Tajwid Essentials: Points of Focus in Surah al-Fatihah

Reciting the Qur’ān is an integral part of our daily lives and so, it is essential to understand and apply the rules of Tajwīd to achieve the correct recitation, thereby safeguarding our tongues and acts of worship. In our previous article, we discussed observations and points of focus in taʿawwudh and tasmiyah. In this follow-up article, adapted from the notes of Mawlānā Mizanur Rahman, we will shift our focus to Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, one of the most recited chapters of the Qur’ān, and explore common mistakes that readers make in its recitation and how to correct them.

We will delve into the articulation of letters, the elongation of sounds, and other essential aspects of Tajwīd that readers must pay attention to when reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah. By identifying and correcting these mistakes, readers will be following the command of Allāh: ‘And recite the Qur’ān in a measured and distinct tone.’ thus experiencing a sense of solace in knowing that they are reciting the Qur’ān as it was intended to be recited.

Observations in Sūrah al-Fātiḥah – سورة الفاتحة

Alḥamdu lillāhi Rabbi-l ʿĀlamīn – الحمد لله رب العالمين

• Read the hamzah (ء) clearly and give it its vocal right when pronouncing it (taḥqīq).
• Articulate the sound of lām sākinah (لْ) of alḥamdu (الحمد) and rabb-il ʿālamīn (رب العلمين) properly through the mouth ensuring it doesn’t emanate through the nose (khayshūm). This may occur due to its proximity to the articulation point (makhraj) of nūn (ن).
• Round the lips when pronouncing dāl (د) because it bears a ḍammah.
• Read the kasrah of the lām (ل) and hā’ (ه) of Allāh clearly. It should not be between fatḥah and kasrah so as to produce a sound such as ‘leh’ and ‘heh’.
• Do not read hā’ (ه) through the nose (khayshūm).
• Do not read the alif (ا) of al-ʿĀlamīn (العالمين) with a full mouth (mufakhkham).
• Read the kasrah of the mīm clearly.
• Do not read yā’ sākinah (يْ) through the nose. This may occur due to the element of ghunnah in the previous letter; mīm (م) or in anticipation of the upcoming nūn (ن).
• Do not divert the sound of yā’ (ي) consistent towards the end of the elongation (madd). Keep it consistent throughout.
• Read the nūn (ن) with its quality of tawassuṭ; the sound should not flow excessively nor stop abruptly.

Ar-Raḥmān ni-r Raḥīm – الرحمن الرحيم

• Read the hamzah (ء) clearly and give it its vocal right when pronouncing it (taḥqīq).
• Read the shaddah (ــّـ) of rā’ (ر) clearly.
• Read the rā’ (ر) with a full mouth (mufakhkham) at both instances.
• Avoid excessive takrīr in the rā’ (ر). Takrīr is the quality, when pronounced, the sound vibrates.
• Read the rā’ (ر) with its quality of tawassuṭ; the sound should not flow excessively nor stop abruptly.
• Do not read ḥā’ sākinah (حْ) with a full mouth (mufakhkham). This may occur since the rā’ (ر) before it is full mouth (mufakhkham), thereby translating this thickness to the ḥā’ (حْ) as well.
• Read the kasrah of the nūn (ن) clearly.
• Do not read yā’ sākinah (يْ) through the nose. This may occur in anticipation of the upcoming mīm (م).
• Do not divert the sound of yā’ (ي) consistent towards the end of the elongation (madd). Keep it consistent throughout.
• Read the mīm (م) with its quality of tawassuṭ; the sound should not flow excessively nor stop abruptly.

Māliki Yawmi-d Dīn – ملك يوم الدين

• Read the kasrah of the lām (ل), kāf (ك) and mīm (م) clearly. It should not be between fatḥah and kasrah so as to produce a sound such as ‘leh’, ‘keh’ and ‘meh’.
• Round the lips for wāw without distorting the fatḥah of the yā’ (ي) before it. The fatḥah of the yā’ (ي) should be pronounced firstly and only after doing so properly should it be merged with the wāw sākinah (وْ).
• Do not read wāw sākinah (وْ) through the nose. This may occur in anticipation of the upcoming mīm (م).
• Read the dāl (د) with force (shiddah), ensuring it is properly articulated.
• Read the nūn (ن) with its quality of tawassuṭ; the sound should not flow excessively nor stop abruptly.

Iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn – إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين

• Read the hamzah (ء) of both iyyāka clearly and give it its vocal right when pronouncing it (taḥqīq).
• Read the kasrah of both hamzah (ء) clearly.
• Read the shaddah (ــّـ)of yā’ (ي) clearly.
• Read the ʿayn (ع) of naʿbudu (نعبد) with its quality of tawassuṭ; the sound should not flow excessively nor stop abruptly, while also avoiding qalqalah.
• Round the lips of bā’ (ب) and dāl (د) because they both bear ḍammah.
• Read the fatḥah of wāw (و) clearly.
• Read the tā’ (ت) of nastaʿīn (نستعين) clearly without making it full mouth.
• Read the sīn (س) with its quality of ṣafīr; a whistling sound.
• Do not read yā’ sākinah (يْ) through the nose. This may occur in anticipation of the upcoming nūn (ن).
• Do not divert the sound of yā’ (ي) towards the end of the elongation (madd). Keep it consistent throughout.
• Read the final nūn (ن) with its quality of tawassuṭ; the sound should not flow excessively nor stop abruptly.

