Quick Answer
Qalqalah (قلقلة) is a bouncing echo sound produced when certain letters (ق، ط، ب، ج، د) are pronounced with sukoon (no vowel). It's not a vowel but a short percussive release that gives the consonant a tiny "kick" or "bounce" for clarity.
There are three degrees: Minor (inside word), Major (word-end with stop), and Strongest (with shaddah + stop). Qalqalah ensures letters remain audible and distinct even when silent.
Next steps: Master Tafkhīm & Tarqīq → Review permanent characteristics → Understand temporary characteristics
Table of Contents
- Introduction to Qalqalah
- What Qalqalah Is
- The Five Qalqalah Letters
- General Condition for Qalqalah
- Why Qalqalah is Needed
- Degrees of Qalqalah
- Articulation Points
- How to Produce Qalqalah
- What Qalqalah is NOT
- Detailed Examples
- Quranic Examples
- Qalqalah with Shaddah
- Common Mistakes & Fixes
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Points
- Summary Table
- 7-Day Practice Plan
- Self-Evaluation Checklist
- Recommended Learning Path
- Frequently Asked Questions
We have covered a lot already: makhārij (where letters come from), an overview of Ṣifāt al-Ḥurūf, a complete lesson on Ṣifāt Lāzimah (permanent qualities), Ṣifāt 'Āriḍah (temporary qualities), and Tafkhīm/Tarqīq (heavy vs light). Now we will learn Qalqalah in full — from absolute beginner level to advanced practice — so that we don't need another lesson on this topic (except that we'll integrate it later with other tajwīd rules as needed).
What Qalqalah Is (Plain, Simple)
Qalqalah (قلقلة) literally means "vibration," "echo," or "bouncing."
In Tajwīd, it refers to a distinct bouncing echo sound produced when certain letters are pronounced with a sukoon (no vowel).
Key Concept
Qalqalah (قَلْقَلَة) is a sound quality — a small bouncing, echoing or resonant rebound produced when certain consonants meet sukun (i.e., they are silent) or when we stop on them. It is not a vowel (we don't add a vowel), but a short percussive release that gives the consonant a tiny "kick" or "bounce."
Think of it like a little percussion on the letter: the sound bounces back slightly at the articulation point instead of simply vanishing.
The Five Qalqalah Letters
There are five classical qalqalah letters — remembered by the common phrase:
The Five Qalqalah Letters
ق ط ب ج د
(qaaf, taa' (emphatic), baa', jeem, daal)
These five letters are called "the five qalqalah letters" because they are the letters in which we hear the characteristic bounce when they are in the right contexts.
The General Condition for Qalqalah
Qalqalah is audible when a qalqalah letter is in sukūn (i.e., no vowel) or when stopping (waqf) on that letter. In short:
- If one of {ق، ط، ب، ج، د} carries sukūn → we produce qalqalah (with varying strength depending on position / stop).
- If we stop (waqf) on that letter at the end of a word → we produce a stronger qalqalah.
- If the letter is vowelled (has fatḥah, ḍammah, or kasrah) then there is no qalqalah. Qalqalah is not a new letter-sound — it is an added manner/quality of the consonant when it is silent.
Why Qalqalah is Needed?
Arabic has many consonant-ending words and letters that may end with a sukoon (ْ). When these are recited without any vowel, the sound could become "choked" or unclear.
Qalqalah helps release the sound cleanly — it "bounces" slightly, giving clarity.
Example
Without Qalqalah: "أَبْ" might sound like "uhh" (muffled).
With Qalqalah: "أَبْ" sounds like "abْ" (a clear pop of the letter ب).
So, Qalqalah ensures that letters remain audible and distinct even when they are sakin (silent).
Degrees or Types of Qalqalah
There are three degrees (levels) of Qalqalah depending on where the letter appears and whether you stop or continue:
A. Minor (Small) Qalqalah — قلقلة صغرى
Occurs when:
- The letter is in the middle of a word, and
- It has a sukoon (ْ) due to the word's original structure.
- You do not stop; you pronounce it lightly with a bounce.
Examples:
- يَقْطَعُونَ (yaqṭa'ūn) — in قْطَ, the ق is sakin. You give a small bounce: yaq̣ṭa'ūn, not yakṭa'ūn.
