Question

In going over your explanation about the correct timing of the letters i.e. that in order to learn how long a med of 2 counts actually is we should practice saying voweled letters as each voweled letter is equal to 1 count. So is that right  then that if we read "ba" that is one count;  then if we read "baba" that would equal 2 counts or the length of a basic medd.  Insha’ Allah I have understood correctly so far. 

I have a question then about letters with sukoon.  Are they all of equal timing?  I noticed that you said recently in one of your answers that a reciter may have been staying long on a meem that has a sukoon and that the meem has "a middle of the road length of timing".  Could you please explain this?

Answer

In regards to the timing of the voweled letters you are absolutely correct, masha’ Allah.   equals one count and would be two vowel counts, and that is the timing for the basic or two count medd.  May Allah increase your knowledge.

 

Letters with a sukoon are not equal in timing.  The Arabic letters are divided into three groups when considering the timing they should have when the letters have a sukoon.  The first group has the characteristic of , which has imprisonment of the running of the sound.  This group of letters then has very little timing on them when they have a sukoon.  The letters in this group are: .  You may note that all of the letters of qalqalah are in this group.

The second group has the characteristic of .  These letters do not have complete imprisonment of the running of the sound, nor do they have complete running of the sound, instead they are in between.  The letters in this group are:  and the timing on a saakin letter of this group is “middle of the road,” meaning the sound runs a little bit, but not too long.

The third and last group has the characteristic of , which is running of the sound of the letter.  The letters of this group are all the remaining letters after the letters  of the first group, and the letters  of the second group are eliminated.  The saakin letters in the group of  have the longest timing of the three groups.  

The exact timing of these letters when they have a sukoon can only be picked up by listening to, reciting to, and being corrected by a qualified Qur’an teacher.