تحفة الأطفال — Tuhfat al-Atfal

Chapter 1

النون الساكنة والتنوين

Noon Sakinah & Tanwin

When Noon has a sukoon (نْ) or when there is Tanwin (ً ٍ ٌ), four rules apply depending on the letter that follows.

الإظهار الحلقي

Rule 1 — Izhaar (Clear Pronunciation)

Condition

Noon Sakinah or Tanwin is followed by one of the 6 throat letters (حروف الحلق)

How to Recite

Pronounce the Noon clearly with NO ghunnah (nasal sound)

The 6 Throat Letters (حروف الحلق)

ء

ه

ع

ح

غ

خ

لِلنُّونِ إِنْ تَسْكُنْ وَلِلتَّنْوِينِ

✦

أَرْبَعُ أَحْكَامٍ فَخُذْ تَبْيِينِي

✦

فَأَوَّلٌ: الإِظْهَارُ قَبْلَ أَحْرُفِ

✦

الحَلْقِ سِتٌّ رُتِّبَتْ فَاعْرِفْهَا

✦

هَمْزٌ فَهَاءٌ ثُمَّ عَيْنٌ حَاءُ

✦

مُهْمَلَتَانِ ثُمَّ غَيْنٌ خَاءُ

Quranic Examples

مَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْ هَادٍ مِنْ عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ مِنْ غِلٍّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ

الإدغام

Rule 2 — Idghaam (Merging)

Condition

Noon Sakinah or Tanwin followed by one of 6 letters: ي ر م ل و ن (يَرْمَلُونَ)

How to Recite

The Noon merges INTO the next letter — with or without nasal resonance depending on the letter

وَالثَّانِيْ الإِدْغَامُ وَهُوَ قِسْمَانِ

✦

بِغُنَّةٍ يَاءٌ وَنُونٌ وَالْمِيمُ وَالوَاوُ

✦

وَبِغَيْرِهَا فِيْ اللَّامِ وَالرَّاءِ وَكَفْ

✦

بِمِثْلِهِ لَوْ قَالَ قُلْ يَعِيْفُ

الإدغام بِغُنَّة مع الغنة — With Ghunnah

Before: ي ن م و — the Noon merges INTO the next letter WITH nasal resonance (2 counts)

ي

ن

م

و

Examples

مَنْ يَقُولُ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ

الإدغام بِغَيْرِ غُنَّة بدون الغنة — Without Ghunnah

Before: ل ر — the Noon merges completely with NO nasal sound

ل

ر

Examples

مِنْ لَدُنْهُ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

الإقلاب

Rule 3 — Iqlab (Conversion)

Condition

Noon Sakinah or Tanwin is followed by ب only

How to Recite

Convert the Noon to a Meem sound, then apply ghunnah for 2 counts

ب

وَالثَّالِثُ الإِقْلَابُ عِنْدَ البَاءِ

✦

مِيمًا بِغُنَّةٍ مَعَ الإِخْفَاءِ

Quranic Examples

مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنبِئُونِي سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ

Note: The small م written above/below the text in mushafs marks Iqlab positions.

الإخفاء الحقيقي

Rule 4 — Ikhfaa (Concealment)

Condition

Noon Sakinah or Tanwin followed by the remaining 15 letters (all others not covered by rules 1–3)

How to Recite

Pronounce Noon between Izhaar and Idghaam — partially nasal, partially concealed, for 2 counts

The 15 Letters of Ikhfaa

ت

ث

ج

د

ذ

ز

س

ش

ص

ض

ط

ظ

ف

ق

ك

وَالرَّابِعُ الإِخْفَاءُ عِنْدَ الفَاضِلِ

✦

خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِيْنَ بِهَا الأَمَاكِنِ

Quranic Examples

مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ أَنتُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ مِنْ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ قَدِيرٌ

Chapter 2

الميم الساكنة

Meem Sakinah

When Meem has a sukoon (مْ), three rules apply depending on the letter that follows.

الإخفاء الشفوي

Rule 1 — Ikhfaa Shafawi (Lip Concealment)

Condition

Meem Sakinah followed by ب only

How to Recite

Conceal the Meem — lips nearly closed, slight nasal resonance (ghunnah 2 counts)

ب

وَالأَوَّلُ الإِخْفَاءُ عِنْدَ البَاءِ

✦

وَسَمِّهِ الشَّفَوِيَّ لِلْقُرَّاءِ

Quranic Examples

تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍ وَهُمْ بِالْآخِرَةِ

الإدغام الشفوي

Rule 2 — Idghaam Shafawi (Lip Merging)

Condition

Meem Sakinah followed by م only

How to Recite

Meem merges completely into the following Meem WITH ghunnah held for 2 counts

م

وَالثَّانِيْ إِدْغَامٌ بِمِثْلِهَا أَتَى

✦

وَسَمِّهِ إِدْغَامًا شَفَوِيًّا جُعِلَا

Quranic Examples

لَكُمْ مَا كَسَبْتُمْ أَمْ مَنْ

الإظهار الشفوي

Rule 3 — Izhaar Shafawi (Clear Lip Pronunciation)

Condition

Meem Sakinah followed by any of the remaining 26 letters (all except ب and م)

How to Recite

Pronounce the Meem clearly, lips fully closed, NO ghunnah

وَالثَّالِثُ الإِظْهَارُ فِي البَاقِيْ

✦

مِنَ الحُرُوفِ وَالأَدَاءُ رَاقِي

Quranic Examples

وَهُمْ فِيهَا أَمْ حَسِبَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

Chapter 3

المدود

Madd — Elongation

Madd refers to the elongation of vowel sounds. The length is measured in harakaat (vowel counts), where 1 harakah ≈ the time to open or close a finger. The base Madd letters are ا و ي.

1.

المد الطبيعي

Natural Madd (Asli)

2 harakaat

The baseline Madd. A Madd letter followed by nothing that causes extension — no hamza, no sukoon after it.

قَالَ يَقُولُ قِيلَ

2.

المد المتصل

Madd Wajib Muttasil (Obligatory)

4–5 harakaat

A Madd letter and Hamza (ء) occur in the same word. Lengthening is obligatory.

جَاءَ السَّمَاءَ سُوءَ

3.

المد المنفصل

Madd Jaiz Munfasil (Permissible)

2–5 harakaat

A Madd letter at the end of a word and Hamza starts the next word. Length varies by qiraa'ah.

يَا أَيُّهَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ

4.

المد اللازم

Madd Lazim (Necessary)

6 harakaat always

A Madd letter followed by a letter with shaddah (gemination) or permanent sukoon. Always 6 counts, no exceptions.

الضَّالِّين ءَالْآنَ

Chapter 4

الغنة

Ghunnah — Nasal Sound

Ghunnah is a nasal resonance produced through the nose, always associated with Noon (ن) and Meem (م). It is a characteristic of these two letters — not optional.

When Ghunnah is 2 Harakaat

When Noon or Meem carries a shaddah (نّ or مّ), the ghunnah is held for 2 full counts.

Origin

The nasal cavity (الخيشوم) — ghunnah does not come from the mouth or throat, but purely from the nose.

Quranic Examples (Shaddah on Noon/Meem)

إِنَّ ثُمَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مِمَّا أَيَّانَ

وَغُنَّ مِيمًا ثُمَّ نُونًا شُدِّدَا

✦

وَسَمِّ كُلًّا حَرْفَ غُنَّةٍ بَدَا

"And nasalise a Meem and Noon when doubled (with shaddah), and call each a letter of Ghunnah."