Stop Signs Waqf

Stop Signs in the Standard Mushaf Script

Meem (م): the sign of Waqf Lazim (obligatory stopping), placed where the meaning is complete and would otherwise be unclear without stopping. Failing to stop at these points can lead to confusion in the listener's understanding.

La (لا): the sign of prohibited stopping on the word, requiring continuation with what follows. It occurs mid-verse and is disregarded when it falls at a verse's end, since stopping there is itself a Sunnah, regardless of any grammatical or semantic connection to what follows.

Sla (صلى): the sign of permissible stopping, with continuing being preferred.

Qla (قلى): the sign of permissible stopping, with stopping being preferred.

Jeem (ج): the sign of permissible stopping, with no preference either way.

• •: the sign of "paired stopping" — if one stops at one of the two marked positions, one should not also stop at the second. It is permissible not to stop at either. Example: ﴾Dhalika-l-kitabu la rayba^• feehi^• hudan lilmuttaqeen﴿ (Al-Baqarah: 2).