1. Foundation course 2009 A prerequisite to learning Tajweed Utrujj Foundation Foundation course 2009 A prerequisite to learning Tajweed Taught by Samia Ahmed Under supervision of Shaykh Haytham Tamim and Shaykh Marwan Ghalayeni Copyright Utrujj Foundation 2008 1

2. By the end of the course: The importance of Tajweed The articulation points of each letter (thorough work) Recognise the letters in all written forms The madd letters Vowelled letters Tanween The moon and sun letters Al Alif Al-Maqsura Shadda Ghunnah Forms of Hamza Some basic Tajweed rules as time permits

3. The points of articulation of the Arabic letters (Makhaarij al Huroof) Every single Muslim has to recite portions of the Qur’an in prayer (Salaah) but many of us do not realise that reciting the Qur’an correctly by observing the rules of recitation is not an advanced science for expert reciters alone, rather it is an obligation upon each and every one of us whenever we recite the Qur’an. Since the Qur'an was revealed with Tajweed, it is compulsory to recite the Qur'an with Tajweed and compulsory to learn it. Tajweed means to recite every letter correctly by giving it its right from its articulation point (Makhraj) and with its respective quality (Sifah). Makhraj means the place of exit or origin. Every letter in Arabic has a special Makhraj from which a letter is pronounced. If we were to know the Makhraj, i.e. places from where the sounds of every letter originate within our mouth, it would be easier to practice the correct pronunciation of Arabic alphabet. The structure of Arabic letters The structure of the Arabic language is such that even a slight error in pronunciation alters the meaning of a word, or, in some cases, gives the opposite meaning. It is essential that we recite the Quran correctly during our Salah - imagine the DANGER of praying every day through out our life with saying other than what we intended. Every letter has a unique combination of makhraj and sifah as illustrated with the diagrams below:

6. Areas of the tongue used for articulation There are four areas of the tongue used for articulation. The deepest part, the middle, the sides, and the tip. The following picture helps pinpoint these areas.

8. 1. The empty space in the mouth and throat has in it one articulation point for the three lengthened letters, which are wow with no vowel with a dhammah before it, ya’ with no vowel with a kasrah before it, and an alif with a fath before it. 2. The Throat: It has three articulation points for six different letters which are pronounced from the deepest, middle, and closest part of the throat 3. The Tongue: It has ten articulation points for eighteen letters 4. The Two Lips: The lips have two articulation points for four letters 5. The nasal passage: From the hole of nose towards the inside of the mouth, here there is one articulation point, that of the ghunnah

9. ء The deepest part of the throat The deepest part of the throat is the furthest away from the mouth and the closest to the chest. Two letters are articulated from here. They are the hamzah and the ha’.

10. أ To be articulated from the non specific area of the empty space in the throat and mouth.

11. ب Articulation point of the two lips There are three letters that are articulated from the two lips, but they do not all three share the same mechanism in articulation. The letter is articulated by closing the two lips together, but a stronger closing than the meem.

12. ت The articulation point of the These letters are pronounced from the top side of the tip of the tongue and the gum line of the two front upper incisors. The gum line is exactly where the gum meets the teeth. The part of the tongue used in these letters is a small part of the top of the tip, not any farther back than the very tip area. The Tip of the Tongue

13. ث Tip of the tongue Articulation point of the These letters are emitted from the tip of the tongue (from the top side of the tip) and the bottom edges of the two top front incisors. Care should be taken to make sure the top of the tip is really colliding or separating (depending whether there is no vowel or a vowel) with the edges of the teeth and not the plates of the teeth.

14. ج Three letters use the middle of the tongue for their articulation. They are ……, ………and the …… These three letters are articulated from the middle of the tongue and what lies opposite to it from the roof of the mouth. This means the middle of the tongue collides with the roof of the mouth when these letters are articulated without a vowel, and the middle of the tongue separates with strength from the roof of the mouth when the letters are voweled. Middle of the Tongue

15. ح The middle part of the throat The middle part of the throat lies half way in between the beginning and the end of the throat. The two letters that are emitted from here are:

16. خ The closest part of the throat The closest part of the throat is the beginning of the throat, or the closest to the mouth. Two letters are articulated from this area, they are:

17. د The articulation point of the These letters are pronounced from the top side of the tip of the tongue and the gum line of the two front upper incisors. The gum line is exactly where the gum meets the teeth. The part of the tongue used in these letters is a small part of the top of the tip, not any farther back than the very tip area. The Tip of the Tongue (part two)

18. ذ Tip of the tongue (Part 4) Articulation point of the These letters are emitted from the tip of the tongue (from the top side of the tip) and the bottom edges of the two top front incisors. Care should be taken to make sure the top of the tip is really colliding or separating (depending whether there is no vowel or a vowel) with the edges of the teeth and not the plates of the teeth.

19. ر This letter is emitted from the tip of the tongue with the top of the tip and what lies opposite to it of the gums of the two front top incisors. The tip with the top of the tip need to strike the gums to produce this sound correctly. There should be no trilling of the tongue when pronouncing this letter. The Tip of the Tongue

20. ز The Tip of the Tongue (part three) Articulation points of the These three letters are emitted from the tip of the tongue and the plates of the two front top incisors, at a point just above the two front lower incisors. There is a little space left in between the tip of the tongue and the plates of the teeth when pronouncing these letters. The term “plate” refers to the long axis of the tooth, and in this case, the long axis that is on the internal side, rather than the external side of the teeth. These letters are also called letters, which means “whistle”. They are called that due to the accompany whistle type sound heard when they are emitted properly.

