Question

Assalaamu 'alaykum,

My question deals with the makhraj of the middle of the tongue. Is the articulation point for jeem and sheen not a little more forward than that of yaa'. I tend to articulate the letter jeem with the middle of my tongue colliding with the ridge just before the concave part of roof of the mouth. When I articulate the letter sheen, the sound is produced in the same area but the sound is diffused over my teeth, which amplifies the sound. Is this right or do all three of these consonants need to be pronounced in the region behind the ridge I mentioned? Is the jaw in the same position in all three letters?

Thank you very much.
Assalaamu Alaykum

Answer

Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

The articulation point itself for the three letters, , , and unlengthened  is the same, but the characteristics of each letter changes how much occlusion of the actual point takes place. The point is the middle of the tongue and the roof of the mouth.  The hollow part of the roof of the mouth is the part of the roof that the middle of the tongue collides with to produce these letters.   If one used the middle of the tongue and the ridge behind the teeth, the sounds will not be correct. 

The is a strong letter having imprisonment of both the running of the sound and the breath, so the articulation point is completely occluded when pronouncing this letter.  With this occlusion, the sound cannot run at all.  If one can run the sound of the , then it is not correct. 

The letter has running of both the breath and the sound, plus it has another characteristic that matches the description in the question--that of diffusion of the sound throughout the mouth.  If though, it is pronounced too far forward in the mouth, the sound will be velarized (will have tafkheem) and that is not a characteristic of the letter.  There is loose contact of the tongue with the roof of the mouth because of the running of the sound, but the diffusion characteristic is considered a strong one.

The unlengthened  has running of the sound, but not of the breath.  This letter has the least contact of the tongue to the roof of the mouth of the three letters. 

The jaw position will change with the vowel that accompanies the letter; opening of the mouth for the fat-hah, circling of the lips for the dhammah, and lowering of the jaw for the kasrah.

You are most welcome.

Wa assalaam alaikum wa rahmatullah.