Read (Ut’lu, Ratil, & Iqra)

The Quran uses three words that mean to read or recite. While these three words may appear synonymous on the surface, a careful analysis of their use in the Quran reveals that each word has a slight difference in meaning, which, God willing, we will explore in this article.

• Rattil ( رَتِّلِ )
• Ut’lu ( ٱتْلُ )
• Iqra ( ٱقْرَأْ )

Rattil ( رَتِّلِ )

The word Rattil ( رَتِّلِ ) comes from the root “ra-ta-lam” ( ر ت ل ). The derivative meanings for this root are the following:

to set in order; read correctly; speak slowly; to recite with a slow and distinct enunciation; measured utterance with thoughtful consideration of the meaning

The closest word in English would be the word “peruse,” which in its original form means to read something thoroughly or carefully in its entirety.

Interestingly, this word later became a Janus or contronym word, where it can mean one thing or its opposite. So typically, peruse today is used to mean to skim as well in addition to this original meaning to read carefully or in entirety.

The sense of “skimming” is proscribed by some authorities on usage, including the Oxford American Dictionary. The shift, however, is not dissimilar to that found in scan, and thus, interestingly, peruse and scan are a synonym pair in which each is a contranym meaning either “to read carefully” or “to read hastily”. To avoid ambiguity—and reader annoyance—careful writers may prefer skim when skimming is meant or scrutinize when care is meant. The Oxford English Dictionary further notes that the word peruse was used as a general synonym for read as far back as the 16th century.

wiktionary

This root occurs four times in the Quran

[73:4] Or a little more. And read the Quran in its entirety.

 أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلًا

1	aw	أَوْ	Or
2	zid	زِدْ	add
3	ʿalayhi	عَلَيْهِ	to it.
4	warattili	وَرَتِّلِ	And read correctly / slow with attention to detail
5	l-qur’āna	ٱلْقُرْءَانَ	the Quran
6	tartīlan	تَرْتِيلًا	(in) specific / distinct order / entirety (*from cover to cover).

[25:32] Those who disbelieved said, “Why did not the Quran come through him all at once?” We have released it to you gradually, in order to fix it in your memory. We have recited it in a specific sequence.

 وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ جُمْلَةً وَٰحِدَةً كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَ وَرَتَّلْنَـٰهُ تَرْتِيلًا

Ut’lu ( ٱتْلُ )

The word ut’lu ( ٱتْلُ ) comes from the root “ta-lam-waw” ( ت ل و ). The derivative meanings of this root are the following:

recite; read; rehearse; declare; meditate; follow; walk behind; imitate, pursue

The Quran uses this root 63 times. Every time it is used, it is in the context of reciting, with a few occurrences meaning ” to follow.”

[91:2] The moon that follows it.

(٢) وَٱلْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَىٰهَا

1	wal-qamari	وَٱلْقَمَرِ	And the moon
2	idhā	إِذَا	when
3	talāhā	تَلَىٰهَا	it followed it.

In the Quran, when the word is used in the context of recitation, it always refers to reciting a teaching or something meant to be followed. Every occurrence of the word in this context, refers to reciting God’s verses (ayat), book (kitab), or reminder (zikr) from God.

[3:58] These are the ayat that we recite to you, providing a message full of wisdom.

 ذَٰلِكَ نَتْلُوهُ عَلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ وَٱلذِّكْرِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ

[3:108] These are GOD’s ayat; we recite them to you, truthfully. GOD does not wish any hardship for the people.

 تِلْكَ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ظُلْمًا لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

There is only a single occurrence in 2:102 where it is in reference to “what the devil’s taught.”

[2:102] They pursued what the devils recited (taught) concerning Solomon’s kingdom. Solomon, however, was not a disbeliever, but the devils were disbelievers. They taught the people sorcery, and that which was sent down through the two angels of Babel, Haroot and Maroot. These two did not divulge such knowledge without pointing out: “This is a test. You shall not abuse such knowledge.” But the people used it in such evil schemes as the breaking up of marriages. They can never harm anyone against the will of GOD. They thus learn what hurts them, not what benefits them, and they know full well that whoever practices witchcraft will have no share in the Hereafter. Miserable indeed is what they sell their souls for, if they only knew.

 وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَا تَتْلُوا۟ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَـٰنَ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَـٰرُوتَ وَمَـٰرُوتَ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَآ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِۦ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِۦ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا۟ لَمَنِ ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَـٰقٍ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ

1	wa-ittabaʿū	وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟	And they followed / pursued
2	mā	مَا	what
3	tatlū	تَتْلُوا۟	[it] recites (taught)
4	l-shayāṭīnu	ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينُ	the devils
5	ʿalā	عَلَىٰ	over
6	mul’ki	مُلْكِ	(the) kingdom (of)
7	sulaymāna	سُلَيْمَـٰنَ	Solomon.

Therefore, the word ut’lu ( ٱتْلُ ) is to recite something with the intention of it being followed, something like instructions.

Iqra ( ٱقْرَأْ )

The word Iqra ( ٱقْرَأْ ) comes from the root “qaf-ra-alif” ( ق ر ا ), and has the following derivative meanings.

to read; read a written thing; recite; proclaim; convey; call; rehearse; transmit; deliver; to collect together; to gather, to put or arrange together; menstruation

This root occurs 88 times in the Quran and is the root for the word Quran ( ٱلْقُرْءَان ). Of the 88 occurrences, 74 of these times are in reference to the Quran itself.

This word is most famously used in what is attributed as the first revelation given to the prophet.

[96:1] Read, in the name of your Lord, who created.
[96:2] He created man from an embryo.
[96:3] Read, and your Lord, Most Exalted.
[96:4] Teaches by means of the pen.
[96:5] He teaches man what he never knew.

(١) ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ
(٢) خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ
(٣) ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ
(٤) ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ
(٥) عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

What we can tell from the above is that the word Iqra ( ٱقْرَأْ ) is used in conjunction with something written. This implies that Iqra ( ٱقْرَأْ ) specifically means to read from something written, and not just to recite, such as from memory. If we look at the other two occurrences of this word in the Quran, we can see that it is consistently used in this way.

[17:13] We have recorded the fate of every human being; it is tied to his neck. On the Day of Resurrection we will hand him a record (kitāban) that is accessible.
[17:14] Read your own record (kitābaka). Today, you suffice as your own reckoner.

(١٣) وَكُلَّ إِنسَـٰنٍ أَلْزَمْنَـٰهُ طَـٰٓئِرَهُۥ فِى عُنُقِهِۦ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ كِتَـٰبًا يَلْقَىٰهُ مَنشُورًا
(١٤) ٱقْرَأْ كِتَـٰبَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفْسِكَ ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا

[69:19] As for the one who receives his record (kitābahu) with his right hand, he will say, “Come read my record (kitābiyah).

(١٩) فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ هَآؤُمُ ٱقْرَءُوا۟ كِتَـٰبِيَهْ

This shows that Iqra ( ٱقْرَأْ ) does not mean to recite, but specifically means to read something written. This also corresponds with the meaning of the Quran, as the Quran is not only a recitation but also a kitab, a written scripture.

[33:6] The prophet is closer to the believers than they are to each other, and his wives are like mothers to them. The relatives ought to take care of one another in accordance with GOD’s scripture. Thus, the believers shall take care of their relatives who immigrate to them, provided they have taken care of their own families first. These are commandments of this written scripture.

 ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُهُۥٓ أُمَّهَـٰتُهُمْ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِى كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ إِلَّآ أَن تَفْعَلُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآئِكُم مَّعْرُوفًا كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مَسْطُورًا

25	kāna	كَانَ	[It] was
26	dhālika	ذَٰلِكَ	that
27	fī	فِى	in
28	l-kitābi	ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ	the book / scripture
29	masṭūran	مَسْطُورًا	written.