Arabic Basics & Tajweed

 

{jb_quote}[73:4] ...and recite the Qur'aan clearly with Tarteel (in a distinct and measured tone).{/jb_quote}

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{jb_dropcap}T{/jb_dropcap}he word Tajweed linguistically means 'proficiency' or 'doing something well'. When applied to the Qur'an, it means giving every letter of the Qur'an its rights and dues of characteristics when we recite the Qur'an 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 that never leave it. And 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.

The Qur'an was revealed with Tajweed rules applied to it. In other words, when the angel Jibrael ((AS)) recited the words of Allah to the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) he recited them in a certain way and he showed the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) the ways in which it was permissible to recite the Qur'an. So it is upon us to observe those rules so that we recite it in the way it was revealed.

Arabic Alphabets

Arabic language has 28 basic alphabets which take different shapes depending on the positioning within the word itself i.e. it may have a different form if used as a first, middle or last letter. Some letters can be combined with the next letter while other can't be combined and have to be written by themselves. All basic Arabic letters are consonants. The following table summarises all letters, their shapes (as isolated, or when used in the beginning, middle or end of the word), basic pronunciation and transliteration.

Basics:

 

{jb_bluedisc}1{/jb_bluedisc} Purchase Ahsanul-Qawaid or Download. It is highly recommended that you buy it instead of trying to have it on the Screen and also watching the Videos.

 

{jb_bluedisc}2{/jb_bluedisc} While having Ahsanul-Qawaid in front of you go through all 17 of these Video Lessons

 

 

{jb_bluedisc}3{/jb_bluedisc} Do not proceed to Arabic until you have Mastered reading Ahsanul-Qawaid

 

{jb_bluedisc}4{/jb_bluedisc} The reason for learning to read from Ahsanul-Qawaid is because most of the practise words are from the Qur'aan itself

 

Letter Sound	Transliteration	End	Middle	Beginning	Isolated (Original) Form
’alif	ā	ـا	ـا	ا	ا
bā’	b	ـب	ـبـ	بـ	ب
tā’	t	ـت	ـتـ	تـ	ت
thā’	th (also ṯ)	ـث	ـثـ	ثـ	ث
jīm	j	ـج	ـجـ	جـ	ج
ḥā’	h	ـح	ـحـ	حـ	ح
khā’	kh	ـخ	ـخـ	خـ	خ
dāl	d	ـد	ـد	د	د
dhāl	dh (also ḏ)	ـذ	ـذ	ذ	ذ
rā’	r	ـر	ـر	ر	ر
zā’	z	ـز	ـز	ز	ز
sīn	s	ـس	سـ	سـ	س
shīn	sh (also š)	ـش	شـ	شـ	ش
ṣād	ṣ	ـص	ـصـ	صـ	ص
ḍād	ḍ	ـض	ـضـ	ضـ	ض
ṭā’	ṭ	ـط	ـطـ	ط	ط
ẓā’	ẓ	ـظ	ـظـ	ظ	ظ
‘ayn	‘	ـع	ـعـ	عـ	ع
ghayn	gh	ـغ	ـغـ	غـ	غ
fā’	f	ـف	ـفـ	فـ	ف
qāf	q	ـق	ـقـ	قـ	ق
kāf	k	ـك	ـكـ	كـ	ك
lām	l	ـل	ـلـ	لـ	ل
mīm	m	ـم	ـمـ	مـ	م
nūn	n	ـن	ـنـ	نـ	ن
hā’	h	ـه	ـهـ	هـ	ه
wāw	w / ū / aw	ـو	ـو	و	و
yā’	y / ī / ay	ـي	ـيـ	يـ	ي

Hamza: The 29th letter?

Hamza (Arabic: الهَمْزة‎, (al-)hamzah) (ء) is a letter in the Arabic alphabet, representing the glottal stop [ʔ]. Alif doesn't have a sound of its own but when you say "Aaa" its actually Hamza (and Fatha on top) which is making the sound. Hamza can also be on top of Yaa and Waw.

Where the letters are pronounced from?

