thickthin

Terminology: In tajweed الترقيق: THINNESS means the lightness that
enters the body of the letter, that is the sound, that goes to the mouth.

(Refer back to the chapters of the emission points and characteristics of the letters. Sounds more like an “a” , less like “o”. Keep the lips apart)

Know that the letters fall into two categories, letters
of thickness ( استعلاء ) and letters of thinness ( استفال ).

The letters of thickness ( استعلاء ) without exception are seven
which were mentioned in the chapter of the characteristics of
the letters, which is found in the phrase:

which are: الخاء (kha) ، والصاد (saad) ، والضاد (dhawd)، والغين(ghain) ،
والطاء(taw) ، والقاف (qaf) ، والظاء (thaw) .

especially the four roofed letters ( الإطباق ) that are strongly thick,
which are: والصاد (saad) ، والضاد (dhawd)، والطاء(taw) ، والظاء (thaw) .

There are five levels of thickness:

(1) The highest level is when a thick letter has a fatha and after it
is an alif, like:

(2) The next level is when a thick letter has a fatha without an
alif, after it like:

(3) After it the third level is when a thick letter has a dhamma like:

(4) The fourth level is when a thick letter has a sakoon like:

(5) The last level is when a thick letter has a kasra like:

And this is likewise for the rest of the thick letters.

As for the thin letters ( الاستفال ), they are always thin except
for ل (lam) and ر (ra) in some circumstances, and ا (alif).

The ل (lam) in the name of Allah is thick after a fatha like:

تَاللَّهِ (6

Also ل (lam) in the name of Allah is thick after a dhumma like:

نَصْرُ اللَّهِ (7

The ل (lam) in the name of Allah is thin after a qasra like

بِاللَّهِ (8

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ (9

(The ل (lam) in all other cases is thin)

The rules for ر(raa) differ, and also depend on whether you continue or stop.

When you continue on the ر(raa) it is thin in two cases:

First when there is a qasra on it, whether naturally like
رِجَالٌ (10 or وَالْغَارِمِينَ (11) or وَالْفَجْرِ (12) .

or contingent like وَأَنْذِرِ النَّاسَ (13) .

The ر(raa) with qasrah ( رِ ) is thin absolutely without any principles or conditions.

Second when it has a sakinah, with the conditions that before the ر(raa)
there is a NATURAL letter with qasra that joins with it, and that there is not a thick
letter (خص ضغط قظ) with fatha that connects after it. When the ر(raa) sakinah fulfills
all these conditions it is obligatory to pronounce it thin like:
فِرْعَوْنَ (14) or شِرْعَةً (15 .

The ر(raa) is thick in other than the preceeding two conditions.

The ر(raa) is thick when it does not have a qasra,

i.e. a fatha like: رَبَّنَا (16)

or a dhumma like رُسُلٌ (17 .

Also when it has a sakoon, and does not fulfill the previously mentioned
conditions that make it thin.

The ر(raa) sakinah is thick when it comes after a letter that has a fatha like: بَرْقٌ (18) ,

or when it comes after a letter that has a dhumma
like: الْقُرْآنُ (19).

The ر(raa) sakinah is also thick when it comes after a UNNATURAL letter that has a qasra like ارْجِعِي (20) (when you begin with it ; the hamza wasl is pronounced with qasra when you begin with it).

The ر(raa) sakinah is also thick when it comes after a NATURAL letter that has a qasra that is not directly connected with
it like: الَّذِي ارْتَضَى (21) (the dhal with qasra here is disjoint from the ر (raa) )

The ر(raa) sakinah is also thick when it comes after a NATURAL letter that has a qasra, and connects with a thick letter (خص ضغط قظ) with fatha after it. This is
only found in five places in the Quran:

قِرْطَاسٍ (22) Surat Anam،

وَإِرْصَادًا (23) و فِرْقَةٍ (24) Surah Taubah

مِرْصَادًا (25) Surah Naba

لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ (26) Surah Fajr

The ر(raa) sakinah is thick in all these cases that does not fulfill the previously mentioned conditions that make it thin.

If there is a thick letter (خص ضغط قظ) after the ر(raa) sakinah which is
disjoint, i.e. in a different word like:

وَلا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ (28)

فَاصْبِرْ صَبْرًا (29

the ر(raa) is pronounced thin, and the thick letter after it does not affect
it because it is not joined with the ر(raa).

This, and if there is a thick letter (خص ضغط قظ) with qasra after the ر(raa) sakinah ,
there is a difference in opinion on how to pronounce it. This is found in:
فِرْقٍ (27) in surah shuarah.

From them are those that pronounce it thick, because there is a thick letter
after it. From them are those that pronounce it thin because of the qasra before it.
The predominant view is that it is pronounced thin rather than thick.

If stopping on the ر(raa) it is pronounced thin in the following three cases:

1. If right before it is a letter with qasra like: بَصَائِرُ (30

2. if before it is a letter with sakin and before that is a letter with qasra
like: سِحْرٌ (31) or الذِّكْرَ (32 .

