Tajweed Rules: Isti‘ādhah, Basmalah, and Tafkheem/Tarqeeq

Vocabulary definitions including Isti‘ādhah, Basmalah rulings, Sakt pauses, and the principles of Tafkheem (heaviness) and Tarqeeq (lightness) from the Tajweed lecture.

Isti‘ādhah (Linguistically)

It means to seek protection and refuge.

Isti‘ādhah (Technically)

Seeking protection and refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan.

Preferred Isti‘ādhah Formulation

"أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم" (I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed devil).

Jahr (Isti'aathah)

Reciting the seeking of refuge aloud, done when a listener is present or when starting a group recitation.

Isrār (Isti'aathah)

Reciting the seeking of refuge silently, applicable during prayer, when reading alone, or when not initiating a group recitation.

Basmalah

Derived from the past verb "Basmel", meaning "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful."

Surah At-Tawbah (Bara’ah)

The specific Surah where the Basmalah is prohibited/not recited at the beginning.

Permissible ways to start any Surah (except At-Tawbah)

1. Connecting all. 2. Connecting first with second and disconnecting third. 3. Disconnecting first with second and connecting third. 4. Disconnecting all.

Sakts (Pauses)

Specific pauses in the Qur'an; in the narration of Hafs, there are $6$ pauses, with $4$ being obligatory and $2$ being permissible.

Obligatory Sakts for Hafs

Located in Surat Al-Kahf, Surat Yasin, Surat Al-Qiyamah, and Surat Al-Mutaffifin.

Permissible Sakts

Located between Surah Al-Anfal and Surah Al-Tawbah, and on the words "هلك" "ماليه" in Surat Al-Haqqah.

Tafkheem (Linguistically)

Heaviness and thickness.

Tafkheem (Applied)

Heaviness in the sound of the letter that fills the mouth with echo.

Tarqeeq (Linguistically)

Lightness.

Tarqeeq (Applied)

Thinness in the sound of the letter so the mouth does not fill with echo.

Always Heavy Letters

A group of $7$ letters found in the phrase: $\text{خص ضغط قظ}$.

Alif ($ا$) Rule

It follows the letter that precedes it; pronounced heavy if the preceding letter is heavy, and light if the preceding letter is light.

Laam ($ل$) in the Name of Majesty

Becomes heavy (Tafkheem) if the preceding word ends in a Fathah or Dammah, and light (Tarqeeq) if preceded by a Kasrah.

Musta'ali Letters

Elevated or heavy letters; if a Raa Sakinah is preceded by a Kasrah and followed by one of these not voweled with Kasrah, the Raa is heavy.

Ra’ al-Maeelah

The 'tilted' Ra’ found in only one word for Hafs ("مجراها"), which is always pronounced with Tarqeeq (lightness).

Rawm

A way of stopping on a letter voweled with dammah or kasrah, which can affect whether the letter Raa is pronounced heavy or light.