Tajweed International
Tajweed International
Tajweed International
An Introduction to
TAJWEED
Compiled by
Umm Muhammad
Page 2
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"Whoever recites the Qur’an being skillful in it will be
with the honorable messenger-angels. And whoever
recites the Qur’an with hesitation as it is difficult for him
will have a double reward."
***
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Table of Contents
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Other Types of Idghaam ......................................................... 35
Idghaam of Two Identical Letters ................................... 35
Idghaam of Two Similar Letters ..................................... 35
Idghaam of Two Proximities ...................................... 36
Idghaam of Laam in the Definite Article ....................... 37
Rules of Madd .......................................................................... 38
Aṣli (Original) or Ṭabee‘i (Normal) Madd .................. 39
Badal: Substitute Madd ............................................ 39
‘Iwadh: Replacement Madd ..................................... 40
Small Ṣilah Madd ...................................................... 40
Far‘i: Derived Madd ....................................................... 42
Muttaṣil: Connected Madd ...................................... 42
Munfaṣil: Separated Madd ....................................... 42
Greater Ṣilah Madd ................................................... 43
‘Aaridh: Madd Exposed to Sukoon ......................... 43
Leen: Madd of Ease.................................................. 44
Laazim (Compulsory Madd) in Words .................... 45
Laazim (Compulsory Madd) in Letters ................... 45
Further Information about Opening Letters ......................... 46
Final Du‘aa’ .............................................................................. 47
Glossary of Commonly Used Arabic Terms ............................ 48
References ................................................................................ 50
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بسم اهلل الرمح ن الرحيم
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO TAJWEED
The general linguistic meaning of tajweed is "excellence
and precision." In specific Islamic terminology it is defined as:
"the recitation of the Qur’ān as it was revealed to Muḥammad,
the Messenger of Allāh ()," or more specifically, "giving
every letter its right," i.e., observing its correct pronunciation
and special qualities, as well as proper length, appropriate
assimilation, etc.,1 as in-shā-Allāh will be summarized in these
pages. The more important Arabic terms have been included to
familiarize them to the student.
As the title suggests, this booklet is no more than an
introduction to the theoretical aspect of recital. The practical
application of these rules during Qur’ān recitation, which is the
ultimate aim of this study, cannot be mastered except by hearing
and repeating, which necessitates oral examination by a teacher.
The correct method of recitation is indeed a sunnah which has
come down to us orally through an unbroken chain of qualified
reciters going back to the Prophet himself ().
Scholars have defined the Qur’ān as: "the words of Allāh
revealed to Muḥammad (), the recitation of which is a form of
worship."2 This definition can be applied to no other book or
speech. And recitation, as all worship, requires correctness as
far as possible.
An explanation in English is only an aid to those Muslims
who are not yet familiar with the Arabic language, and as a
supplement to that of an instructor. It follows the qiraa’ah
(reading) of "Ḥafs taken from ‘Aaṣim ()حفص عن عاصم," which
is the one widely taught in most of the Muslim world today. If
it should prove beneficial, then all praise is due to Allāh. We
ask Him to forgive our shortcomings and accept our efforts.
1
Al-Mukhtaṣar al-Mufeed fi ‘Ilm it-Tajweed, p. 8.
2
Mabāḥith fi ‘Ulūm il-Qur’ān, p. 21.
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Arabic Letter or Name Symbol Used in
Mark This Text
( ى اvowel) alif aa or ā
ب baa b
ت ة taa t
ث thaa th
ج jeem j
ح aa
خ khaa kh
د daal d
ذ dhaal dh
ر raa r
ز zaay z
س seen s
ش sheen sh
ص aad
ض dhaad dh
ط aa
ظ thaa th
ع ‘ayn ‘
غ ghayn gh
ف faa f
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Arabic Letter or Name Symbol Used in
Mark This Text
ق qaaf q
ك kaaf k
ل laam l
م meem m
ن noon n
ه haa h
و waaw w
(as vowel) و waaw oo or
ي yaa y
(as vowel) ي yaa ee or ī
ء hamzah ’
َ fat ah a
ِ kasrah i
ُ dhammah u
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Sect io n O ne
MAKHAARIJ ()الْ َم َخ ار ج
In the human body, the area of speech is divided into five
main sections:
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These are further subdivided into a total of seventeen
subsections which are the actual points of articulation. They are
listed in order (from innermost to outermost) below, along with
the letters which are formed in each makhraj:
4. – أَ ْدنَى ْال َح ْلقThe nearest part of the throat (to the mouth) is
the makhraj of ( غghayn) followed by ( خkhaa).3
3
A common error in the pronunciation of ghayn and khaa is caused by
allowing them to emerge from the mouth rather than the throat.
