Tajweed Tutorial – Lesson 4
الْحُرُوفُ الشَّمْسِيَّةُ وَ الْقَمَرِيَّةُ
Arabic consonants are divided or classified into two parts, namely:
- Sun Letters ( ُالْحُرُوفُ الشَّمْسِيَّة)
- Moon Letters ( الْحُرُوفُ الْقَمَرِيَّة)
This classification is based on whether or not the letters attracts or assimilate the definite article al (ال), Both classes assimilate the definite article al, but the difference is that one loses its distinctive sound while other do not.
As we know we have are 28 consonants in the Arabic alphabet. Exactly half are Sun, and half are Moon.
الْحُرُوفُ الشَّمْسِيَّةُ
These are called sun letters. They assimilate the definite article al (ال), but loses its distinctive sound. As a result, the sound at the beginning of the word is doubled. (Given Shaddah).
For example: ُالشَّمْس ،(Ash-shamsu)
Ash-Shams, you don’t pronounce the ل (Lam). The 14 Sun-letters are:
تّ، ثّ، دّ ،ذّ ،رّ ،زّ ،سّ ،شّ ،صّ ،ضّ ،طّّ ،ظّ ،لّ ،نّ
The 14 sun-letters
The below are some examples of words that begin with sun letters:
| التِّوْبَةُ | الشَّمْشُ |
| الطِّلاَقُ | ُالذِّكْر |
| اللَّبَنُ | الصَّلاَةُ |
الْحُرُوفُ الْقَمَرِيَّة
These are called moon letters. They assimilate the definite article al (ال), and retains its distinctive sound. As a result, the sukuun on the laam [ al (ال),] at the beginning of the word is pronounced. (and does not attracts Shaddah).
For example: ُالْقَمَر ،(Al-qomoru).
Al-qomor, you pronounce the ل (Lam). The 14 moon-letters are:
ب، ج، ح، خ، ع، غ، ف، ق، ك، م، و، هـ، ء، ي
The 14 moon-letters
The below are some examples of words that begin with moon letters:
| الْجَنَّةُ | الْقَمَرُ |
| الْهَيْئَةُ | الْقَلَم |
| الْكِتَابُ | الْوَلَدُ |