The madd letters
Madd means "lengthening". The three madd letters are:
- ا with fatha before it, و sakinah with damma before it, ي sakinah with kasra before it.
Lengths are measured in ḥarakāt (counts). One count is roughly the time of one short vowel; keep an even pace.
Madd tabi'i (natural madd) – 2 counts
A madd letter with no hamza or sukun after it: قَالَ، يَقُولُ، قِيلَ. Without it, the word is wrong – so it is never shortened.
Madd far'i (secondary madd)
The madd becomes longer because of a hamza or a sukun.
Caused by hamza:
- Muttasil (connected) – hamza in the same word: جَاءَ، السَّمَاءِ، سُوءَ. Obligatory lengthening: 4 or 5 counts.
- Munfasil (separated) – madd at the end of one word, hamza at the start of the next: إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ، يَا أَيُّهَا. In the common path of Ḥafṣ: 4 or 5 counts.
- Badal – hamza comes before the madd letter: آمَنُوا، إِيمَانًا، أُوتُوا. 2 counts.
Caused by sukun:
- Lazim (necessary) – a permanent sukun or shaddah after the madd letter: الضَّالِّينَ، الْحَاقَّةُ, and letters like the lam and mim in الم. Always 6 counts.
- 'Arid lis-sukun – the sukun only appears because you stop: الْعَالَمِينَ → الْعَالَمِينْ، نَسْتَعِينُ → نَسْتَعِينْ. 2, 4 or 6 counts.
- Lin – و or ي sakinah after a fatha, when you stop on the next letter: خَوْفْ، الْبَيْتْ، قُرَيْشْ. 2, 4 or 6 counts (only when stopping).
Madd 'iwad – when stopping on a tanwin with fatha, it becomes an alif of 2 counts: أَفْوَاجًا → أَفْوَاجَا. (Ta marbuta is an exception: رَحْمَةً → رَحْمَهْ.)
Be consistent
Choose one length for each type (e.g. 4 for muttasil and munfasil, 4 for 'arid) and keep it throughout a recitation.
Typical mistakes
- Shortening natural madd under time pressure.
- Lengthening short vowels ("bismi-llāāh-i").
- Changing lengths from verse to verse.
- Making madd lazim shorter than 6 counts.
Practice tip
Tap your finger for each count while reciting Surah an-Nasr: جَاءَ (muttasil), أَفْوَاجَا (ʿiwad at the stop), تَوَّابَا (ʿiwad).