What Is Makhraj In Tajweed: Points Of Articulation Of Letters
Makharij are the points of articulation from which letters are pronounced. To ensure proper pronunciation of Arabic letters.
Which is essential for correct Tajweed, it is important to understand the five main Maharaj. These five primary articulation points.
Learn what is Makhraj in tajweed in this article.
Table of Contents
What Is Makhraj In Tajweed
To learn what is Makhraj in Tajweed firstly, we should know the definition:
Linguistic Definition:
The term “Makharij” is the plural of “Makhraj,” referring to the place of articulation or the exact point from which a letter is emitted.
Terminological Definition:
Makharij signifies the specific location within the vocal tract that distinguishes one letter (harf) from another.
Harf (Letter):
Linguistic Definition: The word “harf” means “tip”.
Terminological Definition: A harf is a sound produced by relying on a Makhraj (place of articulation), whether the Makhraj is precisely defined or not.
What Is Makhraj In Tajweed Type
Now let’s talk about what is Makhraj in Tajweed’s different types:
- Makhraj Mohaqaq:
This refers to a place of articulation that involves a specific part of the mouth, such as the throat or tongue. It includes 28 letters of the alphabet.
- Makhraj Moqadar:
This type of Makhraj does not involve any particular part of the mouth. For example, the Makhraj of the alif sound is produced from the oral cavity without relying on a specific point.
Determining the Makhraj of a Harf:
- For Letters with a Makhraj Mohaqaq:
Pronounce the letter in a state of Sukun (when the consonant has no vowel) or in a mushadad form (when the letter is doubled in length).
Add a “hamzat-ul-wasl” (the alif) with any diacritical marks.
The specific place where the airflow is obstructed during pronunciation indicates the letter’s Makhraj.
- For Letters with a Makhraj Moqadar:
Pronounce the letter when it follows a consonant with a matching diacritical mark, such as a fat-hah before the letter madd (like alif).
By carefully listening, you’ll notice that the sound ends as the air exits the oral cavity, without being obstructed at any specific point.
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What Is Makhraj In Tajweed Importance
Another important topic in learning what is Makhraj in Tajweed, learning its importance:
The Quran is the divine word of Allah, with every syllable originating from Him.
Therefore, its recitation demands the utmost seriousness and precision.
The Science of Tajweed serves to equip the reciter with the skills necessary to recite the Quran accurately, ensuring the correct pronunciation of each letter in accordance with its rulings and characteristics, without any exaggeration or deficiency.
In Tajweed, each Arabic letter has a Makhraj (the point of articulation from which it originates) and Sifaat (specific attributes or characteristics).
Understanding what is Makhraj in Tajweed and Sifaat of each letter is crucial, as some letters have very similar articulation points, making it easy to confuse them.
Without this knowledge, a reciter might inadvertently alter the meaning of the words in the Quran.
Adhering to the rules of Tajweed helps prevent such mistakes, ensuring the Quran is recited correctly and faithfully.
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What Are The 5 Main Makhraj In Tajweed?
The scholars of Tajweed have outlined a method to determine what is Makhraj in Tajweed (articulation point) of an Arabic letter. This process involves:
- Placing a sakin (a letter without a vowel) or a shaddah (with the latter being preferred) on the letter whose Makhraj you want to determine.
- Placing a hamzah with any vowel before the letter.
The point where the sound stops during pronunciation is the Makhraj of the letter:
Jawf (Empty Space in the Mouth and Throat)
The first Makhraj is the jawf, or the empty space within the mouth and throat.
Here, the tongue remains relaxed at the bottom of the mouth, and the space between the top of the tongue and the roof of the mouth is referred to as the jawf. When pronouncing the letters associated with the jawf, the tongue is not involved; the air flows from the body and out of the mouth. The letters that emerge from the jawf are:
- Alif Sakin preceded by a fatha
- Wow skin preceded by a dhammah
- Yaa sakin preceded by a kasrah
Al-Halq (The Throat)
The throat is divided into three distinct makharij:
- Aqsal Halq (Lowest Part of the Throat, Closest to the Chest):
The letters produced from this area are: ء (hamzah), ه (ha).
- Wastal Halq (Middle Part of the Throat):
The letters produced here are: ع (ayn), ح (ha).