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The tongue contains ten makhaarij for eighteen letters:
9. سانَ ِّ – َحافَّةُ اللBetween the edge of the tongue (usually the
right side) and the gums of the upper front molars, canine
teeth and incisors is the makhraj of ( لlaam).
َ ِّ – َر ْأسُ اللBetween the tip of the tongue and the gums of
10. سان
the two upper central incisors is the makhraj of ( نnoon).
4
When occurring as a vowel (i.e., "ee") yaa emerges from al-jawf (the
interior).
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َ ِّ – َر ْأسُ اللBetween the tip including a portion
12. سان َم َع ظَ ْهره
of the upper surface of the tongue and the roots of the two
upper central incisors is the makhraj of ( طṭaa), ( دdaal)
and ( تtaa).
14. سهَ – ظَ ْه ُر اللِّ َسان م َّما يَلي َر ْأBetween the upper surface of the
tongue near the end and the tips of the two upper central
incisors is the makhraj of ( ظthaa), ( ذdhaal) and ث
(thaa).
17. شومُ – ْال َخ ْيThe nasal passage, which like the interior is a
single makhraj, is the makhraj of ( ْال ُغنَّةal-ghunnah).
Al-ghunnah is not a letter but a quality belonging to the
letters ( نnoon) and ( مmeem), a sound coming from the
nose in which the tongue has no part. It is said to resemble
5
When occurring as a vowel (i.e., "oo"), waaw emerges from al-jawf (the
interior).
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the voice of a female gazelle if her child is lost. It will be
dealt with further in sections on noon and meem.
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A DIAGRAM SHOWING THE MAKHAARIJ OF LETTERS
10
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ṢIFAAT (صفَات
ِّ )ال
The second study pertaining to pronunciation is that of
ṣifaat (singular: ṣifah, meaning description, characteristic,
attribute or quality). Here the word ṣifaat (or ṣifah) refers to the
special characteristics or qualities found in each letter.
The purpose of defining ṣifaat is first, to make sure they are
present during pronunciation and second, to differentiate
between letters whose origin is in the same makhraj, such as
تand ط, ذand ظ, or سand ص. When a letter emerges
from the correct makhraj and all its ṣifaat (qualities) are
observed, then accurate pronunciation is obtained.
Ṣifaat are of two types: permanent ( ) الصفات الالزمةand
temporary ( ) الصفات العارضة. The latter will be described under
the sections dealing with the rules of tajweed.
Permanent qualities, however, are those inherent in the
letter, without which correct pronunciation will not be realized.
Most scholars give their number as seventeen, ten opposite to
each other (i.e., five pairs) and seven singles (with no
opposites). Every letter has at least five ṣifaat (i.e., one from
each pair of opposites), and many have an additional single
quality as well, with the letter ( رraa) having two additional
single qualities. (See table on page 14)
The following is a list of the permanent qualities
ُ َ صف
(ات الالز َمة ِّ )الand the letters which carry them.
OPPOSITE ṢIFAAT
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ِّ – الStrength (or force): trapping the flow of sound in the
3. ش َّدة
makhraj – a quality of the letters in the phrase: ت ْ أَج ْد قَ ٍط بَ َك
12
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10. – الصْ َماتRestraint: the emergence of the remaining
letters from inside the mouth and throat
14. – اال ْنح َرافInclination: the inclination of the letter after its
emergence from the makhraj toward another makhraj –
This is a characteristic of لand ر. ( لinclines toward the
tip of the tongue, and رinclines back toward the makhraj
of ل.)
13
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pronunciation, however, requires the prevention or
avoidance of this quality by controlling the tongue and not
relaxing it.
NOTE: The ṣifaat of any letter are most evident when pronouncing
it with a sukoon. For example: ْ إب، ْ إش، ظ ْ إ
14
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A TABLE SHOWING THE ṢIFAAT OF EACH LETTER
ب AUDIBILITY STRENGTH LOWNESS OPENING FLUENCY VIBRATION
15
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ADDITIONAL NOTES CONCERNING
SPECIFIC LETTERS
6
Short vowels (held during pronunciation for half the length of the madd
letters ا, وand ) يare indicated by the diacritical marks: fatḥah ( َ ),
dhammah ( ُ ) or kasrah ( ِ ). Sukoon ( ْ ) represents the absence of a vowel
sound or the end of a syllable. Saakinah refers to a letter accompanied by
sukoon.
