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Home / Tajweed rules onlinecourses / Characteristics of letters | Sifaat al Huruf | Tajweed rules
Introduction
We have studied the exit points of the letters (Makharij) previously. Now, it is fundamental to know their different characteristics.
We call characteristic of a letter (sifaat َﺎﺕ
ﺻﻔ
ِ), the state of this letter when pronounced. Previously, we saw that several letters
could leave the same exit point. Thus, their characteristics make it possible to distinguish between letters when they are
pronounced.
Some letters will sound soft. Some will sound hard. Some will need breathing, some will not, etc.
Indeed, one can notice that for the letters with the same exit point (for example, the ﺩ and the )ﺕ, it is enough to confuse a
single characteristic so that one of these letters resembles the other. If a little air is allowed to be blown out when pronouncing
the ﺩ, it will look like ﺕ.
By learning these characteristics – Sifaat, we will learn to respect all the elements that make up these letters to give them all
their purity until they are no longer confused with each other.
1. Al Hams - ﺱ
ُْﻣْﻟ
َﻬ ﺍvs al Jahr - ْﺭ
َُﺟﻬ
ﺍﻟ
Al Hams – ﺲ
ُْﻤْﺍﻟ
َﻬ
In the Arabic language, alhams means “the whisper”. It is a flow of air accompanying the following 10 letters:
ﺕ – ﻙ – ﺱ – ﺹ – ﺥ – ﺵ – ﻩ – ﺙ – ﺡ – ﻑ
These letters are compelled in this sentence:
َﺕ
ﺳﻛ ْ
َ َﺧﺹ ﱠﻪ
ﺷ ُ َ
َﺣﺛ
ﻓ
Technically, the air continues to come out after the letter is pronounced. The airflow is more evident when the letter is sakeena (bear a
sukoon).
Examples:
ِﻡ
ﺎﺱ
ِْﺑ – ْﺡﻣﻥ
ﺍﻟﺭ
ﱠ
Notes:
Avoid exaggerating too much in the pronunciation of the letter ﺕ as it becomes close to the letter ﺱ.
Examples:
َْﺭ
ﺕ ُﻛ
ِﻭ
ّ ْﱠﺭ
– ﺕ ُ – َﻰ
ﺳﻳ
َ ْﺕ
ﺕﻟ ُ
al Jahr – ُﺮ
ْﻬ
َﺠ
ﺍﻟ
In the Arabic language, alJahr means “the loud voice”.
It is a stopping of the airflow during the pronunciation of the remaining letters (19 letters):
ﺽ ﺯ – – ﺫ – ﺩ – ﺝ – ﺏ – ﺍ
ﻱ – ء ﻭ – ﻥ – ﻡ – ﻝ – ﻕ ﻍ ﻉ – ﻅ – ﻁ
These letters are compelled in this sentence:
ﺟﺩ
ِﺏ َََ ِﻱ
ﻁﻠ ﺫ َﺽ
ٍﻏ ﺉ
ّ َِ
ٍﺎﺭ ْﺯ
ﻗ ُﻥﻭ ُﻋ
ََﻡ
ﻅ َ
Technically, the breath stops coming out after the letter is spoken. Examples:
ُﺩْﻥ –
ﻉﺑ َ ﻭﻥُْ ْﺅ
ِﻣﻧﻱ
ُ – ُ
ْﻡﺩ
َﺡ
ﺍﻝ
2. Ash-shidda - ُ ﺷ
ّ ﺍﻟﺑ, ar Rakhawa - ُ
ِﺍﻟ, al baynya - َﻳﻧﻳﺔ
ﱠﺩﺓ ََﺧ
ﺎﻭﺓ ﺍﻟﺭ
ﱠ
Ash-shidda – ُ
ﱠﺓّ
ﺸﺪ
ِ ﺍﻟ
In the Arabic language, alshadda means “the intensity”. It is a stop of the sound flow during the pronunciation of the 8 letters:
ﺃ – ﺝ – ﺩ – ﻕ ﻁ – ﺏ ﻙ – ﺕ
These letters are compelled in this sentence:
َْﻛ
َﺕ َ
ﺑ ٍﻁ
ﻗ ْ َ
ِﺟﺩ
ﺃ
Technically, the sound stops because it leans on its makhraj. Examples:
ِﻲ
ﺕﺑ
َْﺞ
ﻳ – َﻙ
َ ﺏَﱠﻛَ َ
ﺭ – ﻰ ﺏﻟ ُ ﱠﺕ
ْﺕ – ِﺷﻘ
َﺍﻥ
al baynya – َﻴﻨﻴﺔ
ﺍﻟﺒ
It is also called attawasut – ُﻁ ﱠ
َﻭﺳ
ﺍﻟﺗ
The sound is neither completely cut off (sound stop) as for ﱠﺓﺍﻟﱠ nor long (sound flow) as for َﺎﻭﺓ
ﺷﺩ َ ﺍﻟﺭﺧ
ﱠ. Intermediate characteristic of the
following 5 letters:
ﻝ – ﻥ – ﻉ – ﻡ – ﺭ
These letters are compelled in this sentence:
َﻣﺭ
ﻋ ْ
ُ ِﻥ
ﻟ
Technically, the sound does not stop clearly, but it does not continue too much. It is a category between alshidda and alrakhawa.