3. If there is a yaa sakinah before it like: قَدِيرٌ (33) or الْخَيْرُ (34 .

In other than these circumstances the ر(raa) is pronounced thick when stopping
with SAKOON MUJARAD, and stopping with ISHMAM. However when stopping with RUM, the ruling for it is the same as if one were continuing.

When stopping on the words of THE MOST HIGH, بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ (38) , in SAKOON MUJARAD and ISHMAM the ر(raa) would be pronounced thin, because it comes
after a yaa sakinah. In RUM the ر(raa) would be pronounced thick, because it has
a dhamma – taking the same rule as if one were continuing.

Words that have differing views:

In the following two words:

مِصْرَ (39)

الْقِطْرِ (40)

When stopping on the ر(raa), there are two views. Thin and thick.
Those that pronounce it thin look at the qasrah two letters before it and don’t
consider the letter right before it with a sakoon. Those that pronounce it thick
look at the letter right before it with a sakoon, and pronounce it thick because
the letter right before it is a thick letter (خص ضغط قظ) . The predominant view is
that “مصر” is pronounced thick and “القطر” is pronounced thin, looking at it
as if continuing .

In the following words:

يَسْرِ (41) in surah fajr

أَسْرِ (42) in surah fajr

وَنُذُرِ (43) in surah qamr

there are also two views when stopping. The predominant view is thin.

The rule for ا(alif) is that it follows the thickness or thinness of the letter
that precedes it.

If the letter before it is thick, the ا(alif) is thick like: قَالَ (44) and طَالَ (45 .

If the letter before it is thin, the ا(alif) is thin like: نَاعِمَةٌ (46)and عَالِيَةٍ (47).

The ghunnah (nnnn sound) takes on the thickness or the thinness of the letter after it. It is opposite of the rule for ا(alif) as it takes on the thickness or the
thinness of the letter after it, not before it.

If the letter after the ghunnah is thick, the ghunnah is pronounced thick, like:
يَنْصُرُكُمُ (48) . As the ص (Sawd) is thick .

If the letter after the ghunnah is thin, the ghunnah is pronounced thin, like:
أَنْزَلْنَاهُ (49). As the ز (zai) is thin .

The ruling for Ghunnah: That it takes on the thickness or the thinness of the letter after it.

A companion in poetry says:

والرومُ كالوصْلِ وَتَتْبَعُ الألِفْ

ما قَبْلَها, والعَكْسُ في الغنِّ أُلِفْ

RUM is like continuing – The Alif follows

what comes before it – and the Ghunnah is opposite of the Alif

And may peace be upon prophet Muhammad.

__________
(1) سورة فصلت: الآية (11).
(2) سورة الكهف: الآية (41).
(3) سورة القلم: الآية (1).
(4) سورة قريش: الآية (4).
(5) سورة الزمر: الآية (73).
(6) سورة يوسف: الآية (73).
(7) سورة البقرة: الآية (214).
(8) سورة البقرة: الآية (8).
(9) سورة الفاتحة: الآية (1)، وسورة النمل: الآية (30)
(10) سورة الأعراف: الآية (46).
(11) سورة التوبة: الآية (60).
(12) سورة الفجر: الآية (1).
(13) سورة إبراهيم: الآية (44).
(14) سورة البقرة: الآية (49).
(15) سورة المائدة: الآية (48).
(16) سورة البقرة: الآية (127).
(17) سورة آل عمران: الآية (183).
(18) سورة البقرة: الآية (19).
(19) سورة البقرة: الآية (185).
(20) سورة الفجر: الآية (28).
(21) سورة النور: الآية (55).
(22) الآية (7).
(23) الآية (107).
(24) الآية (122).
(25) الآية (21).
(26) الآية (14).
(27) سورة البقرة: الآية (63).
(28) سورة لقمان: الآية (18).
(29) سورة المعارج: الآية (5).
(30) سورة الأنعام: الآية (104).
(31) سورة المائدة: الآية (110).
(32) سورة الحجر: الآية (6).
(33) سورة البقرة: الآية (20).
(34) سورة آل عمران: الآية (26).
(35) سورة الأنعام: الآية (77).
(36) سورة الأحقاف: الآية (21).
(37) سورة الفجر: الآية (1).
(38) سورة آل عمران: الآية (26).
(39) في أربعة مواضع: سورة يونس: الآية (87). – سورة يوسف: الآية (21،99). – سورة الزخرف: الآية (51).
(40) الآية (12).
(41) الآية (4).
(42) من مواضعه: -سورة هود: الآية (81). – سورة طه: الآية (77).
(43) ستة المواضع: الآيات (16، 18، 21، 30، 37، 39).
(44) سورة البقرة: الآية (30).
(45) سورة الأنبياء: الآية (44).
(46) سورة الغاشية: الآية (8).
(47) سورة الحاقة: الآية (22).
(48) سورة آل عمران: الآية (160).
(49) سورة الأنعام: الآية (92).