Laam Rules in Tajweed

The science of Tajweed is one of the most important disciplines concerned with the proper recitation of the Holy Quran. Among the letters that have precise Laam Rules In Tajweed, due to the variety of its positions and forms within a word.

The letter “laam” can be laam sakinah, and sometimes with a shadda. 

Each case has its own specific rules of recitation. Therefore, understanding the rules of the silent “laam” is an essential step for anyone who seeks to master the recitation of the Quran, improve their pronunciation, and reveal the beauty and precision of the recitation.

Meaning and Importance of Laam Rules

The rules of the letter Lam in Tajweed are the rules that explain how to pronounce the letter Lam (ل) in the Holy Quran in its various positions, whether Laam At-Ta’reef (الـ) in nouns, in verbs,, in the word “Allah,” or in other letters.

Importance of Laam Rules

• It preserves the correctness of pronunciation and the accuracy of recitation.
• preventing errors and mistakes in reading the Quran.
• Helps the reader to recite the verses as they were revealed and showcases the beauty and precision of the recitation.

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Types of Laam in Tajweed

The letter Lam appears in the Quran in different forms, and each form has specific recitation rules that ensure correct pronunciation and recitation.

Laam Saakinah

It is the letter “lam” that appears in the Quran and has a sukoon (ْ). This type of “lam” appears in verbs, nouns, and particles, and its correct pronunciation preserves the meaning and beauty of the recitation.

Laam Mushaddadah

The letter Lam with a shaddah (ّ) appears in the Quran, and this mark indicates that the letter should be pronounced strongly and clearly, with emphasis during recitation.

Read about: Noon Saakin Rules

What Are Laam Saakinah Rules in Tajweed?

The lam letter  (ل) is present in a large number of Arabic words, whether verbs, nouns, or particles.  Its most significant occurrence is in the word for God (Allah), therefore, understanding and mastering its rules is crucial for learning the Arabic language and the Quran.

There are three basic Tajweed rules for lam Sakinah:

• Laam Al-Ism
• Laam Al-Fael
• Laam Al-Harf 

Laam Al-Ism (The Laam in Nouns)

In Arabic, the Laam At-Ta’reef “ال” which is similar to “the” in English, is used with nouns to indicate definiteness. For example, when you say “ولد” (a boy), it refers to any boy in general, but when you say “الولد” (the boy), you are specifying a particular person and identifying them. 

The lam Sakinah in nouns is divided into two types that are identical in writing but differ in pronunciation depending on the letters that follow them.

1. Laam Al-Shamsiyah (Sun letters)

The Laam At-Tareef “al” (ال) is not pronounced when followed by one of the sun letters “ ت، ث، د، ذ، ر، ز، س، ش، ص، ض، ط، ظ، ل، ن “, instead, the following letter is pronounced with shaddah.

This is why it is called the “Laam Al-Ism ” as it refers to any word in which the Laam At-Ta’reef “al” is pronounced, such as the “al” in the word “al-shams” (the sun).

For example:

• ” الصَّوم ”
• ” الزِّكاة “

As we can see, “ ل” is not pronounced, but written, while “ص” and ”ش” comes with shaddah.

2. Laam Al-Qamariyah (Moon Laam)

The Laam At-Tareef “al” (ال) is pronounced clearly when followed by one of the moon letters “ أ، ب، ج، ح، خ، ع، غ، ف، ق، ك، م، و، ه، ي”.

This is why it is called the “ Laam Al-Qamariyah” as it refers to any word in which the Laam At-Ta’reef “al” is pronounced, such as the “al” in the word “Al-Qamar” ( the moon).

For Example:

• “الْهِدَايَة”
• ” الْمَال”

In both examples, “ ل” is written and pronounced, while “ ه” and “ م” come with their norman harakat.

Laam Al-Fail (The Laam in Verbs)

This is the “lam” (L) that is an integral part of the word’s structure and is called the “verb lam” due to its presence in verbs. It is found in all three verb tenses: past, present, and imperative. It appears in the middle and at the end of present and imperative verbs, but only in the middle of past tense verbs. When reading, it must be pronounced clearly.