- Adnal Halq (Highest Part of the Throat):
The letters produced from this area are: غ (ghayn), خ (kha).
The Nasal Cavity (Al-Khaysoom)
The nasal cavity, located at the bridge of the nose, serves as the passage connecting the mouth to the nose. This passage is where the ghunnah sound is produced.
Ghunnah, a resonating sound that does not involve the tongue, lasts for a duration of two counts. It occurs specifically with the Arabic letters “ن” (Noon) and “م” (Meem), particularly when they are pronounced with shaddah (emphasis).
Ghunnah is also utilized in the rules governing noon sakinah, tanween, and meem sakinah, with its length varying depending on the specific rule applied to Noon or Meem.
Al-Lisaan (The Tongue)
The tongue contains several makharij, which are categorized as follows:
1. Aqsal Lisaan (Deepest Part of the Tongue):
- The Makhraj of ق (qaf) is located at the extreme back of the tongue, where it meets the soft palate.
- The Makhraj of ك (kaf) is just in front of the qaf, where the back of the tongue touches the hard palate.
2. Wastul Lisaan (Middle of the Tongue):
The letters produced from the middle of the tongue touching the roof of the mouth are:
The ي here is different from the ي in the jawf. When pronouncing this ي, the tongue curves upward, and the sides touch the roof of the mouth.
3. Hafatul Lisaan (Sides of the Tongue):
The Makhraj of ض (dad) involves the sides of the tongue touching the gums near the upper molars. There are three ways to pronounce ض:
- Using the left side of the tongue touching the gums on the left.
- Using the right side of the tongue touching the gums on the right.
- Using both sides of the tongue touching the gums on both sides.
The Makhraj of ل (lam) is produced by the tip of the tongue touching the gums of the premolars from one side to the other side of the top of the mouth.
4. Tarful Lisaan (Front Tip of the Tongue):
- The Makhraj of ن (nun) is the part of the tongue slightly behind the ل, hitting the palate just above it.
- The Makhraj of ر (ra) is slightly behind the ن, where the tongue touches the palate above it.
- The Makhraj of ت (ta), د (dal), and ط (ta) is the front tip of the tongue touching the gumline of the top front two teeth.
- The Makhraj of ص (sad), س (seen), and ز (za) involves the front tip of the tongue touching the back of the bottom front two teeth. When pronouncing these letters, a slight gap should be maintained between the tongue and the teeth, rather than a firm contact.
- The Makhraj of ث (tha), ظ (za), and ذ (dhal) is produced by the front tip of the tongue touching the edge of the top front two teeth.
Shafataan (The Lips):
The lips also have specific makharij:
- The Makhraj of م (meem) is formed by the dry parts of the top and bottom lips touching.
- The Makhraj of ب (ba) is formed by the wet parts of the top and bottom lips touching.
- The Makhraj of و (waw) is produced by the lips coming close together without fully touching, with the lips also being rounded.
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Conclusion To What Is Makhraj In Tajweed
To sumup what is Makhraj in Tajweed:
Makhraj Al Huruf (مخرج الحروف) refers to the specific articulation point in the vocal tract where each Arabic letter is produced.
Properly identifying the makhraj is crucial for accurate Tajweed and Quranic recitation. There are 17 distinct Maharaij, including areas like the tip of the tongue, throat, lips, and nasal passage. Understanding these points ensures correct pronunciation.
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FAQs On What Is Makhraj In Tajweed
What are the five main Maharaij?
In this classification, the jawf (the empty space in the throat and mouth) has one Makhraj, al-halq (the throat) has three makharij, al-lisan (the tongue) has ten makharij, al-shafatan (the two lips) has two makharij, and al-khayshum (the nasal cavity) has one makhraj.
What is the makhraj of QAF?
The letter Qaaf (ق) is pronounced by pressing the extreme back of the tongue against the upper palate, producing a thick, rounded sound near the tonsils.
For Kaaf (ك), the makhraj is slightly forward of the Qaaf (ق). Here, the tongue should only touch the upper palate as much as needed to articulate the letter, avoiding excessive contact.
What are the 4 main parts of the tongue?
The human tongue is divided into three parts: the tip (or apex), the body, and the base.
The tip is the most mobile part of the tongue, followed by the body, which is covered with numerous papillae. Behind the body lies the base of the tongue.