- يَجْعَلُ (yaj'alu) — the جْ has sukoon → small bounce.
- أَبْدَارَ (abdāra) — بْ has sukoon → small bounce from the lips.
Rule: The bounce is light because the reciter is continuing.
B. Major (Moderate) Qalqalah — قلقلة كبرى
Occurs when:
- The Qalqalah letter is at the end of a word,
- It has a sukoon (ْ) due to stopping (waqf).
- You stop there, and so the bounce becomes stronger and more audible.
Examples:
- الْحَقُّ — if you stop at it: al-ḥaqqْ → al-ḥaqq (with a clear echo of q). Not al-ḥaqqa (no extra vowel).
- الْخَلْقِ → when stopped: al-khalqْ, with the ق bouncing clearly.
- تَبَّتْ → if you stop at it: tabbْ — clear bounce of b at the lips.
Rule: The bounce is stronger because you stop.
C. Strong (Greatest) Qalqalah — قلقلة كبرى جداً
Occurs when:
- The letter has shaddah (ّ) and sukoon (ْ) due to stopping. (i.e., a doubled letter that you stop upon).
- Here, the bounce is very strong because: The letter has been pressed (doubled), Then released with sukoon.
Examples:
- الحَقُّ → The قّ has shaddah. When stopped: al-ḥaqqْ — strong bounce.
- تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ When you stop at the last word وَتَبَّ, the بّ has shaddah and sukoon → wa-tabbْ — clear, strong pop of the lips.
Rule: Strongest bounce among all; feels like a short echo.
Practical way to remember: the louder/clearer the stop, the stronger the qalqalah.
Why the degrees exist (physically / perceptually)?
- When the letter is inside the word and the airflow continues to the next letter, the mouth and airflow damp the bounce — so the bounce is small.
- When the letter ends a word but the recitation continues, there's more opportunity for the bounce to be audible.
- When we stop, the airflow abruptly halts and the articulatory mechanism produces the biggest echo — therefore the strongest qalqalah.
Articulation Points (Makharij) of Qalqalah Letters
Understanding where they come from helps us make the sound correctly:
| Letter | Makhraj (Place of Articulation) | Example Sound |
|---|---|---|
| ق (Qāf) | Back of tongue + soft palate | "q" but deep |
| ط (Ṭā') | Tip of tongue + upper gums (like "t" but emphatic) | "ṭ" |
| ب (Bā') | Lips meet and release | "b" |
| ج (Jīm) | Middle of tongue + hard palate | "j" |
| د (Dāl) | Tip of tongue + upper gums | "d" |
When each is sakin (ْ), we give it a little "bounce" at its makhraj.
How to Produce Qalqalah — Step-by-Step Practical Method
- Identify whether the target letter is one of the five qalqalah letters (ق، ط، ب، ج، د).
- Check vowel state: is it in sukun (ْ) or are we stopping on it? If neither, no qalqalah.
- Position your articulation (makhraj) correctly for that letter:
- ق: back of tongue against soft palate (as usual).
- ط: tongue at the alveolar/upper zone but compressed (emphatic).
- ب: lips pressed together.
- ج: middle of the tongue contacting the palate (or palato-alveolar area depending on dialect) with soft friction.
- د: tip of tongue against upper front teeth ridge (alveolar).
- Produce a small "stop" at that articulation point (the sukun is effectively a hold). Then release quickly with a tiny rebound — not a full vowel. The rebound should be audible as a small plosive / tap / echo.
- Adjust strength according to position: very slight inside a word; stronger at word-end; strongest at waqf.
Practice Tip
Start with single-syllable words, first with intent to stop (major qalqalah) — e.g., say قِبْ then stop and release a clear short "bounce" on ق (or better, on ب because lips are easier to feel). Repeat slowly until the rebound becomes natural, then try milder forms.
What Qalqalah is NOT (Common Confusions)
Common Misconceptions
- Not a vowel: do not insert 'a', 'u', or 'i'. Qalqalah is a tiny release/echo, not a vowel sound.
- Not always a heavy sound: it's an articulation bounce, not tafkhīm. Don't confuse qalqalah with making the letter emphatic.
- Not applied to non-qalqalah letters even if they are in sukun (unless a recitation rule overlays it). Qalqalah belongs to the five letters only.
