Doubled Nun and Mim, and the Levels of Ghunnah

Quran script:

Colour guide

In the Quranic examples only the letters to which the rule applies are coloured; the rest of the word stays black. Each colour has one fixed meaning throughout the book:

Ghunnah: Ikhfa', Iqlab, Idgham bi-Ghunnah, doubled Nun and Mim

Izhar: Halqi, Shafawi, Qamari

A letter that is written but not pronounced, or fully merged without Ghunnah

Qalqalah

Madd of two counts: Tabi'i, Badal, Silah Sughra, 'Iwad

Madd of four or five counts: Muttasil, Munfasil, Silah Kubra

Madd Lazim of six counts

Madd of 2, 4 or 6 counts: 'Arid li-s-Sukun and Lin at a stop

Tafkhim (heavy)

Tarqiq (light)

The letter under study in the example

Special cases: Sakt, Imalah, Tashil, Ishmam

From al-Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah

٦٢وَأَظْهِرِ الْغُنَّةَ مِنْ نُونٍ وَمِنْمِيمٍ إِذَا مَا شُدِّدَا وَأَخْفِيَنْ

Ghunnah

Ghunnah (الغُنَّة) is a nasal sound built into Nun and Mim, coming from the Khayshum (الخَيْشُوم), with no action of the tongue. If the nose is pinched, it stops. It is a permanent quality of Nun and Mim, including Tanwin.

Doubled Nun and Mim

The poet commands that the Ghunnah be shown fully in a doubled Nun or Mim, that is, held for two counts, in the middle or at the end of a word, whether joining or stopping. Each is called a doubled letter of Ghunnah.

Doubled Nun and Mim

ٱلنَّاسِالنَّاسِ

An-Nas 114:1

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَاِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ

Al-Baqarah 2:6

عَمَّعَمَّ

An-Naba 78:1

ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمۡثُمَّ يُمِيْتُكُمْ

Al-Baqarah 2:28

ثُمَّ إِلَيۡهِثُمَّ اِلَيْهِ

Al-Baqarah 2:28

ٱلۡيَمِّالْيَمِّ

Taha 20:78

Levels of Ghunnah

Ghunnah has five levels: fullest when doubled, then when merged, then when hidden (including Iqlab); in these three it is held for two counts. Then in a silent clear letter, then in a voweled letter; in these two there is only the basic Ghunnah that never leaves the letter.

Doubled﴿ٱلنَّاسِ﴾ (An-Nas 114:1)

Merged﴿مَن يَقُولُ﴾ (Al-Baqarah 2:8)

Hidden (including Iqlab)﴿مِن قَبۡلُۖ﴾ (Al-Baqarah 2:25)

Silent and clear﴿أَنۡعَمۡتَ﴾ (Al-Fatihah 1:7)

Voweled, not doubled﴿نَعۡبُدُ﴾ (Al-Fatihah 1:5)

Doubled﴿النَّاسِ﴾ (An-Nas 114:1)

Merged﴿مَنْ يَّقُوْلُ﴾ (Al-Baqarah 2:8)

Hidden (including Iqlab)﴿مِنْ قَبْلُ﴾ (Al-Baqarah 2:25)

Silent and clear﴿اَنْعَمْتَ﴾ (Al-Fatihah 1:7)

Voweled, not doubled﴿نَعْبُدُ﴾ (Al-Fatihah 1:5)

Common mistake

It is a mistake to drop the Ghunnah in a doubled letter, to stretch it beyond two counts, or to add Ghunnah to a clear silent Nun.

Sources: Ibn al-Jazari, al-Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah, verse 62; Ibn al-Jazari, an-Nashr fi al-Qira'at al-'Ashr: الكلام على الغنة; Al-Marsafi, Hidayat al-Qari ila Tajwid Kalam al-Bari: مراتب الغنة.