Mastering Noon Sakeena and Tanween: A Tajweed Overview
The letter noon – نْ when unvoweled is termed “noon as sakeena.” In Arabic, ‘tanween’ refers to the double vocalization at word endings, producing a sound akin to the noon as sakeena.
ٌ ً ٍ
The symbol for tanween is a duplicated vowel (either two dammas, two fathas, or two kasras). While the noon as sakeena isn’t visible in writing, its presence is articulated when spoken.
Examples:
أَلِيْمًا is pronounced Aleeman
أَلِيمٍ is pronounced Aleemeen
أَلِيمٌ is pronounced Aleemoon
The unvoweled letter noon and tanween share two points of articulation and adhere to the same Tajweed guidelines:
- For a clear pronunciation of نْ: The tip of the tongue rests against the root of the upper front teeth.
- For concealed or nasalized pronunciation (ghunna): The tongue remains mid-mouth without touching the gums.
There are four specific Tajweed rules for noûn sâkina or tanwîn, contingent on the subsequent letter from the alphabet:
- الإِظهَار (al idhar), the clarification
- الإدْغَامُ (al idgham), assimilation
- الإِقْلابُ(al iqlab), the substitution
- الإِخْفَاءُ (al ikhfa), concealment
1. الإِظْهَارُ الْحَلْقِي - al-Idhar Halqi: Pharyngeal Clarification
In Arabic, ‘al-idhar’ denotes illumination or clarity. This Tajweed rule is invoked when the noon as sakeena or tanween precedes any of the six guttural or throat letters:
أ – ه – ع – ح – غ – خ
Technically, the presence of these letters doesn’t alter the pronunciation of the noon as sakeena or tanween.
They should be distinctly pronounced before these letters, either within the same word (for noon as-sakeena) or spanning two words (for both noon as sakeena and tanween). Here, the ghunna (nasalization) is only partial.
A. Implementing Al-Idhar with Noon As-Sakeena Within a Single Word:
Examples:
وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْأَوْنَ عَنْهُ ۖ وَإِن يُهْلِكُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
And they prevent [others] from him and are [themselves] remote from him. And they do not destroy except themselves, but they perceive [it] not. (6:26)
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray. (1:7)
B. Applying Al-Idhar with Noon As-Sakeena Across Two Words:
Examples:
تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ
from a [Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy. (41:42)
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالنَّصَارَىٰ وَالصَّابِئِينَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا
Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans [before Prophet Muhammad] – those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness (2:62)
C. Executing Al-Idhar with Tanween:
Examples:
فَبَدَّلَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا قَوْلًا غَيْرَ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمْ فَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا رِجْزًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ
And [recall] when We said, “Enter this city and eat from it wherever you will in [ease and] abundance, and enter the gate bowing humbly and say, ‘Relieve us of our burdens.’ We will [then] forgive your sins for you, and We will increase the doers of good [in goodness and reward].” (2:58)
وَاللَّـهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
And Allah is Knowing and Wise. (4:26)
D. Al-Idhar in the Quran: Noon As-Sakeena and Tanween with the Letter أ
وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْأَوْنَ عَنْهُ ۖ وَإِن يُهْلِكُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
And they prevent [others] from him and are [themselves] remote from him. And they do not destroy except themselves, but they perceive [it] not. (6:26)
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Nor is there to Him any equivalent.” (112:4)
E. Al-Idhar in the Quran: Articulating Noon As-Sakeena and Tanween with the Letter ح
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ
So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone]. (108:2)
وَاللَّـهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
And Allah is Knowing and Wise. (4:26)
F. Al-Idhar in the Quran: Expressing Noon As-Sakeena and Tanween with the Letter خ
الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍ
Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear. (106:4)
إِنَّ اللَّـهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا خَبِيرًا
Allah is ever Knowing and Acquainted [with all things]. (4:35)
فَسَيُنْغِضُونَ إِلَيْكَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هُوَ
Then they will nod their heads toward you and say, “When is that?” (17:51)
G. Al-Idhar in the Quran: Emphasizing Noon As-Sakeena and Tanween with the Letter ع
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray. (1:7)
وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
And for them is a great punishment. (2:7)
H. Al-Idhar in the Quran: Articulating Noon As-Sakeena and Tanween alongside the Letter هـ
وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْأَوْنَ عَنْهُ ۖ وَإِن يُهْلِكُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
And they prevent [others] from him and are [themselves] remote from him. And they do not destroy except themselves, but they perceive [it] not. (6:26)
سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ
Peace it is until the emergence of dawn. (97:2)
2. الإِدْغَامُ - al-Idgham: Merging and Assimilation
In Arabic, ‘al-idgham’ signifies intertwining or integration. This Tajweed rule comes into play when the noon as sakeena or tanween is followed by one of the six idgham letters:
ر – ل – م – ن – و – ي
Technically, al-idgham merges the noon as sakeena or tanween with one of these six vocalized (mutaharika) letters, resulting in a single emphasized letter (mushadada).
