AL-BAQARAH (The Cow) - 25

 1.     “who should recite to them Your verses,…”

 

The Arabic word ‘Yatlu’ (translated in English as "recite", or "read out") comes from the word Tilawah, which signifies "to follow, to obey". However, in the terminology of the Qur'an and the Hadith it denotes the recitation or reading of the Holy Qur'an, for one who reads a Divine Book is also required to obey it fully. The word also suggests that it is obligatory to read the Holy Qur'an exactly as it has been revealed by Allah Ta’ala, and not to add or subtract a word on one's own part, not even to change the pronunciation of a word which often may, in the Arabic language, change the very meaning of the word concerned. And that is why we must try to learn to recite it as close as possible to the way the Holy Prophet ﷺ recited it, which involves learning the principles of Tajweed (تجوید)..

 

This also tells us that reciting the words of the Noble Qur’an is in itself a great act of worship, separate from understanding its meaning, because these two have been described as separate prophetic functions.