Quick Answer
Sifāt al-Hurūf (characteristics of Arabic letters) are classified into two main types: Ṣifāt Lāzimah (permanent characteristics) that never change, and Ṣifāt 'Āriḍah (temporary characteristics) that appear only in specific conditions.
Permanent characteristics like ص being always heavy or س being always light never change regardless of context. Temporary characteristics like Rā' being heavy with fatha but light with kasra depend on specific conditions.
Next steps: Learn Sifāt Lāzimah in detail → Master Sifāt 'Āriḍah rules → Practice Tafkheem & Tarqeeq
Table of Contents
As we have had a detailed introduction to Ṣifāt al-Ḥurūf in our previous lesson, let's now have a brief discussion about their two main types:
We're keeping this lesson short and simple because we've already planned separate detailed lessons for each type — where we'll explore their subcategories, examples, and pronunciation rules in depth.
Why Do We Classify Ṣifāt?
In Tajwīd, we study Ṣifāt al-Ḥurūf (characteristics of letters) to understand how each letter should sound.
But because not all characteristics behave the same way, scholars divided them into two major categories — based on whether the quality always stays with the letter or appears only due to a temporary reason.
Simple Classification Logic
Think of it like this:
- Some qualities are "built-in" — they never leave the letter, no matter what word it appears in.
- Others are "temporary" — they only show up in certain conditions, like when the letter has sukoon, shaddah, or comes next to a particular letter.
1. Ṣifāt Lāzimah (Permanent Characteristics)
Meaning:
"Lāzimah" (لازمة) means permanent or inseparable.
So Ṣifāt Lāzimah are those qualities that are permanently attached to a letter — they never change no matter what position the letter is in, or which vowel it carries.
Example:
- The letter ص (Ṣād) is always heavy (mufakhkham) — whether it has a fatḥah, kasrah, or sukoon.
→ This heaviness is a permanent sifat of Ṣād. - The letter س (Sīn) is always light (muraqqaq) — that lightness never changes.
→ This lightness is a permanent sifat of Sīn.
So when we say a sifat is lāzimah, it means it's part of the letter's very nature — its identity.
Other examples of permanent sifāt (just names for now):
- Hams (whispering) — like in ف and س.
- Jahr (voiced) — like in ب and د.
- Shiddah (strength) — like in ت, ك, ط.
- Rikhāwah (softness) — like in ذ, ز, ث.
- Isti'lā' (elevation) — like in ق, خ, ص.
- Istifāl (lowering) — like in ب, ت, س.
- Qalqalah (echo/bounce) — like in ق, ط, ب, ج, د.
These don't appear or disappear — they're always part of how the letter sounds. We'll cover each of them later, one by one, in our detailed Ṣifāt Lāzimah lesson.
2. Ṣifāt 'Āriḍah (Temporary Characteristics)
Meaning:
"'Āriḍah" (عارضة) means accidental or temporary.
So Ṣifāt 'Āriḍah are those characteristics that occur only due to specific conditions — they are not permanently tied to the letter.
They appear when certain grammatical or phonetic situations arise in recitation — like:
- A letter being sukooned (silent),
- Or being stressed with shaddah,
- Or being affected by neighboring letters or rules of recitation (like tafkhīm due to nearby heavy letters, or ghunnah due to a noon/mīm shaddah).
Example:
Qalqalah (the bounce) — It happens only when the qalqalah letter (ق، ط، ب، ج، د) is in sukoon.
- In the word اَقْتَرَبَ, if we stop at اَقْتَرَبْ, the ب becomes silent and we hear the "bounce."
- But if we don't stop (and the letter is vowelled), we don't hear qalqalah.
→ So the qalqalah appears only temporarily depending on the situation.
Tafkhīm of Rā' — Rā' is sometimes heavy, sometimes light, depending on nearby vowels.
- Heavy in قُرآن (because of fatḥah or ḍammah).
- Light in فِرْقَان (because of kasrah).
→ This heaviness or lightness is temporary — so it's a sifat 'āriḍah.
These examples show that ṣifāt 'āriḍah are conditional and context-based — they help the reciter apply the correct "flavor" to the letter according to its position and neighbors.
Summary Table — Difference Between the Two
Ṣifāt Lāzimah vs Ṣifāt 'Āriḍah - Complete Comparison
| Feature | Ṣifāt Lāzimah | Ṣifāt 'Āriḍah |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Permanent characteristics | Temporary / conditional characteristics |
| Duration | Always present in the letter | Appear only in specific situations |
| Example letters | ص (heavy), س (light), ف (whispering) | Rā' (heavy/light), Qalqalah when sukoon |
| Changes? | Never changes | Changes based on vowels or context |
| Purpose | Defines the identity of the letter | Defines how it sounds in a particular situation |
Note: Understanding this distinction is crucial for mastering Tajweed. Permanent characteristics define letter identity, while temporary ones apply context-specific pronunciation rules.
Why This Division Matters?
This classification helps us as students of Tajwīd to:
- Understand which qualities we must always preserve, no matter where the letter appears (lāzimah).
- And which qualities we must apply carefully depending on context, so that our recitation follows the Qur'ānic style perfectly ('āriḍah).
- It also makes learning easier: when we approach detailed Tajwīd rules later, we'll already know which sifāt are fixed traits and which are temporary rules.
In Our Next Lessons
We'll now move toward studying each category in detail:
Recommended Learning Path
- Master Sifāt Lāzimah (Permanent Characteristics) — Explore subtypes like Hams, Jahr, Shiddah, Rikhāwah, Isti'lā', Istifāl, Tafkheem, Tarqīq, and others with examples and exercises
- Understand Sifāt 'Āriḍah (Temporary Characteristics) — Study Qalqalah, Ghunnah, Tafkheem of Rā' and Lām of Allāh, and how context changes pronunciation
- Complete Tafkheem & Tarqeeq rules guide — Learn when letters are heavy or light with detailed examples
- Qalqalah rules with practice exercises — Master the bounce sound in different contexts
- Tafkheem of Rā' detailed pronunciation rules — Learn when Rā' is heavy or light
- Lām of Allāh pronunciation rules and practice — Master the special rules for Lām in Allah
Note: Complete each lesson with practice before moving to the next. Understanding the classification helps you apply the right rules in the right context.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sifāt Lāzimah are permanent characteristics that never change (like ص being always heavy), while Sifāt 'Āriḍah are temporary characteristics that appear only in specific conditions (like Rā' being heavy with fatha but light with kasra).
Yes, every letter has permanent characteristics (like Hams/Jahr, Shiddah/Rikhāwah) that never change, and may also display temporary characteristics depending on context (like Qalqalah when in sukoon).
This classification helps you understand which qualities are always present (and must be preserved) versus which ones apply only in specific contexts, making it easier to apply the correct pronunciation rules.
Permanent characteristics never change regardless of context, vowels, or position. Temporary characteristics appear only when specific conditions are met (like sukoon, shaddah, or neighboring letters).
Start with permanent characteristics (Sifāt Lāzimah) as they form the foundation. Once you understand the basic nature of each letter, then learn how temporary characteristics modify pronunciation in different contexts.
No, all letters have permanent characteristics, but some may not display temporary characteristics in certain contexts. For example, some letters don't have Qalqalah, but they still have permanent characteristics like Hams/Jahr.
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