Al-idgham can be categorized into:
- الإدْغَام بغُنَّة: Idgham accompanied by nasalization (ghunna).
- الإدْغَام بغَيْرِ غُنَّة: Idgham without nasalization.
A. الإدْغَام بغُنَّة: Idgham with Nasalization (Ghunna)
Known as “naqees,” this type of idgham retains the nasal sound (ghunna) characteristic of noon as-sakeena and tanween during the merger.
While these rules are consistent across most readings, there are exceptions. In the Khalaf rendition of Hamza’s reading, the ghunna is omitted during idgham with wâw و and yâ ي. Similarly, yâ ي in the Doury version of Al Kassai’s reading, following Abi Othman Ad Dareer’s method, diverges. However, in other readings like Hafs from ‘Asim and Warsh from Nafi’, there’s unanimous agreement. Allah possesses supreme knowledge.
This specific idgham occurs between two words when noon as-sakeena or tanween is succeeded by:
م – ن – و – ي
In this context, the noon as-sakeena and tanween vanish, but the subsequent letter retains a full nasal sound lasting two counts or harakatayn (equivalent to the pronunciation of two vowels).
Example: Implementing Al-Idgham with Noon As-Sakeena and Tanween Using the Letter ن
وَمَا بِكُم مِّن نِّعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّـهِ
And whatever you have of favour – it is from Allah. (16:53)
عَامِلَةٌ نَّاصِبَةٌ
Working [hard] and exhausted. (88:3)
Example: Applying Al-Idgham with Noon As-Sakeena and Tanween Using the Letter م
أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُم بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ
Do they think that what We extend to them of wealth and children (23:55)
فِي عَمَدٍ مُّمَدَّدَةٍ
In extended columns. (104:9)
Example: Demonstrating Al-Idgham with Noon As-Sakeena and Tanween via the Letter و
وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّـهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ
And you have not other than Allah any protector or any helper. (29:22)
تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ
May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined, is he. (111:1)
Example: Showcasing Al-Idgham with Noon As-Sakeena and Tanween Using the Letter ي
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِنَ الصَّالِحَاتِ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَا يَخَافُ ظُلْمًا وَلَا هَضْمًا
But he who does of righteous deeds while he is a believer will neither fear injustice nor deprivation. (20:112)
يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِّيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ
That Day, the people will depart separated [into categories] to be shown [the result of] their deeds. (99:6)
Note: This rule is applied across two distinct words: the first word concludes with a noon as-sakeena or tanween, and the subsequent word initiates with an al-idgham letter.
However, if within a single word the noon as-sakeena or tanween precedes one of the six idgham letters, the al-idgham rule is bypassed in favor of al-idhar.
