What is Tajweed Elifba?
Tajweed Elifba is a learning system that integrates the fundamental knowledge needed to read the Quran correctly with tajweed (recitation) rules. The traditional Elifba method starts with recognizing Arabic letters, followed by vowel marks, sukun, shadda, madd letters and tanween. The Tajweed Elifba goes further by also teaching proper articulation (makhraj), elongation (madd) and assimilation (idgham) rules.
1. Letters: The Foundation of the Quran Alphabet
The Quran alphabet consists of 28 letters. These letters are categorized as thin letters, thick letters (ط ق ض غ ص ظ خ), interdental letters (ظ ذ ث), and throat letters (هـ غ ع خ ح ا). Each letter changes shape depending on its position in a word: isolated, initial, medial, and final forms. QuranKids lets you learn all writing forms of each letter interactively.
2. Vowel Marks (Harakat): Giving Sound to Letters
All letters in the Quran alphabet are silent consonants. Three basic vowel marks give them sound: Fatha (above the letter, 'a' sound), Kasra (below the letter, 'i/e' sound), and Damma (above the letter like a small waw, 'u/o' sound). QuranKids provides separate practice lessons and games for each vowel mark.
3. Sukun (Jazm): The Silent Stop Sign
Sukun is a small circle placed above a letter indicating it has no vowel sound. The letter joins with the previous letter's vowel. Care must be taken not to add any vowel sound when reading a letter with sukun. Example: مِنْ (min - 'from'), قُلْ (qul - 'say').
4. Shadda: The Letter Doubling Sign
Shadda doubles the letter it sits upon, combining a silent version with a voweled version of the same letter. Example: إِنَّ (inna - 'indeed'), مُحَمَّدٌ (Muhammad). When reading a letter with shadda, care must be taken not to elongate the sound.
5. Madd Letters: Elongation Signs
Madd means to elongate the sound. Three madd letters: Alif (ا) elongates fatha, Waw (و) elongates damma, Ya (ى) elongates kasra. When these letters have no vowel mark, they serve as elongation letters. Example: قَالَ (qaala - 'he said'), يَقُولُ (yaquulu - 'he says').
6. Tanween: Double Vowel Marks
Tanween consists of double fatha (ـًا), double kasra (ـٍ), and double damma (ـٌ). It makes the letter sound as if there's a silent noon at the end. Example: كِتَابًا (kitaaban), كِتَابٍ (kitaabin), كِتَابٌ (kitaabun).
7. Basic Tajweed Rules
Tajweed is the science of reading the Quran according to specific rules. Main rules include: Ikhfa (hiding), Izhar (clear pronunciation), Iqlab (conversion), Idgham (merging), Qalqalah (bouncing), Madd Tabii (natural elongation), Madd Muttasil (connected elongation), Madd Lazim (obligatory elongation). QuranKids' guide section explains each tajweed rule in detail.
Learning Tajweed Elifba with QuranKids
QuranKids brings the traditional tajweed elifba curriculum into a digital, interactive format. With 15+ games, audio letter cards, step-by-step practice lessons and a reward system, children learn while having fun. The app is completely free, ad-free, and available in 6 languages. Accessible from both the web (kuran-ogreniyorum.com) and Google Play.