The huruf muqatta’at (the disconnected letters at the start of 29 surahs, such as الٓمٓ) are recited by pronouncing the name of each letter, not as a word. So الٓمٓ is read “Alif, Laaam, Miiim”, never “alam”. In the riwayah of Hafs ‘an ‘Asim, each letter falls into one of three groups: alif is read with no madd, the letters of حي طهر take 2 counts, and the letters of نقص عسلكم take 6 counts, with ‘ayn allowing 4 or 6. If you want your openings checked live, you can master Tajweed with a teacher in one-to-one lessons.
This guide explains the three groups, walks through every opening in the mushaf, and covers the merging, nasal and stopping rules that trip up even fluent readers.
Key takeaways
- Read each muqatta’at letter by its name: Alif Laaam Miiim, not “alam”.
- Alif has no madd; ح ي ط ه ر are 2 counts; ن ق ص ع س ل ك م are 6 counts (madd lazim harfi).
- ‘Ayn is the exception: its middle letter is a soft ya, so it may be read with 4 or 6 counts, and 6 is preferred.
- Watch the idgham and ikhfa between letters, as in طسٓمٓ and عٓسٓقٓ.
What Are the Huruf Muqatta’at?
Twenty-nine surahs open with letters that are written joined in the mushaf but read separately, one name after another. Fourteen different letters are used in total, which scholars gather in the phrase نَصٌّ حَكِيمٌ قَاطِعٌ لَهُ سِرٌّ.
Their meaning is a matter of discussion among scholars, and many held that their full meaning is known to Allah alone. Many also noted that the surahs they open often go on to speak about the Quran itself, as if to say: this Book is made from the same letters you speak, yet no one can produce anything like it. What is not a matter of opinion is how they are recited, which has been passed down through the chains of Quran teachers, and that is the focus here.
The Three Pronunciation Groups
Every letter name is either one, two or three letters long when spelled out, and that spelling decides its length.
Group 1: Alif, read with no madd
The name of alif is spelled أَلِفْ: hamzah, lam, fa. There is no madd letter in the middle, so it is read short and crisp: “Alif”. Stretching it to “Aaalif” is a common mistake.
Group 2: The 2-count letters (حي طهر)
These five letters have two-letter names that end in a madd letter: حَا، يَا، طَا، هَا، رَا. They are read with a natural madd of 2 counts, like any madd tabi’i. In the mushaf, these letters do not carry the wavy madd sign (~), which is a helpful visual clue. For a refresher on natural madd, see our guide to madd tabi’i.
Group 3: The 6-count letters (نقص عسلكم)
These eight letters have three-letter names with a madd letter in the middle and a sakin letter at the end, such as لَامْ، مِيمْ، نُونْ، قَافْ، صَادْ، كَافْ، سِينْ. A madd letter followed by an original sukun is madd lazim, so they are held for 6 counts at every speed. In the mushaf, they carry the wavy madd sign.
The ‘ayn exception
The name of ‘ayn is spelled عَيْنْ. Its middle letter is a ya sakinah after a fathah, which is a soft (leen) letter, not a true madd letter. For that reason, in Hafs via al-Shatibiyyah, ‘ayn may be read with 4 or 6 counts, and 6 is preferred. It appears in only two openings: كٓهيعٓصٓ (Surah Maryam) and عٓسٓقٓ (Surah Ash-Shura). Whichever length you choose, keep it the same in both places.
Every Opening in the Mushaf and How to Read It
| Opening | Surahs | Read as |
|---|---|---|
| الٓمٓ | Al-Baqarah, Aal ‘Imran, Al-‘Ankabut, Ar-Rum, Luqman, As-Sajdah | Alif, Laaam-Miiim |
| الٓمٓصٓ | Al-A’raf | Alif, Laaam-Miiim, Saaad |
| الٓر | Yunus, Hud, Yusuf, Ibrahim, Al-Hijr | Alif, Laaam, Raa |
| الٓمٓر | Ar-Ra’d | Alif, Laaam, Miiim, Raa |
| كٓهيعٓصٓ | Maryam | Kaaaf, Haa, Yaa, ‘Aaayn, Saaad |
| طه | Ta-Ha | Taa, Haa |
| طسٓمٓ | Ash-Shu’ara, Al-Qasas | Taa, Siiin-Miiim (merged) |
| طسٓ | An-Naml | Taa, Siiin |
| يسٓ | Ya-Sin | Yaa, Siiin |
| صٓ | Sad | Saaad |
| حمٓ | Ghafir, Fussilat, Az-Zukhruf, Ad-Dukhan, Al-Jathiyah, Al-Ahqaf | Haa, Miiim |
| حمٓ عٓسٓقٓ | Ash-Shura | Haa, Miiim, ‘Aaayn, Siiin, Qaaaf |
| قٓ | Qaf | Qaaaf |
| نٓ | Al-Qalam | Nuuun |
In this table, a single long vowel (Haa, Raa) marks 2 counts, and a tripled vowel (Laaam, Miiim) marks 6 counts. Count the six on your fingers at first; it is longer than most beginners expect.