Four exceptional words in the Holy Quran are:
The word الدُّنْيَا:
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا
But you prefer the worldly life, (87:16)
The word قِنْوَانٌ:
وَمِنَ النَّخْلِ مِن طَلْعِهَا قِنْوَانٌ دَانِيَةٌ وَجَنَّاتٍ مِّنْ أَعْنَابٍ
And from the palm trees – of its emerging fruit are clusters hanging low. And [We produce] gardens of grapevines (6:99)
The word صِنْوَانٌ:
وَنَخِيلٌ صِنْوَانٌ وَغَيْرُ صِنْوَانٍ يُسْقَىٰ بِمَاءٍ
and palm trees, [growing] several from a root or otherwise, watered with one water; (13:4)
The word بُنْيَانٌ:
إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْصُوصٌ
Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly. (61:4)
B. الإدْغَام بغَيْرِ غُنَّة: Idgham Without Nasalization
Known as “kaameel” (complete), this type of idgham leads to the total disappearance of the noon as-sakeena and its associated characteristic during the merging process, specifically when followed by these two letters:
ر – ل
Technically, with this idgham rule, the noon as-sakeena or tanween gets omitted. The pronunciation progresses directly to the subsequent letter, bypassing the ghunna. There’s an absence of ghunna, and the letters lâm ل or râ ر are accentuated with a shadda. Essentially, the letter noon ن seamlessly integrates into the following letter.
Example: Demonstrating Al-Idgham Without Ghunna Using Noon As-Sakeena and Tanween with the Letter ر
أُولَـٰئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ
Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, (2:5)
فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ
He will be in a pleasant life. (101:7)
Example: Demonstrating Al-Idgham Without Ghunna Using Noon As-Sakeena and Tanween with the Letter Lam ل
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Nor is there to Him any equivalent.” (112:4)
وَدَمٍ لَّبَنًا خَالِصًا سَائِغًا لِّلشَّارِبِينَ
And blood – pure milk, palatable to drinkers. (16:66)
3. الإقْلابُ: The Transformation
In traditional tajweed teachings, while many recognize the rule as “iqlab”, the more classically accurate term, as emphasized by tajweed scholars, is “al qalb”.
The proximity of the noon as-sakeena or the tanween and the letter ba ب in terms of pronunciation points explains why the transformation occurs exclusively with the letter ba ب.
To simplify articulation, noon as-sakeena or tanween is converted into meem م.
Technically, al iqlab involves substituting the noon as-sakeena or tanween with a meem م, accompanied by ikhfa, when it precedes the letter ba ب. This results in a complete ghunna lasting two beats. In essence, the noon is replaced by a concealed meem accentuated with ghunna.
During pronunciation, the lips should press together for the meem, and then part distinctly (idhar) without any ghunna.
In classical Arabic, “al iqlab” refers to the alteration of an entity from its original state or the transformation of its inherent nature.
Example: Demonstrating Al-Iqlab (الإِقْلاب) with Noon As-Sakeena
كَلَّا ۖ لَيُنبَذَنَّ فِي الْحُطَمَةِ
No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher. (104:4)
لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ
No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock – (96:15)
4. الإِخْفَاءُ (Al-Ikhfa): The Art of Concealment
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) signifies the intermediate pronunciation of noon as sakeena or tanween, falling between al-idhar and al-idgham. It retains the full ghunna, equivalent to the duration of two vowel sounds (harakatayn).
When noon as sakeena or tanween is followed by any of the subsequent 15 letters, after omitting the letters associated with al-idhar, al-idgham, and al-iqlab:
ج – ذ – د – ث – ت – ض – ص – ش – س – ز – ك – ق – ف – ظ – ط
In practice, the pronunciation of noon as sakeena or tanween under al-ikhfa is nuanced: it doesn’t reach the clarity of al-idhar nor the merging of al-idgham. Instead, it carries a pronounced nasal resonance (ghunna) of two beats’ duration. The subsequent letter from the list of 15 is then articulated with clarity. This rule applies within single words and across word boundaries.
