The Quran is the greatest of the heavenly books ever as it consists of 114 Surahs and includes all the rulings, transactions, and ethics that a Muslim needs in his daily life. The Quran was revealed to the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad PBUH through the greatest of angels, Jibril, peace be upon him, as a mercy from Allah to mankind. Since the Quran has a special sanctity, we should learn the rules of Tajweed so that we recite it in a correct manner that pleases Allah SWT. In this article, we will know what is Qalqalah in English, its types, and how to apply it.

What is Qalqalah?

It is important that we know what is Qalqalah in English so that we apply it as it should be. Qalqalah is a way of pronouncing some letters in a distinct manner as linguistically, it is known as disturbance. Technically, it is the disturbance of the articulation point when pronouncing the letter while it is sakin until a strong tone is heard for it which adds beauty to the recitation. It can be said that it is a state between a sakin letter and a vowelled letter.

Types and levels of Qalqalah

There are two main types of Qalqalah: Major Qalqalah (Al-Qalqalah Al-Kubra) and Minor Qalqalah (Al-Qalqalah Al-Sughra). Major Qalqalah occurs when stopping on one of these five letters (قطب جد)«Qutb Jad» at the end of the Ayah when it is the last letter in the word, such as 

({قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ} 

(Qul a’oozu bi Rabbil-falaq) 

[Say, “I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak”]), 

({وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ} 

(…warrukka’is sujood) 

[…and those who bow and prostrate]), 

({تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ} 

(Tabbat yadaa Abee Lahabinw wa tabb) 

[May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he.]). 

The disturbance of the sound here is very clear. Make sure that you stop at the end of the Ayah and do not connect it with what comes after it so that the vibration of the letter appears.

As for Minor Qalqalah, it occurs when these letters come in the middle of the word, whether that is at the beginning, middle, or end of the Ayah. The Qalqalah in it is one level less than Major Qalqalah. This appears in:

  • (نطْعم – nut’im)
  • (يبْخلون – yabkhaloon)
  • (اقْتربت – iqtarabat)… and so on.

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What is Qalqalah in English? 

The word Qalqalah in the English language appears in the form of an echo or vibration that appears when pronouncing these five letters which were previously mentioned, while they are in a sakin state. Continuous practice with a proficient Sheikh is necessary until he verifies your pronunciation and that you are doing the matter correctly.

It is important that we learn the Tafseer of the verses so that we understand the intent of Allah and strive to apply it in our lives. You can benefit from the online Tafseer classes that Shaikh Saleh Academy offers.

What are the letters of Qalqalah?

After we learned what is Qalqalah in English, it is important that we know that Qalqalah occurs when one of the five letters exists which are Qaf (ق), Taa (ط), Baa (ب), Jeem (ج), Daal (د), in a sakin state or with a temporary sukoon due to stopping, whether that is in the middle of the sentence or at its end. These letters can be gathered in the word (قطب جد) which is pronounced like this “Qutb Jad” to facilitate remembrance.

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How to learn, understand, and memorize the letters of Qalqalah?

Initially, you can listen to the explanation of some lessons online such as the basic Tajweed for non Arabic speakers . Shaikh Saleh Academy offers these in an enjoyable and interesting style that suits most students. After that, make sure to listen several times to the verses that contain Qalqalah from a Sheikh skilled in the Quran. Try the matter yourself, and it is preferable to have a teacher correct your mistakes initially until things become alright. The academy provides all these matters and more which saves you a lot of time and effort.

Learning the Arabic language is one of the most important matters that every Muslim must be keen on because it is your gateway to understanding the teachings of the religion, contemplating the verses of the Quran, and seeing the miracles within it. You can obtain a Arabic degree online through the prestigious Sheikh Saleh Academy.

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FAQs

How to explain Qalqalah?

We can explain Qalqalah as a distinct way of pronouncing some letters to make them clearer and stronger which shows the beauty of the verses of the Quran.

Is Qalqalah mandatory?

Yes, the rules of Tajweed must be applied correctly so that you attain the reward. The Messenger of Allah PBUH said:

«الماهر بالقرآن مع السفرة الكرام البررة، والذي يقرأ القرآن ويتتعتع فيه وهو عليه شاق له أجران»

[The one who is proficient in the Quran is with the noble, righteous scribes (angels), and the one who reads the Quran and stutters in it, finding it difficult, will have two rewards.]


This shows the necessity of taking care of memorizing the Quran and reciting it correctly until one becomes among the noble scribes, who are the best of angels, and reaches, due to his proficiency, a great status and a high rank. Note that there is no disagreement among the people of knowledge that learning the rules of Tajweed is Fard Kifayah (communal obligation) from a theoretical perspective, not Fard Ayn (individual obligation).

However, many of them hold the view of the obligation of reading the Quran with Tajweed. Among them are those who see that this matter is Sunnah and an etiquette of recitation. As for Sheikh Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, he said: It is permissible to read the Quran without the arrangements and terminologies that the practitioners of Tajweed mentioned, if it is read in the Arabic language with a clear reading. But if one takes care of what the reciters mentioned and what the practitioners of Tajweed mentioned, this is good from the aspect of beautifying the recitation, due to the saying of the Prophet:

 «زينوا القرآن بأصواتكم»

 [Adorn the Quran with your voices.].

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When to use Qalqalah?

It is used when reading the Quran. It is a rule among the rules of Tajweed, on the condition of the existence of one of the five letters in a position of sukoon.

Does Qalqalah change meaning?

Qalqalah does not change the meaning of the word. All there is to the matter is that it emphasizes the letter and makes it clearer.