Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume.7 Number.3 September, 2016 Pp. 203-214
DOI:https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol7no3.15
The Universal Nature of the Qur’an’s Phonetics
Amina A. Amer
Independent Researcher in the Arabic Phonetics
Fairfax, Virginia, USA
Abstract:
This study compares the phonetic rules of the Muslim’s holy book, the Qur’an, to the phonetic rules of the English language in an effort to prove that the Qur’an’s phonetic rules cannot be linked entirety to the holy Qur’an, nor the Arabic tongue; but rather they date back to the time the human tongue was created to function. The Qur’an’s phonetic rules were discussed in detail under the subject known as “Tajwid” (pronounced “Tajweed”) but were not compared to the natural speech mechanism in other languages. In doing so, this study demonstrates the common features in the phonetic environment of some Arabic and English speech sounds when they co-exist in a connected speech pattern. Based on the several examples this study illustrates, the author suggests that the differences between the Qur’an’s phonetic rules and our innate speech mechanism are only some melodic touches that help differentiate reciting the Qur’an from other sorts of Arabic literature.
Keywords: Arabic phonetics, phonetics of the qur’an, tajwid
Cite as: Amer, A. A. (2016) The Universal Nature of the Qur’an’s Phonetics.
Arab World English Journal, 7 (3).
DOI:https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol7no3.15