Murattal vs mujawwad: the styles of Quran recitation
Murattal vs mujawwad: the two best-known styles of Quran recitation. Murattal is steady and clear, the recitation of prayer and learning; mujawwad is slow and melodic, performed for listeners. Both follow the same tajweed. Here is how they differ and which one to learn.
Last updated: 4 October 2026
Murattal and mujawwad compared
| Murattal | Mujawwad | |
|---|---|---|
| Pace | Steady, close to tarteel or tadweer | Very slow, with long pauses between phrases |
| Melody | Simple, natural voice | Elaborate melodic modes (maqamat), wide vocal range |
| Repetition | Each verse read once, in order | Phrases often repeated to bring out meaning |
| Setting | Salah, daily reading, learning, full-Quran recordings | Gatherings, broadcasts, special occasions |
| Best for learners | Yes: easy to follow and imitate | To listen to; hard to imitate |
Murattal
Murattal (from the same root as tarteel) is recitation at a steady, measured pace, with every rule applied but no elaborate melody. It is how most imams lead prayer and how complete recordings of the whole Quran are usually made, which is why it is the style learners imitate. Its pace sits between tarteel and tadweer.
Mujawwad
Mujawwad (from the same root as tajweed) is a performance style developed especially in Egypt in the twentieth century, recorded by reciters such as Shaykh ‘Abd al-Basit ‘Abd as-Samad and Shaykh Muhammad Siddiq al-Minshawi. It is very slow, uses melodic modes known as maqamat, and repeats phrases to draw out their meaning. It is recited to an audience rather than in ordinary prayer.
Beautifying the voice
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Beautify the Quran with your voices” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1468), and “He is not one of us who does not recite the Quran in a pleasant voice” (Sahih al-Bukhari 7527). Melody is welcome; what scholars warn against is letting the tune change the recitation: stretching a short vowel, cutting a madd or adding sounds to fit a melody. That is one of the common tajweed mistakes of ambitious reciters.
Styles are not qira’at
Murattal and mujawwad are styles of delivery. The qira’at are different: they are authentic variant readings of the text itself, passed down through chains back to the Prophet ﷺ. A reciter can recite the same qira’ah, such as Hafs ‘an ‘Asim, in either style.
To develop a clear murattal recitation, start with how to recite Quran beautifully and practise with a teacher in our tajweed course.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between murattal and mujawwad?
Murattal is steady, measured recitation with a simple voice, used in prayer and for learning. Mujawwad is slower and highly melodic, with long pauses and repetitions, performed for listeners at gatherings and on broadcasts. Both apply the same tajweed rules.
Is it allowed to recite with maqamat?
Beautifying the voice is encouraged. Scholars allow melody as long as the rules of tajweed are not broken: letters are not lengthened or shortened for the tune, and the recitation does not imitate singing.
Which style should I learn?
Murattal. It is what you will use in salah and daily reading, and it builds correct tajweed. Many learners enjoy listening to mujawwad recitations as well.
Is murattal the same as tarteel?
They are related: murattal comes from the same root as tarteel and means recitation done with tarteel. Tarteel also names one of the speeds of recitation.
Develop a clear, beautiful recitation
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