The Relationship between Words and Being in the World for Students of Qur'anic Recitation in Brussels

Accepted with minor revisionsThrough an ethnographic study of courses on tajweed (Qur’anic recitation) in Brussels' mosques and Islamic institutions, this article throws a light at the semiotic ideology of Muslims (Keane 2007). It clarifies the adult male and female students' relation with the parole of Allah, the materiality of Qur’anic recitation, the significance of Qur’anic words, as well as how this relates to their personal agency in becoming a pious subject. Qur’anic recitation, or tajweed, is perceived as an illocutionary act of adoration that, if performed correctly and sincerely, enables students of tajweed to not only re-perform, but also to re-enact the moment of revelation. The article additionally demonstrates how studying tajweed is aimed at the construction of spiritual moods and motivations not only in the short, but also in the long term. It elaborates on how a changing relation with the semiotic form of Allah's parole in the Qur’an may not only influence a person's inner feelings, but also his conduct towards himself and others.status: publishe