Ijazah is an Islamic certification granted by a qualified teacher, authorizing a student to teach Quranic recitation or Hadith with authenticity. It ensures the preservation of knowledge through a chain of transmission (Sanad) from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
There are two main types: Ijazah in Quran, covering recitation, memorization, and Tajweed, and Ijazah in Hadith, certifying transmission of the Prophet’s sayings. To obtain an Ijazah, students must study under a certified teacher, mastering the required skills, with online courses now making this sacred certification more accessible.
The Quran is the word of Allah as revealed to his prophet Muhammad (PBUH), transferred to us through narration chains known as “Tawator”. The entire Quran with its verses, suras and words is the actual words of the Almighty Allah, and not the speech of any one of mankind, jinn or angels. The Angel of revelation, Jibril, only heard it from Allah and descended with the Quran to the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (PBUH).
Then the Prophet taught it to his companions, who in turn taught it to those after them, and so on. This is what is known as the chain of transmission “Sanad” or “Ijazah”. In this article, we will learn what ijazah is, its types, and how you can obtain an ijazah in the Quran or Hadith.
What is ijazah?
Ijazah is an Islamic term that refers to a certification or authorisation granted by a qualified teacher or scholar to a student who has successfully completed a course of study or mastery of a particular subject. This certification allows the student to teach the Quran to others, from one generation to the next generation and so on.
Ijazah certificate is received from a sheikh who gives it to a student who has completed memorizing and reciting the entire Holy Quran, by Tajweed, and that they has mastered the narration that was permitted, and is qualified to give others Ijazah ( permission) . And then this hafiz becomes connected to the chain of transmission of the Prophet, peace be upon him .
And from those who transmit the Book of Allah Almighty. Thus, you can define Ijazah as a process in which the Holy Quran is transmitted from one generation to the next by voice transmission, according to the narration (or narrations).
What is ijazah in Islam?
The Quran has been meticulously preserved both orally and in writing since its revelation, and it should be recited in the same manner as the Prophet (PBUH), his companions, and those who followed them. This method of recitation has been passed down to us through what is known as Sanad or Ijazah.
Ijazahs are often accompanied by a chain of transmission (Sanad), which traces the authority and authenticity of the certification back to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through a lineage of qualified teachers. This chain adds an additional layer of credibility to the Ijazah, ensuring that the student’s recitation aligns with the correct recitation passed down through generations.
Types of Ijazah
There are two types of Ijazah: Ijazah of the Quran and Ijazah of Hadith. Ijazah of the Quran is the authorization to teach the Quran, while Ijazah of Hadith is the authorization to conduct the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad.
1. Ijazah of the Quran
There are different types of ijazah that exist in the Quran. These types vary depending on the level of expertise and specialization acquired by individuals who receive them.
a. Ijazah in Quran Recitation with Tajweed
This type of ijazah is given to students who can recite the whole Quran with Tajweed perfectly in front of a certified Sheikh or Quran Teacher. It involves the correct pronunciation of letters, rules of elongation, and other aspects of proper Quranic recitation.
Ijazah in Quran Recitation with Tajweed is divided into 4 subtypes:
A. Quran Ijazah with one narration, such as the Ijaza with the narration of Hafs ‘an ‘Asim.
B. Ijaza with seven Qirat of ash-Shatibiyyah.
C. Quran Ijazah with 3 Qirat of Durrat Al-Maa’nia.
D. Ijazah in 10 Qirat of Tayyibat An-Nashr.
b. Ijazah in Quran Memorization/Hifz
This type of ijazah is granted to students who have fully memorized the entire Quran without reading from Mushaf without mistakes in front of a certified Sheikh or Quran Teacher. It is a prestigious achievement as it requires dedication, discipline, and years of consistent effort to commit the entire Quran to memory.
c. Ijazah in Tajweed
This type of Ijazah focuses on mastering the rules and principles of Tajweed, which is the proper pronunciation and recitation of the Quran. It involves learning various aspects such as correct articulation, pronunciation of letters, elongation, pauses, and other technicalities.
2. Ijazah in the Hadith
On the other hand, Ijazah in the Hadith refers to a license or permission granted by a qualified scholar to a student, allowing them to transmit specific collections of Hadith literature. Hadith ijazahs are issued by scholars who have studied and mastered the science of Hadith and possess the authority to transmit its teachings.
The issuance of an Ijazah in Hadith is of utmost importance for maintaining the authenticity of the Prophet’s sayings. One of the primary concerns in Hadith studies is the integrity of the Isnad (the chain of narration).
The Ijazah system helps to ensure that this chain remains unbroken and that the transmission of Hadith remains accurate.