Commonly mispronounced letters

The following table groups letters which are commonly mispronounced due to lack of knowledge of Tajweed, please keep these sets in mind and note that they must sound distinct and different from each other and a note has been placed to indicate the part of human vocal system where the sound originates from.

Letter	Sound	Letter	Sound	Sound	Letter
ع	‘ayn			’alif	ا
ṭā’ (Full mouth)	ط			ṭā’	ت
ṣād	ص	sīn	س	thā’	ث
hā’ (chest)	ه			ḥā’ (deep throat)	ح
ghayn	غ			khā’	خ
ḍād	ض			dāl	د
ẓā’	ظ	zā’	ز	dhāl	ذ
kāf	ك			qāf	ق

Three (3) Short Vowels

The short vowel-marks enable the letter to make a sound in a similar way to the English language. In the same way a word cannot be made in the English language without one of the 5 vowels (a, e, i, o or u), in Arabic one cannot make a word without a vowel being used. In case of Alif a "Hamza" is used and then the short vowel is placed on top of it. The sound is a single beat and no further elongation is required.

جِ	جَ	جُ	Arabic letter with Short Vowel
Kasrah	Fatha	Damma	Short Vowel Name
Bottom	Top	Top	Short Vowel placement
i	a	u	Short Vowel Sound
The "i" in sit	The "a" in ba	The "u" in put	Similar English Sound

 

Letter with Kasrah	Letter with Fatha	Letter with Damma	Isolated (Original) Form
اِ	اَ	اُ	ا
بِ	بَ	بُ	ب
تِ	تَ	تُ	ت
ثِ	ثَ	ثُ	ث
ِج	َج	جُ	ج
حِ	حَ	ُح	ح
خِ	خَ	ُخ	خ
ِد	دَ	ُد	د
ذِ	ذَ	ُذ	ذ
رِ	رَ	رُ	ر
زِ	زَ	زُ	ز
سِ	سَ	ُس	س
شِ	شَ	شُ	ش
صِ	صَ	صُ	ص
ضِ	ضَ	ضُ	ض
طِ	طَ	ُط	ط
ظِ	َظ	ُظ	ظ
ِع	عَ	عُ	ع
غِ	َغ	غُ	غ
فِ	فَ	فُ	ف
ِق	َق	قُ	ق
كِ	كَ	ُك	ك
ِل	لَ	لُ	ل
ِم	مَ	مُ	م
نِ	نَ	نُ	ن
هِ	هَ	ُه	ه
وِ	وَ	وُ	و
يِ	يَ	يُ	ي

Arabic Alphabet Song

Three (3) Long Vowels

In order to make the sound longer a letter is inserted after the letter upon which the vowel is placed and resulting sound is now  longer and equal to the sound of one Alif. The length elongation is measured by either closing an open finger or opening a closed finger. The inserted letter has a Sukoon on it and in the illustration below we have shown the Sukoon but it is sometimes omited (in writing). Note that Alif has no vowel on it!

Sukoon

This is a small circle which is placed on top of the letter to indicate "absence" of sound i.e. that letter doesn't make a sound at all! The letter before it and after it will make a sound but not the letter upon which a Sukoon is placed e.g جْ

جِىْ	جَا	جُوْ	Arabic letter with Long Vowel
Kasrah on the Letter and Yaa added	Fatha on the Letter and Alif added	Damma on the Letter and Waw added	Long Vowel Explaination
Bottom	Top	Top	Long Vowel placement
ea	aa	oo	Long Vowel Sound
The "ea" in seat	The "aa" in baa	The "oo" in scoop	Similar English Sound

 

