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The rules of lām in tajweed cover the lām of the definite article (sun and moon letters), the lām in the name of Allah, the lām of verbs and the lām of particles. The best known is the difference between the sun lām, which is merged and not pronounced, and the moon lām, which is pronounced clearly.
The definite article: moon lām and sun lām
| Type | Rule | Letters after it | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moon lām (qamariyyah) | Pronounced clearly (iẓhār) | ابغ حجك وخف عقيمه (14 letters) | الْقَمَرُ، الْكِتَابُ، الْحَمْدُ |
| Sun lām (shamsiyyah) | Merged (idghām) | The other 14 letters | الشَّمْسُ، النَّاسُ، الرَّحْمَنُ |
In the Mushaf, the sun lām is written without a sukūn and the letter after it carries a shaddah; the moon lām carries a sukūn.
The lām in the name of Allah
- Heavy after fatha or damma: قَالَ اللَّهُ, رُسُلُ اللَّهِ.
- Light after kasra: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ, الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ.
- If you start with the name of Allah, the lām is heavy, because the hamzat al-wasl is read with fatha.
The lām of verbs and particles
- The lām of a verb with sukūn is usually pronounced clearly, as in أَلْقَى, and merged when followed by lām or rā’: قُلْ لَكُمْ, قُلْ رَبِّ.
- The lām of “hal” and “bal” is merged into lām and rā’, as in بَلْ رَفَعَهُ – except in بَلْ رَانَ, where Hafs makes a short pause (sakt) that prevents merging.
Related articles: tafkhim and tarqiq, types of idgham, stopping signs and pauses.
Learn it in practice with a teacher
Tajweed is learned by listening and reciting to a teacher; reading about the rules is not enough. At Al-Azhar Message Academy you recite to a male or female Al-Azhar graduate who holds an ijazah with a connected sanad, and who listens and corrects you in one-to-one lessons on Zoom or Google Meet. The subscription starts at $40 per month for 8 lessons, and the first trial lesson is free. See our online tajweed course.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Which are the moon letters?
Fourteen letters, gathered in “ابغ حجك وخف عقيمه”.
When is the lām in the name of Allah heavy?
After fatha or damma; it is light after kasra.
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Why is the lām not merged in “bal rān”?
Because Hafs makes a short pause (sakt) on the lām of “bal” in this place, and the pause prevents merging.
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