Mim with sukun

Meem sakinah — is the letter meem with sukoon or without any vowel.

For example:

Meem sakinah has 3 rules:

1. Hiding — الْإِخْفَاءُ الشَّفَوِيُّ

2. Clarity — الْإِظْهَارُ الشَّفَوِيُّ

3. Merging — الْإِدْغَامُ الشَّفَوِيُّ

The rules of meem sakinah are called «shafawi» because the letter meem is pronounced by closing the lips. The word الشَّفَوِيُّ means «lips».

Hiding

If meem sakinah is followed by ب, the reciter should hide the meem sakinah and make ghunnah for two counts.

Examples:

Exercises:

1. Find the rule of Ikhfaa’ Shafawi in surah Al-’Adiyat

2. Find the rule of Ikhfaa’ Shafawi in surah Ash-Shams

Questions:

1. What is meem sakinah?

2. How many rules does it have?

3. What is Ikhfaa’ Shafawi (give the definition)?

4. How many letters does Ikhfaa’ Shafawi need for the concealment?

5. Why are the rules of meem called «shafawi» - «lips»?

Merging

If meem sakinah is followed by م with any vowel, then the letter م should be doubled (the meem sakinah will merge with the next meem) with ghunnah. Examples:

Exercises:

1. Find the rule of Idgham (merging) Shafawi in surah Al-Humazah

2. Find the rule of Idgham (merging) Shafawi in surah Quraysh

Questions:

1. What is Idgham Shafawi (give the definition)?

2. How many letters are needed for Idgham Shafawi?

Clarity

If the meem sakinah is followed by any other of the 26 letters left, then the letter meem is read clearly and separately without ghunnah. The clarity appears to be stronger with the letters ف and و because of their common place of articulation with meem, i.e lips.

The letters:

Examples:

Note:

The rules of meem sakinah always occur between two words except for the «Clarity» since it can take place in one word or between 2 words.

An exercise:

1. Find the rule of Ithhar Shafawi in surah Al-Fil.

2. Find the rule of Ithhar Shafawi in surah Nuh.

Questions:

1. What is Ithhar Shafawi (give the definition)?

2. How many letters are needed for Ithhar Shafawi?