The Rules of the Silent Meem in Surah Maryam
Clear Pronunciation (Izhār)
- (وَلَم أَكُن)
- (لَم نَجعَل)
- (وَلَم تَكُ)
- (إِلَيهِم أَن)
- (وَلَم يَكُن)
- (دونِهِم حِجابًا)
- (وَلَم يَمسَسني)، (وَلَم أَكُ)
- (وَلَم يَجعَلني)
- (وَرَبُّكُم فَاعبُدوهُ)
- (بَينِهِم فَوَيلٌ)
- (بِهِم وَأَبصِر)
- (وَأَنذِرهُم يَومَ)، (وَهُم في)، (وَهُم لا)
- (ما لَم يَأتِكَ)
- (لَم تَنتَهِ)
- (وَأَعتَزِلُكُم وَما)
- (اعتَزَلَهُم وَما)
- (لَهُم لِسانَ)
- (عَلَيهِم آياتُ)
- (بَعدِهِم خَلفٌ)
- (وَلَهُم رِزقُهُم)
- (وَلَم يَكُ)
- (لَنَحشُرَنَّهُم وَالشَّياطينَ)، (نُحضِرَنَّهُم حَولَ)
- (أَيُّهُم أَشَدُّ)
- (هُم أَولى)
- (مِنكُم إِلّا)
- (عَلَيهِم آياتُنا)
- (وَكَم أَهلَكنا)، (هُم أَحسَنُ)
- (لَهُم عِزًّا)
- (بِعِبادَتِهِم وَيَكونونَ)، (عَلَيهِم ضِدًّا)
- (أَلَم تَرَ)، (تَؤُزُّهُم أَزًّا)
- (عَلَيهِم إِنَّما)، (لَهُم عَدًّا)
- (جِئتُم شَيئًا)
- (أَحصاهُم وَعَدَّهُم)، (وَعَدَّهُم عَدًّا)
- (وَكُلُّهُم آتيهِ)
- (وَكَم أَهلَكنا)، (لَهُم رِكزًا)
- (امرَأَتي)
- (امرَأَتي)
- (يَمسَسني)
- (أَمرًا)
- (امرَأَ)
- (دُمتُ)
- (يَمتَرونَ)
- (أَمرًا)، (الأَمرُ)
- (بِأَمرِ)
- (فَليَمدُد)
- (يَملِكونَ)
Pronunciation Assimilation (Idghām)
- (لَهُم مِن)
- (عَلَيهِم مِنَ)
- (قَبلَهُم مِن)
- (قَبلَهُم مِن)، (مِنهُم مِن)
Pronunciation Concealment (Ikhfā)
There is no instance of pronunciation concealment in Surah Maryam.
Rules Governing the Silent Meem
The silent meem is governed by three main rules, which are briefly outlined as follows:
- Clear Pronunciation (Izhār)
The letters for clear pronunciation include all Arabic letters except for meem and baa. When a silent meem is followed by a letter from the clear pronunciation category, it is pronounced clearly. Examples include (لَم نَجعَل) and (يَمسَسني). The clarity is emphasized when it is followed by the letters waw or faa, as seen in (أَحصاهُم وَعَدَّهُم) and (وَرَبُّكُم فَاعبُدوهُ). Clear pronunciation can occur in either one or two words.
- Assimilation (Idghām)
The letter of assimilation is meem. When a silent meem is followed by a moving meem, the first meem is assimilated into the second. An example of this is (مِنهُم مِن), referred to as assimilation of the same letters, and it only appears in two-word constructs.
- Concealment (Ikhfā)
The letter of concealment is baa. When a silent meem is followed by baa, the meem is concealed with a noticeable nasal sound. For instance, (فَهَزَمُوهُم بِإِذْنِ) illustrates this, termed as pronunciation concealment due to the similarity in the place of articulation between meem and baa. Concealment occurs exclusively in two-word scenarios.
Sheikh Suleiman Al-Jamzouri – may Allah have mercy on him – articulated these three rules in his well-known work, “Tuhfat Al-Atfal wa Al-Ghulman” on Quranic recitation, providing the following verses to facilitate the memorization of the silent meem rules for students:
- And when the meem is silent before the letters *** there is no soft alif for the seeker.
- Its rules are three for the one who comprehends *** concealment, assimilation, and clear pronunciation alone.
- The first is concealment at the baa *** and it is called pronunciation concealment for the readers.
- The second is assimilation when the same letter appears *** this is deemed minor assimilation, O youth.
- The third is clear pronunciation with the remaining *** letters that are labeled as clear pronunciation.
- Beware when near waw and faa not to conceal *** due to closeness and union; be aware.