Lam Shamsiyyah vs Lam Qamariyyah: The Sun and Moon Letters

Lam shamsiyyah and lam qamariyyah are the two ways of reading the “al” (ال) at the start of Arabic nouns. Before 14 “moon” letters, the lam is pronounced clearly, as in ٱلْقَمَرِ (al-qamar). Before the other 14 “sun” letters, the lam is silent and merges into the next letter, which is doubled, as in ٱلشَّمْسِ (ash-shams). It is one of the first rules every student meets when they learn Tajweed online, and it appears on almost every line of the Quran.

The good news: once you know the two groups of letters and how the mushaf marks them, this rule becomes automatic within a few weeks. This guide gives you the letters, the reasoning, practice from Al-Fatiha and the mistakes to avoid.

Why “Sun” and “Moon”?

The names come from two famous examples. In ٱلشَّمْسُ (the sun), the lam disappears into the shin, so the word shams gave its name to every letter that behaves the same way. In ٱلْقَمَرُ (the moon), the lam stays clear, so qamar named the other group. Surah Ash-Shams even opens with both words in its first two ayahs, which makes it a perfect place to hear the difference.

Behind the names is a phonetic reason. Most sun letters are pronounced with the tip or front of the tongue, close to where the lam itself is made, so the two sounds blend naturally. The moon letters come from the throat, the lips, or the middle and back of the tongue, further from the lam, so the lam stays distinct.

The 14 Moon Letters (Lam Qamariyyah)

Classical tajweed teachers gather them in the phrase ابغ حجك وخف عقيمه (ibghi hajjaka wa khaf ‘aqimah), found in the well-known tajweed poem Tuhfat al-Atfal.

With these letters, the rule is called izhar qamari (clear pronunciation). Read the lam with a light, crisp sukun and move straight to the next letter, without adding any vowel to the lam.

The 14 Sun Letters (Lam Shamsiyyah)

The remaining letters are the sun letters: ت ث د ذ ر ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ل ن. Tuhfat al-Atfal hides them in the first letters of each word of a line of advice: طِبْ ثُمَّ صِلْ رُحْمًا تَفُزْ ضِفْ ذَا نِعَمْ، دَعْ سُوءَ ظَنٍّ زُرْ شَرِيفًا لِلْكَرَمْ.

Examples from the Quran:

• ٱلتَّوَّابُ (at-tawwab), ٱلدِّينِ (ad-din), ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ (ar-rahman)
• ٱلسَّمَآءِ (as-sama’), ٱلصِّرَٰطَ (as-sirat), ٱلضَّآلِّينَ (ad-dallin)
• ٱلطَّارِقِ (at-tariq), ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ (az-zalimin), ٱلنَّاسِ (an-nas), ٱلَّيْلِ (al-layl)

This is called idgham shamsi (merging). The lam is written but not read, and you double the sun letter instead. Notice that before lam itself, as in ٱلَّيْلِ, you still hear one lam, now doubled.

Before noon, as in ٱلنَّاسِ, the doubled noon also carries a full ghunnah of about two counts. Our guide to ghunnah in tajweed explains why every noon and meem with shaddah is held this way.

How to Spot Them in the Mushaf

You do not have to memorize anything to read correctly from a Madani mushaf, because the marks tell you:

1. Moon lam: the lam carries a small sukun sign (ٱلْ), so you pronounce it.
2. Sun lam: the lam has no mark at all, and the letter after it carries a shaddah (ٱلشَّ), so you skip the lam and double the next letter.

This visual pattern, “bare lam plus shaddah,” is the same logic you see in other merging rules, such as idgham. You can explore those in our article on idgham letters in tajweed.

Practice With Surah Al-Fatiha

Al-Fatiha contains both types several times, so it is the ideal daily drill.

Read the surah slowly and say “sun” or “moon” each time you reach an al. After a week, you will hear the difference without thinking. Ready to test yourself? Take the short quiz below.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Pronouncing a sun lam: saying al-shams or al-rahman. This is the most common error among new readers, especially those used to transliterated names.
• Not doubling the sun letter: dropping the lam but reading a-shams instead of ash-shams. The shaddah must be heard.
• Adding a vowel to a moon lam: saying ala-qamar. The lam has a sukun; keep it short and clean.
• Applying the rule to verbs: in ٱلْتَقَى (iltaqa, Surah Al Imran, 3:155), the lam is part of the verb, so it is pronounced even though ta is a sun letter.
• Mishandling the hamzah: when you start a recitation with an al word, begin with a hamzah and fatha (al-hamdu). In the middle of connected reading, that hamzah drops and you link directly, as in بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ.

Where This Rule Fits in Your Tajweed Journey

Sun and moon letters usually come right after learning the letters and their vowels, and just before the rules of noon sakinah and tanween. After them come izhar, idgham, iqlab and ikhfa, which follow the same idea of clear versus merged sounds. A complete overview is in our guide to the Quran tajweed rules. If you want these rules taught step by step with live correction, our Tajweed rules course starts from your level after a free assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 14 sun letters in Arabic?

They are ت ث د ذ ر ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ل ن. When the definite article al comes before any of them, the lam is silent and the letter is doubled with a shaddah.

What are the 14 moon letters in Arabic?

They are أ ب غ ح ج ك و خ ف ع ق ي م ه, collected in the phrase ابغ حجك وخف عقيمه. Before these letters, the lam of al is pronounced clearly with a sukun.

Is lam shamsiyyah a tajweed rule or an Arabic grammar rule?

It is a pronunciation rule of Arabic in general, so it applies in everyday Arabic as well as in the Quran. Tajweed books teach it because correct pronunciation of the definite article is essential for accurate recitation.

Does the rule apply to the word Allah?

The word Allah begins with a doubled lam and has its own special rules for making the lam heavy or light, depending on the vowel before it. It is taught as a separate topic, usually right after the sun and moon letters.

How can I practice sun and moon letters every day?

Choose a short surah each day, circle every al in pencil, and mark it S or M before reciting. Then recite to a teacher or record yourself. Students in our online Tajweed classes usually master this rule within their first few lessons.

Madraset El Quran Academy

Editor@madrasatelquran.com

Madraset Elquran Academy is a world-class platform for learning Quran, Arabic, and Islamic Studies, recognized globally for its excellence. As one of the leading online Quran schools, we offer personalized one-on-one sessions with expert native Egyptian tutors, providing high-quality education for learners of all levels.

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