For Muslims, the Quran is a holy text. The words of this book-either written or spoken- are sacred. Muslims cover and clean themselves before engaging with the Quran to show respect to its words. Given its use in daily prayer and its universal, musical appeal, the recitation of the Quran is an important aspect of Islamic practice. There are even competitions for Quranic recitation in some Muslim countries. Recitation continues to be one of the most important forms of asthethecism in Islam.

Imam Amr Dabour at Duke's Campus Wide Fast 2009