Noon Sakinah Rules: Izhar, Idgham, Iqlab and Ikhfa Explained

The four Noon Sakinah rules are Izhar, Idgham, Iqlab, and Ikhfa. Izhar makes the noon clear, Idgham merges it into the next letter, Iqlab changes its sound before Baa, and Ikhfa conceals it with ghunnah.

Understanding these rules helps you recognize what happens when Noon Sakinah or Tanween meets the next Arabic letter during Quran recitation. That is why they come early in our online Tajweed course, where a tutor checks how you apply them live.

What Is Noon Sakinah?

Noon Sakinah (نْ) is the Arabic letter Noon (ن) carrying a sukoon, which means it has no vowel.

It can occur in the middle or at the end of a word and remains part of the written word.

For example:

مِنْهُمْ

The Noon in مِنْ carries a sukoon, making it a Noon Sakinah.

When reciting, you look at the letter immediately following Noon Sakinah. That next letter determines whether you apply Izhar, Idgham, Iqlab, or Ikhfa.

This is the foundation for understanding the Noon Sakinah rules. Instead of trying to guess how the Noon should sound, you identify the next letter and apply the corresponding Tajweed rule.

What Is Tanween?

Tanween (تنوين) is the additional “n” sound heard at the end of certain Arabic nouns when continuing recitation.

It appears as doubled vowel marks:

• ـً Fathatain
• ـٍ Kasratain
• ـٌ Dammatain

For example:

عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

The written word does not contain an actual letter Noon at the end, but when continuing the recitation, the Tanween produces an n sound.

Because that sound behaves similarly to Noon Sakinah when followed by another letter, the same four Tajweed rules—Izhar, Idgham, Iqlab, and Ikhfa—apply to both.

That is why Tajweed books usually teach the rules of Noon Sakinah and Tanween together.

Noon Sakinah vs Tanween: The Difference

Noon Sakinah and Tanween can produce a similar Noon sound, but they are not the same thing.

Noon Sakinah	Tanween
Written as نْ	Written as ـً / ـٍ / ـٌ
An actual letter Noon	A grammatical ending represented by doubled vowel marks
Can occur within or at the end of a word	Occurs at the end of a word
Can remain when stopping	The Tanween sound is not pronounced as an “n” when stopping

Despite these differences, when continuing recitation, both are affected by the letter that follows them.

Therefore, learning Noon Sakinah and Tanween rules together makes it easier to recognize the correct pronunciation while reading Quran.

The 4 Rules of Noon Sakinah and Tanween

There are four main rules of Noon Sakinah and Tanween:

1. Izhar (الإظهار) – clear pronunciation.
2. Idgham (الإدغام) – merging.
3. Iqlab (الإقلاب) – changing the Noon/Tanween sound into a concealed Meem sound before Baa.
4. Ikhfa (الإخفاء) – concealment with ghunnah.

The rule is determined by the letter immediately after Noon Sakinah or Tanween.

A useful way to learn Ahkam al Noon al Sakinah is therefore to memorize the letters belonging to each rule rather than memorizing isolated examples.

Once you recognize the next letter, identifying the rule becomes much faster during recitation.

1. Izhar: The 6 Throat Letters

Izhar (الإظهار) means clarity.

When Noon Sakinah or Tanween is followed by one of the six throat letters, the Noon sound is pronounced clearly without merging it into the following letter.

The six Izhar letters are:

ء هـ ع ح غ خ

They are:

Hamzah (ء), Haa (هـ), ‘Ayn (ع), Haa (ح), Ghayn (غ), and Khaa (خ).

Several of them are among the hardest Arabic letters for non-native speakers, so practice them carefully.

For example:

مِنْ هَادٍ

The Noon Sakinah is followed by هـ, so the Noon is pronounced clearly.

Another example is:

عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

The Tanween is followed by ح, so Izhar applies.

The key is to pronounce the Noon sound clearly without adding an unnecessary prolonged ghunnah or merging it into the next letter.

2. Idgham: The 6 Yarmaloon Letters

Idgham (الإدغام) means merging.

When Noon Sakinah or Tanween is followed by one of six specific letters, its sound merges into the following letter.

The six Idgham letters are collected in the word:

يَرْمَلُون — Yarmaloon

The letters are:

ي ر م ل و ن

However, Idgham is divided into two types:

• Idgham with Ghunnah.
• Idgham without Ghunnah.

Knowing this distinction is important because not all six Yarmaloon letters are pronounced in the same way.

Idgham With Ghunnah

Idgham with Ghunnah occurs with four letters:

ي ن م و

They can be remembered through the word:

يَنْمُو — Yanmu

When Noon Sakinah or Tanween comes before one of these letters across two words, the Noon sound merges into the following letter with a nasal sound.