Letter with Kasrah	Letter with Fatha	Letter with Damma	Isolated (Original) Form
اِىْ	اَا	اُوْ	ا
بِىْ	بَا	بُوْ	ب
تِىْ	تَا	تُوْ	ت
ثِىْ	ثَا	ثُوْ	ث
ِجِىْ	جَا	جُوْ	ج
حِىْ	حَا	ُحوْ	ح
خِىْ	خَا	ُخوْ	خ
دِى	دَا	دُوْ	د
ذِىْ	ذَا	ذُوْ	ذ
رِىْ	رَا	رُوْ	ر
زِىْ	زَا	زُوْ	ز
سِىْ	سَا	سُوْ	س
شِىْ	شَا	شُوْ	ش
صِىْ	صَا	صُوْ	ص
ضِىْ	ضَا	ضُوْ	ض
طِىْ	طَا	طُوْ	ط
ظِىْ	ظَا	ظُوْ	ظ
عِىْ	عَا	عُوْ	ع
غِىْ	غَا	غُوْ	غ
فِىْ	فَا	فُوْ	ف
ِقىْ	َقا	قُوْ	ق
كِىْ	كَا	ُكوْ	ك
ِلىْ	لَا	لُوْ	ل
مِى	مَا	مُوْ	م
نِىْ	نَا	نُوْ	ن
هِىْ	هَا	هُوْ	ه
وِىْ	وَا	وُوْ	و
يِىْ	يَا	يُوْ	ي

Au & Ae Sound

These two sound patterns are very common in the Qur'aan so we would like for you to practise these two sounds. Please note that these are also long sounds

جَئْ	جَوْ	Arabic letter with Vowel & Letter placement
Fatha and Yaa added	Fatha and Waw added	Long Vowel Used
Top	Top	Long Vowel placement
Ae	Au	Sound
Instructor to demonstrate sound	Instructor to demonstrate sound	Similar English Sound

 

Letter with Fatha & Yaa Added	Letter with Fatha & Waw Added	Isolated (Original) Form
اَئْ	اَؤْ	ا
بَئْ	بَؤْ	ب
تَئْ	تَؤْ	ت
ثَئْ	ثَؤْ	ث
َجئْ	جَؤْ	ج
حَئْ	حَؤْ	ح
خَئْ	خَؤْ	خ
دَئْ	َدَؤْ	د
ذَئْ	ذَؤْ	ذ
رَئْ	رَؤْ	ر
زَئْ	زَؤْ	ز
سَئْ	سَؤْ	س
شَئْ	شَؤْ	ش
صَئْ	صَؤْ	ص
ضَئْ	ضَؤْ	ض
طَئْ	طَؤْ	ط
ظَئْ	ظَؤْ	ظ
عَئْ	عَؤْ	ع
غَئْ	غَؤْ	غ
فَئْ	فَؤْ	ف
قَئْ	قَؤْ	ق
كَئْ	كَؤْ	ك
لَئْ	لَؤْ	ل
مَئْ	مَؤْ	م
نَئْ	نَؤْ	ن
هَئْ	هَؤْ	ه
وَئْ	وَؤْ	و
يَئْ	يَؤْ	ي

Hamza with a vowel with Sukoon on it

The discussions above highlight that in order to make the sound of a vowel longer the following letters are employed:

ا

وْ

ىْ

When a Hamza is placed on top of these letters with a Sukoon, the sound will no longer be long i.e. the addition of the following three after any of the letters will no longer require elongation.

أْ

ؤْ

ئْ

Double Short Vowels

The double vowel-marks signs are an extension of the single vowel-marks. The double vowel signs add the '-n' sound to the single vowel and it is called "Tanween"

جٍ	جاً	جٌ	Arabic letter with double short Vowel
Kasrah-tain	Fatha-tain	Damma-tain	Double short Vowel (Tanwin) Actual Name
Bottom	Top (An Alif is added and the vowel placed on top)	Top	Double short Vowel placement
in	un	oo followed by an "n"	Double short Vowel Sound
The "in" in sin	The "un" in funn	The "un" in uno	Similar English Sound

 