Ijazah Conditions in The Holy Quran.
Now you have a general idea of the Ijazah meaning in the Quran. As for its conditions, Ijazah in the Quran revolves around four conditions:
- Memorizing the Holy Quran completely and perfectly.
- Memorizing and understanding the Jazariyyah Introduction.
- Reading the Holy Quran on the permitted Sheikh, letter by letter.
- And finally, The Sheikh must train the student who has obtained an Ijazah to correct the recitation of other students who would like to obtain an Ijazah as well. I think you need more explanation, right ? Don’t worry, I will explain these conditions to you in the following.
Memorizing The Holy Quran Perfectly.
The reason for this is that the chain of narrators through which the Holy Quran reached us was based on the reading of each of its men to the Sheikh, memorized and unseen, from the
beginning of the Sheikhs until reaching the Messenger, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him.
This is an answer to those who wonder what is the difference between the Ijazah and Isnad, And the chain of narrators is a series of complete reading by heart. However, there is no objection to giving
an Ijazah to someone who reads the Noble Quran by looking at the Mushaf , with perfection of Tajweed and reciting, so they are given an Ijazah or a certificate of recitation, distinct from the Ijazah for memorization.
Memorizing and Understanding Al-Jazariyyah Introduction in Tajweed.
This is because the introduction of Al-Jazariyyah, (which was authored by Imam Ibn Al-Jazari, the imam of the reciters) Contains most of the provisions of Tajweed, and the reason for this condition is that the transmission of the Holy Quran has a specific controls and restrictions, in terms of the characteristics of the letters, and the exits of the letters.
so the person who wants to obtain an Ijazah has to know these rules, implement and memorize them , with an understanding of their meanings, and an understanding of the explanation.
Reading The Holy Quran to The Sheikh Letter by Letter.
The point is to read the Holy Quran. Starting with Surat Al-Fatihah to the end of Surat Al-Nas, while adhering to all the rules of Tajweed, whether the articulation points of the letters, adjectives, and other things that are required in Tajweed. But, some Sheikhs may give Ijazah to students to read a part of the Quran, without making it clear that the Ijazah came on a specific part.
And this is a mistake because the Ijazah – if it’s not in the entire Holy Quran – must be clarified which part of the Quran has been permitted. And if the student is a beginner and the Sheikh does not know anything about his reading, then the Sheikh here cannot give him Ijazah, because there are some
words in the Noble Qur’an that are only repeated once, and those words can’t pass without check.
Such as Al-Ishma and Al-Rawm in the word( تأمنّا ),(trust us) Surat Yusuf Ayah number (11). And Imaalah ( mixing the sound of an “alif” with a “yaa”), such as the word ( َمجراها ).( its course ) in Surat Hud “41”. How can a professor or sheikh give an Ijazah to the students without hearing them and making sure their reciting is perfect ?
The danger in this matter is that these Quranic words are not repeated in the Holy Quran, as I mentioned to you before and their reading needs to be controlled. Allah Almighty said.
“Their evidence will be recorded, and they will be questioned!“.— Az-Zukhruf “19”
In this verse there is a severe warning for those who think about submitting testimony without being certain of its authenticity.
Training The Student Who Has Obtained An Ijazah.
Many of those who are good at recitation aren’t able to correct the recitation of others, and the sheikh who gives the Ijazah must train the students to correct the mistakes of other student. so, the Sheikh asks those who want to obtain the Ijazah to correct the recitation of a new student .
So that the Sheikh is sure of their eligibility to give permission to others, and in the case the person has a certificate Ijazah, but can’t correct someone else. Their permission is for reading only, and they aren’t allowed to give Ijazah to someone else.
Importance of Ijazah Certificate
Ijazah signifies great honor and integrity in Islam since the initial times of Islam. People used to come from faraway places to become a student of a Sheikh and stay with him for some 8 to 10 years. They either study Quran recitation with Tajweed, Quran memorization, or Hadith, as:
1. Teaching certification
Ijazah provides its holder the right and entitlement to verify others with the matching authority as well. Thus, creating an infinite chain of qualified Quran narrators.
2. Great honor
Obtaining an Ijazah is considered a badge of honor and recognition for a Muslim, as the greatest honor in Islam is obtained by learning and teaching the Quran.
3. Mastering the Quran
Ijazah helps in mastering the recitation of the Quran with proper Tajweed rules, ensuring a correct and error-free recitation. It also encourages self-discipline and striving for excellence in recitation to earn it.
