Noorani Qaida English Edition — Learn to Read Quran

The Arabic Alphabet (Individual Letters)

حروف التهجي

📌 Key Rule The Arabic alphabet has 29 letters. Each letter has a name and a sound. All Quranic letters are written from right to left. Learn each letter's name and its basic sound carefully.

Alif

Baa

Paa*

Taa

Ttaa*

Thaa

Jeem

Chaa*

Haa

Khaa

Daal

Ddaal*

Dhaal

Raa

Zayn

Zhaa*

Seen

Sheen

Saad

Daad

Ttaa

Ddhaa

ʿAyn

Ghayn

Faa

Qaaf

Kaaf

Gaaf*

Laam

Meem

Noon

Waaw

Haa

Yaa

Hamza

* Letters marked with (*) are used in Urdu/Persian but not in classical Arabic.

Joined Letter Forms

حروف مرکبہ

📌 Key Rule Most Arabic letters change their shape when they join with other letters. Each letter can appear in four positions: isolated, initial (beginning), medial (middle), and final (end).

Letter	Isolated	Initial	Medial	Final	Name
ب	ب	بـ	ـبـ	ـب	Baa
ت	ت	تـ	ـتـ	ـت	Taa
ج	ج	جـ	ـجـ	ـج	Jeem
ع	ع	عـ	ـعـ	ـع	ʿAyn
ف	ف	فـ	ـفـ	ـف	Faa
ك	ك	كـ	ـكـ	ـك	Kaaf
م	م	مـ	ـمـ	ـم	Meem

⚠️ Non-Joining Letters Six letters never join to the letter after them: ا، د، ذ، ر، ز، و (Alif, Daal, Dhaal, Raa, Zayn, Waaw).

Short Vowels (Harakaat)

حرکات

📌 Key Rule Arabic has three short vowel marks (harakaat) that are written above or below letters. They determine how a letter is pronounced. Without them, Arabic words would be unreadable for beginners.

بَ

Fatha

Sound: "a" — like "bat" → ba

بِ

Kasra

Sound: "i" — like "bit" → bi

بُ

Damma

Sound: "u" — like "put" → bu

Practice — read each syllable aloud:

بَ

بِ

بُ

تَ

تِ

تُ

جَ

جِ

جُ

مَ

مِ

مُ

Tanwin (Nunation — Double Vowels)

تنوین

📌 Key Rule Tanwin means "nunation" — adding an "n" sound at the end of a word. It is written as a doubled vowel mark and adds "-an", "-in", or "-un" to the pronunciation.

بً

Tanwin Fatha

Sound: "an" → ban

بٍ

Tanwin Kasra

Sound: "in" → bin

بٌ

Tanwin Damma

Sound: "un" → bun

كِتَابٌ

kitaabun

رَجُلٌ

rajulun

بَيْتٌ

baytun

Long Vowels (Huroof Maddah)

حروف مدّہ

📌 Key Rule Long vowels are formed by combining a short vowel with a vowel letter. They are held for two counts (two beats). There are three long vowels: long "aa", long "ii", and long "uu".

Long Vowel	Written As	Sound	Example	Meaning
Long "aa" (Madd-e-Tabi'i)	اَ → آ / بَا	"aa" — like "father"	قَالَ	He said
Long "ii"	اِ → بِي	"ii" — like "beet"	فِيهِ	In it
Long "uu"	اُ → بُو	"uu" — like "moon"	نُورٌ	Light

بَابٌ

baab (door)

دِينٌ

deen (religion)

نُورٌ

noor (light)

كِتَابٌ

kitaab (book)

Sukoon (Rest — No Vowel Sound)

سکون

📌 Key Rule The sukoon (ـْ) is a small circle placed above a letter. It means that letter carries no vowel — just the pure consonant sound. The letter stops dead without any "a", "i", or "u" after it.

بَيْتٌ

bayt (house)

عِلْمٌ

ʿilm (knowledge)

قَلْبٌ

qalb (heart)

مِنْ

min (from)

✅ Practice Tip When you see sukoon, say the consonant quickly and move to the next letter. Do not add any extra sound. Example: مَلَكٌ (malaK + un) — the ك has sukoon… wait, that has tanwin. Better: بِنْتٌ = b-i-n-t (bint = girl).

