What is Tajweed?
Tajweed (تَجْوِيد) means "to make better." It refers to the rules governing the proper pronunciation of the Quran, ensuring each letter is articulated from its correct point with its correct attributes. Each rule below shows its color (as used in color-coded mushafs), its definition, and a Quranic example.
Try Tajweed view on Surah Al-FatihaNoon Sakinah & Tanween
أحكام النون الساكنة والتنوين
When a noon (ن) carries sukoon, or when a word ends in tanween (ـً ـٍ ـٌ), one of four rules applies depending on the next letter.
Idhar (Clear Pronunciation)
الإظهار الحلقي
Pronounce the noon clearly without nasalization when followed by one of the six throat letters: ء هـ ع ح غ خ.
Example
مَنْ آمَنَ
Al-Baqarah 2:62
Idgham with Ghunnah (Merging)
الإدغام بغنة
Merge the noon into the next letter when followed by one of: ي ن م و, with a 2-count nasal sound (ghunnah).
Example
مَنْ يَعْمَلْ
An-Nisa 4:123
Idgham without Ghunnah
الإدغام بغير غنة
Merge the noon into ل or ر without any nasal sound.
Example
مِن رَّبِّهِم
Al-Baqarah 2:5
Iqlab (Conversion)
الإقلاب
Convert the noon sakinah or tanween into a hidden meem (م) with ghunnah when followed by the letter ب.
Example
أَنبَتَتْ
Al-Baqarah 2:261
Ikhfa (Hiding)
الإخفاء
Hide the noon with a 2-count ghunnah when followed by any of the remaining 15 letters: ت ث ج د ذ ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك.
Example
مِنْكُمْ
Al-Baqarah 2:23
Meem Sakinah
أحكام الميم الساكنة
When a meem (م) carries sukoon, three rules apply based on the letter that follows.
Ikhfa Shafawi (Labial Hiding)
الإخفاء الشفوي
Hide the meem sakinah with ghunnah when followed by the letter ب.
Example
هُمْ بِهِ
Al-Baqarah 2:9
Idgham Shafawi (Labial Merging)
الإدغام الشفوي
Merge the meem sakinah into another م with a 2-count ghunnah.
Example
لَهُم مَّا
Al-Baqarah 2:6
Idhar Shafawi (Labial Clarity)
الإظهار الشفوي
Pronounce the meem sakinah clearly when followed by any letter except ب and م. Be especially careful with ف and و, where the sound is close.
Example
هُمْ فِيهَا
Al-Baqarah 2:25
Madd (Elongation)
أحكام المد
Madd is the elongation of a vowel sound. The natural madd lasts 2 counts; secondary madd categories last 4–6 counts depending on the cause.
Madd Tabee'i (Natural)
المد الطبيعي
A 2-count elongation that occurs naturally when a long vowel (ا و ي) follows its matching short vowel, with no hamzah or sukoon after it.
Example
قَالَ
Al-Baqarah 2:30
Madd Munfasil (Separated)
المد المنفصل
Occurs when a madd letter at the end of a word is followed by a hamzah at the start of the next word. Stretched 2, 4, or 5 counts.
Example
إِنَّآ أَعْطَيْنَاكَ
Al-Kawthar 108:1
Madd Muttasil (Connected)
المد المتصل
Occurs when a madd letter is followed by a hamzah within the same word. Stretched 4 or 5 counts (obligatory).
Example
جَآءَ
An-Nasr 110:1
Madd Lazim (Necessary)
المد اللازم
Occurs when a madd letter is followed by a permanent sukoon or shaddah. Stretched a full 6 counts.
Example
ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
Al-Fatiha 1:7
Madd Aarid lis-Sukoon
المد العارض للسكون
Occurs when stopping on a word whose last letter is preceded by a madd letter. Stretched 2, 4, or 6 counts.
Example
نَسْتَعِينُ
Al-Fatiha 1:5
Qalqalah (Echoing)
القلقلة
A bouncing/echoing sound on the five letters ق ط ب ج د (collected as قَطْبُ جَدٍّ) when they carry sukoon.
Qalqalah Sughra (Minor)
القلقلة الصغرى
A light bounce when a qalqalah letter has sukoon in the middle of a word.
Example
يَقْطَعُونَ
Al-Baqarah 2:27
Qalqalah Kubra (Major)
القلقلة الكبرى
A stronger bounce when stopping on a qalqalah letter at the end of a word.
Example
ٱلْفَلَقِ
Al-Falaq 113:1
Lam Rules
أحكام اللام
The lam in the definite article 'al-' (ال) is treated differently depending on the next letter — it is either pronounced or assimilated into the next letter.
Lam Qamariyyah (Lunar)
اللام القمرية
The lam of 'al-' is pronounced clearly when followed by one of 14 'lunar' letters: ا ب ج ح خ ع غ ف ق ك م و هـ ي.
Example
ٱلْقَمَرِ
Al-Qamar 54:1
Lam Shamsiyyah (Solar)
اللام الشمسية
The lam of 'al-' is silent and the next letter is doubled with shaddah when followed by one of 14 'sun' letters: ت ث د ذ ر ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ل ن.
Example
ٱلشَّمْسُ
Ash-Shams 91:1
Ra Rules
أحكام الراء
The letter ra (ر) is pronounced either thick (tafkheem) or thin (tarqeeq) depending on its vowel and surrounding context.
Tafkheem (Heavy Ra)
تفخيم الراء
Pronounce ra heavy when it carries fatha or damma, or when it is sakinah and preceded by a fatha/damma.
Example
رَبِّ
Al-Fatiha 1:2
Tarqeeq (Light Ra)
ترقيق الراء
Pronounce ra light when it carries kasrah, or when it is sakinah and preceded by a kasrah (with no isti'la letter following).
Example
رِجَالٌ
An-Nur 24:37
Ghunnah, Idgham & Stopping Signs
الغنة والإدغام وعلامات الوقف
Additional rules covering nasalization on shaddah, merging of close letters, and the proper places to pause when reciting.
Ghunnah on Shaddah
الغنة المشددة
A 2-count nasal sound applied to م and ن when they carry shaddah.
Example
إِنَّ
Al-Baqarah 2:6
Idgham Mutajanisayn
الإدغام المتجانسين
Merging of two letters that share the same place of articulation (e.g. د into ت).
Example
قَد تَّبَيَّنَ
Al-Baqarah 2:256
Idgham Mutaqaribayn
الإدغام المتقاربين
Merging of two letters that are close in articulation point (e.g. ق into ك).
Example
نَخْلُقكُّم
Al-Mursalat 77:20
Waqf Lazim (Compulsory Stop)
الوقف اللازم — مـ
Marked with 'م'. The reciter must stop here; continuing without stopping changes the meaning.
Example
مـ
Waqf Mamnu' (Forbidden Stop)
الوقف الممنوع — لا
Marked with 'لا'. Do not stop here; the meaning is incomplete and continuing is required.
Example
لا
Waqf Jaa'iz (Permissible Stop)
الوقف الجائز — ج
Marked with 'ج'. Stopping or continuing are both equally permissible.
Example
ج
Mu'anaqah (Embracing Stop)
المعانقة — ∴ ∴
Three dots appearing in two places — stop at one but not both. Only one of the two stops is observed.
Example
∴ ... ∴
Hamzat ul Wasl
همزة الوصل
A connecting hamzah pronounced only when starting a word; silent when reading continuously from the previous word.
ٱ
Silent Letters
الحروف الساكنة الصامتة
Letters that are written in the mushaf but not pronounced — for example, the dagger alif placeholders or certain sukoon situations.
ـٰ
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