7
The Arabic volume of the Qur’ān.
16
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the symbol ( ) ﭐ. This hamzah is dropped during recitation
when serving its connecting function and is pronounced
only when beginning a new sentence or phrase (i.e., after
drawing a breath).8
8
For example, note the difference in pronunciation of the divine name when
beginning ( ) ﭐهللُ نُو ُر السَّم َوات َوﭐ ْْلَرْ ضand when connected with a
preceding word ( غفُور َرحيم َ َ) إ َّن ﭐهلل.
17
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Section Two
ْ َ)ا ْلب
PRONOUNCING THE NAME OF ALLĀH (س َملَة
9
Sūrah an-Naḥl, 16:98.
18
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not as he pleases, except in cases where the āyah he begins with
contains some description of Allāh (as in āyah 47 of Sūrah
Fuṣṣilat) which should not be connected to the name of Shayṭān.
After the basmalah (the saying of "Bismillāh ir-Raḥmān ir-
Raḥeem") whenever appropriate, the actual recitation begins.
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ك observe as previous symbol in the āyah
ال prohibited stop
stop at either of these two places but not at both
10
This does not apply, however, to taa mabsūṭah ( )ﺖwhich is pronounced as
taa with sukoon.
11
A count or movement ( ) َح َر َكةrefers to the unit of measurement used to
estimate the length of a sound.
20
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and it is symbolized by the letter سor the word س ْكتَة
َ . It should
be observed in the following places in the Qur’ān:
21
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Section Three
Definitions:
Tafkheem thickening or making heavy – giving the letter a
quality of heaviness by elevation of the tongue
Tarqeeq thinning or lightening – giving the letter a quality
of lightness by lowering the tongue away from the
roof of the mouth
1. Letters having the quality of elevation ()االسْت ْع َالء, i.e., the
ْ ض ْغ ٍط ق
letters ظ َ َّ ُخص, are also called letters of tafkheem
(heaviness) because all of them are heavy whether
accompanied by a short vowel or a sukoon. The heaviest of
them are those of closing (طبَاق ْ )ال, which are ص ض ط ظ,
since the tongue is then in the highest position against the
roof of the mouth. Tafkheem is most emphasized in any
given letter when it carries a fatḥah followed by alif, next
when it carries only a fatḥah, next when it carries a dhammah,
then sukoon, and least of all with a kasrah. Practice saying:
َضرب َبَ َ خ َط َئ ۜة ص َ َالض لَّني َّ ََص َد َيني ِلينََ خ َ
َ َ َ ْ َ ْ
ْ ۜ ْ أَظلم ي ل الق
َإخراج َطب ي َّ
الط َع م الص َل َة
َ ّ آن ر ه َ َ َ
َ ه َ َ ه َ
ۜف خلق يدر ظهر غدي ٌ ْ ْ
آئ ط م ْي ل و ف ط ق
َ َط َف
َ َ َ َ
َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ
2. Letters having the quality of lowness ()االسْتفَال, i.e., the
remaining consonants, are called letters of tarqeeq
(lightness) and must always be pronounced with the tongue
lowered (except for the letters لand رwhich, in certain
22
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circumstances, alternate between tarqeeq and tafkheem.
ْ ْ
Practice saying:
ا هدونَ الس ون د م
َ ح ال ال َع َب هدون التَ َئ هبجن
ّ
َ َّ َ َ ه َ َ
ْ ْ ْ
أَن َعات هك َتب ََح َل النّ َ ههجن اْل َمرون
َ َ َ َ َ ه
3. The madd letter (long vowel) alif takes on the quality of the
letter preceding it; if heavy, the alif is also pronounced with
tafkheem, and if light, with tarqeeq. Say:
ٌ
َط َئ َفة، التَ َئ هبجن
ّ َي َل، َك ن َ َص َد َيني، ينا َد
َ َس
َ َ َ
Read: Sūrah al-Aḥzāb, āyah 35; Sūrah an-Nāzi‘āt, āyāt 1-14
and Sūrah al-Ghāshiyah, āyāt 1-12.
12
The alif following waaw of the third person plural in verbs is silent and
therefore disregarded when applying tajweed rules.
