Izhar Halqi
إظهار حلقي
The nūn said clearly, before the throat
Lesson 3.1 · Module 3 · Noon sakinah and tanween
Izhar Halqi (إظهار حلقي): before 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.
What does Izhar Halqi mean?
Izhar Halqi (إظهار حلقي): the nūn said clearly, before the throat
Izhar means making clear. Before the six throat letters, the noon sakinah or the tanween keeps its own sound: it is said clearly, then the throat letter follows at once.
Izhar Halqi: the 6 letters
How to pronounce Izhar Halqi
Say the nūn clearly and briefly, without letting it last in the nose, then go on to the throat letter without stopping.
- The gesture
- The tongue settles for the nūn just long enough to say it, then the throat opens at once for the next letter.
- Avoid
- Do not hide the nūn in the nose as in ikhfa, and do not hold its nasal sound for two counts.
- The condition
- The rule works when joining: the nūn and the throat letter are said in one go. With a tanwīn, the throat letter is always at the start of the next word.
12 examples of Izhar Halqi in the Quran
Short surahs first. Tap ▶ to hear Izhar Halqi 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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مِّنْ خَوْفٍۭ
min khawf
The nūn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the khā, a throat letter, follows at once.
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كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ
kufuwan 'aḥad
The nūn of the tanwīn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the hamzah, a throat letter, follows at once.
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سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ
salāmun hiya
The nūn of the tanwīn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the hā, a throat letter, follows at once.
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أَنْعَمْتَ
'anʿamta
The nūn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the ʿayn, a throat letter, follows at once.
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أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ
'ajrun ghayru
The nūn of the tanwīn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the ghayn, a throat letter, follows at once.
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مِّنْ أَلْفِ
min 'alfi
The nūn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the hamzah, a throat letter, follows at once.
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طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ
ṭayran 'abābīl
The nūn of the tanwīn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the hamzah, a throat letter, follows at once.
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عَنْهُ
ʿanhu
The nūn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the hā, a throat letter, follows at once.
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غَاسِقٍ إِذَا
ghāsiqin 'idhā
The nūn of the tanwīn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the hamzah, a throat letter, follows at once.
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حَاسِدٍ إِذَا
ḥāsidin 'idhā
The nūn of the tanwīn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the hamzah, a throat letter, follows at once.
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مِنْ أَهْلِ
min 'ahli
The nūn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound, then the hamzah, a throat letter, follows at once.
Izhar Halqi: common mistakes
What is often heard, and how to fix it. The ▶ plays the right model, recited by al-Husary.
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Hiding the nūn in the nose, as before the ikhfa letters: before the throat it stays whole.
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Holding the nasal sound for two counts: in izhar, the nūn keeps only its small natural nasal sound.
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Stopping or bouncing on the nūn before the throat letter: the two are said in one go.
Izhar Halqi and neighbouring rules
| Rule | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Before a throat letter, a nūn with no vowel or a tanwīn is said clearly, without holding the nasal sound. |
| 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. | The nūn is not said clearly: it hides in a nasal sound, held two counts. |
| Idgham with Ghunnah | Between two words: a nūn with no vowel or a tanwīn (final “n”), then yā, nūn, mīm or wāw. | The nūn merges into the next letter, with a nasal sound held two counts. |
| Iqlab | When a nūn with no vowel, or a tanwīn (final “n”), is followed by a bā (ب). | Before a bā, the nūn turns into a mīm, with a nasal sound held two counts. |
By ear: two words that sound alike
Two words that sound alike: one is read with Izhar Halqi, the other with Ikhfa. Listen for the difference.
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مِنْ حَبْلِ
min ḥabli
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مِّن قَبْلِ
min qabli
Your turn: which rule?
By eye
The highlighted letters carry a rule. Which one?
- Al-Bayyinah 98:6
مِنْ أَهْلِ
min 'ahli
- Al-'Asr 103:2
ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ
l-insāna
- Al-Bayyinah 98:8
ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ
l-anhāru
- Al-Fil 105:4
بِحِجَارَةٍ مِّن
biḥijāratimmin
By ear
Listen, then choose the rule you hear. The word appears after you answer.
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يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ
yawma'idhin ʿani
At-Takathur 102:8 -
كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولٍۭ
kaʿaṣfim ma'kūl
Al-Fil 105:5 -
أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ
'anzalnāhu
Al-Qadr 97:1
Izhar Halqi in numbers
2,831times in the Quran
103surahs
| Surah | Verses | Izhar Halqi |
|---|---|---|
| 49. Al-Hujurat | 18 | 13 |
| 65. At-Talaq | 12 | 11 |
| 60. Al-Mumtahanah | 13 | 11 |
| 64. At-Taghabun | 18 | 10 |
| 66. At-Tahrim | 12 | 8 |
Computed by Tilawa on the text of the Madani Mushaf (Hafs reading), from the letter that follows.
Frequently asked questions
What is Izhar Halqi in tajweed?
Before ء ه ع ح غ خ, the six throat letters, a nūn with no vowel or a tanwīn is said clearly, with no lengthened nasal sound.
Which letters does Izhar Halqi apply to?
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. In the Quran, the most frequent is ء (hamzah): 1,088 times.
How many times does Izhar Halqi occur in the Quran?
2,831 times, in 103 surahs, as computed by Tilawa on the text of the Madani Mushaf (Hafs reading). Among the surahs of 20 verses or fewer, Al-Hujurat has the most: 13 in 18 verses.
Izhar Halqi or Ikhfa: 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. Ikhfa: the nūn is not said clearly: it hides in a nasal sound, held two counts.
Izhar Halqi: how do I know I apply it correctly?
A rule is learned by ear: recite a surah out loud in the Tilawa app, which follows your recitation word by word and shows you where Izhar Halqi was missed or done wrong, with the word to replay in its verse.
Tilawa editorial team · Updated 2026-10-24 · Report an error