Examples (Many) with Detailed Explanation
We'll give plenty of clear example words. For each: show Arabic word, transliteration, where the qalqalah letter is, what to do, and how it sounds.
قِطْب — qiṭb
- Qalqalah letter: ب (final, sukun)
- If we stop on the word: we hear major qalqalah on ب — a definite small bounce/echo when releasing the lips.
- If we continue into next word (wasl) and the next word begins with a vowel, the qalqalah will be medium.
اِقْتِرَاب — iqtirāb
- Qalqalah letter: ق (in the middle, with sukun)
- Because ق has sukun within the word: we produce a minor qalqalah — slight bouncy quality on the ق before we continue to the ت.
كَبْر (as an isolated word) — kabr
- Final ب with sukun: if stopping → major qalqalah on ب. If continuing → medium/minor depending on continuation.
مَجْد — majd
- Qalqalah letter: ج (middle or final depending on form). If the ج has sukun inside word → small qalqalah.
يَدْ — yad
- Qalqalah letter: د (final with sukun)
- If we stop on يَدْ: we produce a clear major qalqalah on د when pausing.
اِنقِطَاع — inqiṭā'
- Qalqalah letter: ق in the middle with sukun if the morphological form yields sukun → minor qalqalah.
قُلْ — example caution
- The qāf here is not sukun (it has a vowel) — so no qalqalah on ق. (This shows why checking sukun is essential.)
قُرْآن — Qur'ān
- Sometimes internal sukun occurs (on ر or hamzah depending), but only the five letters produce qalqalah, so even if other letters are sukun, we don't call them qalqalah letters.
Quranic Examples of Qalqalah with Detailed Explanation
Let's look at Qalqalah in the Qur'an, word by word, to see how it appears and how to recite correctly.
Example 1 — Surah Al-Ikhlāṣ (112:1–4)
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدْ
If you stop at "الصَّمَدْ", the دْ is sakin → Qalqalah.
- The word ends with دْ (dal).
- If you stop: as-ṣamadْ → add a light bounce at the end.
- It's medium qalqalah because it occurs at stop without shaddah.
- ✅ Correct: as-ṣamadْ (clear bounce of d).
- ❌ Incorrect: as-ṣamadah (added vowel).
Example 2 — Surah Al-Lahab (111:1–5)
تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ
- تَبَّتْ — the first بّ has shaddah → when stopped at تَبَّتْ, the بّ bounces clearly → strong Qalqalah (كبرى جداً).
- وَتَبَّ — same: ends with بّ and sukoon → strong bounce.
- ✅ Correct: wa-tabbْ (clear, sharp pop).
- ❌ Incorrect: wa-tabba or wa-tabbuh.
Example 3 — Surah Al-Fajr (89:23)
وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمْ
If we stop at بِجَهَنَّمْ, there is no qalqalah, but if we continue:
Go to next verse: يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنسَانُ
- The word يَتَذَكَّرُ has دكّ sound, but no qalqalah since كّ is not a qalqalah letter.
- However later in the surah: كَلَّا بَل لَا تُكْرِمُونَ الْيَتِيمَ
- Stop at كَلَّا بَلْ → لْ not qalqalah, but in قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا (91:9) → قَدْ has دْ = Qalqalah.
- ✅ Correct: qadْ aflaḥa (bounce of d).
Example 4 — Surah Al-Haqqah (69:1–3)
الْحَاقَّةُ
- If stopped: al-ḥāqqْ — Qalqalah with قّ, strong (كبرى جداً).
- مَا الْحَاقَّةُ — when continuing, the قّ is still doubled but not stopped → minor bounce.
- The قّ has shaddah; if stopped, strong bounce. If continued, lighter but noticeable.
Example 5 — Surah Al-Qamar (54:17)
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ
- وَلَقَدْ — ends with دْ (Qalqalah). Pronounce: walaqadْ with a short bounce of d before continuing. Even though you're not stopping, still a small qalqalah (صغرى).
Example 6 — Surah Al-Falaq (113:1–5)
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقْ
- When you stop at الْفَلَقْ, the قْ has sukoon → strong Qalqalah.
- ✅ Correct: al-falaqْ (deep "q" pop).
- ❌ Incorrect: al-falaqa (added vowel) or al-falaqq (too prolonged).
