-Tajweed

Introduction

Reciting the Holy Quran with TAJWEED means to pronounce every letter with all its
articulative qualities such as the correct prolongation, merging, conversion, distinctiveness
and pauses.
Reciting the Quran with TAJWEED allows the reciter to give every letter of the Quran its
rights and dues of characteristics and observing the rules that apply to those letters in
different situations. We give the letters their rights by observing the essential characteristics
of each letter. We give them their dues by observing the characteristics of each letter that
are present in them some of the time and not present at other times.
Emphasising the accent, phonetics, rhythm and temper of the Quran are fundamental in
reciting the Quran with Tajweed.
The Arabic word Tajweed linguistically means proficiency or doing something
well . At the time of the Prophet there was no need for people to study Tajweed because
they talked with what is now known as Tajweed, so it was natural for them. When the Arabs
started mixing with the non-Arabs and as Islam spread, mistakes in the Quranic recitation
began to appear, so the scholars had to record the rules. Now, because the everyday Arabic
that Arabs speak has changed so much from the Classical Arabic with which the Quran was
revealed, even the native Arab have to study Tajweed.
Among the proofs that the scholars bring to show the obligation of Tajweed and its being an
established Sunnah is that Almighty Allaah Says in the Quran : "And recite
the Quran with measured recitation." [Quran 73:4]
There are various Prophetic narrations also showing us the importance of Tajweed. Umm
Salamah was asked about the recitation of the Prophet and she described it as a recitation:
"Clearly-distinguished, letter by letter"
Imaam Muhammad Ibn Al-Jazari who was a great Quran and Hadeeth scholar of the 9th
Hijri century, stated in his famous poem that details the rules of Tajweed:
"And applying Tajweed is an issue of absolute necessity, whoever doesn't apply Tajweed to
the Quran, then a sinner is he."

The articulation points of the Arabic letter ( xxxxxxx)

The articulation point of a letteris the place the letter is emitted, meaning a sound that
comes out of the mouth relying on a specific place of articulation or an approximate one.
Using the correct articulation point of a letter is necessary to utter the letter correctly, and
of course this is even more important when reciting the book of Allah, the Holy Quran.
Almost all the articulation points in Arabic are specific places, but there are some that have
a general area of articulation.
To know the origin of any letter of the Arabic alphabet, place a Sukoon (
proceed it with an Alif ( ) with a Fatha ( )

) on it and

Example xxxx will give us the origin or articulation point of the letter xxxxx
There are five general areas of the throat and mouth that have within them the specific or
general articulation points of the Arabic letters.
1. The empty space in the mouth and throat has in it one articulation point for the
three lengthened letters, which are wow with no vowel with a dhammah before it,
ya with no vowel with a kasrah before it, and an alif with a fath before it.
2. The Throat: It has three articulation points for six different letters which are
pronounced from the deepest, middle, and closest part of the throat
3. The Tongue: It has ten articulation points for eighteen letters
4. The Two Lips: The lips have two articulation points for four letters
5. The nasal passage: From the hole of nose towards the inside of the mouth, here
there is one articulation point, that of the ghunnah

Audio

Place of origin
Originates from the emptiness of the mouth

Originate from back of throat

letter

Originate from back of throat

2

Originates from the centre of the throat

Originates from the centre of the throat
Originates from the upper portion of the throat
Originates from the upper portion of the throat
Back of tongue rises and ouches soft palate

Centre of tongue touches upper palate

The upturned sides of tongue touch the gums of the

upper back teeth
Originates when the tip of the tongue touches the upper
hard palate

Originates when the tip of the tongue touches the gums

of the upper two front teeth.

Originates when the tip of the tongue touches the edge

of the upper two front teeth

Originates when the tip of the tongue rises towards the

upper palate, touching the gums behind the upper two
front teeth

Originates from the lips

Originates when the inner portion of the bottom lip

meets the edge on the two upper front teeth

Rules of Tajweed

QALQALAH
When the letters of QALQALAH has a sukoon [ ] on it. It will be read with an
echoing or jerking sound.
The letters of QALQALAH are:

in the examples that follow, the QALQALAH letter with a sukoon appears in the red colour.
Care should be taken when reciting not to jerk the letter to the extent where it will sound as
if the letter has a FATHA on it.

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
7
12
37

10

34

37

19

33

Verse

Qalqalah
Letter

When a stop is made at the end of the sentence below, the rule of QALQALAH will apply.
The last letter becomes SAAKIN irrespective of the vowel sign, thus resulting in the
QALQALAH letter being read with an echoing or jerking sound.
Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
37
5

11

70

37

10

197

37

Verse

Qalqalah
Letter

Comprehension.
Identify the number of places QALQALAH occurs from the following text.

Verse

Surah
Verse
Number Number
34
47

48

34

49

34

Audio

50

34

51

34

52

34

53

34

54

34

Answer. 17. See Below

Verse

Surah
Verse
Number Number
34
47

48

34

49

34

Audio

50

34

51

34

52

34

53

34

54

34

Nun & Meem Mushaddadah -

&

( it will be recited ) ( has a shaddah ) ( on it ) ( and

) When the letters

( GHUNNAH. The nazalisation should not exceed the duration of two HARAKAT.

with

2 3 second duration).

Mushaddah
Letter
8

Verse

Surah
Verse
Number Number

audio

37

21

78

70

27

11

Comprehension
Identify the number of places GHUNNAH occurs from the following text due to Meem
Mushaddadah and Nun Mushaddadah

Verse

Verse
Number
39

Surah
Number
53

40

53

41

53

42

53

Audio

43

53

44

53

45

53

46

53

47

53

48

53

49

53

50

53

Answer. 11. See Below

Verse

10

Verse
Number
39

Surah
Number
53

40

53

Audio

53

41

53

42

53

43

53

44

53

45

53

46

53

47

53

48

53

49

53

50

The rule of the letter LAAM ( )

when a letter with FATHA (

) or DHAMMA (

) appears before the name of

ALLAH, it will be pronounced with a broad sound or full mouth.

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number

Verse

Vowel sign

11

114

171

when a letter with a KASRA (

) appears before the name of ALLAH, it will be

pronounced with a thin sound or an empty mouth.

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
40
78

35

Verse

Vowel sign

however, the LAAM MUSHADADAH

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
2
255

is read with a thin sound or empty mouth.

Verse

LAAM
MUSHADADAH

12

58

20

177

148

Comprehension
In the following text how many times:
a. is the word ALLAH pronounced with a full mouth?
b.Is the word ALLAH With an empty mouth?
c.Is the LAAM MUSHADDADAH pronounced with an empty mouth?

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
58
1

Verse

13

16

40

104

104

97

20

73

Answer.
a.
b.
c.

MEEM SAAKIN -

( There are three rules regarding the MEEM SAAKIN.

14

1. IKHFA SHAFAWI -

2. IDGHAAM SHAFAWI 3. IZHAAR SHAFAWI

1.IKHFA SHAFAWI MEEM SAAKIN

When the letter BA (

) appears after a MEEM SAAKIN (

) there will be IKHFA

SHAFAWI. It will be pronounced with a light nasal sound in the nose for a duration of 2
HARAKAAT. (2 to 3 second duration).
Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
34
8

Verse

2.IDGHAAM SHAFAWI MEEM SAAKIN

If after a MEEM SAAKIN (

Ikhfa ShafawiMeem Saakin

) there appears a MEEM MUTAHARRIKAH ( , , )

IDGHAAM will occur.in other words, the two MEEMS will become incorporated and be read
with GHUNNA (Nasalisation) and a SHADDAH (

Audio

Verse

Surah
Verse
Number Number
16
57

) will appear to show this.

Idghaam shafawi
Meem Saakin

15

3.IZHAAR SHAFAWI - MEEM SAAKIN

when after MEEM SAAKIN (
BA (

Audio

) and MEEM (

Surah
Number
34

) there appears any of the 26 letters other than the letters

) there will be IZHAAR SHAFAWI. No GHUNNA will occur.

Verse
Number
45

Verse

Izhaar ShafawiMeem Saakin

26 letters other
than

or

Comprehension
Identify from the following text
a. Number of times ikhfa shafawi - MEEM SAAKIN occurs
b. Number of times IDGHAAM SHAFAWI - MEEM SAAKIN occurs
c. Number of times IZHAAR SHAFAWI - MEEM SAAKIN occurs.

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
105
1
104

73

20

Verse

16

88

88

20

73

88

82

Answer.
a.
b.
c
Verse

17

Surah
Verse
Number Number
105
1
8

104

20

73

Audio

88

88

20

73

88

82

IKHFAA NUN SAAKIN AND TANWEEN

&
18

) the word must be read with a

( ) or TANWEEN ( When after a NOON SAAKIN

)light nasal sound in the nose for a duration of two HARAKAAT. (2 to 3 seconds

The letters of IKHFAA are:

Ikhfa
Letter

Verse

19

Surah
Verse
Number Number
5
118

119
8

5
13

54

14

19

14

22

14

Audio

20

99

22

14

185

185

74

18

83

17

22

18

69

18

58

17

43

18

23

33

54

30

54

30

32

15
44

34
35

57

71

79

92

141

141

31

COMPREHENSION.
Identify from the following text:
?a.Number of times IKHFA NOON SAAKIN occurs
?b.number of times IKHFA due to TANWEEN occurs

Verse

21

Surah
Verse
Number Number
113
1

113

Audio

111

103

99

98

Answer.
a.
b.
Verse

22

Surah
Verse
Number Number
113
1

2
3

113
111

103

99

98

Audio

IZHAAR NOON SAAKIN AND TANWEEN -

&

When after NOON SAKIN ( ) or TANWEEN (

) appear any of the HUROOF
HALQIYAH letters (throat letters) then it will be pronounced without GHUNNA (no
nasalisation).
23

The letters of HUROOF HALQIYAH are.

