Qalqalah Letters In English And Arabic, Types And Examples In Quran

In this post, we will learn the basics of Qalqalah letters in English and Arabic, it’s meaning, rules, examples and how it is pronounced in Tajweed.

Qalqalah Meaning In English

The linguistic meaning of qalqalah is shaking or  disturbance. The applied meaning of qalqalah is disturbance of the letter (five qalqalah letters) when it is in the state of being non-voweled (sakiin letters, which means letters with sukoon) until a strong accent is heard when it is articulated by parting of the two components of the articulating parts, not by collision, without accompanying it any opening of the mouth, or circling of the lips, or lowering of the jaw. 

The qalqalah does not resemble fatha, dhumma or kasra. It does not follow the vowel of the preceding letter, nor the following letter.

Qalqalah Letters In Arabic

Qalqalah letters are called حروف القلقلة in Arabic language. It means to disturb the letter that has sukoon, i.e. that is saakin, but without any corresponding movement of the mouth, until it becomes turbulent with a clear vibration and a distinct tone is heard. It can be stated as a state between a Saakin (letter with Sukoon sign on it) and Mutaharrik (letter with Movement).

The five qalqalah letters in Arabic are as follows:

• القاف  (ق)
• الطاء  (ط)
• الباء  (ب)
• الجيم  (ج)
• الدال  (د)

Levels Of Qalqalah Letters

The letters of Qalqalah are classified into three according to their strength. These are

Strongest Qalqalah

Strongest Qalqalah is called أعلى القلقلة in Arabic. It happens in letter الطاء (ط), for example in نطْفة and أنطْعم.

Medium Qalqalah

Medium Qalqalah id called أوسط القلقلة in Arabic. It occurs in letter الجيم (ج) as in أجْر and تجْري.

Light Qalqalah

Light Qalqalah are called أدنى القلقلة in Arabic. It occurs in letters القاف (ق)، الباء (ب)، and الدال (د) as in مقْمحون, خلقْنا, لقدْ, ادْخل, يبْصرون, واضربْ.

• Read Sukoon Meaning
• 7 Heavy Letters In Arabic

What Is Special About Qalqalah Letters?

If any Qalqalah letter shows up with sukoon then it will be read aloud with an echoing sound. It doesn’t matter if it appears at the middle or end of a word. However, if you stop on the letter Qalqalah at the end of a word, strong echoes will be heard as it is spoken. 

The letter will be pronounced considerably more strongly if it contains a Shaddah.

Additionally, there is no comparable lip or jaw movement that is connected to vowels. Qalqalah “shakes” to “echo” the letter without assuming the diacritic of the letter before or after it.

What Does Qalqalah Letters Mean?

Qalqalah means echoing sound. It is a technique of pronouncing particular letters that have a Sukoon on them or when one stops at these letters. They need the tone to be strong and create an echo-like sound.

How Do You Pronounce Qalqalah?

When qalqalah letters are Sakin (with sukoon), we pronounce them by making a little lighter echo sound while pronouncing them and we pronounce them with more force, when they are Mushaddad.

Qalqalah Letters Rules

The rule of qalqalah is that the letter must be one of the five Qalqalah letters (ق, ط, ب, ج, د). They only pronounced when any of the previous letters is Saakin (either the letter has the Sukoon sign or is assigned a sukoon because of stopping), whether that letter comes in the middle or at the end of the word, we stopped at it and do not give it the movement that it takes in the case of the connection.

When qalqalah letters have fatha, dhumma, kasra, or tanween on them, they don’t create any echoing or bouncing sound and we pronounce them normally.

5 Qalqalah Letters

There are five letters of Qalqalah, they are:ق , ط , ب , ج , د and they are collected in the sentence;

قُطْبُ جَدٍ

3 Types of Qalqalah

There are 3 types of Qalqalah in Tajweed. They are called  Major, Medium, Minor OR Strongest, Strong, and Weak in English.

