The Ikhfa Noon Sakinah Rule: A Complete Tajweed Guide
To recite the Quran with authentic passion and precision, mastering Tajweed is your best tool. Among these rules,Ikhfa Noon Sakinah stands out as the key to a smooth, melodic transition that retains the purity of each letter. Unlocking the art of Ikhfa not only improves your skill, but also deepens your spiritual closeness with the Divine revelation.
In this detailed guide, we’ll simplify the Ikhfa Noon Sakinah rule, explain its application, provide various examples, and point out typical traps to avoid. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced Tajweed student, this article will teach you how to confidently use Ikhfa Noon Sakinah for precise Quran recitation.
What is Noon Sakinah?
It’s crucial to comprehend the basics before diving into Ikhfa Noon Sakinah. The term “Noon Sakinah” refers to the letter “Noon” (ن) with a sukoon (ْ) associated with it, which means it is spoken statically and lacks a vowel sound. It may appear in the middle or end of a word.
A Deep Dive into Ikhfa noon sakinah (The Middle State)
- Ikhfa Noon Sakinah is a state between Izhar (clear pronunciation of the “N”) , and Idgham (complete merging). As you noted, the tongue does not touch the exit point (Makhraj) of the Noon; instead, it stays slightly away and positions itself to prepare for the next letter.
- The “n” sound is partially hidden – not fully pronounced (as in Izhar) nor completely merged (as in Idgham).
- A nasal sound called Ghunnah is produced, lasting for two counts (approximately 2 seconds).
- The tongue prepares for the upcoming letter without touching the roof of the mouth fully.
- This creates a subtle, blended transition, making recitation fluid and beautiful.
The 15 Letters of Ikhfa Noon Sakinah
You can remember the letters of Ikhfa Noon Sakinah using the first letter of each word in this famous poem:
(صف ذا ثنا كم جاد شخص قد سما دم طيبا زد في تقى ضع ظالما)
The letters are: ت (Taa), ث (Thaa), ج (Jeem), د (Daal), ذ (Thaal), ز (Zay), س (Seen), ش (Sheen), ص (Saad), ض (Daad), ط (Taa), ظ (Zhaa), ف (Faa), ق (Qaaf), ك (Kaaf).
The “Heavy” vs “Light” Ikhfa: Because the tongue is preparing itself for the following letter, the Ghunnah takes the characteristics of that letter. This is an important detail for getting the “excellent” recitation.
- Heavy Ikhfa (Tafkheem): When noon sakinah is followed by one of the 5 heavy letters (ص، ض، ط، ظ، ق), the nasal sound is deep and full.
- Light Ikhfa (Tarqeeq): When noon sakinah is followed by any of the other 10 letters (like ت، س، د), the sound is thin and light.
Examples of Ikhfa Noon Sakinah from the Quran
| Light Ikhfa (Tarqeeq) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | Example | Classification | Explanation |
| ذ | {فَوَيْلٌ لِلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi between two words | The phrase is: {مِنْ ذِكْرِ} A Noon Sakinah (نْ) at the end of the word مِنْ, followed by the letter (ذ) at the beginning of the word ذِكْرِ. |
| ك | {وَإِنْ كُلٌّ لَمَّا جَمِيعٌ لَدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi between two words | The phrase is: {وَإِنْ كُلٌّ} . A Noon Sakinah (نْ) followed by the letter Kaaf (ك). |
| ث | {فَأَمَّا مَنْ ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi between two words | The phrase is: {مَنْ ثَقُلَتْ}. A Noon Sakinah (نْ) followed by the letter Thaa (ث). |
| ج | {كَذَلِكَ حَقّاً عَلَيْنَا نُنْجِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi inside a single word | The word is: {نُنْجِ}. A Noon Sakinah (نْ) followed by the letter Jeem (ج). |
| ش | {وَإِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi between two words | The phrase is: {مِنْ شَيْءٍ}. A Noon Sakinah (نْ) followed by the letter Sheen (ش). |
| س | {سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلا تَنْسَى} | Ikhfa Haqiqi inside a single word | The word is: {تَنْسَى}. A Noon Sakinah (نْ) followed by the letter Seen (س) . |
| ز | {وَكَانَ تَحْتَهُ كَنْزٌ لَهُمَا} | Ikhfa Haqiqi inside a single word | The word is: {كَنْزٌ}. A Noon Sakinah (نْ) followed by the letter Zay (ز). |
| ف | {فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَى مِنْ فُطُورٍ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi between two words | The phrase is: {مِنْ فُطُورٍ}. A Noon Sakinah (نْ) at the end of the word مِنْ, followed by the letter Fa (ف) at the start of Futur. |
| ت | {مَا أَنْتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi inside a single word | In the word أَنْتَ, the rule of Ikhfa Noon Sakinah is applied because the Noon Sakinah (نْ) is followed by the letter Taa (ت). |
| د | {مَا عِنْدَكُمْ يَنْفَدُ وَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ بَاقٍ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi inside a single word | Ikhfa with the letter Daal: {عِنْدَكُمْ} and {عِنْدَ اللَّهِ}. In the word {عِنْدَ} (which appears twice), the Noon Sakinah is followed by the letter Daal (د). |
| Heavy Ikhfa {Tafkheem} | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | Example | Classification | Explanation |
| ص | {وَلَمَنْ صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi between two words | The phrase is: {وَلَمَنْ صَبَرَ} A Noon Sakinah (نْ) at the end of the word لَمَنْ, followed by the letter Saad (ص) at the start of صَبَرَ. |
| ق | {وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi between two words | The phrase is: {مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ}. A Noon Sakinah (نْ) followed by the letter Qaaf (ق). |
| ط | {هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ طِينٍ ثُمَّ قَضَى أَجَلاً} | Ikhfa Haqiqi between two words | The phrase is:{مِنْ طِينٍ}. A Noon Sakinah (نْ) followed by the letter Taa (ط). |
| ض | {وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا حِجَارَةً مِنْ سِجِّيلٍ مَنْضُودٍ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi inside a single word | The word is: {مَنْضُودٍ}. Noon Sakinah (نْ) followed by the letter Daad (ض). |
| ظ | {فَلْيَنْظُرِ الْإِنْسَانُ إِلَى طَعَامِهِ} | Ikhfa Haqiqi inside a single word | The word is: {فَلْيَنْظُرِ}. Noon Sakinah (نْ) followed by the letter Zha (ظ). |
How to Apply Ikhfa Noon Sakinah Correctly
- The “Near-Touch” (Gap):
- The Rule: The tongue should not contact the roof of the mouth.
