Holy Quran | Tajweed Rules | Complete letter reference table

Letter Articulation Points and Qualities Reference

This page presents a complete reference table for every Arabic letter: its group label, its articulation point, and its qualities — complementing the detailed articulation-points page and the letter-qualities pages.

LetterLabelArticulation PointQualities
Hamzah (')Throat letterDeepest part of the throatJahr, Shiddah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat
Haa (h)Throat letterDeepest part of the throatHams, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat
'Ayn (')Throat letterMiddle of the throatJahr, Bayniyyah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat
Haa-heavy (h)Throat letterMiddle of the throatHams, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat
Ghayn (gh)Throat letterNearest part of the throatJahr, Rakhawah, Isti'la, Infitah, Ismat
Khaa (kh)Throat letterNearest part of the throatHams, Rakhawah, Isti'la, Infitah, Ismat
Qaf (q)Lahawi (uvular) letterBack of the tongue with its elevation, against the upper palateJahr, Shiddah, Isti'la, Infitah, Ismat, Qalqalah
Kaaf (k)Lahawi (uvular) letterBack of the tongue against the upper palateHams, Shiddah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat
Jeem (j)Shajari (palatal) letterMiddle of the tongue against the upper gumsJahr, Shiddah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat, Qalqalah
Sheen (sh)Shajari (palatal) letterMiddle of the tongue against the upper gumsHams, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat, Tafashshi
Non-Madd Yaa (y)Shajari (palatal) letterMiddle of the tongue against the upper gumsJahr, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat, Leen (when silent)
Ddaad (d(dad))Shajari (palatal) letterOne edge of the tongue (left edge easier) against the upper molarsJahr, Rakhawah, Isti'la, Itbaq, Ismat, Istitalah
Ttaa (tt)Nat'i (dental) letterTip of the tongue with the base of the upper front teethJahr, Shiddah, Isti'la, Itbaq, Ismat, Qalqalah
Daal (d)Nat'i (dental) letterTip of the tongue with the base of the upper front teethJahr, Shiddah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat, Qalqalah
Taa (t)Nat'i (dental) letterTip of the tongue with the base of the upper front teethHams, Shiddah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat
Zhaa (zh)Lathawi (gum) letterTip of the tongue with the edges of the upper front teethJahr, Rakhawah, Isti'la, Itbaq, Ismat
Dhaal (dh)Lathawi (gum) letterTip of the tongue with the edges of the upper front teethJahr, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat
Thaa (th)Lathawi (gum) letterTip of the tongue with the edges of the upper front teethHams, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat
Faa (f)Shafawi (labial) letterInner lower lip with the edges of the upper front teethHams, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Idhlaq
Baa (b)Shafawi (labial) letterBetween the two lips, closedJahr, Shiddah, Istifal, Infitah, Idhlaq, Qalqalah
Meem (m)Shafawi (labial) letterBetween the two lips, closedJahr, Bayniyyah, Istifal, Infitah, Idhlaq
Non-Madd Waw (w)Shafawi (labial) letterBetween the two lips, openJahr, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat, Leen (when silent)
Saad (s(sad))Asali (whistling) letterTip of the tongue above the lower front teeth, narrow air gapHams, Rakhawah, Isti'la, Itbaq, Ismat, Safeer
Seen (s)Asali (whistling) letterTip of the tongue above the lower front teeth, narrow air gapHams, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat, Safeer
Zaa (z)Asali (whistling) letterTip of the tongue above the lower front teeth, narrow air gapJahr, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat, Safeer
Lam (l)Dhalqi (fluent) letterForemost edge (or one edge, right easier) of the tongue with the upper gum-ridgeJahr, Bayniyyah, Istifal, Infitah, Idhlaq, Inhiraf
Raa (r)Dhalqi (fluent) letterTip of the tongue with a little of its back, against the upper gum-ridgeJahr, Bayniyyah, Istifal, Infitah, Idhlaq, Inhiraf, Takreer (must be guarded against)
Noon (n)Dhalqi (fluent) letterTip of the tongue against the upper gum-ridgeJahr, Bayniyyah, Istifal, Infitah, Idhlaq
Madd AlifJawfi (cavity) letterAl-Jawf (the open cavity)Jahr, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat
Madd WawJawfi (cavity) letterAl-Jawf (the open cavity)Jahr, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat
Madd YaaJawfi (cavity) letterAl-Jawf (the open cavity)Jahr, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat
Ghunnah—Al-Khayshoom (nasal cavity)A quality accompanying Meem and Noon

Note: this table is a companion reference to the pages on the detailed articulation points and the letter qualities. For full definitions of each label, articulation point, and quality, see those dedicated pages.

🇸🇦 اقرأ بالعربية

Tajweed Rules Index

Introduction to Tajweed

Virtue of Reading Quran Science of Tajweed Levels of Recitation Errors in Recitation The Seven Letters Science of Qira'at Etiquette of Recitation Isti'adhah & Basmalah Categories of Surahs

Articulation Points & Qualities

Letter Articulation Points Names of Letters Main Articulation Points Letter Qualities Opposite Qualities Qualities Without Opposite Points & Qualities Table Tafkheem & Tarqeeq

Idgham (Merging) of Letters

Definition of Idgham Categories of Idgham Idgham Mutamathilayn Idgham Mutaqaribayn Idgham Mutajanisayn

Rules of Noon Sakenah & Tanween

Noon Sakenah & Tanween Idhar Idgham Iqlab Ikhfa Ghunnah

Rules of Meem Sakenah

Meem Sakenah Labial Idgham Labial Ikhfa Labial Idhar

Rules of Madd in Tajweed

Categories of Madd Natural Madd Madd Al-Badal Obligatory Connected Madd Permissible Separate Madd Madd Lazim Madd 'Aaridh Lissukoon Madd As-Silah

Rulings of the Letter Raa

Rulings of Raa Tafkheem of Raa Tarqeeq of Raa Both Ways Permissible

Rules of Waqf (Stopping) & Ibtida'

Rules of Waqf As-Sakt Types of Waqf Rawm & Ishmam Hamzat Al-Wasl & Al-Qat' Stop Signs

Tajweed Poems

Al-Jazariyyah Tuhfat Al-Atfal Ash-Shatibiyyah

Qalqalah & Rules of Lam

Qalqalah Rules of Lam