Rules of Tajweed According to Warsh’s Recitation

Overview of the Warsh Recitation

Warsh, whose full name is Uthman ibn Said, is recognized as the second narrator of the renowned imam Nafi. He was esteemed for his authority in recitation during his time in Egypt and was considered a reliable figure in his readings. The Warsh recitation represents what is attributed to Warsh from Nafi. This article aims to outline the specific rules associated with the Warsh recitation that differ from the Hafs recitation attributed to Asim.

Rules for the Letter ر (Ra)

Warsh applies a specific rule whereby he softens every ر (Ra) that is either open or closed when it is preceded by a silent ي (Ya) or a connected كسرة (Kasrah) within the same word. This applies regardless of whether the نون (Noon) is present in a context where the ر is intermediate or at the end, as well as whether it is marked by a fathah (open), dhamm (closed), or without tanween (nunation). Here are some illustrative examples:

	Example	Rule
1	(وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ).	The ر is manifest with tanween in the dhamm state, preceded by a connected silent ي.
2	(سَابِقُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ).	The ر is open and is preceded by a connected كسرة.
3	(لِّئَلَّا يَعْلَمَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ أَلَّا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ).	The ر is closed and is preceded by a connected كسرة.
4	(قُلْ أَغَيْرَ اللَّـهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا).	The ر is open and is preceded by a connected silent ي.
5	(يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ هَـذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ).	The ر is closed and is preceded by a connected silent ي.

Articulation of the Hamzah

In the Warsh recitation, the scholar reads by transferring the movement of the hamzah to the preceding silent letter, effectively omitting the hamzah itself. This is a generalized rule within his recitation; when the preceding silence is thinned (نون ساكنة) or involves tanween, Warsh applies this rule without emphasizing the noon. Below are some examples:

	Example	Rule
1	(إِنِّي أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ).	The noon is silent before a opened hamzah, thus the fathah is transferred to the noon, omitting the hamzah.
2	(أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّـهِ آلِهَةً أُخْرَى).	The tanween is present followed by a closed hamzah, transferring the dhamm to tanween and omitting the hamzah.
3	(وَلا أَقولُ لَكُم إِنّي مَلَكٌ إِن أَتَّبِعُ إِلّا ما يُوحَى إِلَيَّ).	The tanween is followed by a kasrah, thus the kasrah transfers to the tanween and the hamzah is omitted.

Articulation of the Letter م in the Presence of a Hamzah

Warsh practices an extended articulation of the م (Meem) when it precedes a hamzah of قطع in the next word, applying a lengthening of the م for a total of six counts. However, when the meem is followed by any other letter, it is not extended. Below are examples to illustrate this rule:

#	Example	Note
1	(ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُن فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلَّا أَن قَالُوا).	The م appears followed by a hamzah in the subsequent word.
2	(وَجَعَلْنَا عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ).	The م is followed by a hamzah in the subsequent word.
3	(يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ أَلا سَاءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ).	No extension after the م exists in this case.

Lengths of the Alif

In the Warsh recitation, he emphasizes the extension of the connected alif for six counts. Additionally, he elongates the separated alif, the extended connection alif, and applies either short, medium or extended lengthening for the بدل (badal). For the leaning that occurs with a hamzah, he adopts a medium and extended lengthening. Below are several examples:

#	Example	Type of Length	Length Amount
1	(وَمَا الحَياةُ الدُّنْيا إِلَّا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ).	Separated length	Six counts
2	(وَلَلَدارُ الآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ).	Substituted length	Two, four, and six counts
3	(وَلَقَد جاءَكَ مِن نَبَإِ المرسَلينَ).	Connected length	Six counts
4	(فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم أَبوَابَ كُلِّ شَيءٍ).	Leaning with a hamzah	Four and six counts