The Stop  2

In the last tidbit lesson, now located in the tidbit archives area, the subject of the stop was introduced. We stated that there were three categories of stop, and only one of these categories is under the reader's control, and this is the category that will be discussed over the next few tidbit lessons, the optional stop, or .  We stated that the optional stop, has four divisions, the first being the complete stop, or, which will be discussed this lesson.

The Complete Stop

Its definition: It is the stop on a Qur'anic word complete in meaning and not attached to what follows it in grammatical expression or in meaning. If something is attached in meaning, it means that the preceding and following words are attached in meaning, but not necessarily attached in grammatical structure.  This category of stop is usually found at the end of an ayah, and at the completion of stories in the Glorious Qur’an.  This is exemplified in stopping on the aayah:

   "Sovereign of the Day of Recompense." and then starting with Allah’s words:

   "It is You we worship and You we ask for help."

The first subject of praising Allah, the Exalted, is finished with the end of aayah four, and aayah five starts a new subject and dua'. 

Another example is when stopping on  , at the end of aayah five of surah al-Baqarah.

then starting with the next aayah: "Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful. * Indeed, those who disbelieve…."

 This is because the word " (successful) is attached to what preceded it as to the characteristics of the believers, and what follows is separate from it, attached to the state of the disbelievers.

Sometimes the scholars differ as to where in an aayah there is , depending on their varied opinions of the tafseer of the verse as well as grammar analysis.  The study of the stop is not a black and white area of study, unlike other areas of tajweed. 

The rule for the complete stop (): It is best to stop on the word that is a complete stop, and then start on what follows it.

 

The Explanatory Complete Stop, or The Required Stop

It is stopping on a word that explains the meaning, and this meaning would not be understood without this stop. This stop follows the complete stop () in rules.  

Examples of the explanatory complete stop ,:
Stopping on the word  in aayah 65 of surah Yunus:

"And let not their speech grieve you. * Indeed, honor [due to power] belongs to Allah entirely.  His is the Hearing, the Knowing."

This stop is necessary to differentiate between the two different statements.  The first statement orders the Messenger of Allah,, to not grieve over what they (disbelievers) say.  Then Allah, the Exalted, goes on to state that the Might is for Allah.  Without this stop, the listener may believe that this is the statement of the disbelievers that the Messenger of Allah,  should not grieve over, when in fact it is a statement of Allah proclaiming His Might. 

Stopping on the word  in aayah 20 of surah al-An'aam:

 

"Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize it as him as they recognize their [own] sons. * Those who will lose themselves [in the Hereafter] do not believe."

There are two different subjects in this one aayah, one describing those who received the Scripture before, and the second subject a threat for those who do not believe. 

Stopping on the word  in aayah  274 of surah Al-Baqarah:

 

"…They will have their reward with their Lord.  And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve. * Those who consume interest cannot stand except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan…."

 

Aayah 274 describes the believers and their reward with Allah; aayah 275 describes the state of those who take usury on the Day of Resurrection (or this world, depending on the tafseer.), so we must stop at the end of aayah 274 to make sure the reading conveys the intended meaning.

There are many other examples of the explanatory complete stop,  in the Qur’an; the above were just a few of them.  There is most often a little meem with a short tail  as a stop mark over the word to be stopped on in the explanatory complete stop.