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THE RULE OF RAA
The letter raa ( ) رalternates between tarqeeq and tafkheem
according to the short vowel accompanying it, or in case of
sukoon the vowel preceding it. Therefore:
1. Raa is light (i.e., with tarqeeq) when it is accompanied by
kasrah or by sukoon and preceded by kasrah, as in:
ْ ْ ْ
َف ْروجن اص ََب و الص َب َرين ب
َ الر َي َف َرح
َ ه َ َ َّ َّ َ
It is also light when one stops on it (at the end of a word
thereby omitting the final short vowel) but is preceded by
yaa saakinah, as in:
ْ ْ
خيَ خ َبي
َ َي َدي ْر
2. Raa is heavy (i.e., with tafkheem) when it is accompanied
by fatḥah or dhammah, or by sukoon but preceded by
fatḥah or dhammah, as in:
ْ ْ
َوْشون ح َضرۜا ر َزي َن رأ َ ْوا ََر ّ َبن
َ ه َ ه َ
الق ْرآن ُغ َف ۜة
ْ
ه خ ْرد ٍل
َ ه َ َ
It is also heavy when one stops on it while it is preceded by
ْ ْالغف ْ
alif saakinah or waaw saakinah, as in:
الص هدو ْر
ّه جر َ ه ال َق ّ َه ْر النّ َ ْر
13
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And finally, it is heavy when raa itself is saakinah and
although preceded by kasrah, it is followed by a heavy
letter carrying fatḥah or dhammah, as in:
َم ْرص د َي ْر َط س
َ
Read for practice: Sūrah Hūd, āyāt 96-99 and Sūrah
al-Qamar
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QALQALAH ()ا ْلقَ ْلقَلَة
ْ
middle of a word, such as:
ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ
اك
َ أَد َر َتج َع هل يب َصرون أَط َعا هه يقتهلهجن
َ ه ه َ َ َ
This is called qalqalah ṣughrā (lesser qalqalah).
Qalqalah is more pronounced when occurring at the end of
ْ ْ ْ
a word, such as:
ْ ْ ِب ْ وي
أَحد ِج ََ ب َ َ م َحِط ال َف َلق
َ ه
This is called qalqalah kubrā (greater qalqalah).
Qalqalah is most pronounced when the letter is doubled
with a shaddah ( ّ ) at the end of a word, such as:
ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ
الح ّق الح ّج ب ّ َت
َ َ
For practice read the following sūrahs: al-Burūj, aṭ-Ṭāriq,
al-‘Ādiyāt, al-Masad and al-Falaq.
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GHUNNAH ()الغُنَّة
َ َ َ َ
Ghunnah also occurs in other circumstances which will be
dealt with under the rules for noon and meem.
14
Other doubled or merged letters indicated by shaddah above them are held
briefly in pronunciation, but less than the two counts of ghunnah.
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RULES OF NOON SAAKINAH AND TANWEEN
Noon saakinah ( نْ ) refers to any noon normally occurring
in the middle or at the end of a word while carrying a sukoon,
which indicates the absence of a vowel.
Tanween indicates an indefinite article and occurs only at
the end of nouns. It is written as a second diacritical (short
vowel) mark identical to that accompanying the last letter of the
word but is pronounced as noon saakinah. For example:
1. Ith-haar ْ ال
ظهَار manifestation, clarity and appearance
2. Idghaam ال ْدغَام merging, fusion and assimilation
3. Iqlaab ال ْق َالب turning and changing
4. Ikhfaa’ ال ْخفَاء hiding and concealment
ْ )ال
ITH-HAAR (هْظ َاار
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those whose makhraj is the throat: ( ءhamzah), ھ, ع, ح, غand خ.
