Sifaat al-Huroof in Tajweed are the defining sound qualities of Arabic letters, crucial for accurate Quranic recitation and preserving meaning. These traits, divided into opposing and non-opposing categories, distinguish letters that share the same articulation point. The article outlines key Sifaat like Hams, Jahr, Qalqalah, and Istitalah, explaining their practical application with examples.

In the Quran, the word ‘قُل’ (Qul) means ‘Say,’ a command from Allah. But if the letter ق (Qaaf) is pronounced without its proper heaviness (Isti’la) and sounds like a ك (Kaaf), the word could be misheard as ‘كُل’ (Kul), which means ‘Eat.’ 

A single attribute changes a divine command into a simple worldly act. 

This is the immense power and responsibility of Sifaat al-Huroof. They are not merely phonetic details; they are the guardians of the Quran’s meaning, ensuring that the words we recite are the very words Allah intended.

What is Sifaat in Tajweed?

In the science of Tajweed, Sifaat (صفات) are the intrinsic characteristics and attributes of each Arabic letter. 

Characteristics of letters in tajweed define the specific quality and manner of a letter’s sound as it is being pronounced.

Sifaat Al Huroof in Tajweed tell you how it is formed. They are the unique qualities that give each letter its distinct sound, especially distinguishing between letters that share the same Makhraj.

For example, the letters Ta’ (ت) and Taa’ (ط) both come from the same articulation point, but it is the Sifaat that make one light (Istifal) and the other heavy (Isti’la and Itbaq).

Importance of Sifaat in Tajweed

Without the proper application of Sifaat, letters can be easily mispronounced, leading to a distorted sound that can, in some cases, alter the meaning of the sacred words of Allah.

Correctly applying Sifaat ensures that each letter is given its full right, preserving the integrity and meaning of the Quranic text. 

Characteristics of letters in tajweed is the key to differentiating between similar-sounding letters and achieving a recitation that is clear, precise, and pleasing to Allah.

Consider the letters Seen (س) and Saad (ص). They share the same articulation point. The only way to distinguish them is by their Sifaat: Seen is light (Istifal), while Saad is heavy (Isti’la, Itbaq). 

Reciting one in place of the other changes the word and its meaning entirely.

Benefits Of Learning Characteristics of Letters in Tajweed

Learning Sifaat allows you to achieve a recitation that is as close as possible to the perfect recitation of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his companions.

This precision safeguards the intended meaning of Allah’s words, preventing unintentional errors. 

Ultimately, mastering these attributes deepens your khushu (concentration) and connection to the Quran, as you become more intimately aware of the majesty of each divine letter.

For those just starting this beautiful path, enrolling in a structured program like Quranica’s Learn Tajweed for beginners Course provides the perfect foundation to master these essential rules.

The Difference Between Makharij and Sifaat

Makharij al-Huroof (مخارج الحروف) are the articulation points—the specific location in the mouth or throat where a letter’s sound originates. Sifaat al-Huroof (صفات الحروف) are the characteristics of that sound as it is produced at that point.

A useful analogy is to think of the Makhraj as the factory where a product is made. The Sifaat are the qualities of that product—its texture, its strength, its finish.

You cannot have one without the other. A letter must have a place of origin (Makhraj) and a set of qualities (Sifaat) that define its unique identity.

Types of Sifaat in Tajweed

The characteristics of the letters are divided into two primary categories. These two types are Sifaat with opposites (Al-Sifaat al-Mutadaddah) and Sifaat without opposites (Al-Sifaat Ghayr al-Mutadaddah). 

Each category contains several specific attributes that we will explore in detail.

Sifaat with Opposites (Al-Sifaat al-Mutadaddah)

These are five pairs of opposing characteristics. Every single letter of the Arabic alphabet must possess one quality from each of these five pairs. 

A letter cannot be, for example, both loud (Jahr) and whispered (Hams) at the same time.

It is by understanding these opposites that we truly begin to refine our pronunciation.

1. Hams (the whisper) vs. Jahr (the audible)

Hams (الهمس) is the continuation of the flow of breath when pronouncing a letter due to the weakness of reliance on its makhraj. 

Hams letters are collected in the phrase: فَحَثَّهُ شَخْصٌ سَكَتْ (fahaththahu shakhsun sakat).

Its opposite, Jahr (الجهر), is the trapping or stoppage of the flow of breath when pronouncing a letter due to the strength of reliance on its makhraj. Its letters are all the remaining ones.

An Example of Hams (the whisper) vs. Jahr (the audible)

“بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ” 

“Bismillāh…” 

“In the name of Allah…” (Al-Fatihah: 1) 

In this example, the letter Seen (س) has the quality of Hams, where you can feel the breath flowing, while the Baa’ (ب) has Jahr, where the breath is clearly stopped.

2. Shiddah (strength), Tawassut (in-between), and Rakhawah (softness)

This group deals with the flow of the sound itself, not the breath. 

