Qur'anic ijaza with an unbroken chain of transmission
An international school open to any woman wishing to sit for the ijaza in the Qur'an, in all its forms, and to the courses that prepare for it.
Submit my applicationThe Qur'anic Ijazat Department
A dedicated Qur'anic ijazat department was established on the recommendation and with the endorsement of Shaykh Dr Ayman Rushdi Suwayd – may Allah preserve him – on 4 Sha'ban 1423 AH. He recommended that a special committee be appointed for this department, and chose its members himself.
Vision
To achieve educational leadership across the Muslim world in serving women who have memorised the Noble Qur'an, and to spread the mutawatir Qur'anic readings.
Mission
To qualify women who have memorised the Noble Qur'an and prepare them academically and practically.
Who it is for
Women who have memorised the Noble Qur'an, in person or remotely, under the supervision of Rihab Shaqaqi, servant of the Glorious Qur'an.
Objectives
- Preparing Qur'anic leaders able to run Qur'anic institutions.
- Meeting the needs of educational institutions and mosques for female teachers of the Noble Qur'an.
- Graduating women holding an ijaza in the mutawatir reading, with an unbroken chain of transmission to the Prophet ﷺ.
- Providing advice to Qur'anic institutions.
- Building cooperation and exchanging expertise with similar centres.
- Preserving the oral transmission of the Noble Qur'an in accordance with the texts of the scholars of the readings recorded in the well-known references, by facilitating the granting of ijazat and following them up for those women who have memorised the Book of Allah and deserve them, so that they recite the Qur'an by heart before female teachers (muqri'at) holding unbroken chains of transmission to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
- Serving accomplished memorisers by helping them reach muqri'at with whom they begin a complete recitation (khatma) for the ijaza in the Noble Qur'an, in the riwaya or qira'a of their choice.
- Monitoring the candidate's level while she recites the Noble Qur'an before the shaykha granting the ijaza, until the khatma is complete, then issuing the sanad file.
- Certifying the ijaza through the testimony of the Council members that the ijaza proceeded correctly to the end of the khatma, at the required level of mastery, so as to preserve the standard of recitation.
- Preserving the integrity of the sequence of sanads according to the riwayat or qira'at.
- Introducing the mutawatir readings at gatherings, and holding courses to teach and practise them.
What the ijaza is
“It is the process of oral transmission of the Glorious Qur'an from one generation to the next, in which the one granting the ijaza (the mujiz) testifies that the recitation of the one receiving it (the mujaz) has become one hundred per cent correct for the riwaya – or riwayat – in which he has authorised him. Since that oral transmission took place within specific rules and constraints, concerning the points of articulation of the letters and their characteristics, both in isolation and in combination, the mujaz must know those rules and memorise them. This is why reciters have customarily memorised the poem of the Muqaddima al-Jazariyya on tajwid, as it contains most of the rules of recitation, and have had those receiving the ijaza memorise it and explained it to them, so that they clearly understand the weighty matter they are undertaking, and so that it serves them as a reference in the days to come, protecting their recitation from error.”
In the text of the ijaza, the mujiz declares to the mujaz that he has become qualified to teach the recitation of the Noble Qur'an as he recited it before him and in the same riwaya, so that the sanad continues through him to the Prophet ﷺ. He enjoins him not to turn away anyone he deems worthy of bearing this trust among people of mastery, piety and noble character. He also enjoins him to fear Allah and to continue studying the Qur'anic sciences and the ten readings, with constant verification, revision and care. He also informs him, in the text of the ijaza, of the names of the transmitters of the sanad up to the Prophet ﷺ. All praise is due to Allah for this honour with which He has distinguished this nation among all nations.
Obtaining the ijaza
Once the candidate has completed memorising the Qur'an, studying all the chapters of tajwid and memorising the Jazariyya, the most complete course for her is to recite the entire Noble Mushaf by heart before an accomplished female teacher holding a sanad connected to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, in the riwaya of Hafs from 'Asim by the way of the Shatibiyya, or in the reading of 'Asim if the candidate has mastered it. The teacher corrects her recitation letter by letter and explains the finer points to her; once she has completed all of this, her teacher grants her the ijaza in the Noble Qur'an.
Requirements for obtaining the ijaza
- Having memorised the entire Mushaf and passed the examination on it in a single sitting, under the supervision of the association, with a score of at least 90%.
- Having studied tajwid in full (Hilyat al-Tilawa, Hidayat al-Qari' or Ghayat al-Murid fi 'ilm al-Tajwid).
- Having memorised the poem of the Muqaddima of Ibn al-Jazari and studied its commentary, or any other poem covering the science of tajwid, such as La'ali' al-Bayan, Tuhfat al-Atfal or Al-Salsabil al-Shafi.
- Having studied Al-Tibyan fi adab hamalat al-Qur'an by Imam al-Nawawi – may Allah have mercy on him – and Akhlaq hamalat al-Qur'an by al-Ajurri – may Allah have mercy on him.
- Passing the personal interview.
These requirements apply to all ijazat, in all riwayat and qira'at.
Seven ijazat with an unbroken sanad
Each path is detailed on the ijazat page: description, specific requirements and the ten readers.
- FirstIjaza in the riwaya of Hafs from 'Asim by the way of the Shatibiyya
- SecondIjaza in the reading of Imam 'Asim through his two transmitters (Shu'ba and Hafs)
- ThirdIjaza in the riwaya of Hafs from 'Asim by the way of the Tayyibat al-Nashr
- FourthIjaza in the ten readings by the way of the Shatibiyya and the Durra, reading by reading (ifrad)
- FifthIjaza in the ten readings by the way of the Tayyibat al-Nashr
- SixthThe ways of Nafi'
- SeventhIjaza in the ten readings by the way of the Shatibiyya and the Durra in combined recitation (jam')
Apply for the ijaza
Leave your name and e-mail address: the Ijazat Council will contact you about the next steps.
This programme is for women only.