Tajweed rules
Tajweed is how the Quran is pronounced correctly — which letters change, where the sound sits, and how long it is held. Each rule below gives the letters that trigger it, what to do with your mouth, examples you can check in the mushaf, and the mistake learners most often make.
Noon Sakinah and Tanween
Izhar Halqi
إظهار حلقيA noon sakinah or tanween followed by one of the six throat letters is pronounced clearly, with no nasal sound held.
Idgham with Ghunnah
إدغام بغنةA noon sakinah or tanween followed by ي, ن, م or و merges into that letter and is held with a nasal sound for two counts.
Idgham without Ghunnah
إدغام بغير غنةA noon sakinah or tanween followed by ل or ر merges completely into that letter with no nasal sound at all.
Iqlab
إقلابA noon sakinah or tanween followed by ب is converted into a hidden meem, held with a nasal sound for two counts.
Ikhfa Haqiqi
إخفاء حقيقيA noon sakinah or tanween followed by any of the remaining fifteen letters is hidden — neither fully pronounced nor fully merged — with a two-count nasal sound.
Meem Sakinah
Ikhfa Shafawi
إخفاء شفويA meem sakinah followed by ب is hidden at the lips with a two-count nasal sound.
Idgham Shafawi
إدغام شفويA meem sakinah followed by another meem merges into it, producing one doubled meem held with ghunnah.
Izhar Shafawi
إظهار شفويA meem sakinah followed by any letter other than ب or م is pronounced clearly, with no nasal sound held.
Madd (Lengthening)
Madd Asli (Natural Madd)
مد أصليThe basic lengthening of ا, و or ي for two counts, with no hamzah or sukun following.
Madd Muttasil
مد متصلA madd letter followed by a hamzah in the same word, lengthened four to five counts and obligatory.
Madd Munfasil
مد منفصلA madd letter at the end of a word followed by a hamzah at the start of the next, lengthened two to five counts depending on the recitation style.
Madd Arid Lissukun
مد عارض للسكونA madd letter followed by a letter that is only silent because you stopped there, lengthened two, four or six counts.
Madd Lazim
مد لازمA madd letter followed by a permanent sukun, lengthened six counts without exception.
Madd Badal
مد بدلA hamzah followed by a madd letter, lengthened two counts.
Madd Iwad
مد عوضStopping on a word ending in tanween fath, the tanween is replaced by an alif lengthened two counts.
Madd Leen
مد لينA waw or ya with sukun preceded by a fathah, lengthened two, four or six counts when stopping.
Qalqalah
Rules of Lam
Lam Shamsiyyah
لام شمسيةThe lam of "al-" is silent before fourteen sun letters, and the following letter is doubled.
Lam Qamariyyah
لام قمريةThe lam of "al-" is pronounced clearly before the fourteen moon letters.
Lam of Lafz al-Jalalah
لام لفظ الجلالةThe lam in the name "Allah" is heavy after a fathah or dammah and light after a kasrah.
Rules of Ra
Ghunnah
Stopping (Waqf)
Waqf Lazim
وقف لازمA compulsory stop, marked مـ, where continuing would change the meaning.
Waqf Jaiz
وقف جائزA permissible stop, marked ج, where stopping and continuing are equally acceptable.
Waqf Mamnu
وقف ممنوعA prohibited stop, marked لا, where pausing would break the sense.
Waqf Muanaqah
وقف معانقةA pair of three-dot marks where you may stop at one place or the other, but never at both.
Articulation Points
Al-Jawf (The Oral Cavity)
الجوفThe empty space of the mouth and throat, from which the three madd letters emerge.
Al-Halq (The Throat)
الحلقThe throat, divided into three points producing six letters.
Al-Lisan (The Tongue)
اللسانThe tongue, the most productive articulation area, with ten points producing eighteen letters.
Ash-Shafatayn (The Lips)
الشفتينThe lips, producing four letters.
Al-Khayshum (The Nasal Passage)
الخيشومThe nasal passage, the source of every ghunnah.
Letter Qualities
Hams (Whispering)
الهمسThe flow of breath continues while pronouncing ten specific letters.
Jahr (Voicing)
الجهرThe breath is held back while the vocal cords vibrate, in all letters other than the ten of hams.
Shiddah (Strength)
الشدةThe sound stops completely at the point of articulation for eight letters.
Isti'la (Elevation)
الاستعلاءThe back of the tongue rises toward the palate for seven letters, making them heavy.
Safir (Whistling)
الصفيرA sharp whistling sound accompanying three letters.
Tafashshi (Spreading)
التفشيThe sound spreads across the mouth when pronouncing sheen.
Istitalah (Elongation)
الاستطالةThe sound of dad extends along the side of the tongue.
Qalqalah (Echoing)
القلقلةAn echoing disturbance released on five letters when they carry sukun.
Leen (Softness)
اللينWaw and ya with sukun preceded by a fathah are produced with ease and no constriction.
Ghunnah (Nasalisation)
الغنةA nasal resonance inherent to noon and meem in every state.