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ت
وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ
Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. (109:3)
وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا
and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. (9:100)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ث
فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ
Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds], (101:6)
تَائِبَاتٍ عَابِدَاتٍ سَائِحَاتٍ ثَيِّبَاتٍ وَأَبْكَارًا
repentant, worshipping, and travelling – [ones] previously married and virgins. (66:5)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter د
وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّاهَا
And he has failed who instills it [with corruption]. (91:10)
وَمِنَ النَّخْلِ مِن طَلْعِهَا قِنْوَانٌ دَانِيَةٌ وَجَنَّاتٍ مِّنْ أَعْنَابٍ
And from the palm trees – of its emerging fruit are clusters hanging low. And [We produce] gardens of grapevines (6:99)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ذ
مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ
Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? (2:255)
سَيَصْلَىٰ نَارًا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍ
He will [enter to] burn in a Fire of [blazing] flame (111:3)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ج
الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍ
Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear. (106:4)
فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ
so patience is most fitting (12:83)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ز
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا
He has succeeded who purifies it, (91:9)
يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ ۚ وَنَحْشُرُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ يَوْمَئِذٍ زُرْقًا
The Day the Horn will be blown. And We will gather the criminals, that Day, blue-eyed. (20:12)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter س
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ
Indeed, mankind is in loss, (103:2)
تَائِبَاتٍ عَابِدَاتٍ سَائِحَاتٍ ثَيِّبَاتٍ وَأَبْكَارًا
repentant, worshipping, and travelling – [ones] previously married and virgins. (66:5)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ش
مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
From the evil of that which He created (113:2)
وَمِنكُم مَّن يُتَوَفَّىٰ وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ لِكَيْلَا يَعْلَمَ مِن بَعْدِ عِلْمٍ شَيْئًا
And among you is he who is taken in [early] death, and among you is he who is returned to the most decrepit [old] age so that he knows, after [once having] knowledge, nothing. (22:5)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ص
الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ
[But] who are heedless of their prayer – (107:5)
وَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَأُهْلِكُوا بِرِيحٍ صَرْصَرٍ عَاتِيَةٍ
And as for ‘Aad, they were destroyed by a screaming, violent wind (69:6)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ض
لَّيْسَ لَهُمْ طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِن ضَرِيعٍ
For them there will be no food except from a poisonous, thorny plant (88:6)
وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا
And [there are] those [hypocrites] who took for themselves a mosque for causing harm and disbelief (9:107)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ط
فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَىٰ
So as for he who transgressed (79:37)
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا
O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good (2:168)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ظ
فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ
So let man observe from what he was created. (86:5)
مَثَلُ مَا يُنفِقُونَ فِي هَـٰذِهِ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَثَلِ رِيحٍ فِيهَا صِرٌّ أَصَابَتْ حَرْثَ قَوْمٍ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ فَأَهْلَكَتْهُ
The example of what they spend in this worldly life is like that of a wind containing frost which strikes the harvest of a people who have wronged themselves and destroys it. (3:117)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ف
وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ الْمَنفُوشِ
And the mountains will be like wool, fluffed up. (101:5)
وَعِلْمًا فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا
and knowledge, so forgive those who have repented (40:7)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ق
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ
Except for those who return [repenting] before you apprehend them. (5:34)
وَاشْتَرَوْا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلً
and exchanged it for a small price (3:187)
Al-Ikhfa (الإِخْفَاءُ) with Noon as-Sakeena or Tanween followed by the letter ك
أَرَأَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَىٰ
Have you seen if he is upon guidance (96:11)
وَمَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ
and forgiveness and noble provision. (8:4)
Notes on Al-Ikhfa:
- During the execution of al-ikhfa, the tongue shouldn’t touch the roof of the mouth during the ghunna.
- This rule strikes a balance between al-idgham and al-idhar, making its implementation slightly intricate.
- One challenging aspect is navigating the tongue from the articulation point of the letter noon to the next letter’s point without actually touching.
- The distance maintained by the tongue from the articulation point should be optimal – neither too proximate nor too remote.
- The ghunna’s pronunciation depends on the subsequent letter’s nature, either being emphatic (tafkhim) or light (tarqiq).
- Emphatic ghunna corresponds to following emphatic letters: ظ, ط, ق, ض, and ص.
- Light ghunna corresponds to: ف, ج, ذ, د, ث, ت, ش, س, ز, and ك.
- Specifically, when noon as-sakeena or tanween precedes either ق or ك, the sound should solely emanate from the nasal passage, distinguishing it from other letters.
Conclusion
This lesson on tajweed rules has concluded. Insha’Allah, our next session will delve into the rules governing the letters Meem and Noon when adorned with a shadda.
At the Al-dirassa Institute, we provide an accessible path to mastering Tajweed under the guidance of skilled instructors. Should you wish to pursue this further, we warmly invite you to reach out to us.
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