In short: Madd is the lengthening of a vowel, measured in counts: the natural madd is 2 counts, muttasil and munfasil 4 or 5, lazim 6, 'arid and lin when stopping 2, 4 or 6, and badal 2.
Listen to a skilled reciter and you will notice that some vowels are short, some are stretched a little, and some are held so long that the whole room seems to wait. None of that is decoration. It is madd, the lengthening of the three madd letters, and every length is fixed. In the recitation of Hafs 'an 'Asim by way of ash-Shatibiyyah, a natural madd is 2 counts, the madds caused by a hamzah are 4 or 5, madd lazim is always 6, and the madds that appear only when you stop can be 2, 4 or 6. This guide walks through every type, with examples you can find in your own mushaf.
What is madd in tajweed, and what are the madd letters?
The word madd means to stretch or extend. In tajweed it means lengthening the sound of a madd letter beyond a short vowel. The opposite is qasr, keeping the sound short. Every madd rule answers one question: how long do I hold this vowel, and why?
There are three madd letters, and each needs the right partner before it:
- Alif. Always sakin, and always preceded by a fathah, as in qala.
- Waw sakinah preceded by a dammah. As in yaqulu.
- Ya sakinah preceded by a kasrah. As in qila.
If a waw or ya is sakin but the letter before it has a fathah, as in khawf or bayt, it is not a full madd letter. It is a lin letter, a soft sound that only lengthens in one situation, which we cover below.
Every madd begins with the natural two-count stretch. What makes it longer is a cause (sabab): a hamzah or a sukun. Once you know which cause is present, and where it sits, you know the length.
The lengths below are those of Hafs 'an 'Asim as transmitted through the poem of Imam ash-Shatibi. Other recitations and routes give some madds different lengths. Our article on who Imam Hafs was explains where this recitation comes from.
How do you measure one count?
Madd is measured in counts, called harakat. One count is the time it takes to say one short vowel: the "a" of a fathah, the "u" of a dammah, the "i" of a kasrah. Two counts is the length of a natural madd. Four counts is double that, and six counts is three times as long.
The most common way to make this physical is to fold or open one finger for each count at an even pace. Some students tap the table lightly instead. The method does not matter as long as the beat stays even.
A count is a ratio, not a stopwatch
A count is not a fixed number of seconds. When you recite slowly (tahqiq) every count becomes slower, and when you recite quickly (hadr) every count becomes quicker. What must stay fixed is the proportion: a six-count madd should always be three times as long as a two-count madd at the same speed.
This is why consistency matters. Giving one muttasil 4 counts and the next 5 is a mistake, even though both lengths are permitted. Choose a length and keep it for the whole sitting.
What is natural madd, and which madds stay at two counts?
The natural madd (madd tabi'i) is a madd letter with no hamzah or sukun causing extra length. It is always 2 counts, no more and no less. It is called natural because the letter cannot exist without it. Examples are everywhere: qala, yaqulu, fi.
Several other madds take the same 2 counts and are grouped with it.
Madd 'iwad
When you stop on a word ending in a double fathah (tanween fath), the tanween becomes an alif and is read with 2 counts. This is madd 'iwad, the replacement madd. At the end of Surah An-Nasr (110:3), innahu kana tawwaban is read on stopping as tawwaba, with a two-count alif. This does not apply to a final ta marbutah with tanween, which is read with a ha (ه) sakinah on stopping.
Minor silah
The pronoun ha (ه), meaning "him" or "his", is lengthened when it sits between two vowelled letters. If it has a dammah it is read as a long "u", if a kasrah as a long "i". When the next word does not begin with a hamzah, this is minor silah (silah sughra), 2 counts. The same verse of An-Nasr gives an example: innahu kana. If the letter after the ha is sakin, as in lahul-mulk, there is no silah at all, because joining would bring two sukuns together.
There is a well-known exception in Hafs. In Surah Al-Furqan (25:69), wa yakhlud fihi muhana, the ha of fihi is lengthened for 2 counts even though the letter before it is a sakin ya, where normally there would be no silah. It is the only place in the Qur'an where Hafs does this.
Two-letter openings
Some surahs open with separate letters. Five of those letters are pronounced with two syllables ending in a madd letter, and they take 2 counts: ha (ح), ya, ta (ط), ha (ه) and ra. So in Ta-Ha (20:1) both letters are 2 counts. In Alif-Lam-Ra (10:1) the ra is 2. In Ya-Sin (36:1) and Ha-Meem (40:1), the first letter is 2 counts and the second is 6, as we will see.
How long are madd muttasil and madd munfasil?
When a hamzah comes after a madd letter, the madd grows. How much depends on whether the hamzah is in the same word or the next one.
