🎙️ Tajweed: recite beautifully · Step 3 of 11
Heavy and light: letters, Allah and Raa
Seven letters are always heavy. The Laam in 'Allah' and the letter Raa are sometimes heavy and sometimes light.
Always heavy
The seven heavy letters are خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ (remember them as khuṣṣa ḍaghṭin qiẓ). The back of the tongue rises, so the sound is full and deep.
The Laam of 'Allah'
After a dammah (or a fatha), the Laam in 'Allah' is heavy.
After a kasrah, it is light: 'bismil-lāh'.
The Raa
Raa with a fatha (or a dammah) is heavy.
Raa saakin after a dammah is heavy too.
Raa with a kasrah is light.
✅ Check yourself
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Is the Laam of 'Allah' heavy or light in 'bismillah'?
Show the answer
Light, because it comes after a kasrah.
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Name three of the always-heavy letters.
Show the answer
Any three of خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ.