The Rules Governing Madd (Elongation)

 

A. Madd Asli (Intrinsic Madd)

1. Natural Madd (Al-Madd Al-Ṭabī‘ī)

Question: What is natural madd, and can you provide an example?

A: Natural Madd (al-madd al-ṭabī‘ī) is the elongation that occurs when neither a hamzah (glottal stop) nor a sukūn (non-vowelled consonant) precedes or follows the elongation letter. Examples include:

• ﴿قالَ﴾
• ﴿يَقُولُ﴾
• ﴿قِيلَ﴾

 

Question: What is its duration?

A: It is extended by two counts (ḥarakāt), such as in {نُوحِيها}.

Recitation Example:

Reflect upon the natural madd in the following chapter:

Allah Almighty says:

﴿وَالْعَصْرِ (1) إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ (2) إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ﴾

2. Substitution Madd (Madd Al-Badal)

Question: What is substitution madd, and can you provide an example?
A: Substitution Madd (madd al-badal) occurs when a hamzah precedes the letter of elongation. Examples include:

• ﴿آدَمَ﴾
• ﴿أُوتُوا﴾
• ﴿إِيمَاناً﴾

 

Question: What is its duration?
A: It is extended by two counts, regardless of whether the recitation is continuous or paused.

 

Question: Are there additional examples?
A: Certainly, there are numerous examples, such as:

• ﴿مُتَّكِئِينَ﴾
• ﴿مسؤولا﴾
• ﴿الْقُرْآنُ﴾
• ﴿رؤوسهم﴾
• ﴿أُوتِيَ﴾
• ﴿آتِنَا﴾

 

3. Compensatory Madd (Madd Al-‘Iwaḍ)

Question: What is compensatory madd

A: Compensatory Madd (madd al-‘iwaḍ) occurs when stopping at a word ending in a tanwīn of nasb (accusative case). Examples include:

• ﴿غَفُوراً﴾
• ﴿رَحِيماً﴾
• ﴿شَكُوراً﴾

 

Question: What is its duration

A: It is extended by two counts, but only when pausing on the word.

 

Question: Are there additional examples?

A: Yes, particularly at the endings of verses, such as:

• ﴿حَكِيماً﴾
• ﴿حَمِيداً﴾
• ﴿عَلِيماً﴾
• ﴿كَرِيماً﴾
• ﴿غَرْقاً﴾
• ﴿نَشْطاً﴾
• ﴿سَبْحاً﴾
• ﴿أَفْوَاجاً﴾

 

4. Connection Madd (Madd Al-Ṣilah)

Question: What is madd al-ṣilah, and what are its types?

A: Madd al-Ṣilah refers to the elongation associated with the pronoun hā’ in the singular, masculine, third-person form when it is connected to a following word. It is divided into two categories:

 

i. Minor Connection Madd (Madd Al-Ṣilah Al-Ṣughrā)

This occurs when the hā’ is followed by a non-hamzah consonant. Examples include:

• ﴿لَهُ مَا فِي﴾
• ﴿كِتَابَهُ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِهِ﴾

 

This type is classified under intrinsic madd as it is not extended beyond two counts.

 

ii. Major Connection Madd (Madd Al-Ṣilah Al-Kubrā)

This occurs when the hā’ is followed by a hamzah. Examples include:

• ﴿مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ﴾
• ﴿وَثَاقَهُ أَحَدٌ﴾

This type is classified as secondary madd.

 

B. Secondary Madd (Al-Madd Al-Far‘ī)

Question: What is secondary madd?

A: Secondary Madd (al-madd al-far‘ī) refers to elongation that exceeds two counts due to the presence of a hamzah or sukūn combined with a letter of elongation.

 

A. Madd Caused by Hamzah

1. Mandatory Connected Madd (Al-Madd Al-Wājib Al-Muttaṣil)

It Occurs when a hamzah follows a letter of elongation within the same word. Examples include:

• ﴿شَاءَ﴾
• ﴿الْمَلَائِكَةِ﴾
• ﴿سُوءَ﴾

 

Duration: Four or five counts, with four being preferred.

 

2. Permissible Disconnected Madd (Al-Madd Al-Jā’iz Al-Munfaṣil)

Occurs when the elongation letter is at the end of one word, and the hamzah begins the following word. Examples include:

• ﴿تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ﴾
• ﴿بِمَا أَوْحَيْنَا﴾
• ﴿وَفِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ﴾

 

Duration: Four or five counts (preferred: four); occasionally, it may be shortened to two counts.

 

B. Madd Caused by Sukūn

1. Necessary Madd (Al-Madd Al-Lāzim)

It occurs when a letter of elongation is followed by a permanent sukūn. Examples include:

• ﴿الصَّاخَّةُ﴾
• ﴿دَابَّةٍ﴾
• ﴿الْحَاقَّةُ﴾

 

Duration: Always six counts.

 

2. Accidental Madd for Pause (Al-Madd Al-‘Āriḍ Lil-Sukūn)

Occurs when a temporary sukūn is introduced during a pause. Examples include:

• ﴿الْمَآبِ﴾
• ﴿الْعَالَمِينَ﴾
• ﴿الرَّحِيمِ﴾

Duration: Two, four, or six counts, depending on the chosen recitation style.

 

3. Soft Madd (Madd Al-Līn)

Question: What is soft madd, and can you provide examples?

A: Soft Madd (madd al-līn) occurs when a wāw or yā’ devoid of a vowel is preceded by a fathah. Examples include:

• ﴿خَوْفٌ﴾
• ﴿شَيْءٍ﴾

Duration: Two, four, or six counts.

Recitation Example:

Reflect upon the soft madd in the following chapter: Allah Almighty says:

﴿لِإِيلَافِ قُرَيْشٍ (1) إِيلَافِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ وَالصَّيْفِ (2) فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَذَا الْبَيْتِ (3) الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُمْ مِنْ جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُمْ مِنْ خَوْفٍ (4)﴾