Choose “A letter with sukun or shaddah” in the tool below to see why the 6-count letters are madd lazim, and compare it with the other madd types.
Madd Type and Count Finder
Choose what follows the madd letter to see its type and length
Merging, Nasal Sounds and Clear Letters Inside the Openings
Because the letters are read one after another, the end of one name meets the start of the next. The normal rules of noon and meem sakinah then apply.
Idgham (merging)
- الٓمٓ: the name لَامْ ends in a meem sakinah, which meets the meem of مِيمْ. The two merge with a ghunnah: “Laaam-miiim”, with the nasal sound held for 2 counts. This is called madd lazim harfi muthaqqal (heavy), because of the merging.
- طسٓمٓ: the noon at the end of سِينْ merges into the meem of مِيمْ with a ghunnah: “Siiim-miiim”.
Ikhfa (hiding)
- طسٓ followed by تِلْكَ in Surah An-Naml: the noon of سِينْ is hidden before the ta.
- عٓسٓقٓ: the noon of عَيْنْ is hidden before the seen, and the noon of سِينْ is hidden before the qaf.
- كٓهيعٓصٓ: the noon of عَيْنْ is hidden before the saad.
Izhar (clear)
- يسٓ وَٱلْقُرْءَانِ and نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ: in Hafs via al-Shatibiyyah, the noon is pronounced clearly, without merging into the waw. Many readers wrongly merge it out of habit from other noon sakinah rules.
- Where a 6-count letter is not merged, such as قٓ, نٓ or the final meem of الٓمٓ when you stop, it is called madd lazim harfi mukhaffaf (light). The length is still 6 counts.
Our full guide to the types of madd in Tajweed places these within the bigger picture of madd rules, and our article on ghunnah in Tajweed explains how long the nasal sound lasts.
A Special Case: Aal ‘Imran
Surah Aal ‘Imran opens with الٓمٓ ٱللَّهُ. When you connect the opening to the word Allah, the meem would meet the sakin lam of the next word. To avoid two sakin letters meeting, the meem is given a fathah: “Alif Laaam-Miiima-llaah”.
Because the sukun after the ya of مِيمْ is now temporary, you may read the madd with 6 counts (looking at the original sukun) or 2 counts (looking at the new vowel). Both are valid in Hafs. If you stop on الٓمٓ instead, read it as usual with 6 counts and start again from ٱللَّهُ.
Stopping on the openings works like any stop. If you pause after الٓمٓ or حمٓ, the final letter stays sakin and the length does not change: it is already 6. This differs from madd ‘arid lissukun, where a 2-count madd can grow to 4 or 6 only because you stop. Our guide to madd ‘arid lissukun explains that rule, and madd badal and madd ‘iwad covers the other 2-count madds you meet nearby.
Common Mistakes When Reciting the Opening Letters
- Reading them as a word: “alam” or “taha” as one word instead of letter names.
- Stretching alif: reading “Aaalif” as if it had a madd.
- Over-stretching the 2-count letters: reading “Raaaa” in الٓر or “Haaaa” in حمٓ.
- Cutting the 6-count letters short: the most frequent error, especially in fast recitation.
- Uneven lengths: holding Laaam for six counts and Miiim for four in the same opening.
- Missing the ghunnah in الٓمٓ and طسٓمٓ, or merging the noon in يسٓ and نٓ.
- Inconsistent ‘ayn: reading it with 4 counts in Maryam and 6 in Ash-Shura.
Most of these are hard to hear in your own voice. Recording yourself helps, and a teacher in our online Tajweed classes can tell you in seconds whether your counts are even.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pronounce Alif Lam Mim correctly?
Say each letter’s name: “Alif”, then “Laaam” held for 6 counts, merged with a ghunnah into “Miiim”, also held for 6 counts. Alif itself has no madd.
How many counts are the huruf muqatta’at?
It depends on the letter. Alif has no madd, the letters ح ي ط ه ر take 2 counts, and the letters ن ق ص س ل ك م take 6 counts. ‘Ayn may be read with 4 or 6 counts in Hafs, with 6 preferred.
Why is ‘ayn read with 4 or 6 counts?
The middle of its name is a ya sakinah after a fathah, which is a soft (leen) letter rather than a true madd letter. Scholars of recitation therefore allowed a medium or full length, and 6 is the preferred choice in Hafs via al-Shatibiyyah.
How many surahs begin with huruf muqatta’at?
Twenty-nine surahs begin with them, using 14 different letters. They range from a single letter, such as صٓ, قٓ and نٓ, to five letters in كٓهيعٓصٓ.
Do I need a teacher to learn these rules?
You can learn the theory from a guide like this one, but the counts, ghunnah and evenness are best checked by ear. A teacher in our Tajweed rules course can listen to every opening and correct it on the spot, and you can start with a free trial class.
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