Simple Rules of

Tajweed

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Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

Ta’limi Board
Tel.: 031 912 2172 Fax.: 031 902 9268
P.O. Box 26024 Isipingo Beach 4115
info@talimiboardkzn.org
Title: Simple Rules of Tajweed
Published by:
Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)
Ta’limi Board
4 Third Avenue
P.O.Box 26024
Isipingo Beach
4115
South Africa
Tel: +27-31 912 2172
Fax: +27-31 902 9268
E-mail: info@talimiboardkzn.org
Website: www.talimiboardkzn.org
Skype: talimiboard

First edition: Zul Hijjah 1423 /February 2003

Second edition: Ramadhaan 1429 / September 2008
Third edition: Rabi-us-Thaani 1431 / April 2010

For the Esaale - Sawaab of the entire Ummah of Nabi j

1. Open permission is granted for reprinting of this booklet provided that it is not for personal
gain and no alterations are made.
2. A humble appeal is directed to readers to offer suggestions, corrections, etc. to improve
the quality of this publication in the future. May Allah Ta’ala reward you for this.
3. The author, sponsors and typesetter humbly request your duas for them, their parents,
families, Asaatidha and Mashaaikh.
 Contents
Introduction……………………………………............................................... 1
Makhaarij / Special letters…………………………………………………………….. 2
Full mouth letters………………………………………………………………………….. 3
Open & Closed letters…………………………….…………………………………….. 4
Ghunnah……………………………………………………………………………………..… 5
Idghaam……………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
Ikhfa………………………………………………………………………………………….… 8
Izhaar………………………………………………………………………………………….... 9
Rules of Meem……………………………………………………………………………... 10
Qalb……………………………………………………………………………………………... 11
Rules of Raa………………………………………………………………………………….. 12
Laam of Allah………………………………………………………………………………... 13
Qalqalah……………………………………………………………………………………….. 14
Symbols of waqf……………………………………………………………………………. 16
The rules of waqf (STOPPING)……………………………………………….…….… 17
Mudd............................................................................................... 19
Simple rules of tajweed Page 1

Introduction
Tajweed literally means to adorn and beautify. In the context of the
recitation of the Quraan Shareef, tajweed refers to the correct
pronunciation of the letters and applying the various rules of
recitation.
The importance of Tajweed cannot be overemphasized. The
recitation of the Qur’aan Shareef in salaah is compulsory. Often, due
to not reciting the Qur’aan Shareef with Tajweed, the salaah is
affected. It is therefore necessary to learn Tajweed so that the
Qur’aan Shareef may be recited correctly.
Arabic is a very delicate language. A slight mispronunciation can
completely change the meaning. The word Qalb means heart. If the
Qaaf in Qalb is not pronounced correctly and instead, it is
pronounced as a kaaf, the meaning changes to “dog!” In Surah
Kausar the word “wan Har” means sacrifice. If the Haa is not
pronounced correctly the meaning changes to “scold!” It is thus
obvious that the rules of Tajweed must be applied in the recitation
of the Qur’aan Shareef.
There are many detailed laws of tajweed which take a long time to
study. However this booklet contains the most basic laws which, if
learnt thoroughly, will enable a learner on the Maktab level to recite
the Quraan Shareef correctly. It must nevertheless be remembered
that the correct application of the rules of tajweed depends upon
listening to its application by someone who has learnt how to
recite the Qur’aan Shareef with Tajweed. Thus the teacher must
clearly recite the various examples to the children, highlighting the
particular rule that is being applied therein. The children must then
be made to repeatedly practice the examples in the book with
additional examples from the Qur’aan Shareef in order to fully grasp
the application of the rule.
Simple rules of tajweed Page 2

Makhaarij
(Correct pronunciation of letters)


   
    

 
  
  

      
Special letters
Do not confuse the letters in the first row with the similar
sounding letters in the second row.

      
    
 
 
         

  
Simple rules of tajweed Page 3

Full mouth letters

These seven letters will always be read with a full mouth.

      (       !  #" )

% & ' "  ()

*  +, !  .)
! -
 - "  /0

1  23  )/#   45 "6

1  +- 7- 8"
 " 
  0/8 9 :* ; < 1+(  )/=)
>&
?  4@ 6  * A

  C
  B/@)

D F 
" E
 B D "
FG')
C  H
7  +4'
F I,J B 3   K G  )/L
& A

&  HC

"%/G A  J /  

" G  )/-)  *  +"6



Simple rules of tajweed Page 4

Open letters
 
M
 C

Pull the letter for the duration of one Alif
D
N;  OD )9
D
 QOP
R /;  )
S  )
& " L& " H
" U* # ‫א‬ 9WV OP
& " )& "  /;  )/.X

F  IY+4D 2 F  L
W +# 
 D 4 2Z 
[
Closed letters
Be careful not to drag a closed letter

 " LB
\ 7]0 [
  +^ *  H N)

N;  +4_ 7`  B

C N;  23  2
1  +L /6 "N4]2

/6 [   I0
" - a  0 1 b * # c
7d

Simple rules of tajweed Page 5

Ghunnah
Whenever Noon or Meem has a Tashdeed, make Ghunnah
(a long nasal sound).

