The Tajweed rule and the Ikhfa letters are of the most important rules used to correctly recite the Quranic verses.
Aisha Narrated:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Such a person as recites the Qur’an and masters it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven). And such a person exerts himself to learn the Qur’an by heart, and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward.” [Sahih al-Bukhari 4937, Book 65, Hadith 458]
Quran recitation is one of the greatest acts of worship, therefore, we will learn the Quran ikhfa letters, how, and when to apply the rule. In addition to so much more, let’s get started.
What is Ikhfa?
The Ikhfa letters are the letters that refer to the Ikhfa rule, they guide you to when you should apply the rule of Ikhfa. But what is the rule of Ikhfa? The word Ikhfa means ‘hiding’ in English, in the science of Tajweed it refers to hiding the sound of Noon and a Ghunnah sound is made. It is applied when one of the Ikhfa letters comes after a Noon Sakinah or Tanween. So it is called Ikhfa because it hides the noon Sakinah or Tanween.
What are the Types of Ikhfa?
There are two types of Ikhfa, ikhfaa’ haqiqi and ikhfaa’ shafawi.
- ikhfaa’ haqiqi: ikhfaa’ haqiqi refers to hiding the Noon Sakinah or Tanween when are followed by any of the 15 Ikhfa letters (ت ث ج د ذ زس ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك).
وإن طائفتان
حلالًا طيبًا
لحمًا طريًا
كشجرةٍ طيبةٍ
بريحٍ طيبةٍ
فديةٌ طعام
بلدةٌ طيبةٌ
- ikhfaa’ shafawi: ikhfa shafawi refers to hiding the meem Sakinah when it is followed by the Baa letter (ب). Here are two examples:
تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍ
وَهُم بِالْآخِرَةِ
هم بالساهرة
صاحبكم بمجنون
كنتم به
عليهم بمصيطر
ربهم بذنبهم
ترميهم بحجارة
Here are some Ikhfaa shafawi examples from the holy Quran:
صبحهم بكرةً
دخلتم بيوتًا
عليهم بنيانًا
جاءكم برهانٌ
نورهم بين
أم لكم براءةٌ
أنذرهم بطشتنا
منهم بطشًا
تأتيهم بغتةً
وءاتيناهم بينات
What are Ikhfa letters?
The Ikhfa letters are 15 letters, when any of them follows Noon Sakinah or Tanween then the sound of the noon should be hidden and a ghunnah sound is made.
The 15 Ikhfa letters are:
ت ث ج د ذ زس ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك
What are the levels of ikhfa?
There are three levels of Ikhfa haqiqi that depend on the Ikhfa letters and they are as follows:
1. Highest Level of Ikhfaa’:
When the Ikhfa letters (د ، ت ، ط) come after noon sakinah or tanween, ikhfaa’ is strongest. These letters are close to noon in pronunciation.
2. Lowest Level of Ikhfaa’:
Ikhfaa’ is weakest when the Ikhfa letters (ق ، ك) follow noon sakinah or tanween. It’s almost like making the sound more obvious (izhaar) because these letters are farthest from the way noon is pronounced.
3. Intermediate Level of Ikhfaa’:
For the other ten letters, ikhfaa’ falls in between the highest and lowest levels. These letters aren’t too close or too far in pronunciation from noon.
These levels help understand how strongly or weakly you need to blend the sound of noon sakinah or tanween with the letters that follow them. It’s like a scale from very close to a bit far in pronunciation.
What are the Common mistakes to avoid while making ikhfa?
Here are the three common mistakes when practicing Ikhfa and Ikhfa letters:
1. Making Ghunnah Sound Like Idgham:
When you emphasize the sound of ghunnah too much, it can start to sound like idgham. Ghunnah should be pronounced with a specific duration – think of it as holding the sound for 2 counts or 2 finger taps.
2. Incorrect Duration of Ghunnah:
If you don’t hold the ghunnah sound for the right amount of time (which is 2 counts), it might not sound clear or might mix with other sounds, making it incorrect.
3. Mixing Full and Empty Mouth Ikhfaa’:
When you’re not careful about the type of ikhfaa’ sound you make, it can get mixed up. Some letters need a “full mouth” sound (a bit heavier) and some need an “empty mouth” sound (a bit lighter). Not paying attention to this might affect the way the words are pronounced correctly. Based on the Ikhfa letters that follow the Noon Sakinah or Tanween you can understand the level of Ikhfa.
In simpler terms, it’s about getting the duration of the ghunnah right and being aware of the different ways to make the ikhfaa’ sound based on the following letter, either making it a bit heavier or lighter as needed.
Ikhfaa Examples
Here are some ikhfa letters examples:
Zal letter ذ:
(أنذرناكم)
(من ذكراها)
(منذر)
(يومٍ ذي)
(مسكيناً ذا)
(فأنذرتكم)
Sad letter ص:
Examples of the Ikhfa letter Sad:
(صفاً صفاً)
(فانصب)
(عن صلاتهم)
Thaa letter ث:
(مآءً ثجاجاً)
(مطاعً ثمَّ)
(الأُنثى)
Geem letter ج:
(أن جآءه)
(من جآءك)
(من جوع)
Shin letter ش:
The Ikhfa letters and the letter Shin
(سَبعاً شداداً)
(فمن شآءَ)
(أنشره)
(يومئِذٍ شأن)
(لنفسٍ شيئاً)
(انشقت)
(شيءٍ شهيد)
(حباً جماً)
(من شر)
Sin letterس:
(الإنسان)
Zai letterز:
(وأنزلنا)
(من زكاها)
(أنزلناه)
Faa letter ف:
The Ikhfa letters and the letter Faa:
(ينفخ)
(فتنفعه)
(انفطرت)
(كدحاً فملاقيه)
(بصيراً فلا)
(لقولٌ فصل)
(كيداً فمهل)
(راضيةٌ في)
(لاغيةٌ فيها)
(جاريةٌ فيها)
(يتيماً فآوى)
(ضآلاً فهدى)
(عائِلاً فأغنى)
(منفكين)
(أفواجاً فسبح)
Dad letterض:
(من ضريع)
Zaa letterظ:
(ينظر)
(ينظرون)
Ta’a letter ط:
(من طغى)
Taa letter ت:
The Ikhfa letters and the letter Taa.
