Basic Rules of Tajweed
‫ف‬
ٌ ‫( َح ْر‬Letter): Any single letter/alphabet in Arabic is
ُ
called ‫حرف‬. The plural of ‫ حرف‬is ٌ‫ح ُر ْوف‬.
Full Mouth Letters: The letters that are read with a
Full Mouth (with bold and heavy voice) are called full
mouth letters. There are seven full mouth letters: ْ
َ َ َّ ُ
‫ص ضغ ٍط ِقظ) خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ‬
‫ (خ‬.
The Movements: There are three kinds of movements
1. Fatha َ:
ٌ Which is always above a latter.
2. Kasrah ٌَ: Which is always below a letter.
ُ
3. Dummah َ:
ٌ Which is always above a letter.
Closed Letters: The letters having Fatha, Kasra &
Dummah are called closed letters.
Rule: Neither prolong the closed letters nor read with
a jerk.
ْ
Sukoon & Sakin: This )َ (or) ‫(د‬sign is called sukoon
and any letter having this sign is called sakin.
ْ
e.g. )‫(و‬this
wao is sakin because it has sukoon sign on
top of it.
Maddah Letters: There are 3 kinds of maddah letters.
1. Alif ‫ الف‬Maddah: If the letter before alif has a Fatha,
the alif is called alif maddah.
2. Wao )‫(واؤ‬Maddah: If the letter before wao sakin has
a Dummah, the wao is called wao maddah.
3.Yaa )‫(ی‬Maddah: If the letter before Yaa ‫ ی‬sakin has
a Kasrah, The Yaa is called Yaa Maddah.
Standing Fatha, Kasrah, Dummah:
ٰ: This sign comes on top of a letter and called
standing fatha.
: This sign comes under a letter and called Standing
Kasrah.
ٌ This sign come on top of a letter and called standing
َ:
Dummah.
Open Letters: There are two types of open letters.
1.The letters followed by maddah Letters
2.The letters with Standing fatha, Kasrah, Dummah
Rule: We prolong the open letters for the duration of
1 alif (The approximate duration is the time it usually
takes to open your finger.).
e.g. ٌ‫ قال‬In this example ٌ‫ ق‬is an open letter because it
has been followed by alif maddah.
ٌ ‫ مٌل‬In this example ٌ‫ م‬is an open letters because there
‫ک‬
is a standing fatha on top of it so we will prolong this
letter according to the rule.
Leen Letters ‫حروف لی‬: There are two type of leen
letters:1. Wow Leen ‫ واو لی‬: If the letter before ‫ وٌاوٌسا ٌکن‬has
fatha than the ٌ‫ واوٌساکن‬is called ٌ‫ واوٌلی‬.
2. Yaa Leen ‫ یاء لی‬: If the letter before ‫ یٌاءٌسٌاکن‬has
fatha than the ‫ یاءٌساکن‬is called ٌ‫ یاءٌلی‬.
Rule: The letters followed by ٌ‫ واوٌلی‬or ٌ‫ یاءٌلی‬are not
read prolonged neither read with a jerk. E.g ٌ‫و ٌْیل‬،ٌ‫ق ْوٌل‬
Tanween ‫تنوین‬: Double Fathaٌَ, Double Kasraٌَ &
Double Dummahٌَ are called tanween.
Reminder:
ْ
Sukoon & Sakin: This )َ (or) ‫(د‬sign is called sukoon
and any letter having this sign is called sakin.
ْ
e.g. )‫(و‬this
wao is sakin because it has sukoon sign on
top of it.
Ikhfa & Izhar
Ikhfa ‫اخفاء‬: Ikhfa means hiding the actual sound of the
letter in nose and reading it with a nasal sound.
Izhar ‫اظہار‬: Izhar means to reveal the actual sound of
the letter and reading it clear & without nasal sound.
Throttle letters:
There are 6 throttle letters: ‫حٌ۔ٌعٌ ٌ۔ٌھٌ۔ٌء‬
ٌ ٌ‫خٌ۔ٌغٌ۔‬
Rule of Ikhfa: If any of the following letters appear
after NoonٌSaakin or Tanween, Ikhfaa (a nasal sound
equal to one alif)ٌshould be made.
‫ک‬
ٌ ‫ت۔ث۔ج۔د۔ذ۔ز۔س۔ش۔ص۔ض۔ط۔ظ۔ف۔ق۔‬
e.g ‫انت ۔ ِمن ُجوع ۔ یوم ِئذ ُت ِد ُث‬
Rule of Izhar: If any of the throttle letters come after a
Noon Saakin or Tanween, Izhaar (to recite without
nasal sound) will be made.
ْ
ْ
ْ
ْ
e.g ‫ٌو ٌانح ٌر‬،ٌ‫اٌنعٌمت‬