Madd Lazim

Madd Lazim (Obligatory Madd)

Category: Madd Lazim is a branching Madd caused by an original, unchanging sukoon (silence).

Definition of Madd Lazim: it occurs when a Madd letter is followed, within a single word, by a letter with an original sukoon, or a doubled (shaddah) letter (since a doubled letter originally consists of two identical letters, the first silent and the second voweled).

Its duration: reciters unanimously agree it must be fully lengthened to six counts.

Reason for the name "Lazim": named "obligatory" (Lazim) because its cause is constant and unchanging, or because its six-count duration is agreed upon unanimously.

Categories of Madd Lazim: Madd Lazim is divided into two types: Kalimi (word-based) and Harfi (letter-based).

1. Madd Lazim Kalimi: when Madd Lazim occurs within an ordinary word. It is further divided into:

●Muthaqqal (heavy) Kalimi Madd Lazim: when the Madd letter is followed by a doubled letter, such as:

﴾Wala-dh-dhalleen﴿ (Al-Fatiha: 7) — a doubled Lam follows the Madd letter.

◆ ﴾Al-Haaqqah﴿ (Al-Haqqah: 1)

﴾Qul aallahu adhina lakum am 'ala-llahi taftaroon﴿ (Yunus: 59)

﴾Qul aa-dh-dhakarayni harrama ami-l-unthayayn﴿ (Al-An'am: 143)

●Mukhaffaf (light) Kalimi Madd Lazim: when the Madd letter is followed by an original silent letter without doubling. The sole example is aal'an, occurring in two places in Surah Yunus, with no other example anywhere in the Quran.

﴾Aal'an waqad kuntum bihi tasta'jiloon﴿ (Yunus: 51)

﴾Aal'an waqad 'asayta qablu wakunta mina-l-mufsideen﴿ (Yunus: 91)

Note: the Kalimi Madd Lazim caused by an interrogative Hamzah is also called "Madd Al-Farq" (the Madd of Distinction), occurring in the words aal'an, aallah, and aa-dh-dhakarayn. It is so named because the Madd distinguishes these interrogative words from their otherwise identical declarative counterparts — for instance, the difference between the interrogative aal'an (appearing twice in Surah Yunus) and the declarative al'an (now) lies precisely in this Madd.

2. Madd Lazim Harfi: when Madd Lazim occurs within one of the disjointed opening letters of certain surahs, specifically those letters whose name spells out as three letters with a Madd or Leen letter in the middle — gathered in the phrase "Naqasa 'Asalukum". Madd Lazim Harfi is divided into:

●Muthaqqal (heavy) Harfi Madd Lazim: when the Madd letter is followed by a letter merged (Idgham) into what follows it, such as:

﴾Alif-Laam-Meem﴿ (Al-Baqarah: 1) — the Meem after the Madd Alif in the spelling of "Lam" merges into the following Meem, making the Madd heavy.

﴾Ttaa-Seen-Meem﴿ (Ash-Shu'ara: 1) — the Noon following the Madd Yaa in "Seen" merges into the following Meem, making the Yaa's Madd heavy.

●Mukhaffaf (light) Harfi Madd Lazim: when the Madd letter is followed by a silent letter not merged into what follows it, such as:

﴾Qaaf. Wa-l-Qur'ani-l-Majeed﴿ (Qaf: 1) — the silent Faa following the Madd Alif in "Qaf" is not merged into what follows, making the Madd light.

◆ ﴾Saad. Wa-l-Qur'ani dhi-dh-dhikr﴿ (Sad: 1)

﴾Alif-Laam-Meem-Raa﴿ — the Alif of "Lam" is given a heavy Madd, since the Meem of "Lam" merges into the first Meem of "Meem"'s spelling; while the Madd Yaa within "Meem" itself is given a light Madd, since it is followed by an unmerged silent letter (the second Meem in "Meem").

Note: the opening letters gathered in the phrase "Sanaqsu Lakum" are given a six-count Madd. The Madd in the letter 'Ayn, as it occurs at the opening of Surah Maryam (Kaf-Ha-Ya-'Ayn-Saad) and Surah Ash-Shura ('Ayn-Seen-Qaf), may be given either four counts (treating it as akin to a Leen Madd) or the full six counts (treating it as a standard Madd Lazim), with six counts being preferred.

Note: when continuing the opening of Surah Aal-'Imran (Alif-Laam-Meem) with what follows, the Meem takes a fatha vowel. In that case, the Yaa within the spelling of "Meem" may be given either two counts or the full six counts. When stopping, however, it must be given the full six counts, with no shortening permitted.