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Fatwa CenterReciting the Quran without knowning its meaning is less serious than reciting it in an incorrect manner
Question
As-salaamu 3laikum, Some people were recently arguing about which is a more serious problem: people reciting Qur'an with the wrong pronunciation and not learning to correct it, or people reciting it without having any idea what it means and not trying to learn about the meanings? Both these problems are present in some communities and obviously they should both be improved, but which is a more serious and urgent problem? Jazaak Allahu khair
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.
Both matters - we mean, the correct recitation of the Quran as well as pondering over its meaning - are desired. For more information, please refer to Fataawa 171669 and 86574.
However, reciting the Quran without the least knowledge of its meaning, or without attempting to learn its meaning, is less serious than reciting it in an incorrect manner. Pondering over the meanings of the Quran is not obligatory, but reciting the Quran correctly is obligatory. Allaah has ordered us to recite the Quran in a precise and beautiful manner as He says (what means): {Or add to it, and recite the Quran with measured recitation.} [Quran 73:4]
Abu Haamid al-Ghazaali 
said in Al-Ihyaa’: “If the person who makes mistakes when reciting the Quran is able to learn the correct recitation then he should refrain from reciting the Quran before learning, as he commits a sin by reciting the Quran incorrectly...”
Allaah Knows best.
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