Tajweed rules & Quran symbols

When: Nūn sākinah or tanwīn followed by one of 15 letters (ص ذ ث ك ج ش ق س د ط ز ف ت ض ظ)

Hide the nūn sound between clarity and assimilation, with nasal sound (ghunnah) held about 2 counts.

When: Nūn sākinah or tanwīn followed by ي ر م ل و ن

Merge the nūn into the next letter. With ي ن م و hold a 2-count ghunnah; with ل ر merge with no ghunnah.

When: Nūn sākinah or tanwīn followed by ب

Convert the nūn into a meem sound with lips lightly touching and a 2-count ghunnah.

When: Nūn sākinah or tanwīn followed by ء ه ع ح غ خ

Pronounce the nūn clearly with no nasalisation or merging.

When: Meem or nūn with shaddah (مّ نّ)

Hold a nasal hum for approximately 2 counts.

When: The letters ق ط ب ج د when sākin

Produce a slight echo or bounce from the articulation point without adding a vowel.

When: Alif, waaw or yaa as a natural long vowel

Lengthen for 2 counts — no more, no less.

When: A madd letter followed by hamzah in the same word

Obligatory lengthening of 4–5 counts.

When: A madd letter at the end of a word, hamzah beginning the next

Permissible lengthening of 4–5 counts, or 2 counts in some routes of recitation.

When: A madd letter followed by a letter with sukūn or shaddah

Lengthen 6 counts — the longest madd.

When: 'Al-' followed by a sun letter (e.g. الشمس)

The lām is silent; the following letter is doubled.

When: 'Al-' followed by a moon letter (e.g. القمر)

The lām is pronounced clearly as 'al-'.