📖 What is it?

When a Noon Saakin (نْ — noon with sukoon) or Tanween (ـً ـٍ ـٌ) is followed by another letter, one of four rules applies depending on that next letter.

1) Izhar — اِظْهَار (Clear)

Pronounce the noon clearly, with no nasal merging. Applies before the six throat letters:

Example: مِنْ هَادٍ يَنْأَوْنَ

2) Idgham — اِدْغَام (Merging)

Merge the noon into the next letter. Letters: يرملون (remembered as يَرْمَلُون).

With Ghunna (nasal) for ي م و ن; without Ghunna for ل ر.

Example: مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ مَنْ يَعْمَلْ

3) Iqlab — اِقْلَاب (Converting)

The noon is changed into a hidden meem sound with Ghunna, occurring only before the letter:

Example: مِنْ بَعْدِ سَمِيعٌ بَصِير

4) Ikhfa — اِخْفَاء (Hiding)

Pronounce the noon partially hidden with Ghunna, before the remaining 15 letters (all letters not in the other three rules).

Example: مِنْ قَبْلُ أَنْتُمْ

📖 What is it?

When a Meem Saakin (مْ) is followed by another letter, one of three rules applies.

1) Ikhfa Shafawi — اِخْفَاء شَفَوِي

Hide the meem with Ghunna when followed by the letter ب.

Example: تَرْمِيهِمْ بِحِجَارَة

2) Idgham Shafawi — اِدْغَام شَفَوِي

Merge meem into meem with Ghunna when followed by another م.

Example: لَهُمْ مَا كَمْ مِنْ

3) Izhar Shafawi — اِظْهَار شَفَوِي

Pronounce the meem clearly before all remaining letters (everything except ب and م). Take special care before و and ف.

Example: أَلَمْ تَرَ هُمْ فِيهَا

📖 What is Madd?

Madd means to elongate (stretch) the sound of a vowel using the madd letters ا و ي. The length is measured in harakaat (counts).

Madd Tabee'i — الطَّبِيعِي (Natural)

The basic 2-count elongation, with no hamza or sukoon after it.

Example: قَالَ يَقُولُ قِيلَ  2 counts

Madd Muttasil — المُتَّصِل (Connected)

A madd letter followed by a hamza in the same word. Obligatory.

Example: جَاءَ السَّمَاء  4–5 counts

Madd Munfasil — المُنْفَصِل (Separated)

A madd letter at the end of a word, followed by a hamza at the start of the next word.

Example: فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ قُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ  4–5 counts

Madd Laazim — اللَّازِم (Necessary)

A madd letter followed by a permanent sukoon or a shadda. The longest madd.

Example: الضَّالِّين الْحَاقَّة  6 counts

📖 What is Qalqalah?

Qalqalah is a slight echoing or bouncing sound produced on certain letters when they carry a sukoon (or are stopped upon). The five letters:

Remembered together as قُطْبُ جَد.

Sughra — صُغْرَى (Minor)

When the Qalqalah letter has a sukoon in the middle of a word — a light bounce.

Example: يَجْعَلُون أَطْعَمَهُمْ

Kubra — كُبْرَى (Major)

When you stop on a Qalqalah letter at the end of a word — a stronger bounce.

Example: الْفَلَق مُحِيط أَحَد

📖 What is Ghunna?

Ghunna is a nasal sound that comes from the nose, applied for about 2 counts. Its root letters are ن and م.

Strongest Ghunna

Most complete when the noon or meem carries a shadda (مّ / نّ).

Example: إِنَّ ثُمَّ عَمَّ

In other rules

Ghunna also appears within Idgham (with Ghunna), Iqlab, Ikhfa, Ikhfa Shafawi, and Idgham Shafawi.

Example: مَنْ يَقُول مِنْ بَعْد

📖 What is Waqf?

Waqf means stopping at the end of a word while breathing, then continuing. Knowing where to stop preserves the meaning. Common stop signs in the Mushaf:

Common Waqf Signs

مـ Waqf Laazim — necessary stop

ط Waqf Mutlaq — preferred stop

ج Waqf Jaaiz — permissible to stop or continue

ز Waqf Mujawwaz — continuing is better

ص Waqf Murakhkhas — pause allowed (for breath)

لا Laa — do not stop here

∴ ∴ Mu'aanaqah — stop at one of the two dots, not both

How to stop

When stopping, the last letter is given sukoon. A taa marbuta (ة) is read as ه. Tanween fatha becomes a 2-count madd.

Example: الرَّحِيمْ رَحْمَهْ عَلِيمَا → عَلِيمَا