This is due to the distance between the throat and the makhraj of
noon (the tip of the tongue), making its assimilation into those
letters difficult if not impossible. It can occur either in one
word (as تَ ْنهُرand َ )أَ ْن َع ْمتor in two separate words (as
م ْن َحيْثand ) َع َذاب أَليم. Some examples of ith-haar in noon
saakinah and tanween are:
ْ
ن و َا َل ين َحتهجن ْ ن أ ْلف شهر ت ْحِت ْاأل ْْن ر م ْ م ْن ْم م
َ َ َ َ َ ه َ َ َ َ َ ه
َ َ َ َ
ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ
ن َغ ْس َلني و هُهْ ينجن ون هه وين َئجن ونه ْ إ ْن خ ْفُتْ م
َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ه
ْ ْ
اس ٌع و َلمي َ و ي
ٍ خ
َ َمن س َل ٌم َهي هك هف ۜجا أَحد
َ َ َ َ
ْ ْ ْ ْ
م َق ٍم أ َ َمني ۜ َرز ۜي حسن أَا ٌر َغي ه مانهجن
َ َ َ َ
َ )ال ْد
IDGHAAM (غام
15
The Qur’ān contains four words in which noon saakinah occurs in the
middle of the word and is followed by waaw or yaa. They are ق ْن َوان,
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There are two types of assimilation:
1. Idghaam with ghunnah ( )إ ْدغَام ب ُغنَّةis caused by the letters
waaw () و, yaa ()ي, meem ( ) مor noon ( ) ن. With وand ي
it is incomplete idghaam because although the noon has
been assimilated, its quality of ghunnah remains.16 For
example:
ْ َم ْن يَ ْع َملis pronounced as َْميَّ ْع َمل
م ْن َوالis pronounced as م َّوال
م ْن َماءis pronounced as م َّماء
إ ْن نَحْ ُنis pronounced as إنَّحْ ُن
It must be remembered that ghunnah is always held for two
ْ ْ
counts. Practice saying:
ْ ٌ ْ
َيجل ّ َمروف َمن ّ َم َل اهلل َمن ّ َو َل من ّ َيعال
ه ّ َ َ
ٌ ْ ٌ ْ
رسجل َّمن اهلل ح َدة واجة ّ َيجم َئ ٍذ ّن َ َواة َ َمن ّنَف ٍس ّ َوا
َ َ ه َ َ ه ه
َمن ّ َم َر ٍج َمن ّن َ ر
َإن ّ َيروا
َ
2. Idghaam without ghunnah (غنَّة
ُ )إ ْدغَام ب َغيْرis caused by the
letters raa ( ) رand laam () ل. This is called complete
idghaam because the quality of ghunnah is gone as well as
the noon. For example:
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م ْن َربِّ ُك ْم is pronounced as م َّربِّ ُك ْم
Practice saying:
ۜ ْ
اضِة َويش ٍة ر ْشا ّ َرسجًل ۜ َ َب ك
َ َمن ّ َر َّب
َ َ َّ َ ه
ٌ
ك ّ َل ههاز ٍة لّ هازة ّ َ و ْيل ل ْ ل ْم يك
ن ّ َل ه
َ َ َ َ ه َ ه َ َ
In both types of idghaam the tongue must not approach the
makhraj of noon (except when the letter causing it is also noon)
and only the following letter is pronounced.
The only exceptions to this rule are in the opening letters of two
sūrahs, which are pronounced with noon saakinah at the end.
They are ( نNoon) and ( يسYaa Seen). These are pronounced
with ith-haar in spite of the waaw following them.
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IKHFAA’ ()ال ْخفَاء
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RULES OF MEEM SAAKINAH
ْ أ ْطعاهْ م
Examples:
ْ ْ ْ
خجف
َ ن مَ م نآمو
ّ َّ َ َ ه ٍ
جعا ن َّ َ َ َ ه جِب ْم ّ َمرض
َ َ َِف يهل ه
ه َ
IKHFAA’ SHAFAWI (شفَوي
َ )ال ْخفاء ال
If the letter baa ( )بshould follow meem saakinah, the meem
is concealed by it and ghunnah is retained. The lips should not
be completely closed during ghunnah here to avoid making the
meem evident.
Examples:
ن ْم ْ ْ ْ ٰ إنك ْم ب ْعد ْي ْم َب َحج ر ٍة ْ
كم َبِ َ ه
َفٱح ه ك
َ َ ل ذ َ َ َ َّ ه َ َ َ َتر َم
NOTE: Once noon saakinah or tanween has been turned into
meem according to the rule of iqlaab, it becomes
subject to the rule of ikhfaa’ shafawi as described
above.
17
Also referred to as lesser idghaam ()الدغام الصغير.
33
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َ )ال ْهْظاار ال
ITH-HAAR SHAFAWI (شفَوي
34
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OTHER TYPES OF IDGHAAM
Idghaam was defined under the rules of noon saakinah,
although it is not confined to only that letter. Other cases in
which idghaam occurs in the Qur’ān will be mentioned here
briefly with examples for the purpose of recognition. It is to be
noted that if the letter carrying sukoon is one normally requiring
qalqalah, that quality is eliminated when the letter is merged
into another.
ْ ي ْل لّ َك
Examples:
ْ
ْ اضر ْ ْ ْ
ب َّب َعص ك خلهجا د د ي ة اع نَ ن م
َ م
َ َ َ َّ َ َ ّ ه ه
ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ
ك َت َب َ اذ َهب َّب كم الاجت ه ّ ْسف َ ِّف ال َقتل يد َرك َ َف َل ي ه
َ ه ه
Note: Whenever two noons or two meems are merged into one,
ghunnah is observed as was mentioned previously.
