Unit 4 · Lesson 25
Stopping and starting
Waqf and its signs
Where you stop can change the meaning of a verse. The muṣḥaf marks the places to stop, or not, with small signs above the line.
How to stop on a word
- Drop the last vowel and end on a sukūn: نَسْتَعِينُ becomes nastaʿīn.
- A double fatḥa becomes a long ā: عَلِيمًا becomes ʿalīmā.
- A round tāʾ (ة) becomes an h: رَحْمَةٌ becomes raḥmah.
Stop signs
| You must stop | ـۘ |
| Don’t stop here | ـۙ |
| Stopping and carrying on are both fine | ـۚ |
| Carrying on is better | ـۖ |
| Stopping is better | ـۗ |
| Stop at one of the two, not both | ـۛ ـۛ |
PRACTICE
Tap an answer to check yourself.
How do you say this when you stop on it?
نَسْتَعِينُ
What does this sign mean?
ـۘ
How do you say this when you stop on it?
رَحْمَةٌ