Examples:
ُﺩ
ْﻡ
َﺢ
ﺍﻟ – ُ
ُﺩْﻥ –
ﻉﺑ َ ِﻥّْﺩ
ِﻱﺍﻟ – ﺽ
ِﺍﻷﺭ
ْ
ar Rakhawa – ُ
َﺎﻭﺓ
َ ﺍﻟﺮﺧ
ﱠ
In the Arabic language, alrakhawa means “flexibility”. This is the sound flow as you pronounce the remaining 15 letters:
ﺍ – ﺙ – ﺡ – ﺥ – ﺫ – ﺯ ﺱ ﺵ ﺹ ﺽ – ﻅ – ﻍ – ﻑ – ﻩ – ﻭ
Technically, the sound of the letter continues. Examples:
ِﻥ
َﻣ
ْﺡ
ﺍﻟﺭ –
ُﻡ ﱠ ُﻛ
ِﻳْﻱ
ﻍﻧ ُ
ُ – ْﻥ َ
ِﻌﻳ
ﺱﺗ
ْﻥ –
َ َﻡَْ
ﻅﻟَ
ﺃ
Note: The sound of the letter is, therefore, longer for arrakhawa – َﺎﻭﺓ
َ ﺍﻟﺭﺧ
ﱠ, shorter for al baynya – َﻳﻧﻳﺔ
ﺍﻟﺑ and cut for shadda – ﺍﻟﺷﺩﺓ.
.
3. Al-istiala - ُء
َﻼ
ِﻌ
ﺳﺗ
ِْﻻ َﺎ
ﺍvs al-istifal - ُﻝِﻔ
ﺳﺗ
ْﺍﻻ
Al-istiala – ُء
َﻼ
ِﻌ
ْﺳﺘ
ﺍﻻ
ِ
In the Arabic language, alistiala means: “elevation”. The pronunciation of the letter causes upward pressure on the palate. 7 letters are
undergoing this pressure:
ﻕ – ﻁ – ﻍ ﺽ – ﺹ – ﺥ – ﻅ
These letters are compelled in this sentence:
ِﻁ ْﻐ
ﻗ ٍﻁﺿ ُﺧﱠ
َ ﺹ
Technically, the tongue is close to the palate, and the mouth is filled by pronouncing the letters, which are those of the emphasis(al
ْﻔ
tafkheem – ِﺧﻳﻡﱠ
)ﺍﻟﺗ. This characteristic, therefore, implies that all letters are emphatic.
There are different degrees of tafkheem, the former being more emphatic than the latter.
1. When the letter of isti’ala bears a fatha, followed by an alif
2. When the letter of isti’ala bears a fatha but not followed by Alif
3. When the letter of isti’ala bears a damma
4. When the letter of isti’ala bears a sukoon
5. When the letter of isti’ala bears a kasra
al-istifal – ُﻝ
َﺎ
ِﻔ
ْﺳﺘ
ﺍﻻ
In the Arabic language, alistifal means: “lowering”. Pronunciation of the letter causing pressure to go down the palate, and this for the
remaining letters (22 letters).
ﺱ ﺯ ﺭ – ﺫ – ﺩ – ﺡ – ﺝ – ﺙ – ﺕ – ﺏ – ﺍ
ﻱ – ء ﻭ – ﻩ – ﻥ – ﻡ – ﻝ – ﻙ – ﻑ – ﻉ – ﺵ
Technically, the tongue moves away from the palate.