Shiddah (الشدة) is the complete stoppage of the sound’s flow upon pronouncing a letter. Its letters are: أَجِدْ قَطٍ بَكَتْ (ajid qatin bakat).

Rakhawah (الرخاوة) is the opposite, where the sound continues to flow. Its opposite letters are all those not in Shiddah or Tawassut. 

Tawassut (التوسط) is the state between them, where the sound is neither completely stopped nor completely flowing. Its letters are: لِنْ عُمَرْ (lin ‘umar).

An Example of Shiddah (strength)

“ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُمْتَرِينَ”

“Al-ḥaqqu min rabbika falā takūnanna min al-mumtarīn” 

“The truth is from your Lord, so never be among the doubters.” (Al-Baqarah: 147) 

Here, the letter Qaaf (ق) in “ٱلْحَقُّ” demonstrates Shiddah, where the sound is completely blocked before its release.

3. Isti’la (elevation) vs. Istifal (lowness)

Isti’la (الإستعلاء) is the raising of the back of the tongue towards the roof of the mouth when pronouncing a letter. 

This gives the letter a “heavy” or full-mouthed sound (tafkheem). Its seven letters are: خُصَّ ضَغْطٍ قِظْ (khussa daghtin qidh).

Its opposite is Istifal (الإستفال), which is the lowering of the back of the tongue away from the roof of the mouth. This gives the letter a “light” sound (tarqeeq). All other letters have this quality.

An Example of Isti’la (elevation) vs. Istifal (lowness)

“ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ” 

“Aṣ-ṣirāṭa al-mustaqīm” 

“The straight path.” (Al-Fatihah: 6) 

Notice the heavy, full sound of the Saad (ص) in “ٱلصِّرَٰطَ” (Isti’la) compared to the light, flat sound of the Seen (س) in “ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ” (Istifal).

4. Itbaq (adhesion) vs. Infitah (separation)

Itbaq (الإطباق) is a more intense form of Isti’la. It is the adhesion, or pressing, of the middle part of the tongue against the upper palate, enclosing the sound. 

This creates the heaviest letters in the alphabet: Saad (ص), Daad (ض), Taa’ (ط), and Dhaa’ (ظ).

Its opposite is Infitah (الإنفتاح), which is the separation between the tongue and the upper palate. All other letters possess this quality, allowing the sound to escape freely.

An Example of Itbaq

“فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلطَّآمَّةُ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ” 

“Fa-idhā jā’ati aṭ-ṭāmmatu al-kubrā” 

“But when there comes the greatest Overwhelming Calamity.” (An-Nazi’at: 34) 

The letter Taa’ (ط) in “ٱلطَّآمَّةُ” has the quality of Itbaq, creating a profoundly heavy and sealed sound.

5. Idhlaq (fluency) vs. Ismat (restraint)

Idhlaq (الإذلاق) refers to letters that are pronounced with ease and fluency because they originate from the tip of the tongue or the lips. Its letters are: فِرَّ مِنْ لُبٍّ (firra min lubbin).

Its opposite is Ismat (الإصمات), which applies to all other letters. 

These are considered more restrained and require more effort to pronounce as they originate deeper inside the mouth. 

This pair of Sifaat has the least impact on the actual sound compared to the others.

Mastering these special nuances is a mark of an advanced student and is a key focus in Quranica’s Advanced Tajweed Course.

Sifaat without Opposites (Al-Sifaat Ghayr al-Mutadaddah)

Al-Sifaat Ghayr al-Mutadaddah are unique characteristics found only in certain letters. They do not have a direct opposite quality. It is these Sifaat that often give a letter its most recognizable and defining sound.

1. As-Safir (Whistling)

This is a sharp, whistling sound that accompanies the pronunciation of three specific letters. 

Those letters are Seen (س), Saad (ص), and Zay (ز). The sound is similar to that of a bird’s chirp.

An Example of As-Safir

“فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولٍۭ” 

“Faja‘alahum ka‘aṣfin ma’kūl” 

“And He made them like an eaten straw.” (Al-Fil: 5) 

The sharp whistling quality of Saad (ص) is clearly audible in the word “عَصْفٍ”.

2. Al-Qalqalah (Echoing/Vibration)

This is a vibration or echoing sound that occurs when one of the five Qalqalah letters has a Sukoon (a diacritic indicating no vowel). 

Qalqalah letters are collected in the phrase قُطْبُ جَدٍّ (qutbu jaddin): Qaaf (ق), Taa’ (ط), Baa’ (ب), Jeem (ج), and Daal (د).

An Example of Qalqalah

“لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ” 

“Lam yalid wa lam yūlad” 

“He neither begets nor is born.” (Al-Ikhlas: 3) 

The echoing sound on the letter Daal (د) at the end of “يَلِدْ” is a perfect example of Qalqalah.