Letter with Kasrah-tain	Letter with Fatha-tain	Letter with Damma-tain	Isolated (Original) Form
اٍ	اً	اٌ	ا
بٍ	باً	بٌ	ب
تٍ	تاً	تٌ	ت
ثٍ	ثاً	ثٌ	ث
جٍ	جاً	ٌج	ج
حٍ	حاً	حٌ	ح
خٍ	خاً	خٌ	خ
دٍ	داً	ٌ د	د
ٍذ	ذاً	ذٌ	ذ
رٍ	راً	رٌ	ر
ٍز	زاً	زٌ	ز
ٍس	ساً	سٌ	س
شٍ	شاً	شٌ	ش
صٍ	صاً	صٌ	ص
ضٍ	ضاً	ضٌ	ض
طٍ	طاً	ٌ ط	ط
ٍظ	ظاً	ٌ ظ	ظ
ٍع	عاً	عٌ	ع
ٍغ	غاً	غٌ	غ
فٍ	فاً	فٌ	ف
ٍق	قاً	قٌ	ق
ٍك	كاً	كٌ	ك
ٍل	لاً	ٌل	ل
مٍ	ماً	ٌم	م
نٍ	ناً	نٌ	ن
هٍ	هاً	ٌه	ه
وٍ	واً	وٌ	و
ٍي	ياً	يٌ	ي

Using the Hamza with Alif

As explained previously think of Hamza as a chair for Alif to put the double short vowel! Notice that in case of "Kasrah-tain" the Hamza is actually moved underneath Alif but sometimes it remains on top but the "Kasrah-tain" is moved below Alif and sometimes Hamza is above Alif and "Kasrah-tain" is beneath Hamza but above Alif, all three methods of writings are valid.

أٌ

أٍ

أً

Hamzatul-Qat'e

This regular hamza(t) at the beginning of a word is called the "disconnecting hamza(t)" هَمْزَةُ القَطْعِ. This is often an original letter and it must be pronounced always.

Hamzatul-Wasl

The other type of hamza(t) which lacks the sign ءis called the "connecting hamza(t)" هَمْزَةُ الوَصْلِ . That one is never an original letter and it is only pronounced when it is the first thing that comes out of the mouth. Arabs added this kind of hamza(t) to some words for merely phonological reasons, namely because they hated to start talking by pronouncing a "still" letter, that is, a consonant that is not followed by any vowel. The connecting hamza(t) is somewhat similar to the French "liaison."

Exercise

Go to the alphabet table and place each of the double short vowels (Fatha-tain/Kasrah-tain/Damma-tain) underneath it and pronounce it.

Shadda (emphasis) or Tashdeed (sign of emphasis)

This is a small w which is placed on top of the letter to indicate that the letter is to be pronounced twice e.g جّ

Exercise

Go to the alphabet table and place each of the Shadda underneath it and pronounce it twice.

Qalqalah

The following letters are pronounced with a slight (echo) vibrating sound at the end when the letter has a Sukoon or letter is assigned a Sukoon because of stopping.

Letter Sound	Transliteration	End	Middle	Beginning	Isolated (Original) Form
bā’	b	ـب	ـبـ	بـ	ب
jīm	j	ـج	ـجـ	جـ	ج
dāl	d	ـد	ـد	د	د
ṭā’	ṭ	ـط	ـطـ	ط	ط
qāf	q	ـق	ـقـ	قـ	ق

أَحَدٌ

ٱلصَّمَدُ

Long Vowel: Alif Al-Madd

This is used to elongate the sound of a single short vowel i.e. the Alif is added to Fatha so sound goes from Fatha (a) to "aa" e.g. جاَ

Exercise

Go to the alphabet table and place Alif Al-Madd underneath it and pronounce it while elongating the sound of normal Fatha.

Long Vowel: Yaa Al-Madd

This is used to elongate the sound of a single short vowel i.e. the Yaa is added to Kasrah so sound goes from Kasrah (i) to "ii" or "ee" e.g. جِى

Exercise

Go to the alphabet table and place Yaa Al-Madd underneath it and pronounce it while elongating the sound of normal Kasrah.

Long Vowel: Waaw Al-Madd

This is used to elongate the sound of a single short vowel i.e. the Waaw is added to Damma so sound goes from Damma (u) to "oo" or e.g. جُو

Exercise

Go to the alphabet table and place Waaw Al-Madd underneath it and pronounce it while elongating the sound of normal Damma.

Huroof Tafkheem (pronouncing with full mouth)

The following letters will always be pronounced with a full mouth and it doesn't matter which vowel is placed on them.

ظ

ق

ط

غ

ض

ص

خ

if the Tafkheem letter is followed by an Alif then the Alif must also be pronounced with a full mouth.