Example 7 — Surah Al-Balad (90:4–6)
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ
- لَقَدْ — ends with دْ → Qalqalah. Pronounce: laqadْ khalaqnā. Even when you continue, give a light bounce to d.
Example 8 — Surah Qaf (50:1)
قٓ وَالْقُرْآنِ الْمَجِيدِ
- When reading قٓ alone (Qāf), you stop — ق with sukoon → strong qalqalah.
- ✅ Correct: Qāfْ (clear deep pop at back of tongue).
Example 9 — Surah Al-Infitar (82:19)
يَوْمٌ لَا تَمْلِكُ نَفْسٌ لِنَفْسٍ شَيْئًا وَالْأَمْرُ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلَّهِ
- If we stop at الأمرْ, رْ no qalqalah. But earlier, تَمْلِكُ ends with كُ no qalqalah, and نَفْسٌ — no qalqalah either.
- However, in قَدْ أَفْلَحَ in other surahs, قَدْ gives good qalqalah of d.
Qalqalah with Shaddah? (Common Question)
If a qalqalah letter carries shaddah (ّ), the letter is doubled: one part is with vocalization and the other is with sukun (in effect). The qalqalah concept is about the release when the letter is in sukun; classical teaching handles doubled letters according to the rules of shaddah (holding and releasing).
Practically: a qalqalah letter under shaddah will be treated first as shaddah (hold + release) and then the sukuned portion may produce a bounce depending on context. This is a more advanced nuance — we will practise such cases in drill sets.
Common Mistakes with Qalqalah and Their Fixes
Common Mistakes & Correction Strategies
- Adding a vowel instead of an echo (mistake: pronouncing a faint 'u' or 'a'):
Fix: practice silent stop + release; record and ensure you don't add vocalic sound. - No bounce at all — the letter is deadened and disappears:
Fix: exaggerate the release initially (major qalqalah) until you can produce medium/minor bounces naturally. - Over-bouncing (making a full stress or long sound) — makes the recitation choppy:
Fix: reduce duration of bounce to a brief percussive click; balance is key. - Applying qalqalah to wrong letters — e.g., trying to qalqala on letters outside the five:
Fix: memorize the five letters and always check sukun.
Practice Exercises — Progressive Drills
Start slow and controlled; increase subtlety as we improve.
Progressive Drill Series
Drill A — Single-letter Stop (Beginner)
Sit comfortably. Say the consonant ب (with lips pressed) and produce a short silent hold, then quickly release the lips to make a little bounce: (hold)-b(quick release). Do this 20x.
Drill B — Single-word Major Qalqalah
Choose word يَدْ (yad). Say it and stop on it: produce a strong clear qalqalah on د. Repeat 15x.
Drill C — Minor Qalqalah Inside a Word
Choose اِقْتِرَاب (iqtirāb). Say it at normal speed — feel the small echo on ق inside the word. Repeat 20x.
Drill D — Medium Degree at Word-end Without Stop
Use a two-word phrase where the first ends with a qalqalah letter but we continue: e.g., قَبْ لَ + next word beginning with vowel (make your own combination). Say the phrase and note the medium bounce on the final qalqalah letter of the first word.
Drill E — Range Practice (Sughra → Wusṭā → Kubrā)
Pick a word that can appear in three positions (internal sukun, final with continuation, final with stop). Practice all three conditions and listen to the difference.
Drill F — Reading with Recording
Read short lines of Quranic text or any Arabic text that includes many qalqalah letters (we will identify them together). Record 1 minute, listen and mark where your qalqalah is missing/excessive.
Advanced Points & Nuances
Advanced Considerations
- Qalqalah is influenced by the reciter's style (qirā'ah): Different canonical reciters may slightly vary in how strong they make qalqalah in minor cases. But the basic rule (sukūn + the five letters = qalqalah) is universal.
- Sukūn caused by waqf vs. written sukun: Sometimes a letter has no diacritic but becomes silent when we stop — we must still produce qalqalah if the letter is among the five and is effectively sukun at the stop.
- Qalqalah after madd and special cases: Some advanced interactions exist when a qalqalah letter follows madd or other rules — we will do targeted exercises later with actual mushaf lines.
- Qalqalah in fast recitation: the bounce can become more subtle — still must be present; the degree reduces but must not be lost.
