The Rulings Pertaining to the Letter Rāʾ
Q: What are the rulings governing the articulation of
the letter Rāʾ?
A: The letter Rāʾ manifests in three distinct
states:
- Tafkhīm
(heaviness or emphatic pronunciation),
- Tarqīq
(lightness or softened articulation),
- Permissibility of both Tafkhīm and Tarqīq.
Condition for Pronouncing RÉ with TarqÊq
Q: Under which conditions is the Rāʾ articulated with Tarqīq?
A: The Rāʾ assumes a softened
articulation (Tarqīq) in
the following circumstances:
1. When
accompanied by a kasrah (vowel indicating an "i" sound):
﴿رِزْقًا﴾، ﴿مَرِيجٍ﴾.
2. When
it is sākin (vowelless) and preceded by an
original kasrah, provided it is not followed by an Istiʿlāʾ (elevated) letter:
﴿شِرْعَةً﴾، ﴿الْفِرْدَوْسِ﴾.
3. When
sākin at the end of a word and
preceded by a sākin letter Yāʾ:
﴿بَصِيرٌ﴾، ﴿خَيْرٌ﴾
4. When
sākin at the end of a word, preceded
by a non-Yāʾ sākin letter, which itself follows a
kasrah:
﴿الذَّكَرُ﴾، ﴿السِّحْرَ﴾
5. When
sākin at the end of a word, preceded
by an original kasrah, and the recitation is paused:
﴿ناصِرَ﴾، ﴿الْقادِرُ﴾
6. When
sākin at the end of a word, preceded
by an original kasrah, and followed by an Istiʿlāʾ letter at the beginning of the
next word:
﴿أَنْذِرْ قَوْمَكَ﴾، ﴿فَاصْبِرْ
صَبْرًا﴾.
Conditions for
Pronouncing Rāʾ
with Tafkhīm
Q: When is the Rāʾ pronounced with Tafkhīm?
A: The Rāʾ is articulated emphatically
(Tafkhīm) under
these conditions:
1. When
accompanied by a ḍammah (vowel indicating an "u" sound):
﴿أَبْصارُها﴾، ﴿رُحَمَاءُ﴾
2. When
accompanied by a fatḥah (vowel indicating an "a" sound):
﴿رَبَّنا﴾، ﴿فَرْشًا﴾
3. When
sākin and preceded by a ḍammah:
﴿الْغُرْفَةَ﴾
4. When
sākin and preceded by a fatḥah:
﴿مَرْيَمَ﴾
5. When
sākin and preceded by an original
kasrah, followed by an Istiʿlāʾ letter within the same word:
﴿مِرْصَادًا﴾
6. When
sākin and preceded by an incidental
kasrah:
﴿أَمِ ارْتابُوا﴾، ﴿لِمَنِ
ارْتَضَى﴾
This rule applies regardless of continuation or
stopping.
7. When
sākin, preceded by a non-Yāʾ sākin letter, and the preceding
letter bears a ḍammah or fatḥah:
﴿وَالْفَجْرِ﴾، ﴿الْكُفْرَ﴾، ﴿الْأُمُورُ﴾
Tafkhīm
applies when stopping, but for continuation, the ruling depends on the vowel of
the Rāʾ: Tafkhīm for fatḥah or ḍammah, and Tarqīq for kasrah.
Instances Permitting Both Tafkhīm and Tarqīq
Q: When are both Tafkhīm and Tarqīq permissible?
A: Certain cases permit either
articulation, such as:
﴿كُلُّ فِرْقٍ﴾، ﴿بِمِصْرَ﴾، ﴿الْقِطْرِ﴾
The Rules of Stopping and Starting (Al-Waqf wa Al-Ibtidāʾ)
The Significance of Stopping and Starting
The principles of Waqf (stopping) and
Ibtidāʾ (starting) constitute
essential elements of Qurʾānic
recitation (Tajwīd). Mastery of these rules is
imperative for achieving proper recitational etiquette and preserving the coherence
of meaning.
Key Definitions
Q: What distinguishes Waqf, Qaṭʿ, and Sakt?
A:
- Waqf (stopping):
A deliberate pause on a word, long enough to take a breath, while
intending to continue recitation.
- Qaṭʿ (ceasing):
Stopping with the intention to end recitation, often to engage in other
actions, such as bowing in prayer.
- Sakt (short pause):
A brief soundless pause, shorter than Waqf, without breathing, to ensure
accurate pronunciation while intending to continue recitation. This is
sometimes termed a "soft pause."
Categories of Waqf
Q: What are the categories of Waqf?
A: Scholars delineate six types
of Waqf:
1. Waqf
Ikhtiyārī (optional stopping): Chosen voluntarily, without
compulsion, encompassing:
- Waqf Tām (complete stop):
A pause where the meaning is fully independent of the subsequent text,
e.g., {مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ}.
- Waqf Kāfī (sufficient stop):
A pause where the meaning is complete but connected in context, e.g., {يُؤْمِنُونَ}, {لَا
يُؤْمِنُونَ}.
- Waqf Ḥasan (good stop):
A pause where the meaning is complete but structurally connected, e.g., {بِسْمِ اللَّهِ} {الْحَمْدُ
لِلَّهِ}.
- Waqf Qabīḥ (improper stop):
A pause leaving the meaning incomplete, e.g., pausing at {بِسْمِ}.
2. Waqf
Iḍṭirārī (obligatory stopping): Caused by unavoidable
circumstances, such as running out of breath.
3. Waqf
Ikhtibārī (examining stop): Used for instructional
purposes, such as testing a student's recitation.
4. Waqf
Intiẓārī (anticipatory stop): Used to review different
readings.
5. Waqf
Taʿassufī (arbitrary stopping): A pause made without proper
justification, disrupting meaning.
6. Waqf
Al-Murāqabah (vigilant stop): Employed to evaluate context
before deciding to stop.
Sakt in the Recitation of Ḥafṣ ʿAn ʿĀṣim
Q: What is Sakt, and where does it occur?
A: Sakt is a brief, soundless pause
used to preserve accurate articulation. In the recitation style of Ḥafṣ ʿAn ʿĀṣim, it is applied in four instances:
- Surah Al-Kahf:
On {عِوَجًا}
in {... وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ عِوَجًا قَيِّمًا}.
- Surah Yāsīn:
On {مَرْقَدِنَا}
in {... مَنْ بَعَثَنَا مِنْ مَرْقَدِنَا}.
- Surah Al-Qiyāmah:
On {مَنْ}
in {... وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ}.
- Surah Al-Muṭaffifīn:
On {بَلْ}
in {كَلاَّ
بَلْ رَانَ...}.
Additionally, in
Surah Al-Ḥāqqah, both Sakt and Idghām are permissible on {مَالِيَهْ} and {سُلْطَانِيَهْ}, with the latter
classified as Idghām Al-Mithlayn (merging of similar
letters).
