Mīm

Video of the Letter Mīm:

This short video presents the articulation and characteristics of the letter Mīm, demonstrating its correct pronunciation with Qur’anic examples, and highlighting the most common pronunciation errors made by readers.

First: The Articulation Point of the Letter Mīm:

The letter Mīm is articulated from between the two lips when they are closed. It shares this articulation form with the letter Bā’, except that Mīm is accompanied by a nasal sound (ghunnah) that comes from the nasal cavity. Thus, the sound of Mīm consists of two parts: one from the mouth and one from the nose, as shown in the image.

Second: The Main Characteristics of the Letter Mīm:

Bayniyyah (partial flow of sound) and Istifāl (lowering or non-elevation).

In the image showing the articulation of Mīm, the lips are fully closed while the nasal cavity remains open. This allows the sound of the ghunnah to flow with the letter, giving it the characteristic of Bayniyyah.

Mīm is a letter of Istifāl, meaning the back of the tongue remains lowered during pronunciation, resulting in a light (Muraqqaq) sound.

Third: Pronouncing Mīm in Different States through Qur’anic Examples:

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

First: Mīm in the non-vowelled (Sukun) state:
أَمْ	أُمْ	إمْ
﴿أَمۡوَٰلَكُم﴾	﴿أُمۡنِيَّتِهِ﴾	﴿إِمۡلَٰقٖ﴾

Second: Mīm with short vowels (Harakat):
مَ	مُ	مِ
﴿مَعَكُمۡ﴾	﴿مُحِيطُ﴾	﴿مِّثۡلِهِ﴾

Third: Mīm with long vowels (Madd letters):
مَا	مُو	مِي
﴿مَٰلِكِ﴾	﴿مُوسَىٰ﴾	﴿مِيثَٰقَ﴾

Fourth: Mīm with shaddah(when it is doubled):
أَمَّ	أَمُّ	أمِّ
﴿أَمَّاذَا﴾	﴿وَهَمُّواْ﴾	﴿تُحَمِّلۡنَا﴾

Fourth: Common Mistakes in Pronouncing the Letter Mīm:

1.Adding excessive ghunnah to a non-doubled Mīm, as in: ﴿ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ﴾. Correct: ﴿ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ﴾. Allah says: ﴿ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ﴾.
ثانيًا: عدم الزيادة في غنة الميم المشددةsuch as: ﴿فَلَمَّا﴾، والصواب الإطالة في زمن الميم المشددة، هكذا: ﴿فَلَمَّا﴾، قال الله تعالى: ﴿فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُواْ كَفَرُواْ بِهِ﴾. وكذلك إذا جاء حرف الميم المشدد آخر الكلمة، فمن الخطأ أن تقول: ﴿ٱلۡيَمِّ﴾، والصواب: ﴿ٱلۡيَمِّ﴾، قال الله تعالى: ﴿أَنِ ٱقۡذِفِيهِ فِي ٱلتَّابُوتِ فَٱقۡذِفِيهِ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّ﴾.
ثالثًا: المبالغة في غنة الميم المشددة، وزيادتُها أكثر من حركتين، نحو: ﴿تُسَمَّىٰ﴾، والصواب: ﴿تُسَمَّىٰ﴾، قال الله تعالى: ﴿عَيۡنٗا فِيهَا تُسَمَّىٰ سَلۡسَبِيلٗا﴾.
4.Adding qalqalah when Mīm is non-vowelled(Sakin), such as: ﴿أَنۡعَمۡتَ﴾. Correct: ﴿أَنۡعَمۡتَ﴾. Allah says: ﴿صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ﴾.
5.Cutting off its sound quickly like an intense letter when it is non-vowelled(Sakin), such as: ﴿أَوۡلَٰدُهُمۡ﴾. Correct: ﴿أَوۡلَٰدُهُمۡ﴾. Allah says: ﴿فَلَا تُعۡجِبۡكَ أَمۡوَٰلُهُمۡ وَلَآ أَوۡلَٰدُهُمۡ﴾.
6.Pronouncing it heavily (Tafkhim), especially when adjacent to a heavy letter, such as: ﴿مَخۡمَصَةٍ﴾. Correct: ﴿مَخۡمَصَةٍ﴾. Allah says: ﴿فَمَنِ ٱضۡطُرَّ فِي مَخۡمَصَةٍ﴾.

الرعاية (232)، التحديد (106)، نهاية القول المفيد (55)، هداية القاري (1/69)، التجويد المصور (59)، المنير (65)..

الرعاية (232)، نهاية القول المفيد (121)، هداية القاري (1/98)، التجويد المصور (97)، المنير (95).

الدرس Content

Lesson questions

1. الحروف العربية

Introductions

Mīm