Madd means to lengthen. In Tajweed, it is the elongation of a vowel sound using the three Madd letters: alif after fatha, waw sakinah after damma, and ya sakinah after kasra.
Madd Tabee'i (Natural Madd)
The basic Madd, held for 2 counts, when a Madd letter is not followed by a hamzah or sukoon. Example: ููุงูู. All other types build on this.
Chart of the Main Types
| Type | When it happens | Length (Hafs, common practice) |
|---|---|---|
| Madd Tabee'i (natural) | Madd letter alone | 2 |
| Madd Muttasil (connected) | Madd letter + hamzah in the same word, e.g. ุฌูุงุกู | 4 or 5 |
| Madd Munfasil (separated) | Madd letter at end of a word + hamzah at start of next, e.g. ููุง ุฃููููููุง | 4 or 5 |
| Madd Lazim (necessary) | Madd letter + permanent sukoon/shaddah, e.g. ุงูุถููุงูููููู | 6 |
| Madd 'Arid lis-Sukoon | Stopping on a word after a Madd letter, e.g. ุงููุนูุงููู ูููู | 2, 4 or 6 |
| Madd Leen | Waw/ya sakinah after fatha, when stopping, e.g. ุฎููููู | 2, 4 or 6 |
| Madd Badal | Hamzah before a Madd letter, e.g. ุขู ููููุง | 2 |
Lengths can vary slightly between teachers and Qira'at. Follow your teacher's guidance and be consistent within a recitation.
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The disjointed letters at the start of some surahs (like ุงููู ู) also have Madd rules, mostly 6 counts for letters like lam and meem.
How to Count
A "count" (harakah) is roughly the time it takes to fold or unfold a finger at a steady pace. Consistency matters more than speed.
Explore these in depth in our online Tajweed course.
Written by our team of Quran teachers in Lahore, following our editorial policy. Last updated 2026-10-20.
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