---
title: "The Three Levels of Ikhfa: How to Pronounce Each One"
description: "Introduction to the Rule of True Ikhfa in Tajweed The rules of Noon Saakin and Tanween are among the most critical chapters in the science of Tajweed,"
url: "https://iqraairtqi.com/en/blogs/explaining-rule-ikhfa-tajweed"
date: "2026-08-05T05:00:21+00:00"
---

# The Three Levels of Ikhfa: How to Pronounce Each One

Introduction to the Rule of True Ikhfa in Tajweed
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The rules of Noon Saakin and Tanween are among the most critical chapters in the science of Tajweed, heavily emphasized by the teachers at Iqraa Irtaqii Academy. Among these four rules, **True Ikhfa (Concealment)** is the most frequently encountered in the Holy Quran due to its large number of letters. Linguistically, Ikhfa means concealment or hiding. In Tajweed terminology, it means pronouncing the Noon Saakin or Tanween in a state between clear pronunciation (Ithhar) and complete merging (Idgham). It is pronounced without stressing (Tashdeed) the following letter, while maintaining a nasal sound (Ghunnah) for two counts.

The Letters of Ikhfa and How to Apply It
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Ikhfa is applied when a Noon Saakin or Tanween is followed by any of the 15 Ikhfa letters. These are the letters that are not included in the rules of Ithhar, Idgham, or Iqlaab (ت, ث, ج, د, ذ, ز, س, ش, ص, ض, ط, ظ, ف, ق, ك).

- **How to Apply:** When you reach the Noon Saakin, the tip of your tongue should move away from the normal articulation point of Noon (the gums of the upper front teeth) and hover very close to the articulation point of the upcoming Ikhfa letter, all while emitting the Ghunnah sound from the nasal cavity.
- **Levels of Ghunnah:** The Ghunnah of Ikhfa follows the subsequent letter in being heavy (Tafkheem) or light (Tarqeeq). If the following letter is heavy (e.g., Saad or Taa), the Ghunnah becomes heavy (e.g., *عَن صَلاتِهِم* / 'An Salaatihim). If it is light, the Ghunnah is light (e.g., *مِن شَرِّ* / Min Sharri).

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Practical training is the key to mastering Ikhfa. Here are some examples to recite and practice repeatedly:

- **With Noon Saakin in one word:** *(يَنصُرْكُمْ)* (Yansurkum), *(الْإِنسَانَ)* (Al-Insaan).
- **With Noon Saakin between two words:** *(مِن طِينٍ)* (Min Teen), *(مَن ثَقُلَتْ)* (Man Thaqulat).
- **With Tanween:** *(رِيحاً صَرْصَراً)* (Reehan Sarsaran), *(يَوْمَئِذٍ زُرْقاً)* (Yawma'idhin Zurqan).