- Pro-Tip: Imagine the tongue “hovering” at the door of the following letter. If you touch your gums, you have mistakenly done Izhar (clear N). If you press too hard on the next letter, you will mistakenly do Idgham (merging).
- The Nasal Ghunnah:
- The Rule: The sound must come from the nose (Khayshum), not the throat.
- Pro-Tip: To see if you’re doing it correctly, pinch your nose while trying to say the Ikhfa. If the sound fully stops, you’re doing it correctly! If the sound continues, it indicates that you are utilizing your mouth/throat extensively.
- Two-Harakah Timing:
- The Rule: Hold for around two counts.
- Pro Tip: Keep the timing consistent throughout your recitation. A common mistake is speeding through the Ikhfa in fast recitation or taking too long in slow recitation. It should be rhythmic.
- The Smooth Transition:
- The Rule:Transition Effortlessly to the Following Letter.
- Pro Tip: The letter you are going to say should already match the “shape” of your mouth during the Ghunnah.
Common Mistakes in Applying Ikhfa Noon Sakinah
- Touching the Tongue: The “Izhar” Trap:
A common mistake is letting the tongue tip to come into contact with the alveolar ridge, which is the roof of the mouth. You have made a distinct “N” sound (Izhar) as soon as your tongue touches that point.
- Ignoring the “Heavy” and “Light” Ghunnah:
Beginners make a slight mistake by using the same nasal sound for each Ikhfa letter. The sound of the Ghunnah ought to “preview” the letter that follows:
- Heavy Ikhfa: If the next letter is heavy ( ص, ض, ط, ظ, ق), the Ghunnah should also be heavy/thick.
- Light Ikhfa: If the following letter is light (ت, ث, د, ز), the Ghunnah should be thin and light.
- The “Vowelization” Mistake:
Reciters occasionally add a little “u” or “i” sound to the Noon Sakinah before the Ikhfa begins. This frequently occurs when the mouth moves too quickly toward the next letter’s form.
Tips to Perfect Ikhfa Noon Sakinah
- Memorize the 15 letters using charts or mnemonics.
- Begin by practicing Ghunnah independently.
- Record your recitation and compare it to that of professionals.
- Enroll in organized courses to receive feedback.
With consistent practice, Ikhfa Noon Sakinah will become natural.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q1: How should I distinguish between Ikhfa and Ikhfa Shafawi?
It’s easy to get confused! Ikhfa Noon Sakinah uses the letter Noon (ن) . Ikhfa Shafawi refers to the letter Meem Sakinah (م) followed by the letter Ba (ب). The mouth position differs because Meem is a labial (lip) letter.
Q2: Is there a difference in the “closeness” of the Ikhfa according to the letter?
Yes. Scholars divide Ikhfa Noon Sakinah into three degrees of “closeness”:
- Highest (Aqrab): When followed by (ط, د, ت), since their exit point is closest to the Noon.
- Lowest (Ab’ad): When followed by (ق, ك), since their departure point is the farthest (back of the tongue).
- Middle (Awsat): For the last 10 letters.
Q3: Does the “Heavy” (Tafkheem) Ghunnah imply that I should make noon itself heavy as well?
No. By its very nature, the Noon Sakinah is a light letter. The term “heaviness” does not refer to the Noon letter itself, but rather to the sound of the Ghunnah (the vibration in the nose) as it prepares for the heavy letter.
Q4: Is Ghunnah required in Ikhfa Noon Sakinah?
Yes, Ghunnah is an absolute essential for Ikhfa Noon Sakinah. In reality, when you “hide” the Noon, the most important characteristic that remains is Ghunnah.
Q5: Why are the letters “Waw” (و) and “Ya” (ي) not included in Ikhfa Noon Sakinah?
Despite seeming to be “hidden,” these letters belong to the Idgham rule (merging). In Ikhfa Noon Sakinah, the Noon is simply “hidden” or “masked” while getting ready for the next sound, but in Idgham, it is completely or partly absorbed into the subsequent letter with a pull.
