Tajweed rules explained, with examples
Tajweed rules tell you how each letter of the Quran should sound: where it comes from, how long it lasts and how it changes next to other letters. This guide explains every main rule family with examples, following the recitation of Hafs ʿan ʿAsim.
Last updated: 30 September 2026
What tajweed is
The word tajweed comes from an Arabic root meaning "to make excellent". In recitation it means giving every letter its right: its correct point of articulation, its natural qualities and the changes it undergoes next to other letters. The Quran instructs: وَرَتِّلِ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلًا "and recite the Quran with measured recitation" (Al-Muzzammil 73:4).
Is tajweed obligatory?
Scholars distinguish between two things:
- Reciting without clear mistakes (lahn jali), such as changing a letter or a vowel in a way that can alter the meaning, is required of everyone who recites the Quran.
- Studying the rules in detail as a science is a communal obligation: the community needs people who know them, but not every individual must master the theory.
Imam Ibn al-Jazari (d. 833 AH), whose poem al-Muqaddimah is still the standard tajweed text, described applying tajweed as a firm requirement. Subtler imperfections (lahn khafi) are improved over time with a teacher. For rulings on your own situation, see our disclaimer and ask a scholar you trust.
Makharij: where letters come from
Every Arabic letter is pronounced from a specific place. There are five main areas:
| Area | Letters |
|---|---|
| The empty space of the mouth and throat (al-jawf) | The long vowels: ا و ي as madd letters |
| The throat (al-halq) | ء ه ع ح غ خ |
| The tongue (al-lisan) | Most letters, from ق at the back to ت د ط at the tip |
| The lips (ash-shafatan) | ف ب م و |
| The nasal passage (al-khayshum) | The ghunnah of ن and م |
Full detail, including the mistakes English speakers make most, is in makharij al-huruf.
Noon sakinah and tanween
A noon with sukoon (نْ) or tanween (ـً ـٍ ـٌ) changes depending on the letter that follows. There are four rules:
| Rule | Following letters | What happens | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Izhar (clear) | ء ه ع ح غ خ | Noon pronounced clearly | مَنْ ءَامَنَ |
| Idgham (merging) | ي ر م ل و ن | Noon merges into the next letter; with ghunnah for ي ن م و, without for ل ر | مَن يَقُولُ · مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ |
| Iqlab (changing) | ب | Noon becomes a hidden meem, with ghunnah | مِنۢ بَعْدِ |
| Ikhfa (hiding) | The remaining 15 letters | Noon is partly hidden, with ghunnah | أَنتُمْ · مِن قَبْلُ |
Each rule is explained with more examples in noon sakinah and tanween rules.
Meem sakinah
A meem with sukoon (مْ) has three rules: ikhfa shafawi before ب (تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍ), idgham shafawi before another م (لَهُم مَّا), and izhar shafawi before every other letter, taking particular care before و and ف (هُمْ فِيهَا). See meem sakinah rules.
Qalqalah
Five letters, ق ط ب ج د (remembered as قُطْبُ جَدٍّ), make a slight echoing bounce when they carry a sukoon. The bounce is light in the middle of a word (خَلَقْنَا) and stronger when you stop on the letter at the end of a verse, as at the end of ٱلْفَلَقِ. Examples and common mistakes: qalqalah letters.
Madd
Madd means lengthening a long vowel. The main types, as recited in Hafs via ash-Shatibiyyah:
| Type | When it happens | Length (counts) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural (tabee'i) | A madd letter with no hamzah or sukoon after it | 2 | قَالَ |
| Connected (muttasil) | Hamzah after the madd letter in the same word | 4 or 5 | جَآءَ |
| Separated (munfasil) | Hamzah at the start of the next word | 4 or 5 | يَٰٓأَيُّهَا |
| Necessary (lazim) | A permanent sukoon or shaddah after the madd letter | 6 | ٱلضَّآلِّينَ |
| Stopping (aarid lis-sukoon) | Stopping on a word after a madd letter | 2, 4 or 6 | ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ (when stopping) |
More detail: madd in tajweed.
Ghunnah
Ghunnah is a nasal sound produced through the nose. It is held for about two counts on a noon or meem with shaddah, as in إِنَّ and ثُمَّ, and also appears in idgham, iqlab and ikhfa. See ghunnah meaning.
Lam shamsiyyah and qamariyyah
The lam of "al-" is silent before the 14 sun letters, and the next letter is doubled: ٱلشَّمْسُ. Before the 14 moon letters it is pronounced: ٱلْقَمَرُ. See sun and moon letters.
Heavy and light letters
Seven letters are always pronounced heavy (tafkheem): خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ, remembered as خُصَّ ضَغْطٍ قِظْ. Others are light (tarqeeq), and a few, such as ر and the lam in the name Allah, change with their vowels. See tafkheem and tarqeeq.
Stopping signs
Small symbols above the text show where stopping is required, allowed or discouraged:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| مـ | Stop here (necessary stop) |
| لا | Do not stop here |
| ج | Stopping and continuing are both allowed |
| صلى | Continuing is better |
| قلى | Stopping is better |
| ∴ ∴ | Stop at one of the two marked places, not both |
Full guide: stop signs in Quran. Unfamiliar terms are defined in our Quran glossary.
Reading rules is the first step; hearing them is the second. Our tajweed course puts every rule on this page into practice with a teacher who listens to you recite, or see all our online Quran classes.
Frequently asked questions
How many tajweed rules are there?
There is no single agreed number, because rules are grouped differently by different teachers. For learning purposes they fall into a handful of families: makharij, noon and meem sakinah, qalqalah, madd, ghunnah, heavy and light letters, lam rules and stopping.
Which tajweed rules should a beginner learn first?
Correct pronunciation of each letter (makharij) and the difference between short and long vowels come first, because they affect every word. Qalqalah and sun and moon letters are usually next.
Can I learn tajweed rules from a chart?
A chart is a useful reminder, but tajweed is heard, not just read. Reciting to a teacher who can hear and correct you is how the rules become natural.
Are tajweed rules the same in every recitation?
The main principles are shared, but some details differ between the recognised recitations (qira'at). This guide follows Hafs ʿan ʿAsim, the recitation most used in the UK.
Practise these rules with a teacher
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