TL;DR: A noon with sukoon (نْ) or tanween ending (ـً ـٍ ـٌ) has four possible outcomes depending on the next letter. These four rules — Idhaar, Idghaam, Iqlaab, Ikhfa — govern the most frequent tajweed decision in the Quran.
Answer first
Four rules govern every noon sakinah or tanween. The letter that follows determines which rule applies, and 28 Arabic letters split neatly into these four categories.
The rule in a table
| Sub-rule | When it applies | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Idhaar (clear) | Before throat letters: ء ح خ ع غ ه | Pronounce the noon clearly, no change. |
| Idghaam (merge) | Before ي ر م ل و ن | Merge noon into next letter. With ghunna (ي و م ن) or without (ر ل). |
| Iqlaab (convert) | Before ب | Convert noon into a meem, held with ghunna (~2 counts). |
| Ikhfa (conceal) | Before remaining 15 letters | Partial concealment with ghunna (~2 counts). |
Quranic examples
- Idhaar: مِنْ هَادٍ (Ar-Ra’d 13:33) — clear noon before ه.
- Idghaam with ghunna: مَن يَعْمَلْ (Az-Zalzalah 99:7) — noon merges into ي.
- Idghaam without ghunna: مِن رَبِّهِم (Al-Baqarah 2:5) — noon merges into ر, no hum.
- Iqlaab: مِن بَعْدِ (Ar-Rum 30:4) — noon becomes meem, held nasally.
- Ikhfa: أَنْتُمْ (Al-Baqarah 2:23) — partial concealment before ت.
Why this rule matters
Noon sakinah and tanween occur on roughly every third Quranic word. Of the 28 Arabic letters, the rule governs 23 of them directly (only 5 — the throat letters — trigger simple idhaar). Getting this rule right transforms the sound of your recitation more than any other tajweed fix.
Common mistakes by level
- Beginner: Treating tanween as “just an n” without realizing it triggers the full rule set. Fix: When you see ـً ـٍ ـٌ, mentally substitute a noon sakinah and apply the rules.
- Intermediate: Applying idghaam with ghunna when the rule calls for without ghunna (ر ل). Fix: Memorize the exception — only ي و م ن take ghunna; ر ل do not.
- Advanced: Inconsistent ghunna duration across ikhfa letters. Fix: The duration should be roughly constant (~2 counts). Record yourself on an ikhfa-heavy ayah like أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا and check.
Drill plan (one week)
- Day 1–2: Memorize the four categories and their letters. Make flashcards.
- Day 3–4: Read Surah An-Nas and Al-Falaq. Circle every noon/tanween, identify the rule.
- Day 5: Read Surah Al-Ikhlas and Al-Kafirun with full rule application.
- Day 6: Record yourself on Surah Al-Masad. Listen back at 0.75× speed.
- Day 7: Apply to Juz Amma’s first five surahs. Use the verifier to catch misses.
In the app
HafizPrime’s word-level verifier flags every decision for this rule that you miss, showing which sub-rule applied and what you did instead. The verifier runs on-device — no recitation audio leaves your phone. See how accuracy is calibrated.