This characteristic implies that all of these letters are lightened out. It is the equivalent of altarqeeq – ِﻳﻖ ﱠ
ْﺭﻗ
ﺍﻟﺗ.
In this case, it is important to provide some clarification: Among the remaining letters, three of them have a special status because they
are sometimes emphatic and sometimes thinned out:
ﺍ – ﻝ – ﺭ
Al-itbaq – َﺎﻕْﺍﻹ
ﻁﺒ ِvs Al infitah َﺎﺡ ْﻧ
ِﻔﺘﺍﻹ
ِ
Al-itbaq – َﺎﻕْﺍﻹ
ﻁﺒ ِ
In the Arabic language, alitbaq comes from the verb, which means: to stick.
It is a pressure of part of the tongue on the palate when pronouncing the following 4 letters:
ﺹ ﺽ – ﻁ – ﻅ
Technically, the tongue is glued to the palate.
Al infitah َﺎﺡ ْﻧ
ِﻔﺘﺍﻹ
ِ
In the Arabic language, alinfitah means separation.
It is the act of leaving an opening between the tongue and the palate (separation) when pronouncing the other 25 remaining letters:
ﺱ – ﺯ ﺭ ﺫ – ﺩ – ﺥ – ﺡ – ﺝ – ﺙ – ﺕ – ﺏ – ﺍ
ﻱ – ء – ﻭ – ﻩ – ﻥ – ﻡ – ﻝ – ﻙ – ﻕ – ﻑ – ﻍ – ﻉ – ﺵ
Technically, there is an interval between the tongue and the palate.
ُْﺫ
Al-idhlaq – ﻻﻕ ِ vs Al ismat – َﻤﺎﺕ
ﺍﻹ ﺻ
ْﺍﻹ
ِ
This category of characteristic – sifat is not important. Some scholars have not counted them as characteristic – sifat.
ُْﺫ
Al-idhlaq – ﻻﻕ ﺍﻹ
ِ
These letters are pronounced with ease and fluidity. There are 6 letters:
ﻑ – ﺭ – ﻥ – ﻡ – ﻝ – ﺏ
These letters are compelled in this sentence:
ُّ
ﺏ
ٍ ﻟ ْﻥ
ﻣ
ِﱠﺭَ
ﻓ
Technically, the letter is pronounced with the tip of the tongue or the tip of the lips.
Al ismat – َﻤﺎﺕ
ﺻ
ْﺍﻹ
ِ
It is a heaviness that affects the letters of al ismat by their pronunciation. The letters concerned are the remaining 23:
ﺹ – ﺵ – ﺱ – ﺯ – ﺫ – ﺩ – ﺥ – ﺡ – ﺝ – ﺙ – ﺕ – ﺍ
ﻱ – ء ﻭ – ﻩ – ﻙ – ﻕ – ﻍ ﻉ – ﻅ – ﻁ – ﺽ
Technically, the letter does not press against the tip of the tongue or the tip of the lip.
As Safeer – ِﻔﻴﺮ
ﺼ
َﺍﻟ
In the Arabic language, assafîr means: whistling. This is the whistle that accompanies the letters:
ﺱ – ﺯ – ﺹ
This is a strong characteristic. The ﺹ sounds like of the goose, the ﺯ sounds like of the bee, the sound of ﺱ the cicada.
Technically, it’s an added sound that comes out from between the lips. These letters are also called “the whistling letters”.
Al Qalqala – َﺔْﻠﻘ
َﻠ َ
ﺍﻟﻘ
In the Arabic language, al qalqala means restlessness, instability, disturbance.
It is a strong impact resulting from the pronunciation of a Sakeena letter and due to the fact of the sudden separation of 2 organs of
pronunciation without any opening of the mouth or rounding of the lips or lowering of the jaw inferior. This characteristic – sifat is also a
rule of Tajweed. This is a strong characteristic. These letters are
:
ﺩ – ﺝ – ﺏ – ﻁ – ﻕ
These letters are compelled in this sentence:
ٍﺩ
َﺟ
ﺏ
ٌﻁُُ
ﻗ
Technically, it’s a strong bounce of the letter when bearing a sukoon. The qalqala has a different degree depending on the letter:
the highest degree is the qalqala of ﻁ
the intermediate degree is the qalqala of ﺝ
the lowest degree is the qalqala of ﻕ – ﺏ – ﺩ
When this letter is located in the middle of a word or a sentence, we will make a small qalqala We call it qalqala sughra
Example:
َ
ْﺩ
ُﻭﻟ َ
ﻳ ْﻡ
ﻭﻟ ْ
َِﻝﺩ َ
ﻳ ْﻡ
َ ﻟ
00:00 00:00
He neither begets nor is born (112:3)
Note: When this letter is located at the end of a verse and we stop on it, we will make a large qalqala. We call it qalqala kubra.