Huroof Halqiyah
Letter

/
/

24

Verse

Surah
Verse
Number Number
15
82

35

35

35

54

54

43

28

35

32

29

38

Audio

104

13

Comprehension
Identify from the following text
a.Number of times IZHAAR NOON SAKIN occurs?
b.Number of times IZHAAR due to TANWEEN occurs?

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
113
5
108

102

102

101

93

10

92

19

Surah

Verse

Verse

Answer.
a.
b.
Audio

Verse
25

&

26

Number Number
113
5
2

108

102

102

101

10

93

19

92

IDGHAAM NOON SAAKIN AND TANWEEN -

IDGHAAM refers to the assimilation of one letter into the other. The rule of IDGHAAM will
apply when the letters

is preceded by a NOON SAAKIN (

) or TANWEEN

). The emphasis will be on the succeeding letter because of the presence of

a SHADDAH (

)and will be read with GHUNNA. The nasalisation should not exceed the

duration of two HARAKAAT.( 2 to 3 seconds).

Audio

Surah
Number
18

Verse
Number
5

13

23

14

11

14

44

130

13

27

13

11

15

45

Verse

Idghaam
Letter

27

With regard to the letter LAAM (

GHUNNA as opposed to the letters (

) and RAA (

) the IDGHAAM will be without

), but assimilation will still take

place.
Audio

Surah
Number
36

Verse
Number
47

173

Verse

Idghaam
Letter

However care should be taken that IDGHAAM only occurs between two words and does not
occur in a word in itself as a represented by a lack of SHADDAH.(

) on the IDGHAAM

letter. See examples below.

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
30
7
61

Verse

Idghaam
Letter

28

13

99

Comprehension.
Identify from the following text
a. The number of time Idghaam with Ghunna occurs
b. The number of times Idghaam without Ghunna occurs.

Verse

Surah
Verse
Number Number
111
1
5

111

88

90

101

Audio

Answer.

29

a.5
b.2

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
111
1
111

88

90

101

Verse

Ghunna
Ghunna
Ghunna
Ghunna
No
Ghunna
No
Ghunna

Idgham and its types

There are 3 types
1. Idgham Mithlayn 2. Idgham mutaqaarbiayn 3. Idgham mutajanisayn

Idgham Mithlayn assimilation of the same kind

This rule applies when two letters following each other are the same. The first letter has a
SAAKIN (

) and the second letter is vocal and has a SHADDAH ( ) on it. When

reciting the letters keep in mind that the SAAKIN letter becomes assimilated into the letter
following it.

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number

Verse

Idghaam
Mithlayn
30

Letter

&

16

61

87

21

78

78

18

72

Idgham mutaqaaribayn assimilation of letters of similar origin.

) and the letter following ithas

( This rule applies when a letter in a word is SAAKIN

).if the two letters have a similar place of origin then the SAAKINletter will

( SHADDAH

assimilate with the vocal letter when recited.

Few examples
31

Verse

Verse

Surah

Audio

Number Number
77

22

11

42

17

80

20

49

of idghaam
mutaqaribayn

&
&

&

&

Idghaam Mutajanisayn (assimilation of related kind)

This rule applies when a letter in a word is Saakin (
SHADDAH (

) and the letter following it has

) and when pronounced has the same place of origin as the SAAKIN letter.

The SAAKIN letter will assimilate with the vocal letter when recited.

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
5

28

Verse

Few examples
of idghaam
mutajaanisayn

&

32

10

89

64

72

&
&
&

Comprehension.
Identify the types of Idghaam in the following text.
Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number

Verse

Type of
Idghaam

IQLAAB
Iqlaab The alteration (Noon Saakin and Tanween)
When after a NOON SAAKIN (

) or TANWEEN(

)the letter BA ( )

appears the the NOON SAAKIN or TANWEEN will become substituted by a small MEEM
SAAKIN ( ) and will be recited with GHUNNA.
33

Verse

Surah
Verse
Number Number
2
27
181

18

282

Audio

Comprehension.
Identify the places where IQLAAB take place.

Verse

Surah
Verse
Number Number
98
80
43

77

76

13

72

Audio

Answer.

Verse

34

Surah
Verse
Number Number

Audio

80

98

43

77

76

13

72

) ( The Letter RAA

) on it should be pronounced with a full

The
Letter

35

( )or DHAMMA

Verse

( 1. A RAA ( ) with a FATHA

)mouth.( tafkhim
Surah
Verse
Number Number
2
16

Audio

28

2. A RAA ( ) with a KASRA ( ) should be pronounced with an empty mouth( tarqeeq)

Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
2
54
2

75

Verse

The
Letter

3. When a FATHA ( )or DHAMMA( ) appears before a RAA SAAKIN ( ) the letter RAA
SAAKIN ( ) will be pronounced with a full mouth.
Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
2
7
2

252

Verse

The
Letter

4. if a KASRA ( ) appears before a RAA SAAKIN ( ) the RAA SAKKIN ( ) will be read with an
empty mouth.
Audio

Surah
Verse
Number Number
2
6

Verse

The
Letter

5. if a SHADDAH ( )

36