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The special words of the narration of Hafs are words in the Quran that Hafs ‘an ‘Asim, by the Shatibiyyah route, reads differently from the general rule, or with more than one permitted way. Every reciter of Hafs needs to know them – especially ijazah students, because they are among the first things the sheikh asks about.
| Word | Place | How Hafs reads it |
|---|---|---|
| مَجْرٰىهَا | Hūd 11:41 | With major imālah – the only imālah in the narration of Hafs |
| ءَاَعْجَمِيٌّ | Fuṣṣilat 41:44 | The second hamza is eased (tas-hīl), between hamza and alif |
| لَا تَأْمَنَّا | Yūsuf 12:11 | With ishmām or rawm |
| ضَعْف / ضُعْف | ar-Rūm 30:54 (three times) | With fatha or damma on the ḍād; damma is what Hafs himself chose |
| عِوَجًا، مَرْقَدِنَا، مَنْ رَاقٍ، بَلْ رَانَ | al-Kahf, Yā-Sīn, al-Qiyāmah, al-Muṭaffifīn | With a short pause (sakt) |
| يَبْسُطُ، بَسْطَةً | al-Baqarah 2:245, al-A‘rāf 7:69 | With sīn |
| الْمُصَيْطِرُونَ | aṭ-Ṭūr 52:37 | With sīn or ṣād |
| بِمُصَيْطِرٍ | al-Ghāshiyah 88:22 | With ṣād |
Imālah in “majrēhā”
Imālah means inclining the fatha towards kasra and the alif towards yā’. By the Shatibiyyah route, Hafs has no imālah except in the word مَجْرٰىهَا in the verse “bismillāhi majrēhā wa mursāhā”.
Tas-hīl in “a-a‘jamiyy”
Tas-hīl means pronouncing the second hamza between a hamza and an alif – neither fully as a hamza nor as a pure alif.
Ishmām and rawm in “ta’mannā”
The word is originally “ta’manunā” with two nūns; the first is merged into the second with ishmām – rounding the lips while pronouncing the merged nūn, without sound. Rawm is also permitted: pronouncing part of the vowel of the first nūn with a faint voice, in which case full merging does not take place.
The question hamza with hamzat al-wasl
In آلذَّكَرَيْنِ, آلْآنَ and آللَّهُ, a question hamza meets the definite article. Hafs may change the hamzat al-wasl into an alif with a compulsory madd of six counts, or ease it (tas-hīl); the change into alif comes first.
Other places people often ask about
- Salāsilā (al-Insān 76:4): when stopping, the alif may be kept or dropped with sukūn; when continuing, it is dropped.
- Famā ātāniya llāh (an-Naml 27:36): when stopping, the yā’ may be kept with sukūn or dropped.
- ‘Ayn at the start of Maryam and ash-Shūrā: a madd līn of 4 or 6 counts.
- Yā-Sīn wal-Qur’ān, Nūn wal-Qalam: the nūn is pronounced clearly by Hafs.
- Alif-Lām-Mīm Allāh at the start of Āl ‘Imrān: when continuing, the mīm takes a fatha, and it may be lengthened to 6 counts or shortened to 2.
Read these places to a qualified sheikh
At Al-Azhar Message Academy you recite to a male or female Al-Azhar graduate who holds an ijazah with a connected sanad, in one-to-one lessons, all the way to the ijazah in Hafs. The subscription starts at $40 per month for 8 lessons; once you qualify for the ijazah, a $100 ijazah fee is paid before you receive it. The first trial lesson is free. See also Hafs vs Warsh vs Qalun.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Which is the only word with imālah in Hafs?
The word “majrēhā” in Surat Hūd, verse 41.
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How is “lā ta’mannā” read?
With merging and ishmām, or with rawm and without full merging.
Are both fatha and damma permitted in “ḍa‘f”?
Yes, Hafs has both ways in the three places in Surat ar-Rūm; damma is Hafs’s own choice.
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