ْﺩ
َﻝ
ُﻭ َ
ﻳ ْﻡ
ﻭﻟ ْ
َِﻝﺩ َ
ﻳ ْﻡ
َ ﻟ
0:00
He neither begets nor is born (112:3)
Note: The impact of the letter is even stronger when the letter at the end of the reading is duplicated. We call it al qalqala akbar.
ﺏ
ﺕﱠَﻭ
َﺏ َ
ٍَﻬ َﺑ
ﻟ ِﻲﺃ َﺩﺍ َْﺑ
ﻳ ﱠﺕ
َ ﺗ
0:00
May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he. (111:1)
ّﻴ
Al-leen – ْﻦﺍﻟﻠ
ِ
In the Arabic language, alleen means gentleness. It is a gentle and effortless pronunciation. This is a weak characteristic.
The letters concerned are the waw and ya having a sukoon and preceded by a fatha.
Example:
ﻑ ﺥ ْﻥ
ٍَﻭ
ْ ّﻣ
ِ َ
ُﻬﻡ
َﻣﻧ
ﻭﺁ
ٍَ ُﺟﻭﻉ
ّﻣﻥ
ُﻬﻡ
ِ َﻣْ
ﻁﻌ
َ َ ﱠﺫ
ﺃ ِﻱﺍﻟ
0:00
Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear. (106:4)
َﺯﺓ
ٍ ﱡ
َﻣ َﺯﺓ
ﻟ ٍ ُﻫ
َﻣ ِّ
ُﻛ
ّﻝﻟ ٌ
ِ ﻱﻝ
ْﻭ
َ
0:00
Woe to every scorner and mocker (104:1)
Al inhiraf – ِﺤﺮﺍﻑ
ْﻧ
ﺍﻹ
ِ
In the Arabic language, alinhirâf means deviation. This is the deflection of the sound of the letters from their original point of
articulation. This is a strong characteristic. This concerns the 2 letters:
ﺭ – ﻝ
Technically speaking, when pronouncing these letters, one tends to deviate from their makharij and spill over into the makharij of the
next letter.
At-takreer – ِﺮﻳﺮ
ْﻜ
ﱠ
ﺍﻟﺘ
In the Arabic language, attakrîr means repetition. It is the vibration of the tip of the tongue as the letter is pronounced:
ﺭ
This is a strong characteristic.
Technically, it is making the tip of the tongue vibrate during the pronunciation of the letter, due to the rolling of the tongue.
Note: This characteristic – sifat is learned in order not to be applied with exaggeration as this is a mispronunciation.
As soon as we are going to pronounce the ﺭ, this letter will have to be struck only once on the palate. When the letter is mushadada ّﺭ
,
the lengthening of the takreer must be reduced by blocking the tongue.
At tafashee – ِﻲﱠﻔ
َﺸﺍﻟﺘ
In the Arabic language, attafashee means propagation. It is the spread of air in the mouth when the letter is spoken. This is a strong
characteristic.
This concerns the letter:
ﺵ
Technically, it is propagation or diffusion of the breath in the mouth during the pronunciation of the letter ﺵ.
ﺽ
Technically, it is an extension of the letter dad which extends to the makharij of the letter lâm ﻝ.
This tajweed rules lesson is now finished. The next one will be insha’Allah about the definite article “al” ﺍﻝ.
Aldirassa centre offers you the possibility to study the tajweed rules easily with a qualified teacher. If you are interested, do not hesitate
to consult us.
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6 Comments
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[…] – Tafkheem because the letter ﻕ is a letter of al isti’la (always […]
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Khalid
July 6, 2022 at 7:03 pm
What are the tight letters in Arabic?
Reply Link
May Mohammad
February 18, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Assalam Alikum
may Allah bless your deeds
kindly most of the Translations needs to be revised. especially what concerns the definitions of the characteristics.
Reply Link
Khan
February 22, 2023 at 1:16 am
is there any book (in English hopefully) that describes the characteristics of the letters?
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