/(40 eNA
" \P
/I)
WD)

e fIb /  /(P/0 " B/I)

 Ib c

N_ N"X /(6 /(40 /(8

 f)/(8 /6
C g  I5"  )/L 1"4hV " Y)

/;P/0 F  Pi /() /Pi  B/;  I)

C
"NjP& " 4dI)C 3e (G "6 /
  I)
1 6
Simple rules of tajweed Page 6

Idghaam
If after noon saakin (c) or tanween (ek ) the

letters C > c M appear then make idghaam (join the

letters) and make ghunnah (a long nasal sound). For e.g.

l" & ".2 1 6

If after noon saakin or tanween the letters l B appear
then join the letters and do not make ghunnah.

For e.g. e C " B c3"  ) 1 6

eN+8  B m

"l& ".2 1 6 " no  2 1 6 7(]2 1 (0

p :*  2
*k q   2 r  h6&  2
" B3" -
 fO@ " P 1 6 "N^3  2SP 1  40

e fdA  e   e f(_ /P r  h6&  2
 /P f46/_
Simple rules of tajweed Page 7

/6 k aQ6  n6 1 6 3 V 6 1 6

" l & ^"  /6 [
 U* ; @ "6 /kOG" A   ]^
 -
s  )C 1 6 N tBC 1 6
3)C /6C 3  )
C C M3 ;  2C
*k  +Q^
* " 2 ci C * o " 2 1 6
/."45  2 c
/H/0"BC /k(=D _
e3+u 6 3e  +( 8  f6/+.)
>&  2 C k fI])
Simple rules of tajweed Page 8

Ikhfa
IKHFAA: If any of the following letters appear after Noon
Saakin or Tanween, Ikhfaa (a nasal sound equal to one alif)
should be made.

mvw

N;"  4]u  0 7  +u ` 1 6 N;  Ha A

 1 _
k       " k    "  "  
x+q gOP NX f4+) NYPJ c/VPi
   fL/^  f+A
 ;) 

kB/P
y    /P
" 3 G " H r  h6&  2
  & b" 1 6
R4".X 1 6 e f( + ey"Y^"
Simple rules of tajweed Page 9

Izhaar
If any of the following letters come after a Noon Saakin or
Tanween, Izhaar will be made.

   :
Izhaar means to recite without a nasal sound
(without pulling).

 & # 1 6
m *G  P
C R(]PJ

" WI6   
 ', 16 16 J 1 6
y  

eN+j 8 eN+4_ 7+L/L

*k  +z eN+4_  F q


*k +, /k6&   *e  +d# eN+4_ /I23  /8k & " P
N+)
%
 _ 1 6  "       D  
 r Nj  B
16 c
r c

Simple rules of tajweed Page 10

Rules of Meem
IDGHAAM: If a Meem appears after Meem Saakin, ghunna
will be made.

" 
F  I6 NjI+H/2
  /6 Nj"  )

"Nj]6 N;"  P
c& " 4` * "6 Nj"  +)

IKHFAA: If a Baa appears after Meem Saakin, Ikhfa will be

made

N;  L N;"  LB 1  +I6 { "(L N" /6C

 0
"N;I+L Nj" 8/ D  L N-
 E/   Y]2
IZHAAR: If any letter besides Baa and Meem appears after
Meem Saakin, do not make ghunna.

e*b  J N;"  40 

F  0 N"3  +^ 7]u  2 N)J Nj" " I2 Nj"  )
Simple rules of tajweed Page 11

Qalb
If the letter % appears after Noon Saakin or Tanween, Qalb
will be made. Qalb means that the Noon or Tanween will
change into a >

3  ]L 1 ۢ 6 1 ;  H& " +"L 1 ۢ 6 75  L 1 ۢ 6

7+}t* ` 
F~  IL 1 ۢ 6 /;4.L 1 ۢ 6
 /I)/L ۢ /k]OV  I) /(L ۢ
3k  LJ /(L gۢ OP
 f+A
ۢ
 e
  L 1h(@ "6
c /(2Z/ WL *e ۢ @ OI"6
  I+L /
/ ۢ  2‫א‬ N;  YIV  )/L ۢ /+)
* @  L ۢ  f2*    fI+L 1 ۢ _
Simple rules of tajweed Page 12

Rules of Raa
Raa with a Fatha (Zabar) or Dhammah (Pesh)
OR
Raa Saakin with a Fatha or Dhamma before it
will be read with a Full Mouth.

