In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Almighty Allah Ta’ala says:
وَأَنْ أَتْلُوَ الْقُرْآنَ فَمَنِ اهْتَدَى فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِي لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ ضَلَّ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ
Translation:
“And to recite the Quran; so whoever takes the right path, takes the right path for his own good. As for the one who goes astray say (to him) I am only from those who warn.” (Surah Naml (The Ant) 27:92)
Tilawat of the Quran refers to verbal recitation irrespective of the recitation being soft or aloud.
In verbal recitation one pronounces the letters and words. If the recitation is soft, he would hear himself and if the recitation is aloud, then another person around him will hear his recitation.
When reciting in the mind there is no verbal recitation. While recitation of the Quran in the mind is virtuous, it is not like verbal recitation. In some instances merely reciting in the mind will not be valid, for example reciting the Quran in Salat. If one recites in his mind without verbal recitation the recitation will not be valid.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Saeed Ahmed Golaub
Islamic Solutions
Jamaica