Qalqalah Kubra (Strongest Qalqalah)

Qalqalah kubra or strongest qalqalah is written as القلقلة الكبرى. Qalqalah kubra occurs when standing on one of the five letters at the end of an ayah.

What you notice here is that you stand on the last letter, i.e. at the end of the word, and do not remain silent at it, and also do not connect it, but rather “echo the letter ”. 

And be careful not to make the mistake of adding a letter or movement instead of Qalqalah.

Qalqalah Kubra Examples

Examples of qalqalah kubra are as follows:

• الحقّ 
• الجبّ
• الحجّ
• مدّ
• وتبّ

Qalqalah Wusta (Medium Qalqalah)

Qalqalah Wusta is called القلقلة الوسطى in Arabic language. It occurs at the end of a word in the middle of an ayah.

This occurs when the letter of Qalqalah is at the end of a word, the letter of Qalqalah doesn’t have Shaddah and the reciter makes WAQF (stopping) on that word.

Example Of Qalqalah Wusta

• العذاب
• تحيد
• حرج
• محيط
• واق

These words here are in the middle of an ayah and as such we would read it with a medium echo sound.

Qalqalah Sughra (Light Qalqalah)

Qalqalah Sughra is called القلقلة الصغرى in Arabic. It occurs in the middle of a word whether at the beginning, middle or end of an ayah.

Qalqalah Sughra Examples

Qalqalah Sughra Examples are as follows:

• أفتطْمعون
• عدْن
• ابْتغاء
• بقدْر
• مطْلع
• يجْتنبون

Qalqalah Letters Examples In Quran

The examples of letters of Qalqalah in Quran are as follows:

Qāf (القاف)

Allah says:

• إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ أَغْلالاً فَهِيَ إِلَى الأَذْقَانِ فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ
• وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ
• أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَا أَنْعَامًا فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ

Tàa (الطاء)

Allah says: 

• وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَنفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمْ اللهُ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنُطْعِمُ مَن لَّوْ يَشَاء اللهُ أَطْعَمَهُ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ فِي ضَلالٍ مُّبِينٍ 
• أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الإِنسَانُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُّبِينٌ
• إِذْ قَالَتِ امْرَأَةُ عِمْرَانَ رَبِّ إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لَكَ مَا فِي بَطْنِي مُحَرَّرًا فَتَقَبَّلْ مِنِّي إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

Baa (الباء)

Allah says: 

• وَجَعَلْنَا مِن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدًّا وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدًّا فَأَغْشَيْنَاهُمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يُبْصِرُونَ
•  وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلاً أَصْحَابَ الْقَرْيَةِ إِذْ جَاءَهَا الْمُرْسَلُونَ
•  سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ الأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنبِتُ الأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لا يَعْلَمُونَ
•  رَبَّنَا لاَ تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ

Jiim (الجيم)

• إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ وَخَشِيَ الرَّحْمَن بِالْغَيْبِ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ
• وَآيَةٌ لَّهُمُ الأَرْضُ الْمَيْتَةُ أَحْيَيْنَاهَا وَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهَا حَبًّا فَمِنْهُ يَأْكُلُونَ 
• وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ
• قُلْ أَؤُنَبِّئُكُم بِخَيْرٍ مِّن ذَلِكُمْ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَأَزْوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ وَرِضْوَانٌ مِّنَ اللهِ وَاللهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ

Dál (الدال)

•  لَقَدْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى أَكْثَرِهِمْ فَهُمْ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ
•  أَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِ آلِهَةً إِن يُرِدْنِ الرَّحْمَن بِضُرٍّ لاَّ تُغْنِ عَنِّي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يُنقِذُونِ 
• قِيلَ ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ
• قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ اللهِ آمَنَّا بِاللهِ وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ

Conclusion

When learn Qalqalah letters, it also requires you to listen to it, and to recall it with a qualified teacher who is licensed in the science of Tajweed to the Book of Allah, and recite it to correct you, train you day by day, and teach you the ruling until you are fully proficient in it.