Noon Sakinah and Tanween Rules
5 rules · 13,662times in the Quran
A noon sakinah (noon with no vowel) or a tanween is said according to the letter that follows. Before the six throat letters (ء ه ع ح غ خ) it is said clearly: this is Izhar Halqi. Before ي ن م و, Idgham with Ghunnah; before ل ر, Idgham without Ghunnah; before ب, Iqlab; before the fifteen other letters, Ikhfa.
The rules, one by one
Nūn with no vowel and tanwīn: four ways to meet the next letter
Arabic reads from right to left: the nūn, on the right, comes first; the letter after it is on its left.
- Said clearly
إظهار
Followed by one of the six throat letters (ء ه ع ح غ خ), the nūn stays clear.
- Merged
إدغام
The nūn goes into the next letter: with the nasal sound in ي ن م و, without it in ل ر.
- Changed
إقلاب
Followed by a bā, the nūn becomes a hidden mīm, with the nasal sound.
- Hidden
إخفاء
Followed by the other 15 letters, the nūn is not fully said: it hides in the nasal sound.
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Izhar Halqi
إظهار حلقيBefore a throat letter, a nūn with no vowel or a tanwīn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound.
When a nūn with no vowel or a tanwīn is followed by one of the six throat letters: ء ه ع ح غ خ, in the same word or at the start of the next.
2,831 times in the Quran -
Idgham with Ghunnah
إدغام بغنّةThe nūn merges into the next letter, with a nasal sound held two counts.
Between two words: a nūn with no vowel or a tanwīn (final “n”), then yā, nūn, mīm or wāw.
3,933 times in the Quran -
Idgham without Ghunnah
إدغام بلا غنّةThe nūn disappears completely into the lām or rā that follows, with no nasal sound.
Between two words: a nūn with no vowel or a tanwīn (final “n”), then lām or rā.
1,035 times in the Quran -
Iqlab
إقلابBefore a bā, the nūn turns into a mīm, with a nasal sound held two counts.
When a nūn with no vowel, or a tanwīn (final “n”), is followed by a bā (ب).
562 times in the Quran -
Ikhfa
إخفاءThe nūn is not said clearly: it hides in a nasal sound, held two counts.
A nūn with no vowel, or a tanwīn (final “n”), before: ت ث ج د ذ ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك.
5,301 times in the Quran
One example per rule
Tap ▶ to hear the word in its verse, recited by al-Husary.
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وَٱنْحَرْ
wanḥar
The nūn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the ḥā, a throat letter, follows at once.
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جُوعٍ وَءَامَنَهُم
jūʿiw̃wa'āmanahum
The nūn of the tanwīn disappears, but its nasal sound stays, carried by the wāw: the merger is not complete.
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يَكُن لَّهُۥ
yakullahū
The nūn merges into the lām, with no nasal sound: a doubled lām is said.
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مِنۢ بَعْدِ
mim baʿdi
Followed by a bā, the nūn becomes a hidden mīm: lips relaxed, not pressed, and the nasal sound for two counts.
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ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ
l-insāna
The nūn is said neither clearly nor merged: it hides in the nose, the mouth already set for the sīn.
Each rule in numbers
| Rule | In the Quran | Surahs |
|---|---|---|
| Izhar Halqi | 2,831 | 103 |
| Idgham with Ghunnah | 3,933 | 99 |
| Idgham without Ghunnah | 1,035 | 95 |
| Iqlab | 562 | 83 |
| Ikhfa | 5,301 | 108 |
Counted on the text of the Madani Mushaf (Hafs reading).
Computed by Tilawa on the text of the Madani Mushaf (Hafs reading), from the letter that follows.
What I show you when you recite
Frequently asked questions
How many times do these rules occur in the Quran?
Izhar Halqi: 2,831, Idgham with Ghunnah: 3,933, Idgham without Ghunnah: 1,035, Iqlab: 562 and Ikhfa: 5,301. In all, 13,662 occurrences, counted on the text of the Madani Mushaf.
Izhar Halqi or Idgham with Ghunnah: what is the difference?
Izhar Halqi: before a throat letter, a nūn with no vowel or a tanwīn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound. Idgham with Ghunnah: the nūn merges into the next letter, with a nasal sound held two counts.
How do I know which rule applies?
Look at the letter that follows. Izhar Halqi: when a nūn with no vowel or a tanwīn is followed by one of the six throat letters: ء ه ع ح غ خ, in the same word or at the start of the next. Idgham with Ghunnah: between two words: a nūn with no vowel or a tanwīn (final “n”), then yā, nūn, mīm or wāw. Idgham without Ghunnah: between two words: a nūn with no vowel or a tanwīn (final “n”), then lām or rā. Iqlab: when a nūn with no vowel, or a tanwīn (final “n”), is followed by a bā (ب). Ikhfa: a nūn with no vowel, or a tanwīn (final “n”), before: ت ث ج د ذ ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك.
How can I check my tajweed when I recite?
Tajweed is learned by ear: you need to hear yourself. Recite out loud in the Tilawa app, on iPhone or Android. It follows your recitation word by word and shows you the rules you missed or got wrong, with the correct recitation to replay.
Tilawa editorial team · Updated 2026-10-24 · Report an error