For centuries, students of the Quran have learned tajweed by memorising short poems that hold all the rules in rhyme. The two most famous are Tuhfat al-Atfal and al-Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah. Many Quran schools, mosque circles and competitions — including the Prophet's Mosque's mutoon competition — still teach them today.
This guide explains what each poem is, what it covers, and whether you should learn them.
The two poems at a glance
Tuhfat al-Atfal | al-Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah | |
|---|---|---|
Arabic name | تحفة الأطفال | المقدمة الجزرية |
Meaning | "The Gift for Children" | "The Introduction" (by Ibn al-Jazari) |
Author | Sulayman al-Jamzuri (12th century AH, Egypt) | Ibn al-Jazari (751–833 AH) |
Length | 61 lines | About 107–109 lines |
Level | Beginner | Intermediate to advanced |
Main topics | Noon and meem sakinah, ghunnah, lam rules, madd | Makharij, sifat, heavy and light letters, rules, stopping, spelling of the Mushaf |
Tuhfat al-Atfal: the beginner's poem
Despite its name, Tuhfat al-Atfal is not only for children — it is the first tajweed text for most students. In 61 short lines, it covers the rules you meet on every page:
- Noon sakinah and tanween: izhar, idgham, iqlab and ikhfa
- Meem sakinah
- Noon and meem with shaddah (ghunnah)
- The lam of "al" and other lams
- The types of madd
One of its best-known lines opens the section on noon sakinah:
لِلنُّونِ إِنْ تَسْكُنْ وَلِلتَّنْوِينِ ... أَرْبَعُ أَحْكَامٍ فَخُذْ تَبْيِينِي "The noon when it has a sukoon, and the tanween, have four rulings — so take my explanation."
If you have read our guides to izhar, idgham, iqlab and ikhfa, you have already met the content of the Tuhfah.
al-Jazariyyah: the complete foundation
al-Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah was written by Imam Ibn al-Jazari, one of the greatest scholars of Quran recitation. It goes much deeper than the Tuhfah:
- Makharij: where each letter comes from. See our guide to makhraj.
- Sifat: the qualities of each letter, such as heaviness and the qalqalah echo.
- Heavy and light letters, and the rules of ra and the lam of Allah. See tafkheem and tarqeeq.
- Stopping and starting. See waqf.
- The spelling of the Mushaf (rasm): words written joined or separate, open or closed ta.
It also contains the famous line about the importance of tajweed:
وَالأَخْذُ بِالتَّجْوِيدِ حَتْمٌ لَازِمُ "Applying tajweed is a firm duty."
Should you memorise them?
You are… | Our suggestion |
|---|---|
A complete beginner | First learn to read correctly with a teacher. The poems come later. |
Reading well and learning tajweed | Learn the meaning of the Tuhfah with a teacher; memorising it helps the rules stick. |
Aiming to teach, or seeking an ijazah | Memorise both the Tuhfah and the Jazariyyah, with an explanation. |
A non-Arabic speaker | Use an English explanation alongside the Arabic text. Memorise only once you understand it. |
How to study them
- Get the text with harakat and an audio recording, so you memorise the correct pronunciation.
- Study with an explanation (sharh), line by line, ideally with a teacher.
- Memorise 2–4 lines a day and revise the earlier lines every day.
- Find a Quran example for each rule as you go.
- Recite the whole poem once a week once you have finished it.
Many students later recite the poems to a teacher and receive an ijazah in them. For the full order of the rules, see our Tajweed guide, and to study with a teacher, see our online Tajweed course.
FAQ
What is Tuhfat al-Atfal?
A 61-line poem by Sulayman al-Jamzuri that teaches the basic rules of tajweed: noon and meem sakinah, ghunnah, the lam rules and madd.
What is al-Jazariyyah?
A poem of about 107–109 lines by Imam Ibn al-Jazari that covers the makharij, the qualities of the letters, tajweed rules, stopping and the spelling of the Mushaf.
Which should I learn first?
Tuhfat al-Atfal. It is shorter and covers the rules beginners meet most often.
Do I need to memorise them to recite correctly?
No. Many people recite well without memorising them. But they are very helpful for serious students and future teachers.
Sources
- Ibn al-Jazari — Wikipedia
- Tajwid — Wikipedia
- Prophet's Mosque mutoon competition (includes Tuhfat al-Atfal) — Prophet's Mosque Quran circles