Shaddah (Doubled / Stressed Letter)

تشدید

📌 Key Rule The shaddah (ـّ) looks like a small "W" on top of a letter. It means the letter is doubled — pronounced twice. The first time with sukoon, the second with the vowel. Press the letter firmly and hold it briefly.

بَّ

Shaddah + Fatha

"bb-a" (press hard)

بِّ

Shaddah + Kasra

"bb-i"

بُّ

Shaddah + Damma

"bb-u"

رَبُّنَا

rabbunaa (our Lord)

اَلنَّبِيُّ

an-nabiyy (the Prophet)

حَقٌّ

haqq (truth)

Soft / Flexible Letters (Huroof Leen)

حروف لین

📌 Key Rule When و or ی has sukoon and the letter before it has a fatha, these are called "letters of leen" (softness). They produce a soft gliding sound — like "ow" and "ay" in English.

خَوْف

khawf (fear) — "ow"

بَيْت

bayt (house) — "ay"

قَوْل

qawl (speech) — "ow"

عَيْن

ʿayn (eye) — "ay"

Qalqalah (Echoing / Bouncing Sound)

قلقلہ

📌 Key Rule Qalqalah is a slight echo or bounce added to five letters when they have sukoon (no vowel) or appear at the end of a word. The five Qalqalah letters are remembered by the phrase: قُطُبُ جَدٍّ (qutbu jadd).

Qaaf

Ttaa

Baa

Jeem

Daal

Minor Qalqalah (mid-word)

اَقْبَلَ

The ق has a light bounce because it has sukoon mid-word.

Major Qalqalah (end of word)

اَحَدٌ ۝

The د at the end of a verse gets a strong echoing bounce.

Rules of Noon Saakin & Tanwin

نون ساکن و تنوین کے احکام

📌 Key Rule When a still noon (نْ) or tanwin appears before another letter, it changes its sound based on which letter follows. There are four main rules: Idghaam, Ikhfaa, Iqlaab, and Idhhaar.

1. Idhhaar — Clear Noon

مِنْ حَيْثُ

Before throat letters (ء ه ع غ ح خ) — pronounce noon clearly.

2. Idghaam — Merge Noon

مَن يَقُول

Before (ي ن م و ر ل) — noon merges into the next letter (usually with ghunnah).

3. Ikhfaa — Hidden Noon

مِن تَحْتِ

Before the remaining 15 letters — hold a nasal sound between noon and the next letter.

4. Iqlaab — Noon becomes Meem

مِن بَعْدِ

Before ب only — noon changes to a nasal "m" sound with lips slightly closed.

Rules of Still Meem (Meem Saakin)

میم ساکن کے احکام

📌 Key Rule When Meem (مْ) has sukoon, it has three possible pronunciations based on the letter that follows it.

Idghaam Shafawi

هُم مَعَكُم

Before م — meem merges into the next meem with a nasal sound.

Ikhfaa Shafawi

هُم بِكُلِّ

Before ب — hold lips together briefly with a hidden nasal sound.

Idhhaar Shafawi

عَلَيْهِمْ وَ

Before all other letters — pronounce meem clearly and quickly.

Recitation Stop Signs (Waqf)

علامات وقف

📌 Key Rule Stop signs (waqf) guide the reciter when to stop, pause, or continue. Stopping correctly is essential for preserving the meaning of the Quran.

Sign	Name	Meaning & Action
م	Waqf Laazim	Mandatory stop — must stop here, meaning changes if you continue.
ط	Waqf Mutlaq	Absolute stop — highly recommended to stop.
ج	Waqf Jaa'iz	Permissible stop — you may stop or continue.
ز	Waqf Mujawwaz	Permissible but better to continue.
ص	Waqf Murakhkhas	Allowed stop (only) due to long verse.
قلي	Waqf Qali	Stopping is preferred.
صلي	Wasle Aula	Continuing is preferred.
لا	Laa Ta'quf	Do not stop — stopping here distorts the meaning.
۝	Verse End	End of an ayah — it is sunnah to stop here.