Madd muttasil (the joined madd)
If the madd letter and the hamzah are in the same word, it is madd muttasil, also called madd wajib, the obligatory madd, because every reciter in every recitation lengthens it. In Hafs by way of ash-Shatibiyyah it is 4 or 5 counts. Examples: ja'a in idha ja'a nasrullahi (110:1), and as-sama'.
If you stop on a word that ends in the hamzah, such as wa la fis-sama' at the end of Surah Ibrahim (14:38), the hamzah becomes sakin and a second cause is added. The madd may then be held up to 6 counts, and 4 or 5 also remain correct.
Madd munfasil (the separated madd)
If the madd letter ends one word and the hamzah begins the next word, it is madd munfasil, also called madd ja'iz, the permitted madd, because some recitations shorten it. In this route of Hafs it is 4 or 5 counts. Examples: inna a'tainaka (108:1), ya ayyuhal-ladhina amanu (2:183), and qu anfusakum (66:6).
You may hear munfasil read with 2 counts. That comes through other routes of Hafs, not the way of ash-Shatibiyyah, so do not mix it in.
Major silah
When the pronoun ha (ه) between two vowelled letters is followed by a word beginning with a hamzah, it becomes major silah (silah kubra) and is treated exactly like munfasil: 4 or 5 counts. Surah Al-Humazah gives a clear example: yahsabu anna malahu akhladah (104:3).
Keeping them in proportion
Muttasil is the stronger of the two, so the rule is simple: munfasil must never be longer than muttasil. The easiest way to honour this is to give both the same length, 4 and 4 or 5 and 5, and keep it for the whole recitation.
What is madd lazim, and why is it always six?
Madd lazim, the necessary madd, comes when a madd letter is followed by an original sukun, one that is there whether you stop or continue. It is 6 counts, with no choice, apart from the two special cases noted below (the letter 'ayn and the meem of 3:1-2). It has four kinds.
Kalimi muthaqqal (in a word, with shaddah)
The madd letter is followed in the same word by a letter with shaddah, which carries a hidden sukun. The most famous example is wa lad-dallin at the end of Surah Al-Fatihah (1:7). Others are al-haqqah (69:1) and at-tammah (79:34). Hold all of them for 6 counts, and keep the doubled letter firm.
Kalimi mukhaffaf (in a word, without shaddah)
The madd letter is followed by a plain sukun in the same word. In Hafs this happens only in the word al-ana with a question hamzah before it, which comes twice in Surah Yunus (10:51 and 10:91). Here the second hamzah may be changed into a long alif held for 6 counts, which is the madd lazim reading. The other permitted way is to ease that hamzah (tas-hil) without any madd. Both are correct for Hafs; a student should learn one from a teacher and read it consistently.
Harfi (in the opening letters)
Some opening letters are spoken as three-letter names whose middle letter is a madd letter: lam, meem, sad, qaf, kaf, noon and sin. Each of these takes 6 counts, as in Alif-Lam-Meem (2:1), Qaf (50:1), Noon (68:1) and the sin of Ya-Sin. When the final letter merges into the next, as lam into meem in Alif-Lam-Meem, it is harfi muthaqqal; otherwise it is harfi mukhaffaf. The length is the same.
The letter 'ayn is special. Its middle letter is a lin ya, not a full madd letter, so in Kaf-Ha-Ya-'Ayn-Sad (19:1) and Ha-Meem 'Ayn-Sin-Qaf (42:1 and 42:2) it may be read with 4 or 6 counts, with 6 the more widely preferred. The alif of Alif-Lam-Meem has no madd letter in its middle, so it has no madd at all.
One more detail: at the start of Surah Al 'Imran (3:1 and 3:2), if you join Alif-Lam-Meem to Allahu, the meem takes a fathah to connect, and Hafs may read its madd as 6 or 2 counts.
How long are madd 'arid, madd lin and madd badal?
Madd 'arid lis-sukun
When you stop on a word whose last letter is preceded by a madd letter, the last letter becomes sakin. That temporary sukun creates madd 'arid lis-sukun, the madd caused by a passing sukun. It may be 2, 4 or 6 counts. Surah Al-Fatihah is full of it: al-'alamin (1:2), ar-rahim (1:3), ad-din (1:4) and nasta'in (1:5). If you continue without stopping, these are only natural madds of 2 counts.
Madd lin
When you stop on a word whose last letter is preceded by a lin letter, a waw or ya sakinah after a fathah, you get madd lin. It too may be 2, 4 or 6 counts, but only when stopping. Surah Quraysh gives two examples: rabba hadhal-bayt (106:3) and min khawf (106:4). In continuous reading there is no lengthening at all.
Lin is weaker than 'arid, so it must not be longer than the 'arid you are using in the same recitation. If you give al-'alamin 4 counts, then khawf can be 2 or 4, but not 6.
