In order to acquire the proper pronunciation of Arabic sounds, it is imperative that one hears them repeatedly and then practices until precision is attained. This is true even for Arabic speaking people when they undertake the study of tajweed, since modern dialects have deviated from the pure classical Arabic of the Qur’ān, and since some letters have taken on different pronunciations in colloquial speech. The teacher, therefore, must be one who himself has learned correct pronunciation, not depending solely on a knowledge of modern written Arabic.

No attempt has been made here to give approximate phonetic equivalents to Arabic letters in other languages. That method, although acceptable as an aid to the student of ordinary modern Arabic, does not give the accuracy required for tajweed.

As a supplement to audio-vocal training, tajweed studies include both pinpointing the makhraj (point of articulation of each letter [plural makhaarij]) and defining certain qualities or characteristics (ṣifaat) of each letter which distinguish it from other sounds.

MAKHAARIJ (مخارج) or Emission Points

In the human body, the area of speech is divided into five main sections:

1 – The Throat - الحلق

2 – The Tongue - اللسان

3 – The Lips - الشفتين

4 – Nose (the nasal passage) - الَخْي ُشوم

5 – Mouth (the interior or chest area) - الجوف

These are further subdivided into a total of seventeen subsections which are the actual points of articulation.

ṢIFAAT (اصفات)

The second study pertaining to pronunciation is that of ṣifaat (singular: ṣifah, meaning description, characteristic, attribute or quality). Here the word ṣifaat (or ṣifah) refers to the special characteristics or qualities found in each letter.

The purpose of defining ṣifaat is first, to make sure they are present during pronunciation and second, to differentiate between letters whose origin is in the same makhraj, such as ت and ط ,ذ and ظ ,or س and ص .When a letter emerges from the correct makhraj and all its ṣifaat (qualities) are observed, then accurate pronunciation is obtained.

Ṣifaat are of two types: permanent ( الالزمة الصفات ( and temporary (العارضة الصفات .(The latter will be described under the sections dealing with the rules of tajweed.

Permanent qualities, however, are those inherent in the letter, without which correct pronunciation will not be realized. Most scholars give their number as seventeen, ten opposite to each other (i.e., five pairs) and seven singles (with no opposites). Every letter has at least five ṣifaat (i.e., one from each pair of opposites), and many have an additional single quality as well, with the letter ر) raa) having two additional single qualities.

The following is a list of the permanent qualities and the letters which carry them.

OPPOSITE ṢIFAAT:

<will define here>

ṢIFAAT WITHOUT OPPOSITES:

<will define here>