What is mim sakinah?
A mīm sākinah is a mim without a vowel, e.g. in هُمْ، عَلَيْهِمْ، أَمْ. Because mim is made with the lips, its rules are called shafawī ("of the lips"). There are three rules, depending on the next letter.
1. Ikhfa' shafawi – before ب
- Letter: ب
- The lips close gently on the mim, the ghunnah is held for two counts, then the ب follows.
- Example: تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍ، أَنبِئْهُم بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ
Many mushafs show this by leaving the mim without a sukun sign.
2. Idgham shafawi (idgham mithlayn saghir) – before م
- Letter: م
- The first mim merges into the second, giving one doubled mim with a two-count ghunnah.
- Example: آمَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍ، لَهُم مَّا
The mushaf shows this with a shaddah on the second mim.
3. Izhar shafawi – before all other letters
- Letters: all except ب and م (and alif, which never follows a sukun).
- The mim is pronounced clearly with a light lip closure, without stretching the ghunnah.
- Example: أَلَمْ تَرَ، عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا، هُمْ فِيهَا
Be extra careful before و and ف: both are also made with the lips, so there is a temptation to hide the mim. Keep it clear.
Mim mushaddadah
A mim with shaddah (ثُمَّ، عَمَّ) always has a full ghunnah – that is the topic of the next lesson.
Typical mistakes
- Hiding the mim before ف or و: "hum-fīhā" with a long hum.
- Pronouncing a clear, short m before ب instead of a gentle ghunnah.
- Forgetting the ghunnah in idgham: "lahum-mā" without nasal sound.
- Moving into the next word with a hard lip pop.
Practice tip
Read Surah al-Fil and Surah Quraysh. Mark every mim sakinah in three colours: one for ب, one for م, one for everything else. Then recite and check each colour.