maṣdarتَرْتِيلٌ
Core sense — reading or reciting slowly and distinctly; separateness of the front teethgenerated
2.1
In its original sense the word relates to the teeth, meaning their تَفْلِيج [i.e., as maṣdar of the verb in its passive form, their being separate, one from another].
Lane cites “Bd in xxv. 34” — a commentary, not the verse; no modern number is given
2.1.1he put together and arranged well the parts of the speech, and made it distinct—رتّل الكَلَامَ
.
And hence تَرْتِيلُ القُرْآنِ [explained in what follows].
I read, or recited, the Qur'ān in a leisurely manner, without haste—رَتَّلْتُ القُرْآنَ
proceeding in a leisurely manner, and uttering distinctly, without going beyond the proper bounds—التَّرْتِيلُ
he proceeded in a leisurely manner in his speech, or in what was said—ترتّل فِى كَلَامِهِ
Or: he proceeded in a leisurely manner in the speech, making the utterance distinct, and put together and arranged well its parts.
Maṣdar as above.
This is said of reading or reciting, and particularly of the reading, or reciting, of the Qur'ān. [Hence, by convention, the chanting of the Qur'ān in a special, distinct, and leisurely manner.]
Also said as فِى الكَلَامِ.
Mujāhid explains التَّرْتِيل as proceeding in a leisurely manner in reading, or reciting, with the parts following one another; he treats it as etymologically related to ثَغْرٌ رَتِلٌ.
Er-Rāghib: it means pronouncing the word, or words, with ease and correctness; this is the proper meaning.
But the conventional meaning, as confirmed by El-Munāwee, is being careful of the places of utterance of the letters, and mindful of the pauses, of lowering the voice, and of making it plaintive, in reading or reciting.
According to Mtr, the proper meaning of الترتيل in the reciting, or chanting, of the Qur'ān, in the call to prayer and the like, is pronouncing the letters in a leisurely manner and distinctly, so giving them their full proper sound; from the phrase ثَغْرٌ مُرَتَّلٌ and رَتِلٌ, meaning “front teeth separate, one from another, and even in the manner of growth, and well set together.” [See also تَرْسِيلٌ.]
and we have sent it down to you in a leisurely manner—وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلًا
In the Qur'ān 25:34. Or: we have recited it to you part after part, deliberately and without haste, in the course of twenty years, or twenty-three.
تَرْتِيلٌ in its original sense relates to the teeth, with the meaning explained at the start of this entry.
Qur’ānic occurrences Form 2
25:32
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ جُمْلَةً وَٰحِدَةً ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَ ۖ وَرَتَّلْنَـٰهُ تَرْتِيلًاThose who reject Faith say: "Why is not the Qur'an revealed to him all at once? Thus (is it revealed), that We may strengthen thy heart thereby, and We have rehearsed it to thee in slow, well-arranged stages, gradually.
73:4
أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلًاOr a little more; and recite the Qur'an in slow, measured rhythmic tones.
Occurrences of this form in the Qur’ān, not Lane’s choice of verse. They show the word in use; they do not say which sense above applies. Where more occur than are shown, the shortest āyāt are chosen.
Show Lane's original text
, in its original sense, relates to the teeth; signifying تَفْلِيج thereof [i. e., as inf. n. of the verb in its pass. form, Their being separate, one from another]. (Bd in xxv. 34.) [Hence,] رتّل الكَلَامَ , (T, M, K,) inf. n. تَرْتِيلٌ , (K,) He put together and arranged well the component parts of the speech, or saying, (M, K,) and made it distinct: and hence تَرْتِيلُ القُرْآنِ [explained in what follows]: (M:) or he proceeded in a leisurely manner in the speech, or saying, [making the utterance distinct,] and put together and arranged well its component parts: (T:) and رَتَّلْتُ القُرْآنَ inf. n. as above, I read, or recited, the Kur-án in a leisurely manner; without haste: (Msb:) or التَّرْتِيلُ in reading, or reciting, [and particularly in the reading, or reciting, of the Kur-án,] is the proceeding in a leisurely manner, and uttering distinctly, without exceeding the proper bounds or limits: (S:) [and hence, conventionally, the chanting of the Kur-án in a peculiar, distinct, and leisurely, manner:] and ترتّل فِى كَلَامِهِ , (T,) or فِى الكَلَامِ , (M, K,) signifies [in like manner] he proceeded in a leisurely manner (T, M, K) in his speech, or saying, (T,) or in the speech, or saying: (M, K:) Mujáhid explains التَّرْتِيل as signifying the proceeding in a leisurely manner [in reading, or reciting], and as being consecutive in its parts, or portions; regarding it as etymologically relating to ثَغْرٌ رَتِلٌ [q. v.]: (T:) accord. to Er-Rághib, it signifies the pronouncing the word [or words] with ease and correctness: this is the proper signification: but the conventional meaning, as verified by El-Munáwee, is the being regardful of the places of utterance of the letters, and mindful of the pauses, and the lowering of the voice, and making it plaintive, in reading, or reciting: (TA:) [accord. to Mtr,] the [proper] meaning of الترتيل in [the reciting, or chanting, of the Kur-án and of] the call to prayer &c. is the pronouncing of the letters in a leisurely manner, and distinctly, and so giving them their proper full sound; from the phrase ثَغْرٌ مُرَتَّلٌ and رَتِلٌ signifying “ front teeth separate, one from another, and even in the manner of growth, and well set together. ” (Mgh.) [See also تَرْسِيلٌ .] وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلًا , in the Kur [xxv. 34], means And we have sent it down unto thee in a leisurely manner: (M, TA:) or we have recited it to thee part after part, in a deliberate and leisurely manner; in [the course of] twenty years, or three and twenty: تَرْتِيلٌ in its original sense relating to the teeth, and having the signification explained in the beginning of this paragraph. (Bd.)