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c. Daal ( )دis merged into taa ( )تas in:
ْ ْ ْ أَر ْد ْ
ت
م ّ َهد ّ ه ت
َ ّ َكد ّت
َ ّه ني
ََ ّ َيد ّ َت َب
َ
d. Ṭaa ( )طis merged into taa ()ت18 as in:
ْفر ْطُت ْ ْ
ت
ح ّه
ط أ ت
ب َ َس ّ ه
ط
َ ّه
َ َ َ
e. Baa ( )بis merged into meem ( ) مas in:
ْ ْ
(Meem with shaddah requires ghunnah)
َ ار َكب ّ َم َعن
f. Thaa ( )ثis merged into dhaal ( )ذas in:
ٰ ْ ْ
ك
َ َيل َهث
َ ل ذ
ّ
18
Some scholars have mentioned this under "Proximities."
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IDGHAAM OF LAAM IN THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
َّ )إ ْدغَا ُم
َّ الالم ال
(ش ْمسيَّة
In the Arabic language, the indefinite article is indicated by
tanween at the end of a noun. The definite article, however,
precedes the noun and is connected to it in the form of ﭐل, i.e.,
the connecting hamzah19 followed by laam. (The word كتَاب
refers to any book, i.e., "a book," while ُ ْالكتَابrefers to a specific
book, i.e., "the book.")
Although the ﭐلform does not change when written, the
pronunciation of laam depends upon the letter following it, and
it is subject to the rules of idghaam and ith-haar.
When laam of the definite article is followed by any of the
letters called "shamsiyyah" (ash-shams الشمْس َّ means "the sun,"
and the word itself is an example of this rule), the laam is
merged into the letter following it which takes on a shaddah.
The shamsiyyah letters which cause idghaam are fourteen:
ت ث د ذ ر ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ل ن.
The remaining letters of the alphabet are also fourteen:
(hamzah) ب ج ح خ ع غ ف ق ك م ھ و ي ء. They are called
"qamariyyah" (al-qamar ْالقَ َمرmeans "the moon") and cause
ith-haar, i.e., the clear pronunciation of the laam.
Examples showing idghaam:
ْ
ال َاري ت النّ َ ر الس وة ال ّل َِْل الشاس
َّ
َ َّ َ َّ
التَ َئ هبجن
ّ الثّ َارات
َ َ
ْ ْ
Examples showing ith-haar:
ْ ْ ْ ْ
ال َع لَ َاني الجبل اْلنس ن كة َ ال َا َل َئ ال َقار
ََ َ َ َ
ْ ْ
الب ِْت ك َت ب
َ ال
َ
19
Refer to pages 15-16.
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RULES OF MADD ()ال ُمدود
20
Refer to page 15, numbers 1 and 2.
38
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AṢLI: (ORIGINAL) or ṬABEE‘I (NORMAL) MADD
() ْال َم ُّد اْلَصْ لي الطَّبيْعي
This madd is so called because all other forms of madd are
derived from it. It is used naturally by the Arabic speaker to
differentiate between meanings derived from the same root
letters and is an essential part of Arabic speech or reading.
Original or normal madd is due simply to the presence in a
given word of one of the madd letters ( َ ْا- ْ ُو- ْ ) ِيas long as it
is not followed by a hamzah or sukoon. The vowel sound must
be lengthened to two counts21 during recitation and not doing so
constitutes a serious mistake. Note the difference between madd
letters and short vowels (fatḥah, dhammah and kasrah) in the
following:
ٌ يل ْ
جبهه ىل
ٰ َي َي َل َك ن هك َتب ح ْْي
َ نهج
َ َ َ
ْ ْ
خلهجا
َ َد يغ َش َه َ َإ ّن َإ ّ َن و َلم و لَم
22
َ َ َ َ َ
أ َ هت َا ّ هد ْو َننَي َبا ٍل ِد َه
َ َِف َا ك
َ ون
َ هينَ ده
َ
Related to this madd are three other forms: badal, ‘iwadh
and small ṣilah.23
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originally a hamzah. It occurs when the letter preceding it is
َ أُوْ ت
also hamzah, as in the words َ( آ َمنsometimes written َ) َءا َمن, ي
24
and إ ْي َمان. Such words for all practical purposes are no
different from those with normal madd, where the length of the
vowel is two counts.
