Ruling on using auto-tune and vocal effects for the Holy Qur’an

Firstly:

Ruling on using vocal effects for recitation of Qur’an

There is nothing wrong with using enhancers and vocal effects for recitation of Qur’an, if that will not lead to repetition of the sound of letters, or cause them to disappear, or change the rules of tajwid, provided that the reciter is reciting without restricting himself to a certain maqam (mode or scale) or tune.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: One of the imams of the mosques is asking: We heard you talking about vocal enhancement (echo); what did you say?

He said: What we said was that if this vocal enhancement (echo) leads to repeating the sound of the letter, then it is haram, because it is adding something to the words of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and that is not permissible.

But if it does not lead to repeating the sound, then we examine the matter further: If it makes the reciter’s voice sound like the voice of a singer, then it is also not allowed, but in this case we cannot say definitively that it is haram, because there is no addition to the wording of the Qur’an. This is what we say about these enhancements.

Moreover, we say: O brothers, what matters is not the tune that moves you and you find pleasurable; rather what matters is to focus with humility (and be moved by the words of the Qur’an). How many people recite without a microphone, let alone vocal enhancements, but it is more conducive to focus and reflection for him and for his listeners."(Liqa’ al-Bab al-Maftuh  109/14).

Secondly:

Using auto-tune for recitation of Qur’an

Auto-tune is a sound-purifying tool which works to enhance the sound, cancel any distortion and alter the pitch of the sound.

The ruling on reciting with maqamat (modes or scales) has been discussed previously in the answer to question no. 169799 .

But it is not permissible to use auto-tune, even if the reciter does not pay attention to maqamat and does not restrict himself to that, because of what it leads to of omitting some vowels and even some letters, let alone some rules of tajwid, according to what some specialists have told us.

Shaykh Sulayman al-Majid (may Allah preserve him) was asked: What is the ruling on using filters and vocal effects for recitation of Qur’an, such as what are known as auto-tune filters? I hope you will answer my question, may Allah bless you.

He replied: It is not permissible to introduce these vocal effects into recitation of Qur’an. End quote.

And Allah knows best.