When a silent nun ( نْ ) or tanwin ( ـً ـٍ ـٌ ) meets the letter after it, the recitation branches into 5 rules depending on that letter.
| Rule | Letters / form | How to read |
|---|---|---|
| Izhar Halqi | ء هـ ع ح غ خ | Pronounced clearly, no nasalisation. |
| Idgham Bighunnah | ي ن م و | Merged, with nasalisation. |
| Idgham Bilaghunnah | ل ر | Merged, without nasalisation. |
| Iqlab | ب | The nun turns into a mim. |
| Ikhfa Haqiqi | ت ث ج د ذ ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك | Concealed + nasalisation. |
Pronounced clearly, no nasalisation. When a silent nun / tanwin meets one of the 6 throat (halqi) letters, the nun is pronounced clearly and distinctly — no hum, no merging.
Say the 'n' firmly, then move straight on to the next letter. Don't hold it.
wa āmanahum min khauf
"Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear."
Full explanation of Izhar Halqi →
Merged, with nasalisation. A silent nun / tanwin meeting one of the letters in يَنْمُو merges into the following letter, accompanied by a nasal hum of about 2 counts.
The 'n' isn't pronounced on its own — it flows straight into the next letter while humming through the nose.
famay ya'mal
"So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it,"
Full explanation of Idgham Bighunnah →
Merged, without nasalisation. A silent nun / tanwin meeting lam ( ل ) or ra ( ر ) merges completely into that letter — with NO nasal hum.
Merge straight into the lam/ra without leaving any hum behind. As if the nun disappears.
hudal lil-muttaqīn
"This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allāh -"
Full explanation of Idgham Bilaghunnah →
The nun turns into a mim. A silent nun / tanwin meeting ba ( ب ) changes its sound into a concealed mim ( م ), accompanied by a nasal hum.
Bring the lips together into a faint 'm', then hum for about 2 counts before moving into the ba.
kallā layumbażann
"No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher."
Concealed + nasalisation. A silent nun / tanwin meeting one of the 15 ikhfa letters is read faintly — between izhar and idgham — with a nasal hum of about 2 counts.
The 'n' is neither clear nor gone; it is held faintly at the top of the nose while preparing for the next letter.
min syarri mā khalaq
"From the evil of that which He created"
Full explanation of Ikhfa Haqiqi →
Coloured on these verses of juz 'amma — open the surah to see every rule in each verse:
There are 5: Izhar Halqi, Idgham Bighunnah, Idgham Bilaghunnah, Iqlab, Ikhfa Haqiqi.
Pronounced clearly, no nasalisation. When a silent nun / tanwin meets one of the 6 throat (halqi) letters, the nun is pronounced clearly and distinctly — no hum, no merging.
Merged, with nasalisation. A silent nun / tanwin meeting one of the letters in يَنْمُو merges into the following letter, accompanied by a nasal hum of about 2 counts.
Merged, without nasalisation. A silent nun / tanwin meeting lam ( ل ) or ra ( ر ) merges completely into that letter — with NO nasal hum.
The nun turns into a mim. A silent nun / tanwin meeting ba ( ب ) changes its sound into a concealed mim ( م ), accompanied by a nasal hum.
Concealed + nasalisation. A silent nun / tanwin meeting one of the 15 ikhfa letters is read faintly — between izhar and idgham — with a nasal hum of about 2 counts.