4. Attaining Paradise
Reciting the Quran with Ijazah is a goal that a Muslim strives to achieve in pursuit of Allah’s pleasure and the multiplication of rewards and blessings.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) encouraged obtaining Ijazah, as reflected in the hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), where he said:
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to me: “Recite the Quran to me.” I said: “Shall I recite it to you when it is revealed to you?” He said: “I love to hear it from others.”
Who gives ijazah?
A student is granted an ijazah “Mujaz” by a certified teacher “Mujiz”, thereby joining a continuous chain of narrators “Sanad”.
This chain of transmission (sanad) continues from the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He passed it to his companions and the chain continued from person to person. Thus, only someone who has received the Ijazah from an authentic source can only transfer it further on.
How many people have obtained ijazah?
While the specific count of individuals granted an ijazah over time is undetermined, it is indisputable that Allah has bestowed upon hundreds of thousands believers the privilege of learning the Quran and imparting its knowledge to Muslims worldwide, generation after generation.
How to get ijazah?
As previously mentioned, anyone wishing to obtain an ijazah must study with a certified teacher who is himself authorized to grant such licenses in the specific field.
In the following paragraphs, we will clarify how to obtain an ijazah in each of the Quran, tajweed, and hadith.
1. How to get ijazah in the Quran?
The journey to obtaining a Quranic ijazah begins with finding a certified teacher who has the authority to grant Ijazah. Under his guidance, the student will learn recitation or memorization of the Quran with Tajweed.
The teacher listens to the student and corrects any mistakes until they are confident in the student’s abilities. Once the student has mastered the Quran, the teacher grants him the Ijazah, giving them the authority to teach and transmit the Quran.
2. How to get ijazah in Tajweed?
An Ijazah in Tajweed is a certification granted by a qualified teacher, confirming proficiency in Quranic recitation with adherence to Tajweed rules. To get Tajweed Ijazah, student must:
- Master Tajweed rules
- Develop recitation proficiency
- Join the Tajweed program with a qualified teacher.
- Practice the rules and memorize Quranic texts.
When your teacher believes that you are proficient in Tajweed, they may conduct an assessment to evaluate your skills. Upon successful completion of the assessment, your teacher will grant you an Ijazah in Tajweed
3. How to get ijazah in Hadith?
To get an Ijazah in Hadith, it’s important to be familiar with Hadith sciences, which include: study of Hadith, Chain of narrators “Isnad” and content of Hadith “Matn”, In addition the biographies of narrators “Ilm al-Rijal”.
Under the guidance of a certified teacher, the student will learn one or more of the following Hadith books:
- Sahih al-Bukhari
- Sahih Muslim
- Sunan Abu Dawood
- Sunan an-Nasa’i
- Jami` at-Tirmidhi
- Muwatta’ Malik
The study process can take several years, depending on the depth of the Hadith texts studied. You will be required to recite, explain, and understand the Hadith to demonstrate proficiency.
Your teacher will assess your understanding of the material before granting you the Ijazah. Once you have completed the required study and the teacher is satisfied with your understanding, you will receive the Ijazah.
Can I Receive Ijazah Online?
Of course, you can receive Ijazah online. Shaykhi academy offers a comprehensive Ijazah Online Course for students seeking to master Quranic recitation with Tajweed and earn the prestigious Ijazah certificate.
The course is personalized, with one-on-one instruction from qualified Azhary Mujaz Sheikhs, ensuring a deep understanding of Quranic memorization, recitation, and theoretical Tajweed rules.
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Conclusion
Ijazah is an Islamic certification granted by a qualified teacher, acknowledging a student’s mastery in a particular subject, especially Quranic recitation or Hadith transmission. It ensures the student is authorized to teach and pass down knowledge, maintaining the authenticity of teachings through a chain of transmission (Sanad) tracing back to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
This sacred tradition has two primary types: Ijazah in the Quran, which covers recitation, memorization, and Tajweed, and Ijazah in Hadith, certifying one’s ability to transmit the sayings and actions of the Prophet. Both types emphasize preserving knowledge and ensuring accuracy across generations.
To obtain an Ijazah, a student must study under a certified teacher, mastering their respective field, whether it’s Quranic recitation, memorization, or Hadith. The process involves rigorous learning, correction, and assessment, culminating in the granting of the Ijazah.
In today’s world, online platforms like Shaykhi Academy offer personalized courses, making it possible to earn Ijazah remotely. This process not only empowers students to teach others but also honors the legacy of scholarly transmission in Islam.
In conclusion, the Ijazah is a certification symbolizing a deep understanding and mastery of the Quran or Hadith. It represents a chain of transmission that connects the student to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
By obtaining an Ijazah, individuals are empowered to teach the Quran, Tajweed, and Hadith. You can receive Ijazah online from Shaykhi Academy under the guidance of certified teachers.