For example:

مَن يَعْمَلْ

The Noon Sakinah at the end of مَن is followed by ي, so Idgham with Ghunnah applies.

Another example is:

خَيْرًا يَرَهُ

The Tanween is followed by ي, so it is merged with Ghunnah.

The ghunnah is generally held for approximately two counts.

Idgham Without Ghunnah

Idgham without Ghunnah occurs with:

ل ر

These are Lam (ل) and Raa (ر).

When Noon Sakinah or Tanween is followed by either letter, the Noon sound merges into the next letter without ghunnah.

For example:

مِن رَّبِّهِمْ

The Noon Sakinah is followed by ر, so it merges into the Raa without ghunnah.

Similarly:

هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

The Tanween is followed by ل, so Idgham without Ghunnah applies.

A common mistake is adding a nasal Noon sound before Lam or Raa. Instead, the transition should move directly into the following letter. Noon, Lam, and Raa are produced close to each other near the tip of the tongue, as explained in our guide to the articulation points of letters.

3. Iqlab: Before Baa Only

Iqlab (الإقلاب) occurs when Noon Sakinah or Tanween is followed by Baa (ب).

There is only one Iqlab letter: ب.

In Iqlab, the Noon or Tanween sound changes into a concealed Meem sound with ghunnah before the Baa.

For example:

مِنۢ بَعْدِ

The Noon Sakinah comes before ب, so the Noon is not pronounced as a normal clear Noon. Instead, it becomes a concealed Meem sound with ghunnah before moving into the Baa.

In many Mushafs, you may notice a small م indicating Iqlab. The resulting sound is performed like Ikhfa Shafawi, one of the three Meem Sakinah rules.

10 Examples of Iqlab in Quran

Here are 10 examples of Iqlab in Quran for recognition and practice:

1. مِنۢ بَعْدِ
2. أَنۢبِئْهُم
3. مِنۢ بَيْنِ
4. سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ
5. عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ
6. خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا
7. لَنَسْفَعًۢا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ (Surah Al-Alaq, 96:15)
   
8. يَوْمَئِذٍۢ بِجَهَنَّمَ
9. مِنۢ بَقْلِهَا
10. مِنۢ بَعْدِهِ

When practicing, focus on the transformation of the Noon/Tanween sound rather than simply memorizing the examples.

4. Ikhfa: The 15 Remaining Letters

Ikhfa (الإخفاء) means concealment.

It occurs when Noon Sakinah or Tanween is followed by one of the 15 Ikhfa letters:

ت ث ج د ذ ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك

With Ikhfa, the Noon is neither pronounced completely clearly like Izhar nor fully merged like Idgham.

Instead, its sound is concealed while maintaining ghunnah for approximately two counts, then moving into the following letter.

For example:

مِن قَبْلُ

The Noon Sakinah is followed by ق, so Ikhfa applies.

Another example is:

قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًا

The Tanween is followed by ث, which also requires Ikhfa.

Because Ikhfa contains the largest group of letters, students often learn the other three groups first. Any remaining letter then belongs to Ikhfa. For examples of each of the 15 letters, see our guide to Ikhfa letters.

Is Ghunnah a Fifth Rule?

No. Ghunnah is not a fifth rule of Noon Sakinah and Tanween.

The four rules remain:

Izhar, Idgham, Iqlab, and Ikhfa.

Ghunnah (الغنة) is a nasal sound associated naturally with Noon and Meem and appears in different Tajweed contexts.

Within the Noon Sakinah rules, ghunnah is particularly relevant to:

• Idgham with Ghunnah.
• Iqlab.
• Ikhfa.

It is not applied in the same way to Izhar or Idgham without Ghunnah.

Separating the idea of a rule from the characteristic of ghunnah helps prevent a common beginner confusion: ghunnah is part of how certain rules are performed, rather than an additional fifth category.

Noon Sakinah and Tanween Letters Table

This table gives you a quick reference for all four Noon Sakinah and Tanween rules:

Rule	Letters	What Happens?	Ghunnah?
Izhar	ء هـ ع ح غ خ	Noon/Tanween is pronounced clearly	No additional prolonged ghunnah
Idgham with Ghunnah	ي ن م و	Sound merges into the next letter	Yes
Idgham without Ghunnah	ل ر	Sound merges into the next letter	No
Iqlab	ب	Changes to a concealed Meem sound	Yes
Ikhfa	ت ث ج د ذ ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك	Noon/Tanween is concealed	Yes

Instead of memorizing 28 individual cases, learn these letter groups. This makes identifying the appropriate rule much easier during Quran recitation.

How to Apply the Right Rule While Reading

You can identify the correct rule using a simple process.