N;  +6 *  H 7`  B

C
*k  +z *H N)

c& " * " 2    

* "6
C  "  BZ
R  ^"

 * 
% *  L F  LB
Raa with a Kasrah or Raa Saakin with a Kasrah before it will
be read with an Empty Mouth.

N"Br  P
* q 1 6 *  +# 1 6 B & z" C
 /P  B/P F  0 %
* A  *  Y
C *  d)/L

% * q "Br"P * ^3 "6   YP/0

*-

Simple rules of tajweed Page 13

Laam of Allah
If a Dhammah (Pesh) or Fatha (Zabar) comes before the
word “Allah”, it will be read with a Full Mouth (Tafkheem).

D & "
" E
D *" -
 E
 P
D" E
 Z
D NY#
" E
D l" & `"  B
 E

D F 
" E
 B D F4_
 E

If a Kasrah (Zer) comes before the word “Allah”, it will be

read with an Empty Mouth (Tarqeeq).

D F0
 E
D N V  L
 E

 ED  3" (G  )J D 3  I_ 1 6

 E

D 7"
" E
DE
/L " & "_J D /
 E
  2‫א‬L

Simple rules of tajweed Page 14

Qalqalah
 b
If any of the letters of (3 "y@ " )  w %   has a
saakin or jazam, Qalqalah will be made. Qalqalah means
to make an echoing sound.

"I.2 *.L
 "NV  "

"N;(]z  J e fIh(@ "6 k fO@ " P

e7d8 
*e  dA 72*  db

M * u  H *e u0 " 

s ]b *)
3.) 3  )& " 2 N)C 3  42 N) e B3  
/P3  d_ /I4]u  H N;"  Y4d ! .P
Simple rules of tajweed Page 15

The same rule applies if the Saakin is due to Waqf (stopping).

"K8 K4# K40


yV ^ 
yC 
y;) 

e38  J e& " Ij  )  

"3(-)

  
w C*d)

  ` /L
" "  e  +G
 "6

we
S 6 
B we * 8
eK2* 8 & " ]" w C *" " L
Take care: When making Qalqalah, take care that a Harkat

(Zabar, Zer or Pesh) is not created. e7d8

 should not be read

as e7d8
Simple rules of tajweed Page 16

Symbols of Waqf (Stopping

(Stopping)
topping)
These signs indicate that you must
﴾﴿ > [   stop.

 ‫ﲑ‬
ۡ
 ‫ﻛ ﺜ‬ ‫ﻪ‬
ٖ ‫ﺑ‬
‫ﻞ‬
  ‫ﻀ‬ ‫ﻳ‬  ‫ﻼ‬

‫ﺜ‬ ‫ﻣ‬  ‫ﺬ‬‫ﻬ‬ ٰ ‫ﻳۡﻦ ﻛﻔﺮ ۡ' ﻓﻴﻘ ۡﻮﻟ ۡﻮ! ﻣﺎ ۤ  ﷲ ﺑ‬+  ‫' ﻣﺎ‬
                  
ۡ .ٰ ۤ ۡ ۡ ۡ
 ‫ﻛ ﺜ‬
﴾﴿ ‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻞ ﺑ ٖﻪ   ﻻ ﻟﻔ ﺴ ﻘ‬  ‫ﻀ‬
 ‫ 'ﻣﺎ ﻳ‬0 ‫ﲑ‬
   ‫ ﺑ ٖﻪ‬1‫'ﻳﻬ ﺪ‬

These signs indicate that you have

w 7A    the option to stop.

ۡ .
‫ 'ﺗﻮ‬4‫ﱪ ﻣ ﻦ ﺗ ٰﻘﻲ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻜ‬ ٰ ‫ ﻣ ۡﻦ ﻇﻬ ۡﻮﻫﺎ 'ﻟ‬:‫ﺒﻴ ۡﻮ‬.‫! ﺗﺎۡﺗﻮ ﻟ‬. ‫ﱪ ﺑﺎ‬.‫'ﻟ=ۡﺲ ﻟ‬
                 
!‫ﺤ ۡﻮ‬ ‫ﻠ‬
. .
‫ﻔ‬ ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻜ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﷲ‬ ‫ﻮ‬ ‫ﻘ‬ ‫ﺗ‬' B ‫ﺎ‬‫ﻬ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﻮ‬. ‫ﻦ ﺑ‬. ‫ ﻣ‬:‫ﺒﻴ ۡﻮ‬.‫ﻟ‬
                

