Makharij al-Huruf: The Articulation Points of Arabic Letters Explained
A clear guide to Makharij al-Huruf: the five areas of the mouth and throat, the 17 articulation points, a chart of every letter and the mistakes beginners make.
Every Arabic letter has a makhraj, a precise point in the throat, tongue, lips or nose where its sound is produced. Learning the makharij al-huruf (the articulation points of the letters) is the first and most important step in Tajweed, because changing a letter's makhraj can change the meaning of a word in the Quran. This guide explains the five areas, the seventeen articulation points scholars of Tajweed describe, and practical ways to practise them.
In this guide:
- Why makharij matter
- How to find a letter's makhraj
- The five areas of articulation
- Makharij chart: all 17 points
- Common mistakes and confused letters
- How to practise makharij
- Frequently asked questions
Why makharij matter
Arabic has letters that sound alike to non-Arabic speakers but are completely different letters. Saying ق like ك, or ح like ه, can turn one word into another with a different meaning. That is why scholars consider correct pronunciation of the letters a core part of reciting the Quran properly. The good news is that makharij can be learned at any age with guidance and regular practice.
How to find a letter's makhraj
Scholars of Tajweed teach a simple test: put a sukoon on the letter and place a hamzah with a vowel before it, such as ab, at or aq. Say it slowly. The point where the sound stops is the makhraj of that letter. Try it with أَبْ: the sound stops at your lips. Try أَقْ: the sound stops at the back of your tongue.
The five areas of articulation
According to the widely followed view of Imam Ibn al-Jazari, the letters come from 17 articulation points grouped into five main areas:
- Al-Jawf (the empty space of the mouth and throat): 1 point
- Al-Halq (the throat): 3 points
- Al-Lisan (the tongue): 10 points
- Ash-Shafatan (the lips): 2 points
- Al-Khayshum (the nasal passage): 1 point
Makharij chart: all 17 articulation points
| Area | Articulation point | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Jawf | The empty space of the mouth and throat | ا و ي (the three madd letters) |
| Al-Halq | Deepest part of the throat | ء ه |
| Middle of the throat | ع ح | |
| Nearest part of the throat | غ خ | |
| Al-Lisan | Deepest part of the tongue with the soft palate | ق |
| Slightly forward of the qaf point | ك | |
| Middle of the tongue with the roof of the mouth | ج ش ي | |
| One or both sides of the tongue with the upper molars | ض | |
| Front sides of the tongue with the gums of the front teeth | ل | |
| Tip of the tongue, slightly below the lam point | ن | |
| Tip of the tongue with part of its top, near the noon point | ر | |
| Tip of the tongue with the roots of the upper front teeth | ط د ت | |
| Tip of the tongue close to the lower front teeth | ص ز س | |
| Tip of the tongue with the edges of the upper front teeth | ظ ذ ث | |
| Ash-Shafatan | Inside of the lower lip with the edges of the upper front teeth | ف |
| Both lips | ب م و (lips close for ب and م, round for و) | |
| Al-Khayshum | The nasal passage | The ghunnah (nasal sound) of ن and م |
Notice that و and ي appear twice. As madd letters (when they lengthen the sound) they come from al-Jawf; as consonants they come from the lips and the middle of the tongue.
Common mistakes and confused letters
- ح and ه: ح comes from the middle of the throat with a breathy, tight sound; ه is lighter and from the deepest part.
- ع and ء: ع is a voiced sound from the middle of the throat, not a simple glottal stop like the hamzah.
- ق and ك: ق is deeper and heavier; ك is further forward and light.
- س, ص and ث: ص is the heavy version of س, while ث is pronounced with the tongue between the teeth.
- ذ, ز and ظ: ذ and ظ need the tip of the tongue to touch the edges of the upper teeth; many learners say them like ز.
- ض: one of the hardest letters, produced from the side of the tongue, not like a heavy د.
Heavy letters (خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ) are always pronounced with a full, heavy sound, which is one of the letter qualities (sifat) studied after makharij.
How to practise makharij
- Go letter by letter. Use our Arabic alphabet lesson and say each letter with sukoon using the test above.
- Practise pairs. Read confused pairs side by side, for example ح / ه and ق / ك, until you can feel the difference.
- Use a mirror. Watch your lips and tongue for letters like ث, ذ, ظ and ف.
- Record yourself. Compare your recording with a teacher or a trusted reciter.
- Get live correction. Makharij are much easier to fix with a teacher who can hear and show you exactly where the sound should come from.
Once your letters are clear, move on to the rules that join them, such as noon sakinah and tanween, qalqalah and madd. Our beginner's guide to Tajweed shows the full learning path.
Questions? Answered.
Frequently asked questions
The most widely taught view, that of Imam Ibn al-Jazari, counts 17 articulation points in five areas. Some scholars counted 14 or 16 by combining points, but the letters themselves are the same.
Yes. Rules such as idgham or ikhfa only make sense once each letter is pronounced from its correct place.
With regular practice and correction, many learners get comfortable with the makharij in a few weeks, then keep refining them as they read.
Absolutely. Children often pick up sounds more easily than adults, which is why makharij are built into Noorani Qaida lessons.
Perfect your pronunciation with a teacher
In our one-to-one Tajweed course, a qualified teacher listens to every letter and shows you how to correct it. Classes are available for kids and adults, with female teachers available. Book a free trial class.
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