The education of Qirā'āt and contemporary applications (The cases of Turkey-Saudi Arabia-Egypt)

The knowledge of Quranic recitation (qira'at) emerged as a result of the development of Ahrufu's-Sab'a i.e seven letters which led to the appearance of differences in recitation during the period of Prophet Mohammad. It is a fact that there have been developed some verbal and written skills to transfer the holy revelation. Thus the first chapter of this thesis covers certain information regarding not only the reciting and transferring the revelation but also mentions the process of gathering and classification of the revelation. This chapter also emphasizes certain vital developments in the recitation curriculum that was brought through the transference of the great work of Ibn al-Djazarī (d. 1429) to Ottoman scholars. In this chapter, the process of "Tariq"s, "Meslek"s that were the outcome of the fact, previously mentioned, were also highlighted. Moreover, in the second chapter, containing fundamental information about the historical process of the Quranic recitation, the important facts that inform about places where recitation, were taught in our present were mentioned. Additionally, the curriculums and sources, and methods that are used in this education are mentioned. As the insufficiency of the qavaîd i.e regulations sources which are regarded as guide books of recitation methodology, some other fundamental sources are examined in terms of their theoretical and practical functions. At this point, it is visible that this thesis may be accepted as the first study since it offered significant information not only about 'Ashera-Taqrīb education in Turkey but also it makes a comparative study focusing "Meslek" possession. The third chapter comparatively examines the qira'at training and education systems that have been practicing in Saud Arabia and Egypt especially in the manners of the functional importance, methodological techniques, institutional differences of recitation skills, and differences. Having made an analysis of the similarities and differences in recitation training and education model in these countries and Turkey a new methodological model for recitation training and education is emphasized. It is undeniable that there have been important studies done in Turkey especially covering the history of the qira'at science, the matter of ihtijaj, the relation between qira'at and Arabic linguistic, and the theoretical and practical attitudes of some leading imams and narrators. Unfortunately, there is no sufficient study that comparatively examines the qira'at education neither in Turkey nor in any other Muslim countries. Therefore this thesis targets to overcome both theoretical and practical mistakes and deficiencies in qira'at training and education in Turkey by asserting some new models for the curriculum and methodology of qira'at training and education.