The Rules of Madd

The madd means to prolong (stretch) the sound of a vowel. There are too many rules of madd, you will learn The Letters of Madd and  The Elongation Signs of Madd in this page.

The Letters of Madd – Long Vowels

There are three letters of Madd, which are ا – و – ى

These letters prolongate of a previous vowel to the measure of two vowels (2 counts), which is equal to the measure of one alif *.

It is not possible to read a madd letter alone and these letters (long vowels) only elongate the letter by the Alif with no Harakat.

* One Alif Amount: It is the time passed, to raise one finger (without dropping) or when we spell one alif letter or twice the time spent for one haraka (Example: as much as ha –> haa)

Elongation of a Letter by the Alif (ا) with no Haraka Elongation of a Letter by the Alif with no Haraka

Usually the Alif that has no haraka comes after a letter that has fatha upon it, and it allows the letter to be read a little longer. Alif with no haraka gives an ‘a’ sound as in ‘cat, hat’ to the heavy letter and it gives an ‘e’ sound as in ‘ear’ to a light letter that it comes latter to.

قَا
كَا
مِنَّا
سَامِعٌ
شِمَالٌ
قَالَ
كَانَ
كَشَفْنَا
اَجَابَ
فَاعَلَ
شَخْصَانِ
ذَاهِبَانِ
اِثْنَانِ
صِرَاطٌ
جَنَّاتٌ
مَاقَالَ
سُبْحَانَكْ
تَبَارَكَتْ
غُفْرَانَكْ
بُرْهَانَانِ

Elongation of a Letter by the Ya (ي) with no Haraka Elongation of a Letter by the Ya with no Haraka

When the letter ‘Ya’ comes with no haraka and if the prior letter has Kasra upon then it elongates the prior letter a little bit. The pronunciation of the letter that comes prior to the ‘Ya’ depends whether it is a light or heavy letter. If it is a light letter then it gives an ‘ee’ sound as in ‘seed’ with a slight elongation and if it is a heavy letter then it begins with an ‘ae’ and then ends with an ‘eee’ sound.

Elongation of a Letter by the Wow (و) with no Haraka Elongation of a Letter by the Wow with no Haraka

When the letter Wow comes with no haraka after a letter that has Dhammah, then it causes the letter to be pronounced a little longer. The Wow with haraka causes the prior letter to be read in ‘oo ‘sound as in ‘Mood’ if it is a heavy letter, and if the prior letter is a light letter then it reads sort of politer and longer as in ‘u’ as in ‘Mule’.

The wow with no haraka (و) can only appear at the end of the words sometimes also can appear as in (وا). They both read in the same manner, the alif does not causes for more elongation.

نُورٌ
يَقَولُ
رَسُولٌ
الْقَهَّارُ
مَكْتُوبٌ
كَانُو
يَفُوتُ
يَلِدُونَ
تَصِفُونَ
يَتُوبُونَ
مُسْلِمُونَ
مُخَلَّدُونَ
تُحَاجُّونَ
يَعْمَلُونَ
اَلْكَاذِبُونَ
اَلْمُفْلِحُونَ
اَلْجَبَّارُ
اَلْوَارِثُونَ
اَلْخَاسِرُونَ
مُشْرِكُونَ

The Elongation Marks of Madd

The Straight Line The Straight line Alif Ba The Straight line

The straight little line that appear above (Hanger)or the bottom (Puller) of a letter, elongates the respective letter around one * alif amount. The straight little line pronounces the respective letter in gruffy tone if it is a heavy letter and in polite tone if it is a light letter. The wow with no haraka(و) and the Ya with no haraka(ى) are dismissed and are skipped, if they come after the straight little line.

* One Alif Amount: It is the time passed, to raise one finger (without dropping) or when we spell one alif letter or twice the time spent for one haraka (Example: as much as ha –> haa)

Horizontal Line Horizontal Line

Elongates the letter that comes upon four alif amount.

وَمَا اَنَا
بِمَٓا اُنْزِلَ
كَمَا اٰمَنَ
بِمَٓا اُنْزِلَ
سَوَٓاءٌ
قُلْ يَٓا اَيُّهَا
Previous Lesson
Very Soon

Test Yourself

تُورُونَ

tūrūne

اصَابَ

esābe

صِرَاطٌ

sırâtūn

كَمَٓا

kemã

تُوبُٓوا

tūbũ

يَفُوتُ

yefûtū

يَطُورُ

yetūru

اَصَابَ

esābe

صَٓافَّاتٍ

sãffetin

اِتَّقُوا

ittekū

كَٓافَّةً

kãffeten

ثَمُودُ

semūdû

غُفْرَانَكَ

ğufrâneke

يُوَٓادُّونَ

yuvãddūne

وُزَرَاءُ

vezerāu

اَلْجَبَّارُ

elcebbâru

ءُلَمَاءُ

ulemāu

تَقُولُونَ

tekūlūne

اَوْحَيْنَا

evheynā

بُرْهَانٌ

bûrhānūn