Exercise

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَنفِقُواْ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا ڪَسَبۡتُمۡ وَمِمَّآ أَخۡرَجۡنَا لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ وَلَا تَيَمَّمُواْ ٱلۡخَبِيثَ مِنۡهُ تُنفِقُونَ وَلَسۡتُم بِـَٔاخِذِيهِ إِلَّآ أَن تُغۡمِضُواْ فِيهِ‌ۚ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ (٢٦٧) ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱلۡفَقۡرَ وَيَأۡمُرُڪُم بِٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ‌ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغۡفِرَةً۬ مِّنۡهُ وَفَضۡلاً۬‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٲسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٦٨) يُؤۡتِى ٱلۡحِڪۡمَةَ مَن يَشَآءُ‌ۚ وَمَن يُؤۡتَ ٱلۡحِڪۡمَةَ فَقَدۡ أُوتِىَ خَيۡرً۬ا ڪَثِيرً۬ا‌ۗ وَمَا يَذَّڪَّرُ إِلَّآ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ (٢٦٩) وَمَآ أَنفَقۡتُم مِّن نَّفَقَةٍ أَوۡ نَذَرۡتُم مِّن نَّذۡرٍ۬ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُهُ ۥ‌ۗ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنۡ أَنصَارٍ (٢٧٠) إِن تُبۡدُواْ ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِىَ‌ۖ

Huroof Maddah (or open letters)

Make the Madd equal to one Alif and it is measured according to the opening of 1 finger.

Waaw Saakin preceded by a Dammah

تُوبُوٓاْ

يَقُولُونَ

تَصُومُواْ

تَكُونُوٓاْ

Alif preceded by a Fatha, (Khathi Zabar [Alif Maqsoorah] or Fathatain)

وَوَضَعۡنَا

زِلۡزَالَهَا

أَثۡقَالَهَا

وَٱلضُّحَىٰ

سَجَىٰ

أَتۡرَابً۬ا

دِهَاقً۬ا

Yaa Sakin preceded by a Kasrah

ٱلَّذِينَ

تَرۡمِيهِم

جِيدِهَا

فَٱدۡخُلِى فِى عِبَـٰدِى

Closed Letters

When there is no Madd and no signs of elongation, do not drag the letter and simply pronounce it.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَنفِقُواْ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا ڪَسَبۡتُمۡ وَمِمَّآ أَخۡرَجۡنَا لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ وَلَا تَيَمَّمُواْ ٱلۡخَبِيثَ مِنۡهُ تُنفِقُونَ وَلَسۡتُم بِـَٔاخِذِيهِ إِلَّآ أَن تُغۡمِضُواْ فِيهِ‌ۚ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ (٢٦٧) ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱلۡفَقۡرَ وَيَأۡمُرُڪُم بِٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ‌ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغۡفِرَةً۬ مِّنۡهُ وَفَضۡلاً۬‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٲسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٦٨) يُؤۡتِى ٱلۡحِڪۡمَةَ مَن يَشَآءُ‌ۚ وَمَن يُؤۡتَ ٱلۡحِڪۡمَةَ فَقَدۡ أُوتِىَ خَيۡرً۬ا ڪَثِيرً۬ا‌ۗ وَمَا يَذَّڪَّرُ إِلَّآ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ

Rule of Laam in the name of Allah (SWT)

If there is Damma or Fatha before or on the letter Laam then the letter is pronounced with a full mouth.

ذَٲلِكَ فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ

وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمُۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

If there is Kasrah on the letter before or on the letter Laam then the letter is pronounced with an empty mouth.

أَنَّكُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءُ لِلَّهِ

إِلَىٰ ذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ

Rule of Raa

If there is Damma or Fatha before or on the letter Raa or if there is Hamzatul-Wasl before it then Raa is pronounced with a full mouth.

رَّبِّ ٱرۡحَمۡهُمَا

رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرً۬ا 

If there is Kasrah on the letter before or on the letter Laam or if Yaa is the previous letter then the Raa is pronounced with an empty mouth.

خَيۡرً۬ا

وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرُۢ