Makharij al-Huroof: A Beginner's Guide to Arabic Letter Pronunciation

Makharij al-Huroof are the exact places in the throat, mouth, lips and nose where each Arabic letter is produced. Scholars group them into five main areas: the empty space of the mouth and throat, the throat, the tongue, the lips, and the nasal passage. Within those areas, the most commonly taught system lists 17 articulation points. Once you know where a letter comes from, you can pronounce it clearly and avoid mixing it up with a letter that sounds similar.

Learning the makharij is usually the first real step in the Tajweed of the Quran. Arabic has several sounds that do not exist in English or Urdu, and some pairs of letters change the meaning of a word if they are swapped. This guide explains the makharij in plain English, with each Arabic letter and its transliteration, following the standard teaching used for the Hafs recitation.

What Does "Makharij" Mean?

The word makharij (مخارج) is the plural of makhraj (مخرج), which means "a place of exit." Al-Huroof (الحروف) means "the letters." So Makharij al-Huroof literally means "the exit points of the letters." Each letter has a fixed point where the sound is made, and good Arabic letter pronunciation starts with putting the tongue, lips or throat in the right place.

A simple way to find a letter's makhraj is to add a sukoon to it and put a hamzah with a vowel before it, for example أَبْ (ab) or أَقْ (aq). Say it slowly, and notice where the sound stops. That spot is the makhraj.

The Five Main Areas

1. Al-Jawf (الجوف), the empty space of the mouth and throat.
2. Al-Halq (الحلق), the throat.
3. Al-Lisan (اللسان), the tongue.
4. Ash-Shafatan (الشفتان), the two lips.
5. Al-Khayshum (الخيشوم), the nasal passage.

Within these five areas, the most widely taught approach counts 17 points: 1 in the jawf, 3 in the throat, 10 on the tongue, 2 on the lips, and 1 in the nasal passage. Some scholars count the points slightly differently, but the 17-point system is the one most students learn.

1. Al-Jawf: The Long Vowels

The jawf is the open space inside the mouth and throat. It is the source of the three madd letters when they make a long vowel sound:

• ا (alif) after a fatha, as in قَالَ (qaala).
• و (waw) with sukoon after a damma, as in يَقُولُ (yaqoolu).
• ي (ya) with sukoon after a kasra, as in قِيلَ (qeela).

These sounds do not rest on a fixed spot. They flow out with the air and end when the breath stops.

2. Al-Halq: The Throat Letters

The throat letters in Tajweed are six, spread over three points. They are a common challenge for English speakers because English has very few throat sounds.

Part of the throat	Letters
Deepest part (closest to the chest)	ء (hamzah) and هـ (ha)
Middle of the throat	ع ('ayn) and ح (Ha)
Top of the throat (closest to the mouth)	غ (ghayn) and خ (kha)

The ح (Ha) is a breathy, slightly squeezed sound from the middle of the throat, while هـ (ha) is a light, relaxed breath from deep down. The غ (ghayn) is close to a gargle, and خ (kha) is like the "ch" in the Scottish word "loch."

3. Al-Lisan: The Tongue Letters

The tongue has the most articulation points: 10 in total, producing 18 letters. Here they are, grouped the way most teachers present them.

Back of the tongue: ق and ك

• ق (qaf): the very back of the tongue touching the soft palate above it. It is a deep, heavy sound.
• ك (kaf): a little further forward than ق, touching the roof of the mouth. It is lighter, close to the English "k."

Middle of the tongue: ج ش ي

ج (jeem), ش (sheen) and ي (ya, when it is not a madd letter) come from the middle of the tongue meeting the middle of the roof of the mouth.

Side of the tongue: ض

ض (Daad) comes from one or both sides of the tongue pressing against the upper molars. It is a heavy letter, and it is considered one of the most distinctive sounds in Arabic. Many students need a teacher's help to get it right.

Edge and tip of the tongue: ل ن ر

• ل (lam): the front edges of the tongue touching the gums above the upper front teeth.
• ن (noon): the tip of the tongue, just a little forward of the lam.
• ر (ra): the tip of the tongue with a little of its top surface, very close to the noon. The ra should be firm, not rolled many times.

Tip of the tongue with the upper teeth roots: ت د ط

ت (ta), د (dal) and ط (Taa) come from the tip of the tongue touching the gum just behind the upper front teeth. ت and د are light; ط is heavy, with the back of the tongue raised.

Tip of the tongue with the edges of the upper teeth: ث ذ ظ

ث (tha), ذ (dhal) and ظ (Dhaa) come from the tip of the tongue touching the edges of the upper front teeth, with the tongue slightly visible. ث is like "th" in "think," ذ is like "th" in "this," and ظ is the heavy version of ذ.

Whistling letters: ص س ز

ص (Saad), س (seen) and ز (zay) come from the tip of the tongue near the lower front teeth, with a small gap left for the air to whistle through. س and ز are light; ص is heavy.

4. Ash-Shafatan: The Lip Letters

• ف (fa): the inside of the lower lip touching the tips of the upper front teeth.
• ب (ba), م (meem) and و (waw, when it is not a madd letter): from the two lips. For ب and م, the lips close fully. For و, the lips round without closing.

5. Al-Khayshum: The Nasal Sound

The khayshum is the nasal passage. It is the source of ghunnah, the humming nasal sound that comes with ن (noon) and م (meem), especially when they have a shaddah, as in إِنَّ (inna) and ثُمَّ (thumma). If you gently pinch your nose while saying a ghunnah, the sound stops, which shows it comes from the nose. Ghunnah connects directly to other rules such as Ikhfa and Idgham, which you can read about in our guide to Tajweed rules for beginners.

Letters English and Urdu Speakers Often Confuse

Most pronunciation mistakes come from replacing an Arabic letter with the nearest sound in your first language. Urdu uses many of the same written letters as Arabic, but pronounces several of them the same way, so Urdu speakers often need to relearn these differences. Here are the pairs to watch:

Letters	The difference
ح and هـ	ح is from the middle of the throat with a squeezed, breathy sound; هـ is a light breath from the deepest part.
ع and ء	ع is from the middle of the throat with a tight, voiced sound; ء is a short catch from the deepest part, like the break in "uh-oh."
ق and ك	ق is deep and heavy from the very back of the tongue; ك is lighter and further forward.
ص and س	Same point, but ص is heavy, with the back of the tongue raised; س is light.
ض, د and ظ	ض uses the side of the tongue against the molars; د uses the tip behind the upper teeth; ظ uses the tip against the edges of the upper teeth.
ث and س	ث needs the tongue tip at the edges of the upper teeth, like "think"; س stays behind the teeth with a whistle.
ذ and ز	ذ is like "this" with the tongue tip at the teeth; ز is a buzzing "z" behind the teeth.

These are not small details. Changing ق to ك, or ح to هـ, can produce a different word with a different meaning. That is why careful teachers spend time on these pairs before moving on to longer rules. If you would like guided practice, our online Tajweed classes focus on exactly these sounds.

How to Practice the Makharij

1. Use the sukoon test. Say each letter as أَ + letter with sukoon (أَحْ, أَعْ, أَقْ) to feel exactly where it stops.
2. Practice in pairs. Read confused letters side by side: حَ هَ, عَ أَ, قَ كَ, صَ سَ. Hearing them together trains your ear.
3. Use a mirror. For lip letters and ث ذ ظ, check that your lips and tongue are where they should be.
4. Go slowly. Accuracy comes before speed. Short, slow sessions of 10 to 15 minutes a day work better than one long session a week.
5. Record yourself. Compare your recording with a trusted reciter and listen for letters that sound flat or misplaced.
6. Get feedback from a teacher. Many errors are hard to hear in your own voice. A teacher can catch them early, before they become habits.

If you are still learning to read Arabic letters, start with the basics first. The Noorani Qaida lessons guide explains how beginners build up from single letters, and our online Noorani Qaida classes cover the makharij from the very first lesson.

Learn Makharij One-on-One

Reading about makharij helps, but pronunciation is learned by listening and repeating. At Ahsan Ul Quran Academy, our online Tajweed classes are live and one-on-one over video, so your teacher hears every letter and corrects it on the spot. Lessons move at your own pace, whether you are a complete beginner or want to polish your recitation. You can see the plans on our pricing page.

The best way to start is to try a lesson with no obligation. Read a few lines for a teacher, find out which letters need attention, and get a clear plan for learning the Tajweed of the Quran. Book a free 30-minute trial class today.