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Makharij al-Huruf are the articulation points of the Arabic letters, the places in the mouth and throat where each sound is produced. According to Ibn al-Jazari there are five general areas and seventeen specific points. Knowing them is the first step to pronouncing the Quran correctly, especially for learners whose first language is not Arabic.
| General area | Letters |
|---|---|
| Empty space of mouth and throat (al-jawf) | The madd letters: alif, waw and ya of madd |
| Throat (al-halq) | ء ه (deepest), ع ح (middle), غ خ (nearest the mouth) |
| Tongue (al-lisan) | 18 letters from ten points, such as ق ك ج ش ي ض ل ن ر ط د ت ص س ز ظ ذ ث |
| Lips (ash-shafatan) | ف, and و (non-madd), ب, م |
| Nasal passage (al-khayshum) | The ghunnah of noon and meem |
How to find a letter’s articulation point
Put a voweled hamzah before the letter and make the letter silent, for example «أَبْ», «أَتْ», «أَقْ». The place where the sound stops is its point of articulation.
Letters English speakers often mix up
| Letters | The difference |
|---|---|
| ح and ه | ح from the middle of the throat, ه from its deepest part |
| ع and ء | ع from the middle of the throat, ء from its deepest part |
| س and ص | Same point; ص is heavy, س is light |
| ق and ك | ق from the deepest part of the tongue, ك slightly further forward |
| ذ ظ and ز | ذ and ظ with the tongue tip between the teeth; ز with the tongue tip near the lower front teeth |
Part of our Tajweed Rules Chart, a complete overview of all the rules.
Practise makharij with a teacher
Tajweed is learned by listening and reciting to a qualified teacher; reading the rules is only the start. At Al-Azhar Message Academy you recite one-to-one on Zoom or Google Meet to a male or female teacher who is an Al-Azhar graduate holding ijazah with a connected sanad, and the teacher corrects you live. Plans start at $40 per month for 8 lessons, and your first 30-minute lesson is free. See Learn Tajweed rules online and Online Quran Classes for Adults.
Frequently Asked Questions about makharij
How many makharij are there?
Five general areas and seventeen specific points, according to Ibn al-Jazari.
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What is the difference between ح and ه?
ح comes from the middle of the throat; ه comes from its deepest part, near the chest.
How can I practise makharij?
Pronounce each letter silent after a voweled hamzah, listen to skilled reciters, and recite to a teacher who corrects you.
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