Madd badal
When a hamzah comes before a madd letter, as in amanu, imanan and utu, it is madd badal. In Hafs it is simply 2 counts, the same as a natural madd.
| Type | Cause | Counts in Hafs (ash-Shatibiyyah) |
|---|---|---|
| Natural, 'iwad, minor silah, two-letter openings | None | 2 |
| Muttasil | Hamzah in the same word | 4 or 5 (up to 6 stopping on the hamzah) |
| Munfasil and major silah | Hamzah in the next word | 4 or 5 |
| Lazim (all four kinds) | Original sukun or shaddah | 6 ('ayn: 4 or 6) |
| 'Arid lis-sukun | Sukun from stopping | 2, 4 or 6 |
| Lin | Sukun from stopping, after a lin letter | 2, 4 or 6 (not longer than 'arid) |
| Badal | Hamzah before the madd letter | 2 |
What happens when two madd causes meet in one word?
Sometimes one madd letter has two causes at once. The rule is that the stronger cause rules, and the weaker one is set aside. The order of strength is:
- 1. Lazim. The strongest, because its sukun is permanent.
- 2. Muttasil. A hamzah in the same word.
- 3. 'Arid lis-sukun. A sukun that appears only on stopping.
- 4. Munfasil. A hamzah in the next word.
- 5. Badal. The weakest, a hamzah before the madd letter.
The classic example is husnul-ma'ab at the end of Surah Al 'Imran, verse 14. The alif after the hamzah is a badal, and when you stop on the word, the ba becomes sakin, so it is also 'arid. 'Arid is stronger, so the madd follows its rule: 2, 4 or 6 counts. If you join the word to the next verse, the 'arid disappears and only the two-count badal is left.
Another example is wa la ammina al-bayta al-harama (5:2). The madd comes after a hamzah, which would make it badal, but it is followed by a meem with shaddah, which makes it lazim. Lazim wins, so it is 6 counts.
How is the madd sign shown in the mushaf?
The mushaf helps you by marking most of the long madds with a small wavy line, the madd sign, placed over the madd letter. It tells you: lengthen this beyond 2 counts. It does not tell you exactly how many counts. That you take from the rules above.
In the Arabic-style mushaf, such as the widely used Madinah print, the sign is generally placed on muttasil, munfasil and madd lazim, including the opening letters that take 6 counts. It is not placed on natural madd, badal, 'arid or lin, because those are either fixed at 2 or depend on whether you stop. Minor silah is shown by a small waw or ya written after the ha, and major silah by that small letter carrying the madd sign.
In most Indian-style prints, the madd sign also appears on muttasil, munfasil and lazim, and it is often printed thicker and more visible. Silah is usually shown by a vowel mark on the ha itself, an inverted dammah or a standing kasrah, rather than a small letter after it. Editions differ in small details, so check with your teacher how your copy marks things.
How do you practise madd and avoid common mistakes?
Three short drills
- Count with a finger. Recite Surah Al-Fatihah slowly, folding a finger for each count. Give the natural madds 2, stop at the end of each verse with 4 counts of 'arid, and hold ad-dallin for 6.
- Pair the hamzah madds. Pick a page and underline every madd sign. Decide 4 or 5 before you begin, then read the page aloud, giving every muttasil and munfasil the same length.
- Stop and continue. Read Surah Quraysh twice: once stopping at every verse, once joining two verses. Notice how bayt and khawf lengthen only when you stop.
Common mistakes
- Shortening the natural madd. Clipping the long alif of qala until only a short fathah is left. If the madd vanishes, the meaning can change.
- Stretching short vowels. Adding a madd where there is none, often on the last letter before a breath.
- Uneven lengths. 4 counts on one muttasil and 6 on the next. Choose and keep.
- Cutting madd lazim short. Reading ad-dallin with 4 counts because the imam is waiting. It is 6, always.
- Lengthening badal. Holding amanu like a muttasil. In Hafs it is 2.
- Lin longer than 'arid. Giving khawf 6 after giving al-'alamin 2.
How a teacher checks consistency
A good teacher listens for proportion, not stopwatch time. They will have you read a page with several muttasil and munfasil and listen for whether each one matches the last, often tapping the count, then asking you to tap it yourself. They will check your stops, making sure every 'arid at a verse end has the length you chose and every lin is no longer.
Madd sits beside the other foundations of tajweed. Once it is steady, our guides to noon sakinah and tanween and qalqalah are the natural next steps. For a summary to keep on the wall while you practise, download our free tajweed wall charts from the Library.
Sources
- The Qur'an, Surah Al-Fatihah (1), verses 1-7.
- The Qur'an, Surah Yunus (10), verses 51 and 91.
- The Qur'an, Surah Al-Furqan (25), verse 69.
- The Qur'an, Surah Al 'Imran (3), verse 14.
- Imam al-Qasim ibn Firruh ash-Shatibi, Hirz al-Amani (ash-Shatibiyyah), chapter on madd and qasr.
- Imam Ibn al-Jazari, al-Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah, lines on madd.