Lesson 13 — Makhaarij al-Huroof

مخارج الحروف

The articulation points of Arabic letters — where each sound originates in the mouth or throat

① Al-Jawf (Hollow / Open Air)

ا و ي

Long vowel letters — sound comes from open air in mouth/throat.

② Al-Halq (Throat)

ء ه ع غ ح خ

Six letters from different parts of the throat — deep, guttural sounds.

③ Al-Lisaan (Tongue)

ق ك ج ش ي ص ز س ض ل ن ر ط د ت ظ ذ ث

18 letters from different positions of the tongue — most Arabic sounds.

④ Ash-Shafataan (Lips)

ب م و ف

Four letters from the lips — labial sounds, some involving teeth.

⑤ Al-Khayshoom (Nasal)

غنّہ

Nasal passage — used for ghunnah (nasal sound in noon/meem with shaddah).

📖 Practice — Short Surahs of the Quran

Surah Al-Fatihah (The Opening) — Surah 1 سورة الفاتحة

بِسۡمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ ۝ اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ ۝ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ ۝ مٰلِکِ یَوۡمِ الدِّیۡنِ ۝ اِیَّاکَ نَعۡبُدُ وَ اِیَّاکَ نَسۡتَعِیۡنُ ۝ اِہۡدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الۡمُسۡتَقِیۡمَ ۝ صِرَاطَ الَّذِیۡنَ اَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَیۡہِمۡ ۬ۙ غَیۡرِ الۡمَغۡضُوۡبِ عَلَیۡہِمۡ وَ لَا الضَّآلِّیۡنَ ۝

Surah Al-Ikhlas (Sincerity) — Surah 112 سورة الإخلاص

بِسۡمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ ۝ قُلۡ هُوَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدٌ ۝ اَللّٰهُ الصَّمَدُ ۝ لَمۡ یَلِدۡ وَ لَمۡ یُوۡلَدۡ ۝ وَ لَمۡ یَکُنۡ لَّهٗ کُفُوًا اَحَدٌ ۝

Surah Al-Falaq (The Daybreak) — Surah 113 سورة الفلق

بِسۡمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ ۝ قُلۡ اَعُوۡذُ بِرَبِّ الۡفَلَقِ ۝ مِنۡ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ۝ وَ مِنۡ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ اِذَا وَقَبَ ۝ وَ مِنۡ شَرِّ النَّفّٰثٰتِ فِی الۡعُقَدِ ۝ وَ مِنۡ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ اِذَا حَسَدَ ۝

Surah An-Nas (Mankind) — Surah 114 سورة الناس

بِسۡمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ ۝ قُلۡ اَعُوۡذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ۝ مَلِکِ النَّاسِ ۝ اِلٰهِ النَّاسِ ۝ مِنۡ شَرِّ الۡوَسۡوَاسِ ۬ۙ الۡخَنَّاسِ ۝ الَّذِیۡ یُوَسۡوِسُ فِیۡ صُدُوۡرِ النَّاسِ ۝ مِنَ الۡجِنَّةِ وَ النَّاسِ ۝

Surah Al-Kawthar (Abundance) — Surah 108 سورة الكوثر

بِسۡمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ ۝ اِنَّاۤ اَعۡطَیۡنٰکَ الۡکَوۡثَرَ ۝ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّکَ وَ انۡحَرۡ ۝ اِنَّ شَانِئَکَ هُوَ الۡاَبۡتَرُ ۝

Surah Al-Asr (Time) — Surah 103 سورة العصر

بِسۡمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ ۝ وَ الۡعَصۡرِ ۝ اِنَّ الۡاِنۡسَانَ لَفِیۡ خُسۡرٍ ۝ اِلَّا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَ تَوَاصَوۡا بِالۡحَقِّ وَ تَوَاصَوۡا بِالصَّبۡرِ ۝

Al-Falah Noorani Qaida

القاعدة النورانية

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