Mad Jaiz Munfasil

The Permissible Separate Madd (Madd Ja'iz Munfasil)

Category: The Permissible Separate Madd is a branching Madd caused by Hamzah.

Definition: it occurs when a Madd letter comes at the end of a word, and is followed by a Hamzah at the start of the next word.

Reason for the name "Ja'iz Munfasil": called "permissible" (Ja'iz) because reciters are permitted either to shorten or lengthen it — one may restrict it to a natural Madd (two counts), or lengthen it beyond that (four or six counts). Called "separate" (Munfasil) because the Madd letter is in one word while the Hamzah is separate, in another word.

Its duration: four or five counts for Hafs via Ash-Shatibiyyah, with four being the more well-known; it may also be restricted to two counts via the route of Tayyibat An-Nashr.

The Permissible Separate Madd only applies when continuing (wasl); when stopping on the first word, the cause of the Madd (the Hamzah) is removed, and the Madd reverts to a natural Madd.

Note: if the Permissible Separate Madd occurs between two words that are joined in the script itself, such as haa'antum or ha'ula', it is not permissible to stop on the first word — so one may not stop on "haa" in ha'ula' and haa'antum, nor on "ya" in ya'ayyuha.

Note: within a single recitation session, consistency must be maintained across all instances of the Permissible Separate Madd — lengthening all of them to four counts, or all to five, or restricting all of them to two counts, but not mixing methods.

Examples:

﴾Wala antum 'abidoona ma a'bud﴿ (Al-Kafirun: 5)

◆ ﴾Qul ya ayyuha-l-kafiroon﴿ (Al-Kafirun: 1)

﴾Wa'idha-nqalaboo ila ahlihimu-nqalaboo fakiheen﴿ (Al-Mutaffifin: 31)

﴾Antaliqoo ila ma kuntum bihi tukadhdhiboon﴿ (Al-Mursalat: 29)

﴾Alladhi at'amahum min joo'in wa'amanahum min khawf﴿ (Quraysh: 4)

Madd As-Silah Al-Kubra (the Major Connecting Madd): this is grouped with the Permissible Separate Madd. It occurs when the pronoun Haa is voweled between two voweled letters, and is followed by a Hamzah at the start of the next word, such as:

﴾Wama yughnee 'anhu maluhoo idha taradda﴿ (Al-Layl: 11) — the Haa in "maaluhu" is connected with a Madd Waw, pronounced "maaluhoo idha," and takes the same ruling as the Permissible Separate Madd, lengthened four or six counts, or shortened to two counts.

◆ ﴾Ayahsabu an lam yarahoo ahad﴿ (Al-Balad: 7)

﴾Wama yukadhdhibu bihee illa kullu mu'tadin atheem﴿ (Al-Mutaffifin: 12) — the kasra-carrying Haa in "bihi" is connected with a Madd Yaa, pronounced "bihee illa," taking the same ruling as the Permissible Separate Madd.

See the dedicated section on Madd As-Silah.