Question

Bismil-Laahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem.  ’Assalaamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatul-laahi wa barakaatuh, 

I.      It is mentioned on this site in the chapter “Tafkheem and Tarqeeq Part 2” in the section “Letters that are Lightened Sometimes and are Made Heavy Other Times” that the ’alif follows the letter preceding it as to tafkheem or tarqeeq. Does a fat-hah (without ’alif) also follow the letter beneath it as to tafkheem or tarqeeq?

II.      In 41 : 44 the second hamzah of ’a’a‘jamiyyun is to be read with tas-heel. I know the definition of tas-heel: easy articulation, midway between ’alif and hamzah, but I do not understand it. Is there anything between ’alif, a vowel, and hamzah, a consonant? Perhaps what is meant, is that the hamzah is lightened. Maybe a transcription or even a phonetical explanation would be helpful, as recordings go very fast.

III.      When is the publication of Part 3 of “Tajweed Rules of the Qur’an” planned?

Jazaakal-laah.  Salaamun ‘alaikum wa rahmatul-laahi wa barakaatuh.

Answer

Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

1.  Yes, the vowels on the tafkheem letter also have tafkheem and this is a very good question.  The sound of a voweled letter comes out with the vowel, so the vowel must have all of the characteristics that the letter has, otherwise it will not have the true sound required.  This is most notable when a letter has a shaddah on it.  

2.  It is not possible to the best of our knowledge to give a phonetical explanation of .  The learning of the Qur’an rules is a face to face learning, and we are only assisting in this by writing down rules and explanations in English.  The true learning is done by reciting to a mastered teacher who corrects the student and recites to the student correctly.  In , the hamzah is lightened in that there is a minimum dependence on its articulation point, and thus the word .  The sound is half way in between a true hamzah and an alif, or as we sometimes explain to students, a “dead” or “sleeping” hamzah. 

3.  Tajweed Rules of the Qur’an Part three by Sister Kareema Czerepinski has been submitted to the publisher and it is awaiting approval from the Ministry of Information, then insha’ Allah will be printed.   

Wa iyyaakum.  Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.