Tafkheem (تفخيم) means making a letter sound heavy or full, where the tongue rises toward the roof of the mouth. Tarqeeq (ترقيق) means making a letter sound light or thin, where the tongue stays low. Every Arabic letter is either always heavy, always light, or contextually switches between the two. Understanding this distinction is crucial because incorrect application changes the sound quality of the recitation significantly.
The letters that are always heavy (مُفَخَّمة) are seven, grouped in the phrase خُصَّ ضَغْطٍ قِظْ: خ، ص، ض، غ، ط، ق، ظ. These letters are pronounced with the back of the tongue elevated toward the soft palate, creating a full, deep sound. Among these, the letters with Itbaaq (ص، ض، ط، ظ) are the heaviest. Even when these letters carry a kasrah, they retain their heaviness, though the degree may slightly decrease.
The letters that are always light (مُرَقَّقة) are the remaining letters of the alphabet, excluding Alif, Laam (in the name of Allah), and Raa, which follow special rules. The Alif takes the quality of the letter before it — if the preceding letter is heavy, the Alif is heavy; if light, the Alif is light. The Laam in Allah's name is heavy (Tafkheem) when preceded by a fathah or dammah, and light (Tarqeeq) when preceded by a kasrah.
The letter Raa (ر) has its own detailed set of rules. Generally, Raa is heavy when it has a fathah or dammah, when it has a sukoon and is preceded by a fathah or dammah, or when it has a sukoon preceded by a kasrah but is followed by a heavy letter. Raa is light when it has a kasrah, or when it has a sukoon preceded by a kasrah and is not followed by a heavy letter. Our lessons break down every scenario with clear examples from the Quran.