Summary Table
| Type | When it Occurs | Strength | Example | Qalqalah Letter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| صغرى (Minor) | Middle of word, with sukun | Light | يَقْطَعُونَ | ق |
| كبرى (Major) | End of word, stop on it | Strong | الْحَقْ | ق |
| كبرى جداً (Strongest) | End of word with shaddah + stop | Very strong | وَتَبَّ | ب |
Common Exercises to Master Qalqalah (7-Day Plan)
7-Day Practice Plan
- Day 1 — Awareness: identify qalqalah letters in short Arabic text. (15 minutes)
- Day 2 — Major focus: strong stops on words ending with ق ط ب ج د. (20 minutes)
- Day 3 — Minor focus: internal sukun on words like اِقْتِرَاب — soft bounce practice. (20 minutes)
- Day 4 — Medium focus: word-final without stop (wasl) — keep bounce medium. (20 minutes)
- Day 5 — Mixing practice with madh & ghunnah words — ensure qalqalah remains accurate. (20 minutes)
- Day 6 — Reading passage: pick a short surah or para with many qalqalah letters; read slowly, record and review. (20–30 minutes)
- Day 7 — Consolidation: random lines, check major vs minor vs medium application and self-correct. (30 minutes)
Checklist to Self-Evaluate (When You Record)
Self-Evaluation Checklist
- Did we produce some audible rebound on each qalqalah letter in sukun? (Yes / No)
- Did we accidentally add a vowel? (Yes / No)
- Was the rebound too long or too short? (Adjust: shorter if long, stronger if too soft)
- Did we lose qalqalah in fast recitation? (If yes, slow down and reapply)
- Did the qalqalah merge/conflict with nearby tajwīd rules (e.g., ghunnah)? (Mark for focused drill)
Recommended Learning Path
Next Steps After Mastering Qalqalah
- Master Tafkhīm & Tarqīq detailed rules — Learn when letters are heavy or light with comprehensive examples
- Learn Tafkhīm of Rā' detailed pronunciation rules — Understand when Rā' is heavy or light
- Master Lām of Allāh pronunciation rules and practice — Learn the special rules for Lām in Allah
- Review Sifāt Lāzimah (Permanent Characteristics) — Ensure you understand all permanent characteristics
- Understand Sifāt 'Āriḍah (Temporary Characteristics) — Learn context-dependent pronunciation rules
- Fix common Sifāt mistakes with correction strategies — Learn to identify and correct pronunciation errors
Note: Master the basic qalqalah rules first, then integrate with other Tajweed characteristics. Understanding qalqalah is essential for proper pronunciation of the five specific letters in all contexts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Qalqalah (قلقلة) is a bouncing echo sound produced when certain letters (ق، ط، ب، ج، د) are pronounced with sukoon (no vowel). It's not a vowel but a short percussive release that gives the consonant a tiny "kick" or "bounce" for clarity. The word literally means "vibration," "echo," or "bouncing."
There are five classical qalqalah letters: ق، ط، ب، ج، د (qaaf, taa' emphatic, baa', jeem, daal). These are remembered by the phrase "ق ط ب ج د". Only these five letters produce qalqalah when they have sukoon or when stopping on them.
There are three degrees: Minor (صغرى) - occurs inside a word with sukun, light bounce; Major (كبرى) - occurs at word-end when stopping, strong bounce; Strongest (كبرى جداً) - occurs with shaddah + stop, very strong bounce. The strength depends on position and whether you stop or continue.
First identify if the letter is one of the five qalqalah letters, check if it has sukoon or you're stopping on it, position your articulation correctly for that letter, produce a small "stop" at the articulation point, then release quickly with a tiny rebound (not a vowel). Adjust strength according to position: slight inside word, stronger at word-end, strongest at waqf.
No, classical teaching reserves the term "qalqalah" for the five letters ق ط ب ج د only. Other letters when in sukun do not produce qalqalah as taught. Even if other letters are silent, they don't have the characteristic bounce that defines qalqalah.
Start with single-letter stops (like ب), then single-word major qalqalah (like يَدْ), then minor qalqalah inside words (like اِقْتِرَاب), then medium degree at word-end without stop, then range practice covering all three degrees. Record yourself and compare with expert reciters. Use the 7-day plan: awareness, major focus, minor focus, medium focus, mixing practice, reading passages, and consolidation.
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