Symbols in the Quran

 

The signs that you see in the Holy Quran are based on the meaning that is intended.
This means based on the difference of tafsirs and opinions these signs might change in their position a little bit according to different schools of thought.

 

مـ –   

If you see this meem  مـ  symbol you must stop here while reading otherwise it will change the meaning of the sentence. (6:36)

إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ الَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ ۘ وَالْمَوْتَىٰ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ

Don’t get confused with this  م, this meem means change the ن sound to a م sound as will be explained in our  lessons. (2:181)

فَمَنۢ بَدَّلَهُۥ

 

 قلي –

If you see this symbol, you don’t have to stop but it is better to stop reading here (2:13)

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ ءَامِنُوا۟ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلنَّاسُ قَالُوٓا۟ أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ وَلَٰكِن لَّا يَعْلَمُونَ

 

 ج  –

If you see this symbol, one can either stop here or continue reading, both are fine. (4:1)

وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا

 

 صلي  –

If you see this symbol, it means it is better to continue through reading but you can stop there if you like. (2:5)

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ

 

 س  –

If you see this symbol, it means take a slight pause without taking another breath and then continue reading.
For example, it says (75:27)

وَقِيلَ مَنْ ۜ رَاقٍ  

I took a slight pause after the word ‘man’ مَنْ and without taking another breath then I continued reading.  

It is not pronounced وَقِيلَ مَرّاق   with the yarmaloon rule as will be explained in our lessons. 

Sometimes you see the س on top of a ص .
This is a different rule. (2:245). You either read it as a س or you read it as a ص. 

وَٱللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْصُۜطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

 

 لا –

If you see this symbol, you should not stop here,
but if you did stop you should not continue from the next word, you should go back. (2:25)

كُلَّمَا رُزِقُوا۟ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقًا ۙ قَالُوا۟ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِى رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ

 

∴ –  

If you see this symbol, it means if you stop at one of these three dots, you cannot stop at the other.
For example I will read this verse as (2:2)

ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ

And then read

فِيهِ  هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

Or I can read it as: 

 ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ

And then read

هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

I only stopped at one or the other but not at both.

 

If you see this signs while reading, it’s the sign of sujud (prostration).

Some sujuds are wajib and some are mustahab.
Four of them are wajib (obligatory) and the rest are mustahab (recommended) according to some schools of thought.

These are the wajib Surahs and Ayahs – 32:15, 41:38, 53:62, 96:16

 

There are other signs in different types of calligraphy and scripts

قف  ط   صل  ص ز     ق    سكته    وقفه

Sometimes there is a difference of opinion on where they are placed.
Follow the rules of your translated Quran and seek advice from your teachers.

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