Stop Signs In The Quran With Examples

One of the most important areas in the science of tajweed is knowledge of stopping and the beginning. The understanding of Allah’s words cannot be realized, nor comprehension achieved, without this knowledge.

In this lesson, we will learn all the stop signs in the Quran with their meanings as well as examples.

Stop Signs In The Quran

To stop in the Quran means cutting of the sound at the end of a word, usually for the period of time of breathing, with the intention of return to the recitation, not with the intention of abandoning the recital.

The stop can be at the end of an aayah, or in the middle of an aayah. It can never be in the middle of the word, nor in between two words that are joined in writing.

The stop is sweetness of tilawah, beautifies the reciter, an announcement of the succeeding, understanding for the listener, pride of the scholar, and through it one knows the difference between two different meanings.

There are different kinds of signs on top of the word to indicate if it is possible to stop or not, the stops signs in Quran are:

1. Meem stop – مـ

The meem stop is called waqf laazim (الْوَقْفُ الَّازِم) which means the compulsory stop. As the word laazim means compulsory, imperative or to do at any cost, it bounds the reader to stop at reading at this point.

It is so because if one does not take a pause here, the entire meaning of the sentence will change radically.

Meem stop allows the sentence to be complete grammatically and in terms of meaning.

This stop is called “perfect” because the speech is complete and independent of what is after it. It is represented in the mushaf by a small meem مـ.

Examples:

فَلَا يَحْزُنكَ قَوْلُهُمْ ۘ إِنَّا نَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ

Surah Yaseen 76

إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ الَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ ۘ وَالْمَوْتَى يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ

Surah An’am 36

وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَذَا مَثَلًا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا

Surah al-Baqarah 26

Read also Whistling Letters In Arabic With Examples

2. The Absolute Pause – قلى

The absolute stop or preferable stop signs is called waqf kaafi (الوَقْفُ الْكَافِي). It is stop sign that indicates a place where it is allowed to continue but it is better to stop here because it makes the reading process easier.

Waqf kaafi is stop sign to indicate to the reader to take a gap in reciting the long passage by taking breath and discontinue the recitation for an instantaneous period of time.

It is represented in the mushaf by a small qâf and lâm قلي أو قلى or in some copies ط.

Examples:

الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَخْشَوْنَهُ وَلَا يَخْشَوْنَ أَحَدًا إِلَّا اللَّهَ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ حَسِيبًا

Surah Ahzab 29

لَّقَدْ أَضَلَّنِي عَنِ الذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَنِي ۗ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِلْإِنسَانِ خَذُولًا

Surah Furqan 29

لَّيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلَا أَمَانِيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ ۗ مَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ

Surah Nisaa’ 123

3. The prohibited stop لا

The laa symbol called waqf mamnu’ (الوَقْفُ الْمَمْنُوع) signifies that stopping here is not allowed. The same ruling for the meem stop, but the opposite is applied here. Stopping here may change the meaning of the recital.

At this sign, it is necessary to continue. One may not stop or pause, because if it is done, the sentence would not be complete.

You should not discontinue reading the verses at this sign of “Laa” as it would change the meaning of Quranic lines altogether.

The meaning would not be understandable because what precedes that place depends on what follows it grammatically and from the point of view. It is represented in the Qu’ran by lam and alif لا.

Examples:

الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ ۙ يَقُولُونَ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمُ ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

Surah Nahl 32

وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا قَالُوا قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَاءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هَذَا ۙ إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ

Surah Anfal 31

ثُمَّ لَا يُتْبِعُونَ مَا أَنْفَقُوا مَنًّا وَلَا أَذًى ۙ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ

Surah al-Baqarah 262

4. The possible quran stop signs صلى

The permissible pause called الْوَقْفُ الْحَسَن specifies about the permission of continue reading although one should stop here.

It indicates a place where it is permissible to stop or continue, but continuation is preferable.

It was so named because, by stopping there, the meaning is understandable.

It is represented in the mushaf by a small, sad and lam صلى sila stop mark or in some copies ز.

Examples:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ

Surah al-Baqarah 214

الْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ ۖ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ

Surah Ma’idah 5

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Surah An’am 17

5. ∴ – The Embracing Stop

The stop linked with the following stop is الْوَقْفُ الْمُتَقَدِمَيْن in Arabic. It is a sign found twice on two words from the Ayah, meaning if you want to stop on one of them, then you are not allowed to stop on the other.

However, it’s permissible to continue without stopping on any of them as well.

It is represented in the mushaf by 3 small dots ∴ 3 point stop sign in 2 close places.

Examples:

قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ۛ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً ۛ يَتِيهُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ فَلَا تَأْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ

Surah Ma’idah 26

وَأَنفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ ۛ وَأَحْسِنُوا ۛ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

Surah Baqarah 195

ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

Surah Baqarah 2

6. Jeem stop

The jeem stop is called الْوَقْفُ الْجَائِز (the permissible stop sign). It mark of stopping indicates that stopping here is permissible.

You can stop if you need to take a breath, or you can continue if you prefer. Both are allowable methods with this waqf.

It indicates a place where it is permissible to stop or continue without either of these two possibilities having priority. It is represented in the mushaf by small jeem ج.