Qalqalah & Ghunnah

Qalqalah

The letter bounces.

قَلْقَلَة
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What is this rule?

The five qalqalah letters, when they carry a sukun, are read with a bounce. Sughrā (mid-word) bounces lightly; kubrā (at the end / on stopping) bounces more strongly.

How to read it

Hold the letter's articulation point for a moment, then release it with a bounce — like a pressed 'd' sound.

Trigger letters

Gathered in قُطْبُ جَدٍّ (quṭbu jadd).

قطبجد

Examples of Qalqalah in the Qur'an

Surah Al-Falaq 113:1
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ

qul a'ūżu birabbil-falaq

"Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak"

Surah Quraysh 106:4
ٱلَّذِىٓ أَطْعَمَهُم

allażī aṭ'amahum

"Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear."

Surah Al-Kawthar 108:3
هُوَ ٱلْأَبْتَرُ

huwal-abtar

"Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off."

Surah Al-Fajr 89:1
وَٱلْفَجْرِ

wal-fajr

"By the dawn"

Surah Al-Ikhlas 112:2
ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ

allāhuṣ-ṣamad

"Allāh, the Eternal Refuge."

Frequently asked questions

What is Qalqalah in tajwid?

The letter bounces. The five qalqalah letters, when they carry a sukun, are read with a bounce. Sughrā (mid-word) bounces lightly; kubrā (at the end / on stopping) bounces more strongly.

How do you pronounce Qalqalah?

Hold the letter's articulation point for a moment, then release it with a bounce — like a pressed 'd' sound.

Which letters trigger Qalqalah?

There are 5 letters: ق ط ب ج د. Gathered in قُطْبُ جَدٍّ (quṭbu jadd).

What is an example of Qalqalah in the Quran?

One example is in Surah Al-Falaq 113:1: "قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ" (qul a'ūżu birabbil-falaq) — "Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak".

Other rules in Qalqalah & Ghunnah

Ghunnah Musyaddadah
Nasalisation on a doubled nun/mim.
غُنَّة مُشَدَّدَة

See all Qalqalah & Ghunnah rules → · Complete list of rules →