Noon Sakinah and Tanween have four main rules: Izhar, Iqlab, Idgham, and Ikhfa. Saakin, indicating no vowel sound, is crucial for proper pronunciation. Noon Sakinah is a static “noon” with sukoon, while Tanween, a double vocalization, mirrors its sound. Mastering these rules guarantees accurate and meaningful recitation.
Noun Sakinah and Tanween are among the most important topics in Tajweed. They are basic rules of the Arabic language and pronunciation and are essential for understanding the Holy Quran.
Therefore, these two rules must be understood well, and this is what we will help you with through this article.
How Many Rules Of Noon Saakinah And Tanween?
There are 4 rules of noon saakin and tanween which are (Izhar – Iqlab – Idgham – Ikhfa).
let’s break all the pieces down to see the big picture:
Noon Sakinah
Noon Sakinah refers to the letter “noon” (ن) with a sukoon (نْ) -which is a diacritical mark indicating the absence of a vowel sound- at the end of a word without having a vowel over it.
The saakin noon, meaning the noon without movement, is the fixed noun in pronunciation, calligraphy, connection, and stopping, and it can be in nouns, verbs, and letters.
Tanween
Tanween is a double vocalization that occurs at the end of syllables and has the same sound as the noon saakin.
Tanween is written with a sign (ً – ٌ – ٍ) but its pronunciation is the same as the sound of the noon with the jazm (or the noon with the sukoon) at the end of the word. Tanween is pronounced by adding the sound (n) to short vowels and written by adding the following three forms:
1. Tanween With fatha
The Tanween sound is the same as the sound of (an) and is symbolized by the double fatha above the letter (ً).
Example of the word (علبةً)… fatha Tanween on the letter ت making the ending be (tann).
2. Tanween With Kasra
The sound is (inn) and is indicated by the double kasra under the letter ( ٍ).
An example of this is the word (لعبةٍ) Tending to the broken letter ت making the ending “tinn”.
3. Tanween With dhammah
The sound is (unn) and is indicated by a short double vowel mark under the letter ( ٌ).
An example of this is the word (بيتٌ)… tanween on the letter ت makes the ending pronounced (tunn).
Understanding and applying the rules of tanween in Tajweed is essential for accurate recitation and correct understanding of the meaning and structure of the Quran.
The rules for Noon Sakinah and Tanween
The relationship between Noon Sakinah and Tanween lies in their shared application of Tajweed rules. Both Noon Sakinah and Tanween follow the same Tajweed principles: Izhar, Assimilation, Iqlab, and Ikhfa. Let’s delve into these rules in detail, as both Noon Sakinah and Tanween are governed by the same principles when pronounced before certain letters.
Noon sakinah and tanween rules are:
1. Izhar (الإظهار) With Noon Sakinah and Tanween
This rule is applied if one of the six throat letters (أ – هـ -ع – ح – غ – خ) comes after the noun sakinah or tanween.
It is clearly pronounced without ghunnah.
For example, God Almighty says in verse 4 of Surat Al-Talaq:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا
And God almighty saying in Surat Muhammad, verse 15:
فِيها أَنْهارٌ مِنْ ماءٍ غَيْرِ آسِنٍ
2. Idgham (الإدغام) With Noon Sakinah and Tanween
Idgham means “merging” and it is applied if noon Sakinah or Tanween followed by one of the six Idgham letters (ي – ر – م – ل – و – ن), the Noon sound merges with the following letter. Idgham can be with or without ghunnah.
There are 2 Types of Idgham:
A. With Ghunnah
It is the merging of the noon sakinah or tanween into one of the four letters (ي- و- م- ن) with ghunnah.
For example:
Merging the saakin noon into the letter yaa (ي) in verse 7 of Surat Al-Zalzalah:
مَنْ يَعْمَلْ
B. Without Ghunnah
It is the merging of the noon sakinah or tanween into one of the two letters (ل- ر) with ghunnah.
For example:
Merging the saakin noon into the letter yaa (ل) in verse 17 of Surat Al-Ma’idah:
مَنْ لَّمْ
3. Iqlab (الإقلاب) With Noon Sakinah and Tanween
Iqlab means “conversion.” We apply this rule when noon sakinah or tanween is followed by the letter ب (Ba), the Noon sound is converted into a Meem sound with ghunnah.
For example, God Almighty said in Surat Fussilat, verse 5:
وَمِن بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ
4. Ikhfaa (الإخفاء) With Noon Sakinah and Tanween
All letters of the Arabic alphabet, except for the letters we mentioned in the rules of Izhar, Iqlab, and Idgham, are called letters of Ikhfa. It is fifteen letters which are (ص، ذ، ث، ك، ج، ش، ق، س، د، ط، ز، ف، ت، ض، ظ). In this rule, the Tanween or Noon Sakinah is hidden if one of these letters is used after the tanween or noon sakinah.
When concealing the saakin noon or tanween must be taken to extend the ghunnah by the amount of two vowels, and to make it amplified if the letter of ikhfaa is amplified, such as:
إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنْصُوراً
(Al-Isra 33).
And it is made thin if the letter of Ikhfa thin, such as:
إِنَّ لَدَيْنَا أَنكَـالاً وَجَحِيماً
(Al-Muzzammil 12)
Ghunnah Rules With The Letter Noon
In Tajweed, Noon Ghunnah refers to the nasal sound that accompanies the merging of the Noon Sakinah (نْ) or Tanween (تنوين) into certain letters. This sound is pronounced with a slight nasal resonance.
The rules for Noon Ghunnah are associated with the Idgham category, where Noon Sakinah or Tanween is followed by specific letters. Here are the key rules for Noon Ghunnah:
Idghaam with Ghunnah
When Noon Sakinah or Tanween is followed by one of the four letters of Idghaam with Ghunnah, the Noon sound merges into the following letter with nasal resonance.
The letters for Idghaam with Ghunnah are (ي-ن-م-و)
For examples, merging و in the ب in the following verse:
عَذَابٌ وَاصِبٌ
Characteristics of Ghunnah
1. Duration
The Ghunnah should last for approximately two counts, and it should be smooth and consistent without being overly prolonged.
2. Nasality
The sound should be nasalized, meaning that air should pass through the nose while pronouncing the sound.
Rules of Noon and Meem Mushaddad
I can give you an overview of the rules for Noon Mushaddad (نّ) and Meem Mushaddad (مّ):
1. The Rules of Noon Mushaddad (نّ)
You should Pronounce the Noon with extra emphasis and prolongation.
Rules:
Idgham
Merge the Noon sound into the following letter with emphasis (ي – ر- م- ل- و- ن).
Ikhfa
Pronounce with ghunnah but conceal the Noon sound (for remaining letters).
Izhar
Pronounce clearly without ghunnah for the letters (أ, هـ, ع, ح, غ, خ).
Iqlab
Convert to Meem sound with ghunnah (when followed by ب).
2. The Rules of Meem Mushaddad (مّ)
You should Pronounce the Meem with extra emphasis and prolongation. Pronounce with emphasis without further modification.
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Conclusion:
Noon Sakinah and Tanween are fundamental Tajweed rules essential for correct Quranic recitation. They both follow the same principles: Izhar, Iqlab, Idgham, and Ikhfa. Saakin refers to a consonant with a sukoon, indicating no vowel sound, which is critical for accurate pronunciation.
Noon Sakinah is the letter “noon” with a sukoon, appearing in nouns, verbs, and letters. Tanween is a double vocalization similar to Noon Sakinah in sound, marked by specific symbols. Understanding these rules ensures precise recitation and comprehension of the Quran.
