Tajweed tool
Heavy and light letters
Seven letters are always pronounced heavy. Three letters change depending on their vowel. The rest are always light.
| Group | Letters | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Always heavy (Isti'la) | خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ | Raise the back of the tongue; the sound is full |
| Conditional | ر | Heavy with fathah or dammah, light with kasrah |
| Conditional | ل (in the name Allah) | Heavy after fathah or dammah, light after kasrah |
| Conditional | ا (alif) | Follows the letter before it |
| Always light | All remaining letters | Keep the tongue low and the sound thin |
How to use this tool
- Memorise the seven permanently heavy letters.
- Learn the conditions for ر, ل and ا.
- Test yourself in real recitation.
Frequently asked questions
What are the seven heavy letters?
خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ, gathered in the phrase خص ضغط قظ.
When is the Lam of Allah heavy?
After a fathah or dammah, as in قَالَ اللَّهُ. After a kasrah it is light.