21. س The Tip of the Tongue (part three) Articulation points of the These three letters are emitted from the tip of the tongue and the plates of the two front top incisors, at a point just above the two front lower incisors. There is a little space left in between the tip of the tongue and the plates of the teeth when pronouncing these letters. The term “plate” refers to the long axis of the tooth, and in this case, the long axis that is on the internal side, rather than the external side of the teeth. These letters are also called letters, which means “whistle”. They are called that due to the accompany whistle type sound heard when they are emitted properly.

22. ش Three letters use the middle of the tongue for their articulation. They are ……, ………and the …… These three letters are articulated from the middle of the tongue and what lies opposite to it from the roof of the mouth. This means the middle of the tongue collides with the roof of the mouth when these letters are articulated without a vowel, and the middle of the tongue separates with strength from the roof of the mouth when the letters are voweled. Middle of the Tongue

23. ص The Tip of the Tongue (part three) Articulation points of the These three letters are emitted from the tip of the tongue and the plates of the two front top incisors, at a point just above the two front lower incisors. There is a little space left in between the tip of the tongue and the plates of the teeth when pronouncing these letters. The term “plate” refers to the long axis of the tooth, and in this case, the long axis that is on the internal side, rather than the external side of the teeth. These letters are also called letters, which means “whistle”. They are called that due to the accompany whistle type sound heard when they are emitted properly.

24. ض Side of tongue This letter is articulated from the one or both sides of the tongue and from the molars and the gum area next to the molars. The posterior one third of the side of the tongue is used for this letter. This letter can be articulated from one side (right or left) of the tongue alone, or from both sides of the tongue simultaneously. Articulating this letter from the left side is easier and more common than using the right side. It has the characteristic of compression of the sound, as well as tafkheem (heaviness), so the deep part of the tongue raises up when pronouncing it and compresses the sound at the same time.

25. ط The articulation point of the These letters are pronounced from the top side of the tip of the tongue and the gum line of the two front upper incisors. The gum line is exactly where the gum meets the teeth. The part of the tongue used in these letters is a small part of the top of the tip, not any farther back than the very tip area. The Tip of the Tongue (part two)

26. ظ Tip of the tongue (Part 4) Articulation point of the These letters are emitted from the tip of the tongue (from the top side of the tip) and the bottom edges of the two top front incisors. Care should be taken to make sure the top of the tip is really colliding or separating (depending whether there is no vowel or a vowel) with the edges of the teeth and not the plates of the teeth.

27. ع The middle part of the throat The middle part of the throat lies half way in between the beginning and the end of the throat. The two letters that are emitted from here are:

28. غ The closest part of the throat The closest part of the throat is the beginning of the throat, or the closest to the mouth. Two letters are articulated from this area, they are:

29. ف The articulation point of the is between the inside of the lower lip and the tips (or edges) of the two top front incisors. This means that there is a meeting of these two parts of articulation to make the correct sound of this letter.

30. ق Deepest part of the tongue There are two letters that use the deepest part of the tongue in articulation. Is articulated from the deepest part of the tongue and what lies opposite to it from the roof of the mouth in the area of the soft palate.

31. ك It is articulated from the deepest part of the tongue and what lies opposite to it from the roof of the mouth in the area of the hard palate. This letter is closer to the mouth than the. Deepest part of the tongue

32. ل This letter has the widest articulation points of all the Arabic letters. It is articulated from the anterior one third of the sides of the tongue until the sides end at the tip, and what lies opposite to them of the gums of the two top front incisors, the two top lateral incisors, the two top canines, and the two top premolars. The articulation of this letter is then in the shape of an arc, with both sides until the tongue ends at the tip meeting up with gums of all the mentioned teeth. It is to be noted that it is a fine line of the sides of the tongue that meets up with the gums, and it does not include the top of the tongue. The articulation of the Laam is an upward movement, not a forward movement like “L” is in English Side of tongue

33. م Articulation point of the two lips There are three letters that are articulated from the two lips, but they do not all three share the same mechanism in articulation is articulated by closing the two lips together

34. ن This letter is articulated from the tip of the tongue and what lies opposite to it from the gum of the two front top incisors. The Tip of the Tongue

35. The deepest part of the throat The deepest part of the throat is the furthest away from the mouth and the closest to the chest. Two letters are articulated from here. They are the hamzah and the ha’. ه

36. و Articulation point of the two lips There are three letters that are articulated from the two lips, but they do not all three share the same mechanism in articulation. The unlengthened is articulated by forming a circle of the two lips without the two lips meeting completely.

37. ي Middle of the tongue Three letters use the middle of the tongue for their articulation. They are ……, ………and the …… These three letters are articulated from the middle of the tongue and what lies opposite to it from the roof of the mouth. This means the middle of the tongue collides with the roof of the mouth when these letters are articulated without a vowel, and the middle of the tongue separates with strength from the roof of the mouth when the letters are voweled. The ya’ here is not the madd letter ya’, which was previously stated to be articulated from the non specific area of the empty space in the throat and mouth. The medd letter ya’ is a ya’ saakinah preceded by a kasrah, NOT a fath. When the ya’ saakinah is preceded by a fath, this currently discussed articulation point is used.