These signs indicate that a slight

fOC fYj`  pause should be made without
breaking the breath.
. ۡ . . . .
M ‫ﻮ‬. ‫ ﻟ ﻘ‬N ‫ﺮﻧﺎ ﻋ‬. ‫ ﻨﺎ ﻓﺎﻧﺼ‬Lٰ ‫ﻮﻟ‬. ‫ ﻧﺖ ﻣ‬E ‫ﺣﻤ ﻨﺎ‬ ' E ‫ﺮ ﻟ  ﻨﺎ‬. ‫ 'ﻏ ﻔ‬E ‫ﻒ ﻋ ﻨﺎ‬
 ‫'ﻋ‬
ۡ
        
.
‫ﺮﻳ ۡﻦ‬
ٰ

‫ﻟﻜ ﻔ‬

Z Do not stop.

. ‫ﺒﻠ‬. ‫ﻳۡﻦ ﻣ ۡﻦ ﻗ‬+ ۡ

P   '  ! ‫ﻮ‬. ‫ﺮ ﻋ‬. ‫ ﻓ‬R ٰ S
‫ﻛ ﺪ‬

 
Simple rules of tajweed Page 17

Rules of Waqf (Stopping

(Stopping)
topping)
1. The general rule of waqf is to remove the harkat of the
last letter and replace it with a sukoon / jazam.

p :&  ) 9 :*  +, K  40 yV ^ "7`" " B y  3e 8 

 ; )
 :&  )  :*  +, K  40 yV ^ 7`" " B y;  ) 3 8 

2. If the last letter has a fathatain / do zabar, take out one

fatha / zabar and read the alif after it.
(If there isn’t an alif, add one).

k tS b k t3  P
*k o  P k a+4 /kL/V 8
*k V " 2 /k(+( 8

 tS b
 t3  P
* o  P  a+4 /L/V 8
* V " 2 /(+( 8
3. If the last letter is a round taa , change it to a (small) haa
 and put a sukoon / jazam on it.

k U* .L k f+6 /8 f+)/_ e U*  ^r  H e fOb

B f+q /, k fIb

 :* .L  W+6 /8  W+)/_  :*  ^r  H  WOb

B  W+q /,  WIb
Simple rules of tajweed Page 18

4. If the last letter is an alif with a fatha / zabar before it or

if the last letter has a sukoon / jazam or the last letter has
a fatha muqaddara / khara zabar, no change will take
place when making waqf.

FD4 FuD `  * o 8" 

 *  +`" //`  //IL /a  H

FD4 FuD `  * o 8" 

 *  +`" //`  //IL /a  H

  comes before the last letter, then pull slightly

5. If  ,

, 
when making waqf.

€  2* "   & # 1  +]YV  P e B& j" q c/+L 1" D(8 *) 

€ ~ 2* "   &~ # 1 ~ +]YV  P  B&~ j" q cn+L 1 ~D(8 *) 

m
6. If the last letter has a tashdeed, pull a little when making
waqf.

"*O6 ecb ‚" 8  B'

 "6 g 6 e7@  0 y
 H
 "6 g6 7@  0 yH
*O6 cb ‚8 B'
Simple rules of tajweed Page 19

Mudd
There are two types of Mudd: 1. Short Mudd 2. Long Mudd
Short Mudd - Pull for 3 Alifs Long Mudd - Pull for 5 Alifs

N;"  H b " o  2 1 6 k V  P

72 t* ` 
s~  IL  nI+H‫א‬
l‫א‬ N"YP/~D

 t* ."O4) " :&D  L

~p WXBC  GD  h`ƒD
R

1 D Y63 "6 s  P&ƒ b

" 8 " ED ƒ ‫א‬
   ƒ  "
K" G  )
 b   
 C3)
*q 1 2* ^r)
D 7
%t

gƒ D 2 !ƒ ƒ ]D+;D ^ƒ Kƒ Vƒ ƒ_ ƒN8D
ٓ ۤ ٓ ۤ
W ٰ W ٰ
0 T ‫ ﻫ ﺆ ﻻ‬X ‫ ' ﻻ‬T ‫ ﻫ ﺆ ﻻ‬X ‫ﻻ‬

ۡ ۤ
‫ ﷲ‬T‫ ۡ'!  ﻻ ! [  ﺸﺂ‬T‫' ﻣﺎ \  ﺸﺂ‬
     
Simple rules of tajweed Page 20

Notes