For Example:

• Past Tense
  “أَلْهِاكُم”.
•  present Tense
  “أَلَمْ أَقُلْ” ,“يَلْتَقِطْهُ” , ” يَتَوَكَلْ” .
• Imperative Tense
  “ فَاجْعَلْ” ,“أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ”

Laam Al-Harf

It is the original, unvoweled “lam” (L), found in words like “هَلْ” and “بَلْ”.  Its rule is Idghamif followed by the letters “ل” or “ر”, and Izhar with all other letters.

Laam in Lafz al-Jalalah (The Name of Allah)

The letter Lam in the word “Allah” “الله”is one of the most important letters in the Arabic language as it has a separate Laam Rules In Tajweed, requiring it to be pronounced in a specific way.

For Example:

• “ وَيُحَذِرُكُمُ اللَّهٌ نَفْسَه”

When Lafz al-Jalalah is preceded with ‘Dam’ ,lam in this case becomes in the position of Tafkheem.

• “ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ”

When Lafz al-Jalalah is preceded with ‘Kasr’ ,lam in this case becomes in the position of Tarheek.

Read about: Rules of Raa in Tajweed

Laam Shamsiyyah and Laam Qamariyyah

In the science of Tajweed (the rules of Quranic recitation), the Laam At-Tareef “ال” is divided into two types:  Laam Shamsiya and Laam Qamariyyah. Both are similar in writing, but each has specific contexts and a different pronunciation.

Difference Between Sun and Moon Letters

In Arabic, the pronunciation Al-Ta’reef (الـ) of varies depending on the following letter. Some letters cause the “ل” to be written but not pronounced, while with others it is pronounced clearly. For this reason, we divide the letters into Sun and Moon letters to illustrate this difference.

Point of comparison	Sun letters	Moon letters
Definition	Letters in which Laam Al-Ta’reef (الـ) is written but not pronounced when it comes before it.	Letters in which Laam At-Ta’reef (الـ) is written and pronounced when it comes before it.
Laam At-Ta’reef (الـ) pronunciation	is not pronounced	is not pronounced
Letter prononciation	The letter is pronounced with shaddah (ّ).	The letter is pronounced normally.
For Example	In”الشَّمس”, the “ل” is silent and”ش” has shaddah.	In “القمر” the “ل“is pronounced clearly while “ ق” is pronounced normally.
Letters involved	ت، ث، د، ذ، ر، ز، س، ش، ص، ض، ط، ظ، ل، ن.	أ، ب، ج، ح، خ، ع، غ، ف، ق، ك، م، و، ه، ي.

How to Identify Them in the Mushaf

• The Laam Shamsiyyah appears in the Quran without any diacritical marks, while the following letter is marked with a shadda. For example the word”السَّمَاوَاتِ”
• The Laam Al-Qamariyah appears in the Quran with a sukun mark, while the following letter is pronounced with a vowel and without shadda. For example, the word”الْأَرْضِ ”.

Read more about: Sun and Moon Letters Arabic

Laam in the Name of Allah

The pronunciation of Laam Shamsiyyah in the word “اللّه” differs from other Laam Rules In Tajweed for pronouncing Laam Shamsiyyah , as the pronunciation of the “lam” in the word “اللّه” depends on the letter that precedes it, while in other rules it depends on the letters that follow it.

When Laam Is Heavy (Tafkheem)

The letter “lam” is pronounced with Tafkheem when preceded by a fatha (َ) or damma (ُ), and the sound is pronounced strongly and thickly in this case. For example “نَصۡرُ ٱللَّهِ”.

When Laam Is Light (Tarqeeq)

The letter “lam” is pronounced with Tarqeeq when preceded by a Kasra ( َ), and the sound is pronounced strongly and thickly in this case. For example “بِسْمِ اللَّهِ”.

Common Mistakes in Applying Laam Rules

The Laam Rules In Tajweed and pronunciation are very precise, and any mistake in applying them is unacceptable, especially when it comes to pronouncing the name of God (Allah).

Mixing Heavy and Light Laam

One of these common mistakes is mixing Heavy and Light Laam. The Heavy Laam occurs when it is preceded by a fatha or a damma , while the Light Laam occurs when it is preceded by a kasra.  

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Maybe like to read: Tajweed Mistakes

Laam Rules in Quran Recitation

The rules governing the pronunciation of Laam Shamsiyyah during recitation revolve around two main principles: clear pronunciation (Izhar) and assimilation (Idgham). The specific rule applied depends on the letters that follow Laam Shamsiyyah.

