Tarteel meaning: the speeds of recitation (tarteel, tadweer, hadr)
Tarteel means reciting the Quran in a slow, measured way, giving each letter its due. It is also the name of one of the recognised speeds of recitation. Scholars of tajweed describe four: tahqiq, tarteel, tadweer and hadr. Every one applies the same rules; only the pace changes.
Last updated: 3 October 2026
Where tarteel comes from
أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلًا ﴿٤﴾
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ جُمْلَةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَ ۖ وَرَتَّلْنَٰهُ تَرْتِيلًۭا ﴿٣٢﴾
‘Ali ibn Abi Talib is reported to have explained tarteel as giving the letters their proper pronunciation and knowing where to stop. That two-part definition, letters and stops, is still how tajweed teachers describe it.
The four speeds compared
| Speed | Pace | Character | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tahqiq | Very slow and precise | Teaching and correcting; every letter, length and ghunnah given full measure | Learning a new rule |
| Tarteel | Slow and measured | Calm recitation with reflection, all rules applied | Daily reading, memorising, prayer |
| Tadweer | Medium | Between tarteel and hadr; rules applied, a moderate pace | Longer readings, taraweeh |
| Hadr | Quick | Fast but still correct: no letters dropped, no lengths cut below their minimum | Revision, completing a khatm |
Some scholars treat tahqiq as a slower form of tarteel rather than a separate speed, so you will also see “three speeds” in some books. The principle is the same.
How the Prophet ﷺ recited
Umm Salamah described his recitation as clear, letter by letter (reported in Sunan Abi Dawud and at-Tirmidhi), and Anas ibn Malik said he would lengthen the long vowels, reciting “Bismillah” with each madd drawn out (Sahih al-Bukhari 5046). Unhurried, clear reading is the model.
Choosing your speed
- Learning or correcting: tahqiq. Your teacher will often ask you to slow down here.
- Daily reading and memorising: tarteel, which also helps reflection; see how to recite Quran beautifully.
- Revising what you know: tadweer or hadr, to cover more pages; see how to revise hifz.
Whatever the speed, the minimum lengths of madd and the two counts of ghunnah do not disappear, and the stop signs still apply. Speed that breaks these is one of the common tajweed mistakes. To build a steady tarteel with a teacher, see our tajweed course.
Frequently asked questions
What does tarteel mean?
Tarteel (تَرْتِيل) means reciting in a measured, unhurried way, giving each letter its right. The word comes from the command in Al-Muzzammil 73:4, “and recite the Quran with measured recitation (tartīlā)”.
Is it wrong to recite quickly?
No. Hadr is an accepted speed, as long as every letter is pronounced and no rule is broken. What is not accepted is speed that swallows letters or cuts madd short.
Which speed should a beginner use?
Tahqiq or tarteel. Slowing down gives you time to apply each rule; speed comes naturally once the rules are habits.
Does the speed change the length of madd?
Within limits. The obligatory madds keep their minimum at every speed, while the lengths you choose for the permitted madds can be a little shorter in hadr and longer in tahqiq, as long as you are consistent.
Build a calm, correct tarteel
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