Heaviness Lightness

Heaviness Lightness

*- The letters of the alphabet are divided into three types on the basis of heaviness (tafkheem) and lightness (tarqeeq) ( التفخيم الترقيق ). First: letters which are always pronounced with heaviness These are the letters having the quality of elevation [Isti'alaa] (حروف الاستعلاء). Second: the letters which are pronounced either with heaviness or lightness according to the accompanying letters (alif- laam of the divine name - raa ). Third: letters which are always pronounced with lightness These are the letters having the quality of lowness (istifaal) with the exception of the laam and the raa. 1/ Degrees of Heaviness: Heaviness [Tafkheem] literally means making thick. Technically, it indicates making the sound of the letter heavy so that the mouth is full with its resonation. The letters of heaviness (tafkheem) are seven. They are grouped in the letters ( خص ضغط قظ ). 1-a/First: The first degree of heaviness is when the letter of (heaviness) carries a fataha (a) followed by alif e.g. ( قال ). 1-b/Second: The second degree is when the letter of heaviness carries a fataha (a) but is not followed by alif. Example: خَلْفَكُمْ. 1-c/Third: The third degree is when the letter of heaviness carries a dhammah (u).  Example: يَقُولُ. 1-d/Fourth: The fourth degree is when the letter of heaviness is marked by sukoon. Example: قرأ. 1-e/Fifth: The fifth degree is when the letter of heaviness carries a kasrah (i).  Example: قِيلَ.  2/According to position: According to position is related to letters which are either lightened (turaqaq) in some cases or made heavy (tufkham) in others. This type includes three letters which are not included in the letters having the quality of lowness, that is (alif- laam of the divine name - raa). 2-a/Heaviness: Heaviness according to position includes the alif, the laam of the divine name and the raa. First the alif: it is made heavy when it is preceded by a letter of heaviness.  Example: قَالَ. Second: the laam in the divine name is made heavy when it is preceded by fataha (a) or dhammah (u) or when it occurs at the beginning of a  word لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ))عِنْد اللهِ)) (اللهُ  قَالَ). Third (the raa) is always made heavy in three cases: First: when it carries a fataha (a), whether it occurs in initial, medial or final position in a word provided that it is connected. Example:( (لَيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَنْ تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ  ( (رَبَّنَا ,( رَبَّكُمُ  ). Second: if it carries a dhammah (u). Example:( رَدَدْنَا) (رُزِقْنَا) . Third: if it is non-vowelled (saakin) preceded by a letter with fataha (a) or dhammah (u) or an original kasrah (i) followed by a letter of elevation (استعلاء حرف) or an exposed (aaridh) kasrah (i) . Example: زَرْعًا),)( مُرْتَفَقًا) (قِرْطَاسٍ) ,( (ارْجِعُوا.  2-b/Lightness: Lightness according to position includes the alif lam of the divine name and the raa. First: the alif. It is lightened when it follows a lightened letter Example: الْكِتَابُ. Second: the laam of the divine name is lightened when it follows a kasrah (i) whether the kasrah (i) is connected it to or disconnected from it. Example: ( )( بِسْمِ اللَّهِ لِلَّهِ ). Third: the raa is lightened always in three cases: First: if it carries a kasrah (i).  example (رِجَالٌ) ,( مَرِيئًا ). Second: if it is non-vowelled and is preceded by original kasrah (i) but is not followed by a letter of elevation. Exaple: (فِرْعَوْنَ ). Third: if it is exposed to the absence of a vowel (sukoon aaridh) due to a stop following the yaa of lengthening  ( مدية ) or yaa of ease (لِينَةٍ )  Example: ( و ). 2-c/Preferable Heaviness: As for the raa, it is optionally made heavy or lightened; however making it heavy is preferable in two cases: First: if there is a stop on it due to the absence of a vowel, and is preceded by a fataha (a) or a dhammah (u) Example: (كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِالنُّذُرِ) (إِنْ هَذَا إِلاَّ قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ ). Second: if there is a stop on the raa because of the absence of a vowel preceded by a non-vowelled letter which in its turn is preceded by fataha (a) dhammah (u), and is marked by a kasrah (i) (maksur) in connected speech. Example:  وَالْعَصْرِ  - وَالْفَجْرِ . N.B. The pronunciation of raa with lightening in these instances (i) is due to the compulsory lightening in the case of connected speech because of its being maksurah; and pronouncing it with heaviness is due to the disregard of its situation in connected speech but to the consideration of the exposed absence of a vowel. 2-d/Preferable Lightness: The raa is optionally made heavy or lightened (tarqeeq) but lightening is preferable in three cases: First: if there is a stop on the raa because of the absence of a vowel followed by a yaa deleted for lightness of pronunciation.  Example: ( يسر ) in Allah's aayah (وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ). which is originally ( يَسْرِى ) and the yaa is deleted for lighteness. Second: if there is no vowel on the raa after a kasrah for a stop but were separated by a letter of elevation (istialaa) This occurs only once in the Qur'an in one word القطر in Allahs aayah:  (وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ).  Pronouncing the raa with lightness is due to its lightening in connected speech; and pronouncing it with heaviness is due to exposed stop. Third: if raa is non-vowelled and is preceded by a kasrah (i) and is followed by a letter of elevation with a kasrah (i) (maksur). This occurs only once in the Qur'an in the word فِرْقٍ in Allah's aayah :  كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَالطَّوْدِ Pronouncing the raa with lightness is due to the kasrah (i) preceding it without consideration of the letter of elevation following it because it carries a kasrah (maksur) (i) Pronouncing it with heaviness (tafkheem) is due to the letter of elevation following it without consideration of the preceding kasr of the letter of elevation. 2-e/Deflection: The rule of deflection (imaalah ) الإمالة pertains to the raa and in this case, the raa is lightened because of the deflection of the fataha (a) towards kasrah (i) and the deflection of the alif towards the yaa. This occurs in one word only in the Qur'an (مَجْرَاهَا ). 3/Lightness: Lightness (Tarqeeq) literally means: thinning. Technically, it means a change which occurs in the sound of a letter so that the mouth is not full with it. The letters which are always lightened include all the letters of the alphabet except those which are made heavy and those which are lightened (turaqaq) according to their position. The letters of heaviness (tafkheem) are ( خص ضغط قظ ) and the letter which are made heavy or are lightened according to their positions are ( alif, laam in the divine name, raa).