كنت
(أن تزكى)
(أنت)
(منتهاها)
(انتثرت)
(من تسنيم)
(جناتٌ تجري)
(من تحتها)
(من تزكىٰ)
(من تولى)
(ناراً تلظى)
(نعمةٍ تجزى)
(يومئِذٍ تحدث)
أنتم
Dal letter د:
(دكاً دكاً)
(من دساها)
(عنده)
Khaf letter ك:
(إذاً كرة)
(انكدرت)
(رسولٍ كريمٍ)
(منكم)
(كراماً كاتبين)
(جماً كلآ)
(إن كان)
(إن كذب)
(ناصيةٍ كاذبةٍ)
(من كل أمر)
Ikhfa letters Examples from Quran.
Here are some Ikhfa letters Examples from the holy Quran:
Sad letter ص:
فَانْصَبْ
أنصتوا
يَنصُرْكُمْ
عَن صِدْقِهِمْ ۚ
عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ
صَفًّا صَفًّا
Dad letter ض:
The Ikhfa letters and the letter Dad:
منضود
مِن ضَرِيعٍ
مِن ضُرٍّ
Taa letter ط:
وإن طائفتان
حلالًا طيبًا
لحمًا طريًا
كشجرةٍ طيبةٍ
بريحٍ طيبةٍ
فديةٌ طعام
بلدةٌ طيبةٌ
Zaa letter ظ:
منظرين
فأنظرني
ينظرون
ولكن ظننتهم
Kaf letter ك:
كرامًا كتبين
مكرًا كبارًا
ناصية كاذبة
تبع كلٌ
وشمالٍ كلوا
وأجرٌ كبيرٌ
Dal letter د:
The Ikhfa letters and the letter Dal:
عند
أندادًا
من دياركم
سندس
وكأسًا دهاقًا
عملًا دون
Taa letter ت:
ينته
ذى انتقام
لن تحصوه
نارًا تلظى
يومئذ تحدث
READ MORE …..
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FAQ
What is Ikhfa in Tajweed, and how does it relate to Quranic recitation?
Ikhfa in Tajweed refers to hiding the sound of Noon Sakinah or Tanween when followed by specific letters. It is crucial for correct Quranic recitation, as emphasized in the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in Sahih al-Bukhari.
How many types of Ikhfa are there, and can you provide examples of each?
There are two types of Ikhfa: Ikhfaa’ haqiqi and Ikhfaa’ shafawi. Ikhfaa’ haqiqi involves hiding Noon Sakinah or Tanween after certain letters (ت ث ج د ذ ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك), while Ikhfaa’ shafawi hides Meem Sakinah after the letter Baa (ب). Examples are provided in the text.
What are the 15 Ikhfa letters, and why are they significant in Tajweed?
The 15 Ikhfa letters are ت ث ج د ذ ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك. These letters indicate when to apply the Ikhfa rule in Tajweed, helping in the correct pronunciation and recitation of the Quran.
Explain the three levels of Ikhfa haqiqi and provide examples of each.
The three levels of Ikhfa haqiqi are highest, lowest, and intermediate. Highest level includes letters (د ، ت ، ط), lowest level includes letters (ق ، ك), and the intermediate level includes the remaining 10 letters. Examples for each level are given in the content.
What are the common mistakes to avoid when practicing Ikhfa, and why are they important?
Common mistakes include confusing Ghunnah with Idgham, incorrect duration of Ghunnah, and mixing full and empty mouth Ikhfaa’. These mistakes can affect the clarity of recitation and alter the pronunciation of words in the Quran.
Provide examples of Ikhfa letters from the Quran and explain their application.
Examples of Ikhfa letters from the Quran are included in the content, such as those with Sad (ص), Dad (ض), Taa (ط), Zaa (ظ), Kaf (ك), and more. These examples demonstrate how Ikhfa is applied in specific verses.
How does understanding Ikhfa contribute to the mastery of Tajweed, and what is the significance of proper Quranic recitation?
Understanding Ikhfa is crucial for mastering Tajweed as it ensures the correct pronunciation of Quranic verses. Proper Quranic recitation is considered one of the greatest acts of worship, as highlighted in the hadith. It enhances the spiritual connection and comprehension of the sacred text.
Conclusion
Now we understand that there are 15 Ikhfa letters and they are:
.ت ث ج د ذ زس ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك
You can think of the Ikhfa letters as signs that show you when to apply the rule of Ikhfa and the level of Ghunnah that should be applied as we learned. We also learned about the levels of Ikhfa, the most common mistakes to avoid, and more.
We hope you found what you were looking for and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask us and drop a comment below.