Ihdina-ṣ ṣirāṭ-al mustaqīm – إهدنا الصراط المستقيم

Ihdina-ṣ ṣirāṭ – إهدنا الصراط

• Read the hamzah (ء) clearly and give it its vocal right when pronouncing it (taḥqīq).
• Read the kasrah of hamzah (ء) and dāl (د) clearly.
• Read the hā’ (ه) with its quality of rikhwah which allows the sound of the letter to remain flowing. Therefore, the sound should not stop abruptly.
• Do not allow the thickness (tafkhīm) of ṣād (ص) to affect the emptiness (tarqīq) of the nūn (ن) before it.
• Maintain the kasrah of ṣād (ص) whilst reading it with a full mouth (mufakhkham).
• Do not round the lips for ṣād (ص), rā’ (ر) or ṭā’ (ط); full mouth letters.¹Pronouncing full mouth letters is all in the tongue and not the lips. The tongue is the muscle that needs to be trained in order to pronounce full mouth letters. Rounding the lips is simply adding a wāw (و) on every instant that a full mouth letter is read which is a major error.
• Read rā’ (ر) and ṭā’ (ط) with thickness (tafkhīm).

Al-Mustaqīm – المستقيم

• Do not allow the thickness (tafkhīm) of ṭā’ (ط) in ṣirāṭ) (الصراط) affect the emptiness (tarqīq) of lām (ل) in mustaqīm (المستقيم).
• Round the lips for mīm (م) because it bears a ḍammah and neutralise them to their relaxed position for the sīn (س).
• Do not read the sīn sākinah with thickness (tafkhīm) thereby changing it to a ṣād (ص).
• Do not allow the thickness (tafkhīm) of qāf (ق) affect the emptiness (tarqīq) of tā’ (ت).
• Do not read qāf (ق) in such a way that the breath remains flowing (hams).
• Do not read yā’ sākinah (يْ) through the nose. This may occur in anticipation of the upcoming mīm (م).
• Do not divert the sound of yā’ (ي) towards the end of the elongation (madd). Keep it consistent throughout.
• Read the mīm (م) with its quality of tawassuṭ; the sound should not flow excessively nor stop abruptly.

Ṣirāṭ-al ladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim – صراط الذين أنعمت عليهم

Ṣirāṭ-al ladhīna – صراط الذين

• Maintain the kasrah of ṣād (ص) whilst reading it with a full mouth (mufakhkham).
• Do not round the lips for ṣād (ص), rā’ (ر) or ṭā’ (ط).
• Do not allow the thickness (tafkhīm) of ṭā’ (ط) in ṣirāṭ) (صراط) affect the emptiness (tarqīq) of lām (ل) in alladhīna (الذين).
• Do not read yā’ sākinah (يْ) through the nose. This may occur in anticipation of the upcoming nūn (ن).

Anʿamta ʿalayhim – أنعمت عليهم

• Read the hamzah (ء) clearly and give it its vocal right when pronouncing it (taḥqīq).
• Read nūn (ن) with its quality of tawassuṭ; the sound should not flow excessively nor stop abruptly, while also avoiding qalqalah.
• Avoid excessive hams in tā’ (ت).
• Read yā’ sākinah (يْ) clearly.
• Read the kasrah of hā’ (ه) clearly.

Ghayr-il maghḍūbi ʿalayhim wa la-ḍḍāllīn – غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضالين

• Read the ghayn (غ) of ghayr (غير) with thickness (tafkhīm) but do not allow it to affect the yā’ sākinah (يْ) after it.
• Read the kasrah of the rā (ر), bā’ (ب) and hā’ (ه) clearly. It should not be between fatḥah and kasrah so as to produce a sound such as ‘reh’, ‘beh’ and ‘heh’.
• Do not allow the thickness (tafkhīm) of ghayn (غ) in maghḍūbi (المغضوب) affect the emptiness (tarqīq) of mīm (م) before it.
• Read the ghayn (غ) of maghḍūbi (المغضوب) with its quality of rikhwah whilst maintaining its thickness (tafkhīm) while avoiding qalqalah.
• Do not mix the sukūn of mīm in ʿalayhim (عليهم) with the fatḥah of the wāw (و) after it.
• Do not allow the thickness (tafkhīm) of ḍād (ض) in ḍāllīn (الضالين) affect the emptiness (tarqīq) of lām (ل) before it.
• Maintain the thickness of the alif (ا) in ḍāllīn (الضالين) throughout the elongation (madd).
• Do not allow the thickness (tafkhīm) of ḍād (ض) in ḍāllīn (الضالين) affect the emptiness (tarqīq) of lām (ل) after it.
• Read the nūn (ن) with its quality of tawassuṭ; the sound should not flow excessively nor stop abruptly.

Use this article as a guide to identify and rectify mistakes made in the recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah. Whether you are a beginner or have been reciting for years, there is always room for improvement. We invite you to join our Tajwīd course taught by Mawlānā Muhammad Ahmad to enhance your recitation of the Qur’ān and deepen your connection with Allāh’s words. Let us strive to recite the Qur’ān with excellence and become among those who are closest to Him ﷻ.

[Checked and Approved by Mawlānā Mizanur Rahman and Mawlānā Muhammad Ahmad]

Footnotes

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  Pronouncing full mouth letters is all in the tongue and not the lips. The tongue is the muscle that needs to be trained in order to pronounce full mouth letters. Rounding the lips is simply adding a wāw (و) on every instant that a full mouth letter is read which is a major error.