24
The original form of these words was َ أَ ْأ َمن, ي
َ أُ ْؤتand إ ْئ َمان, but a long vowel
replaced the second hamzah for ease in pronunciation.
25
When continuing, tanween is always subject to the rules of noon saakinah.
26
Refer to sūrah 78 for more examples.
40
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3. It is not followed by a hamzah.
This lengthening to two counts is called madd of small ṣilah.
(Greater ṣilah will be described under "Derived Madd.") To
illustrate:
إنَّهُ يَ ْعلَ ُمis pronounced إنَّهُو يَ ْعلَ ُم
َكانَ به بَصيرًاis pronounced َكانَ بهي بَصيرًا
Look at verse 23 of Sūrah al-Jāthiyah and notice which of the
final haas is affected by this rule.
41
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FAR‘I: DERIVED MADD () ْال َم ُّد ْالفَرْ عي
The second division of madd contains those types which
exceed the two counts of original or normal madd. Thus it is
called "additional" or "extra" madd ( ) َمزيديor "derived"
(literally "branch") madd ( )فَرْ عيsince it is an offshoot of
original madd. In addition to the presence of a madd letter,
derived madd occurs when that letter is followed by a hamzah
or sukoon. The various kinds of derived madd will be described
in what follows.
27
This is because the hamzah has the quality of strength, while madd letters
are extremely weak. Extra lengthening helps to offset this weakness and
clarify the vowel sound.
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may hold the madd letter for either two, four or five counts, but
must be consistent, making it the same length every time it
appears. (For teaching purposes, the choice is often four counts.)
It is also referred to as optional madd () ْال َم ُّد ال َجائ ُز ْال ُم ْنفَصل.
Some examples are as follows:
ْ ْ
َ ّآمن َي لهجا ك ْم
يهجا أَن هف َس ه ك ْم
ِف أَن هف َس ه
يآ أ َ ّ هّي النّ َ س
َ َ َ
ٰ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ
َْل َإل َإ ّ ًَل ههج ٰ ك َكاآ أَوحِنآ َإ
ل نهجح ِإنآ أوحِنآ إل
َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َ
GREATER ṢILAH MADD (صلَة ْال ُك ْب َرى
ِّ ) َم ُّد ال
Ṣilah once again refers to the pronoun haa at the end of a
word. In small ṣilah its dhammah or kasrah is lengthened to
two counts (when preceded and followed by a short vowel).
Greater ṣilah occurs when the same pronoun is followed by
hamzah in the next word. In this case lengthening is also
optional and follows the pattern of al-munfaṣil (separated
madd), where the reader chooses adherence to one of three
options: two, four or five counts. Note the following examples:
ْ ْ وم ْ
خ َل َق
َ آي َت َه أَن ن َ َ يؤ َّد َه َإلَ ِْك م َل أَخ َله و َث َي هه أَحد
َ َه َ َ ه َ َ
LENGTHENING CAUSED BY SUKOON
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occur except in case of a stop. It is the reader who exposes the
madd letter to sukoon by stopping on that word. It is most
noticeable at the end of an āyah where it is preferable to stop,
but it can occur anywhere one pauses to take a breath. Some
examples are:
ْ ْ ْ
الص َد َيني
َّ َتع َل هاجن ب َصي م َبني
َ ه
ْ
َفِه ال َحس ب ك َّذب ن ت
َ َ َ ه
The madd letter may be held for two, four or six counts, but
as in any optional madd, one must adhere consistently to the
length of his choice. It is possible that a madd normally held for
four or five counts (due to hamzah) could also be exposed to
َّ الor ال ُّشهَدَاء. It is then permissible to
sukoon, as in the word س َماء
extend it to six counts if one has chosen that length for all
exposed madd.
29
See p. 12, number 13.
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LAAZIM (COMPULSORY MADD) IN WORDS
(الالز ُم ْال َكلمي
َّ ) ْال َم ُّد
Compulsory madd is of two types whether it occurs within
a word or in letters (as described in the following section), and
all compulsory madd must be held for six counts.
The first is the light form ( ) ْال ُم َخفَّفin which a madd letter is
followed by an original (i.e., written) sukoon. There is only one
word in the Qur’ān representing this kind of madd, and it occurs
twice in Sūrah Yūnus – the word َ ْآْلن. (Remember that آstands
for أَا.) The first alif is lengthened to six counts due to the
sukoon over laam, while the second alif is a normal madd
except in the case of a stop.)
The second type is the weighted or intensified form () ْال ُمثَقَّل,
which occurs when a madd letter is followed by a shaddah. The
shaddah indicates that idghaam has taken place and there was
originally a sukoon on the merged letter. The madd letter
preceding shaddah is always held for six counts, as in the
ْ
words:
آاج َ ّّن
أ َ هت َح ّ ه الضآلَّني
َّ آمة َّ
َ ّ الط الحآ ّيَة آبة
َ ّ َد
َ
Related to compulsory madd is that called "farq"
(differentiation – ) َم ُّد ْالفَرْ ق, which is caused by an interrogative
hamzah preceding the definite article as in آل َّذ َك َريْنand ُآهلل. It is
also held for six counts.
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Compulsory madd in letters is also of two types, light and
(ّ
intensified. It is usually indicated in the muṣḥaf by a madd sign
) over the letter requiring this madd. The light form occurs in
those names which end in sukoon preceded by a madd letter,
such as: ون مي ْم ْ ُاف نْ َين َال ْم ق
ْ س. They must be given six
30
counts during recitation.
Read:
ْ
طرون ن * وال َق َل َم وم ي َ ْس ه
ه َ َ َ
ْ ْ
رآن الا َجِد ق * والق
َ َ َ ه
ْ ْ
الكر َّ رآن َذي َ ص * َوال هق
The intensified form occurs again when a madd letter
precedes idghaam (indicated by shaddah) as in the combination
of ْل ْم ِّمي ْمin the opening letters الم, or سي ْن ِّمي ْمin the opening
letters طسم.
30
ْ )عwhich follows the pattern of leen can be held for two,
The letter ‘ayn (َين
four or six counts.
46
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2. The one in which there is no madd: alif (ْ)أَلف, as
ْ )أَلand ف ْل ْم َرا( الر
pronounced in ف ْلم ِّمي ْم( الم ْ )أَل.
3. Those whose names are made up of two letters and follow
the pattern of normal madd, which are: حا, را, طا, ھاand يا.
Each is held for two counts, as in طه.
A FINAL DU‘AA’
"Our Lord, perfect our light for us and forgive us. Certainly
You have ability over all things."31
O Allāh, bless our efforts and increase us in knowledge and
righteousness. Make us of those who recite the Qur’ān in truth
and uphold its law, and make the Qur’ān a witness for us (and
not against us) on the Day of Judgement.
Blessings and peace be upon our prophet, Muḥammad, and
on his family and companions, and praise be to Allāh, Lord of
the worlds.
31
Sūrah at-Taḥreem, 66:8.
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Glossary of Commonly Used Arabic Terms
āyah (pl. āyāt) A verse of the Qur’ān
dhammah A short vowel mark approximating the sound of "u"
(ُ )
fatḥah A short vowel mark approximating the sound of "a"
(َ)
ghunnah A sound emerging from the nasal passage
idghaam The merging or assimilation of letters
ikhfaa’ The incomplete concealment of a letter
iqlaab The turning of the letter noon ( )نinto the letter
meem ()م
ith-haar The clear and distinct pronunciation of a letter
jawf The interior or chest cavity including the empty area
of the mouth
kasrah A short vowel mark approximating the sound of "i"
(ِ )
khayshūm The nasal passage
leen Ease or softness – the letters waaw and yaa when
carrying a sukoon and preceded by a fatḥah ( ْ َوand
ْ) َي
madd Extension or lengthening
makhraj (pl. makhaarij) The point of articulation of a letter
muṣḥaf The Arabic volume of the Qur’ān
qalqalah Movement, unrest, vibration – an additional sound
accompanying the pronunciation of specific letters
saakinah With sukoon, non-vowelled
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shaddah A symbol indicating assimilation of two letters or a
doubled letter ( ّ )
shafawi Labial, pertaining to the lips
ṣifah (pl. ṣifaat) A quality or characteristic
ṣilah Connection, attachment – a type of madd involving
the third person, singular, masculine pronoun
sukoon A symbol indicating the absence of a vowel ( ) ْ
sūrah A chapter of the Qur’ān
tafkheem Giving a letter the quality of heaviness or thickness
tanween Nunation – the doubling of a short vowel mark to
indicate the sound of noon ( )نat the end of a word
( ً, ٌ, or ٍ )
tarqeeq Giving a letter the quality of lightness or thinness
49
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References
Badr ud-Deen, Muḥammad A. J., Al-Mukhtaṣar ul-Mufeed fi
‘Ilm it-Tajweed, Makkah: Muslim World League Press
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