Basic Tajweed Rules for Beginners (With Examples)
Tajweed means "to make excellent" — reciting each letter from its correct place, with its correct qualities. Here are the rules beginners meet first. Each links to a free lesson in our Noorani Qaida course.
1. Noon Sakinah and Tanween — four rules
When a noon with sukoon (نْ) or tanween ( ـً ـٍ ـٌ ) is followed by certain letters, it's pronounced in one of four ways. Full lesson →
| Rule | What happens | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| Izhar (clear) | Pronounce the noon clearly | ء ه ع ح غ خ (throat letters) |
| Idgham (merging) | The noon merges into the next letter | With ghunnah: ي ن م و. Without ghunnah: ل ر |
| Iqlab (changing) | The noon becomes a meem sound, with ghunnah | ب |
| Ikhfa (hiding) | The noon is partly hidden, with ghunnah | the remaining 15 letters |
Note: idgham only applies between two words. Inside one word (as in دُنْيَا) the noon stays clear.
2. Meem Sakinah — three rules
- Ikhfa Shafawi: meem sakinah before ب is hidden with ghunnah.
- Idgham Shafawi: meem sakinah before another م merges into it with ghunnah.
- Izhar Shafawi: before every other letter, the meem is pronounced clearly — take extra care before و and ف.
3. Qalqalah — the echoing letters
The five letters ق ط ب ج د (remembered as qutbu jad) get a slight bounce when they carry a sukoon, strongest at the end of a verse. Full lesson →
4. Ghunnah — the nasal sound
A noon or meem with shaddah (نّ مّ) is held with a nasal sound for about two counts. Full lesson →
5. Madd — elongation
- Natural madd (madd tabee‘i): 2 counts, e.g. the alif in قَالَ.
- Connected madd (muttasil): a madd letter followed by hamzah in the same word — lengthened 4–5 counts.
- Separated madd (munfasil): the hamzah is at the start of the next word — also commonly 4–5 counts in Hafs.
- Necessary madd (lazim): followed by a sukoon or shaddah — 6 counts.
6. Laam Shamsiyyah and Qamariyyah
The "al" in words like الشَّمْس is silent (sun letters), while in الْقَمَر it's pronounced (moon letters). Full lesson →
Why a teacher matters
You can read these rules in ten minutes, but hearing whether you apply them correctly needs another person. Read why Tajweed matters, or join our Tajweed course.
Book a free trial lesson — we'll check your recitation and tell you which rules to focus on first.
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