Heavy (tafkhim) or light (tarqiq)? It applies to the name of Allah and to the letter ra, depending on the surrounding vowels.
| Rule | Letters / form | How to read |
|---|---|---|
| Lam Jalalah | Tafkhim Tarqiq | The lam in the name of Allah: heavy or light. |
| Ra Tafkhim | رَ رُ رْ | The ra is read heavy. |
| Ra Tarqiq | رِ رْ | The ra is read light. |
The lam in the name of Allah: heavy or light. The lam in the name of Allah ( ٱللَّه ) is read HEAVY (tafkhim) when preceded by a fathah or dhammah, and LIGHT (tarqiq) when preceded by a kasrah.
Tafkhim: raise the back of the tongue for a full sound ('Allōh'). Tarqiq: a light, thin sound ('Allah').
qul huwallāhu aḥad
"Say, "He is Allāh, [who is] One,"
Full explanation of Lam Jalalah →
The ra is read heavy. Ra is read heavy (tafkhim) when it carries a fathah or dhammah, or when it is silent but the preceding letter carries a fathah/dhammah.
Raise the back of the tongue to produce a full, weighty 'ro/ru'.
rabbil-'ālamīn
"[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Lord of the worlds -"
Full explanation of Ra Tafkhim →
The ra is read light. Ra is read light (tarqiq) when it carries a kasrah, or when it is silent but the preceding letter carries an original kasrah.
Lower the back of the tongue to produce a light, soft 'ri'.
min syarri mā khalaq
"From the evil of that which He created"
Full explanation of Ra Tarqiq →
Coloured on these verses of juz 'amma — open the surah to see every rule in each verse:
There are 3: Lam Jalalah, Ra Tafkhim, Ra Tarqiq.
The lam in the name of Allah: heavy or light. The lam in the name of Allah ( ٱللَّه ) is read HEAVY (tafkhim) when preceded by a fathah or dhammah, and LIGHT (tarqiq) when preceded by a kasrah.
The ra is read heavy. Ra is read heavy (tafkhim) when it carries a fathah or dhammah, or when it is silent but the preceding letter carries a fathah/dhammah.
The ra is read light. Ra is read light (tarqiq) when it carries a kasrah, or when it is silent but the preceding letter carries an original kasrah.