First, find Noon Sakinah (نْ) or Tanween.

Then look immediately at the next letter:

• A throat letter? → Izhar
• ي ن م و? → Idgham with Ghunnah
• ل or ر? → Idgham without Ghunnah
• ب? → Iqlab
• One of the remaining 15 letters? → Ikhfa

At first, you may need to stop and think about each letter. With regular practice, recognition becomes faster.

Do not focus only on naming the rule. Read the example aloud and practice how the rule changes your recitation.

Knowing that a word contains Ikhfa is useful; being able to pronounce that Ikhfa correctly is the actual goal of learning Tajweed.

What Happens to Tanween When You Stop

The Noon Sakinah and Tanween rules discussed above apply when the recitation continues into the following word.

When you stop on a word ending in Tanween, the pronunciation changes.

With Dammatain (ـٌ) and Kasratain (ـٍ), the final “n” sound of Tanween is dropped when stopping, and you stop with sukoon on the final letter. If that letter is one of the letters of Qalqalah, it is pronounced with a slight echoing bounce.

With Fathatain (ـً), you generally stop with an Alif-length sound of two counts, although there are orthographic exceptions such as words ending in taa marbutah.

For example, when continuing:

عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

the Tanween interacts with the next letter.

But if you stop on عَلِيمٌ, you do not pronounce the final “n” sound.

Understanding stopping and continuing prevents students from applying a Tanween rule where there is no following letter in connected recitation.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

A common mistake is recognizing the correct rule but exaggerating its sound.

For example, students may make every Noon strongly nasal, even during Izhar, or add ghunnah before Lam and Raa in Idgham without Ghunnah.

Another mistake is treating Ikhfa as a completely clear Noon. The sound should instead remain concealed with ghunnah before moving into the following letter.

With Iqlab, avoid pronouncing a fully clear Noon before Baa. The sound changes toward a concealed Meem with ghunnah.

The best way to correct these mistakes is not only to read explanations. Listen to correct recitation and practice aloud with a qualified Tajweed teacher who can hear whether the rule is actually being applied correctly. If you are still choosing one, here is how to find the best online Tajweed classes for beginners.

Practice Exercises

Identify the correct Noon Sakinah rule or Tanween rule in each example before reading the answer:

1. مِنْ هَادٍ
2. مَن يَعْمَلْ
3. مِن رَّبِّهِمْ
4. مِنۢ بَعْدِ
5. مِن قَبْلُ
6. عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
7. هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
8. سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ

Answers:

1. Izhar
2. Idgham with Ghunnah
3. Idgham without Ghunnah
4. Iqlab
5. Ikhfa
6. Izhar
7. Idgham without Ghunnah
8. Iqlab

After identifying them correctly, recite each example aloud. Recognition is only the first step; the goal is to train your tongue to apply each rule correctly. For a simple daily routine, read how to learn Quran with Tajweed at home.

FAQs About Noon Sakinah and Tanween Rules

How many Noon Sakinah rules are there?

There are four main Noon Sakinah rules: Izhar, Idgham, Iqlab, and Ikhfa. The same four rules apply to Tanween when continuing recitation.

What are the six letters of Izhar?

The six Izhar letters are:

ء هـ ع ح غ خ

They are Hamzah, Haa, ‘Ayn, Haa, Ghayn, and Khaa.

What are the Yarmaloon letters?

The six Yarmaloon letters are:

ي ر م ل و ن

Four—ي ن م و—cause Idgham with Ghunnah, while ل ر cause Idgham without Ghunnah.

How many letters are there in Ikhfa?

There are 15 Ikhfa letters:

ت ث ج د ذ ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك

What letter causes Iqlab?

Only Baa (ب) causes Iqlab when it follows Noon Sakinah or Tanween.

Are the rules of Noon Sakinah and Tanween the same?

Yes, the four categories are the same when recitation continues: Izhar, Idgham, Iqlab, and Ikhfa. However, Noon Sakinah and Tanween themselves differ in how they are written and where they occur.

Learn Tajweed With an Al-Azhar Certified Tutor

Understanding the rules of Noon Sakinah and Tanween on paper is an important beginning, but Tajweed becomes much clearer when someone can listen to you apply them.

At Alwafaa Institute, an online institute to learn Quran with Tajweed, students can study with qualified tutors and practice rules such as Izhar, Idgham, Iqlab, and Ikhfa directly during Quran recitation.

Instead of trying to determine by yourself whether your ghunnah is too long, whether your Noon is too clear during Ikhfa, or whether you are merging correctly during Idgham, you can receive direct correction while reading.

Lessons can begin according to your current Quran and Tajweed level, whether you are learning these rules for the first time or revising Tajweed you studied previously.