Ikhfa

Ikhfaa (الإخْفَاءُ — hiding) — is reading the noon as something between Ithhar (clarity) and Complete Idgham (merging) so that there is nasalization but the tongue does not touch the makhraj (place of formation) of the noon. If there is one of the 15 Ikhfaa’ letters after the noon saakinah or tanween, then the letter noon is read with concealment, preserving its nasalization.

The letters:

If there is one of these letters after the noon saakinah or tanween, then the letter noon is read with concealment, preserving its nasalization.

When pronouncing noon with a sukoon or tanween, we place the tongue so that we are ready to pronounce the next letter after that comes after them. At the same time, this sound is stretched for two counts.

A few examples with tanween:

A few examples of the rule between two words:

A few examples of the rule in one word:

Note:

All these types of change can occur both in one word and in two words, except for the merging — it happens only in two words.

An exercise:

Find the letters of Ikhfaa’ (hiding) in the surah Al-Falaq:

Questions:

1.What is «hiding» (give the definition)?

2. How many letters does hiding have?

3. Can hiding occur in one word or in two words?