historically began as an oral tradition, the sacredness of Qur’anic recitation is one that has remained symbolic throughout the Islamic world.
Critically, Qur’anic recitation is one of the main forms of dhikir, or remembrance of God. Just as Qur’anic text is considered a sacred component of Islam, so is its actual recitation and the sounds, motions, and sentiments that are associated with its performance. Sardar, Osman El-Tom, Al-Ghazali, and K. Nelson contribute to this understanding of Qur’anic recitation and emphasize that experiencing recitation allows Muslims to achieve a higher level of spiritual connection with God. As noted, the 40th Hadith says “Recite the Quran as long as your hearts are united with it, and when you differ then arise from it’ is a command to this reciting, for it calls for reciting as long as the heart is accepting and the mind alert, and the soul responsive, and if not, postponement is best” (Renard, 26).
Important to the practice of recitation is tajwid, the science of reading the Qur’an in order to reach such a high level of spiritualty. Tajwid encompasses rules for proper recitation, including those on pronunciation and pausing between words and/or phrases. There are two styles of recitation—murattal and mujawwad. Murattal is a simpler form of recitation preferred amongst conservative Muslims, used during private occasions and the five daily prayers. Mujawwad is a more elaborate recitation, with dramatic silences between phrases. Within my recitation, I perform the former, murattal, as I view melodic expression to be an integral part of recitation. Specifically, I employ maqam—which is the Arabic term associated with different “moods” of recitation. By applying maqam to my vocal techniques, I am able to emphasize certain components of the verse and emphasize the feelings associated with particular words. Additionally, I use techniques of huzn, or sadness, in my voice to show the longing for God and maad, or the elongation of vowels to emphasize verse rhyme as well as heightened spiritual feeling during certain points of the verse.