Common Examples from the Quran

By discussing the following examples, we will learn about the different rules for Laam Shamsiyyah.

Example for The Rule of Izhar for Laam Sakinah

The Izhar of Laam Sakinah involves pronouncing it fully without any Idgham or Ikhfaa, and this occurs in specific situations:

• Laam al-Ism.
• Laam al-Fail. 
•  Laam al-Harf, as long as they are not followed by another Laam (ل) or a Raa (ر). 
• Laam al-Ta’reef when followed by one of the 14 Qamariya letters.

As in the words of God Almighty:

“ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ”

In this example, Laam al-Ta’reef is followed by “ح، ع”, which are two of the moon letters in this case, the rule is Izhar.

Example for The Rule of Idgham of Laam Sakinah

The rule of Idgham for Laam Sakinah takes several forms depending on the letter that follows it.

1. Idgham Mutamathilayn “Two Identical Letters”

This occurs when Laam Sakinah is followed by a vowelized “lam,” resulting in the Idgham of the silent “lam” into the vowelized one, forming “laam” with a shadda. For example:

“قُل لَّا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لَاسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِيَ السُّوءُ ۚ إِنْ أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ”

2. Idgham Mutaqaribayn (Two Similar Letters)

This occurs when Laam Sakinah is followed by the letter “ر” and it is called Mutaqaribayn due to the proximity of the articulation points of the letter “ر” and the silent “ل”, For example:

“كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ”

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Simple Tips to Master Laam Rules

To ensure mastery of the rules of Tajweed in general, and the rules of the letter “Lam” in particular, due to their importance, several factors must be considered, such as choosing a qualified teacher and engaging in continuous practice, as consistency is the key to mastery.

Practice and Listening Techniques

• Applying the rules of Tajweed may seem difficult and confusing at first for some, but with continuous practice, the difficulties begin to fade and the joy of recitation begins to emerge.
• Applying continuous listening techniques to recitations of the Quran with proper Tajweed pronunciation by a skilled reciter is the key to reinforcing the information and making it readily available in memory when needed.

Look at: Tips for Adults to Learn Quran

Summary

In the preceding paragraphs, we learned about Laam Rules In Tajweed and its importance in ensuring the correct pronunciation of the Holy Quran. We explained the different types of Laam, such as Laam Sakinah, the laam with Shaddah, Laam Al-Tareef, Laam Al-Fail, the Laam Al-Harf and the Laam in the word “Allah”.

Key Points to Remember

• The Laam Rules In Tajweed are fundamental to the science of Tajweed and should not be neglected.
• The Laam Rules In Tajweed in the word “Allah” (the name of God) is different from others, and its pronunciation depends on the letter that precedes it.
• The Laam Shamsiyyah is not pronounced, and the following letter is with shaddah, while the Laam Qamariyyah is pronounced clearly.
• TheLaam Saakinah in nouns, verbs, and particles is usually pronounced clearly, except in cases of Idgham.
• Confusing the Heavy and Light Laam is one of the most common mistakes.
• Listening to skilled reciters and consistent practice are key to mastering the rules of pronouncing the letter “laam”.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is clear that the Laam Rules In Tajweed are not merely theoretical rules, but rather a fundamental basis for reciting the Holy Quran as it was revealed, ensuring that the letters are pronounced from their correct points of articulation with all their proper characteristics.
The letter Laam, with its various forms involving shaddah and sukun,heavy and light, and Izhar pronunciation andIagham, requires a precise understanding and continuous practical application. This is to obtain a correct interpretation that pleases God and glorifies His word.

FAQs

Is laam a full mouth letter?

The Laam in Allah’s name is full if there is a Fatha or Dhammah before it. But if the Laam in Allah’s name has a Kasrah before it, the Laam will be pronounced empty-mouthed.

Do the laam rules in Tajweed differ between the various Quranic recitations?

Yes, there may be subtle differences in some recitations in terms of performance, but the basic rules of the pronunciation of the letter laam are consistent across all recitations.

What is the best way to distinguish between the heavy and light “laam”?

Repeated listening to skilled reciters, focusing on the pronunciation of the word “Allah” in different parts of the Quran.