3. Al-Leen (Ease)

This quality of ease (Leen) applies only to the letters Waw (و) and Yaa (ي) when they have a Sukoon and are preceded by a letter carrying a Fatha. 

They are pronounced softly and without any stretching, gliding out of the mouth with ease.

An Example of Al-Leen

“لِإِيلَـٰفِ قُرَيْشٍ” 

“Li-īlāfi quraysh” 

“For the accustomed security of the Quraysh.” (Quraysh: 1) 

The ‘ya-e-leen’ can be heard in “قُرَيْشٍ”, pronounced softly and without the stretch of a normal madd letter.

4. Al-Inhiraf (Drifting)

This is the slight drifting or deviation of the sound of a letter from its makhraj towards the makhraj of another. This is unique to two letters: Laam (ل) and Raa’ (ر).

For Laam (ل), the sound drifts from the side of the tongue towards the tip. For Raa’ (ر), the sound drifts slightly inward from the very tip of the tongue, creating its unique sound.

An Example of Al-Inhiraf

“ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ”

“Alḥamdu lillāhi rabbi al-‘ālamīn”

“[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds.” (Al-Fatihah: 2)

In this verse, notice how the tongue deviates slightly for the Raa’ (ر) in “رَبِّ” and for the Laam (ل) in “لِلَّهِ” and “ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ”, giving them their distinct sounds.

5. At-Takrir (Repetition)

This attribute is exclusive to the letter Raa’ (ر). It is the natural, light trilling or repetitive tapping of the tip of the tongue when pronouncing the letter. 

The goal of learning this Sifah is to perfect it by controlling it—allowing only a single, slight vibration, not an exaggerated trill.

An Example of At-Takrir

“ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ” 

“Ar-Raḥmāni ar-Raḥīm” 

“The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.” (Al-Fatihah: 3) 

When pronouncing “ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ”, one must control the trill of the Raa’ (ر) to avoid exaggeration.

6. At-Tafash-shi (Spreading)

This unique characteristic belongs only to the letter Sheen (ش). It describes the spreading of the sound and breath of the Sheen throughout the mouth, from its articulation point until it hits the inner surface of the teeth.

“مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ” 

“Min sharri al-waswāsi al-khannās” 

“From the evil of the whisperer who withdraws.” (An-Nas: 4) 

The spreading sound of the Sheen (ش) is evident in the word “شَرِّ”, filling the mouth.

7. Al-Istitalah (Elongation)

This is the most unique and challenging Sifah, belonging exclusively to the letter Daad (ض). 

It is the elongation of the sound along the side of the tongue, from its point of articulation at the back molars until it reaches the articulation point of the letter Laam.

“غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ” 

“Ghayri al-maghḍūbi ‘alayhim wa lā aḍ-ḍāllīn” 

“Not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray.” (Al-Fatihah: 7) 

Listen carefully to the sound of the Daad (ض) in “ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ”. The sound is not stopped abruptly but rather elongates or ‘stretches’ forward along the edge of the tongue, demonstrating the quality of Istitalah.

Mastering this requires dedicated practice, and resources like Quranica’s one-on-one Tajweed test and practice sessions can be invaluable for perfecting this difficult letter.

Strong and Weak Sifaat of Arabic Letters

Each of the Sifaat is classified as either strong (Qawiyyah) or weak (Da’ifah). The strength of a letter is determined by the number of strong versus weak characteristics it possesses.

The strong Sifaat are: Jahr, Shiddah, Isti’la, Itbaq, Idhlaq, Safir, Qalqalah, Inhiraf, Takrir, Tafash-shi, and Istitalah. 

The weak Sifaat are: Hams, Rakhawah, Istifal, Infitah, Ismat, and Leen. (Tawassut is considered moderate).

Tajweed Sifaat Chart

Below is a comprehensive chart detailing Sifaat of Arabic letters with the attributes for each letter of the Arabic alphabet. 

I have included the Sifaat of Arabic letters with opposites, the Sifaat  Sifaat of Arabic letters without opposites, and an overall classification of the letter’s strength to provide a complete picture.

This visual aid will help you quickly identify the “fingerprint” of each letter, strengthening your practical application of these essential Tajweed rules.

Master Sifaat al-Huruf with Quranica

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Conclusion

Sifaat al-Huroof in Tajweed refers to the unique characteristics of each Arabic letter that shape its sound and meaning during Quranic recitation. 

Understanding these traits ensures that letters are pronounced accurately, preserving the sacred meaning of Allah’s words.

These characteristics are divided into two main categories: those with opposites (e.g., Hams vs. Jahr, Shiddah vs. Rakhawah) and those without opposites (e.g., Qalqalah, Leen, Istitalah). 

Each attribute defines how a letter should be articulated, distinguishing between letters sharing the same Makhraj.

Learning Sifaat is vital for clear and correct recitation, preventing mispronunciations that could alter meaning. It enhances a reciter’s connection with the Quran, allowing the recitation to mirror the exact way the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his companions recited it.