The Rules of Laam

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The Rules of Laam

Generally, a Laam is always Tarqeeq (Empty-mouth). The only time where it may become heavy is when Lafdh Al-Jalalah – لفظ الجلالة (The name of Allaah) is mentioned.

What is meant by the above is, the Laam on Lafdh Al-Jalalah will be either Tafkheem or Tarqeeq depending on the vowelling of the letter that precedes Lafdh Al Jalalah.

If the letter before Lafdh Al Jalalah has a Kasra, then the Laam on Lafdh Al Jalalah will be pronounced Tarqeeq.

For instance:

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

Here, the Baa before Lafdh Al Jalalah has a kasrah, and thus, the laam on Lafdh Al Jalalah will be pronounced as Tarqeeq.

Other examples of Laam as Tarqeeq:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّـهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ  

           (Surah Baqarah Verse 8)

وَادْعُوا شُهَدَاءَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّـهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

(Surah Baqarah Verse 24)

When the preceeding letter before Lafdh Al Jalalah has a Fatha or a Dhamma, then the Laam in Lafdh Al Jalalah will be pronounced Tafkheem:

وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَ اللَّـهِ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُ ۚ لَا تَدْرِي لَعَلَّ اللَّـهَ يُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ أَمْرًا

(Surah Talaq Verse 1)

Other examples of Laam in Lafdh Al Jalalah being Tafkheem are:

يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّـهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ

(Surah Baqarah Verse 5)

إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّـهِ وَالْفَتْحُ

(Surah Nasr Verse 1)

Can you spot the ‘Rules of Laam’ in the following video?:

 

The Rules Of Raa

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

As mentioned in the previous Tajweed post, the letters ل (Laam) and ر (Raa) will be heavy (Tafkheem) in some circumstances and Light (Tarqeeq) in some circumstances.

The Rules of Raa

The general rule is that whenever ر has a  Fatha or a Dhamma, the Raa will be pronounced heavy/full mouthed (Tafkheem). For instance:

تَبَارَكَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجً۬ا وَجَعَلَ فِيہَا سِرَٲجً۬ا وَقَمَرً۬ا مُّنِيرً۬ا

Additionally, another general rule is whenever ر has a kasra, the Raa will be pronounced in empty-mouthed/light manner (Tarqeeq). For instance:

إِنَّهُ ۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٍ۬ كَرِيمٍ۬

Other examples of ر being Tarqeeq is:

 (لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِىٍٕ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ شَأۡنٌ۬ يُغۡنِيهِ     (80:37

(وَبُرِّزَتِ ٱلۡجَحِيمُ لِمَن يَرَىٰ     (79:36

What happens if Raa is silent (has a sukoon on it)?

When Raa is silent, the Raa will be Tafkheem/Tarqeeq depending on the vowel on the letter preceding it. For example:

فِرۡعَوۡنَ                 Here, the letter Raa is silent but, the letter before it (Faa) has a Kasra, so, therefore, the Raa will be pronounced Tarqeeq (Light/Empty-mouthed).

قُرۡءَانٌ۬ مَّجِيدٌ۬               Here the silent letter Raa is preceded by a letter (Qaaf) with a Dhamma, therefore, the Raa will be Tafkheem (Heavy/Full-mouthed)

ٱلۡأَرۡضُ                         Here the Silent Raa is preceded by a letter (Alif) with a Fatha, therefore, the Raa will be pronounced Tafkheem (Heavy/Full-mouthed)

 

Letters of Isti’laa – الحروف المستعلية

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Characteristics of the Letters of Isti’laa: – The letters of Isti’laa are 7:

خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ

الحروف المستعلية  أي  الحروف التي تتصعّد في الحنك الأعلى

The characteristics of these letters require the tongue to be escalated to the upper palate and hence, the sound produced is تفخيم  (Heavy-mouthed).

 The letters of Isti’laa can be remembered via the phrase:

خصَّ ضغطٍ قظ

Phrase transliterated: Khussa Daghtin Qidh

The remaining letters are known as Huroof Al-Istifaal, whereby, the letters are ترقیق (Empty-mouthed) except, Laam (ل) and Raa (ر) in certain circumstances which will be discussed in the future InshaAllaah.

THESE LETTERS WILL ALWAYS BE HEAVY MOUTHED.

Recommended video to watch to learn the articulation of the letters of Isti’laa: