Pronunciation Workshop

Listen for these sounds

  • Quraysh begins with qaf, not kaf. Its ending includes sh, and the middle has the ay sound.
  • Li-ilaf and ilafihim contain long vowels. Hear the opening twice before trying it yourself.
  • Rihlah has throat ha. In ash-shita’ hear the doubled shin and the hamzah at the end.
  • As-sayf begins with emphatic sad. Do not substitute an ordinary sin.
  • Ya‘budu and at‘amahum contain ‘ayn; at‘amahum also contains emphatic ta. Practise with a teacher.
  • Distinguish ju‘ from khawf. Listen to the nasal transitions around min and the joining of the final ayah rather than guessing from English letters.

Get a useful correction

Repeat a difficult word, then the complete ayah. Ask a competent Quran teacher to check your sounds, vowel lengths, joining and stopping. A written transliteration cannot provide that check. Correct one sound at a time and keep the session calm.