ʿAyn

Video of the Letter ʿAyn:

This short video presents the articulation and characteristics of the letter ʿAyn, demonstrating its correct pronunciation through Qur’anic examples and highlighting common mistakes made by readers when articulating it.

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First: Articulation Point of the Letter ʿAyn:

The letter ʿAyn is articulated from the middle of the throat. It shares this articulation point with the letter Ḥāʼ, although ʿAyn is slightly deeper into the throat. When pronounced, the epiglottis (Lisān al-Mizmar) moves slightly backward, causing a narrowing of the throat, as shown in the diagram.

Second: Main Characteristics of the Letter ʿAyn:

• Bayniyyah (partial flow of sound) • Istifāl (non-elevation of the back of the tongue)

In the articulation diagram, the narrowness of the throat caused by the backward movement of the epiglottis results in partial sound flow —this is the essence of the bayniyyah characteristic.

ʿAyn is also a letter of istifāl, meaning the back of the tongue remains lowered, so it is pronounced lightly (Muraqqaq).

Third: Pronunciation of ʿAyn in Different States with Qur’anic Examples:

You can click on the word to hear the correct pronunciation.

ʿAyn in the non-vowelled (Sukūn) State:
أَعْ	أُعْ	إِعْ
﴿أَعۡمَٰلاً﴾	﴿ٱعۡبُدُواْ﴾	﴿ٱعۡمَلُواْ﴾

ʿAyn with Short Vowels (Harakat):
عَ	عُ	عِ
﴿عَلَيۡهِمۡ﴾	﴿عُرُبًا﴾	﴿عِبَادِي﴾

ʿAyn with Long Vowels (Madd):
عا	عو	عي
﴿عَادٍ﴾	﴿عُوقِبۡتُم﴾	﴿عِيسَى﴾

ʿAyn with Shaddah (Doubled ‘Ayn):
أَعَّ	أُعُّ	أُعِّ
﴿دَعًّا﴾	﴿يَدُعُّ﴾	﴿سُعِّرَتۡ﴾

Fourth: Common Mistakes in Pronouncing ʿAyn:

• Pronouncing it like an intense (shadīd) letter, by cutting the sound of it abruptly: ❌ Incorrect: ﴿تَعۡمَلُونَ﴾(Not allowing partial flow of sound) ✅ Correct: ﴿تَعۡمَلُونَ﴾(Allowing partial flow of sound (Bayniyyah) ▶ Allah says: ﴿وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ﴾
• Weak reliance on its Makhraj, making it sound like an Alif: ❌ Incorrect: ﴿يَعۡمَلۡ﴾(Weak reliance on Makhraj) ✅ Correct: ﴿يَعۡمَلۡ﴾(Partial reliance on Makhraj) ▶ Allah says: ﴿مَن يَعۡمَلۡ سُوٓءٗا يُجۡزَ بِهِ﴾
• Pronouncing it like Hamzah: ❌ Incorrect: ﴿بَعۡدِ﴾(Pronouncing it like Hamzah) ✅ Correct: ﴿بَعۡدِ﴾(Pronouncing a correct ‘Ayn) ▶ Allah says: ﴿مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مِيثَٰقِهِ﴾
• Making it emphatic, especially when near emphatic letters: ❌ Incorrect: ﴿عَصَايَ﴾(Emphatic(Mufakham)) ✅ Correct: ﴿عَصَايَ﴾(Light(Muraqaq)) ▶ Allah says: ﴿قَالَ هِيَ عَصَايَ﴾
• Applying qalqalah (Vibration) to it when it is in a state of sukūn(non-vowelled): ❌ Incorrect: ﴿سَعۡيٗا﴾(With Qalqalah) ✅ Correct: ﴿سَعۡيٗا﴾(Without Qalqalah) ▶ Allah says: ﴿يَأۡتِينَكَ سَعۡيٗا﴾

التحديد (104)، نهاية القول المفيد، (50)، هداية القاري (1/65)، التجويد المصور (48)، المنير (54).

نهاية القول المفيد (92)، هداية القاري (1/95)، التجويد المصور (97)، المنير (95).

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