Qalqalah & ghunnahمَلِكِ ٱل
Ghunnah (nasal sound)
The Sovereign of mankind,
Qalqalah & ghunnah
غُنَّة
Ghunnah (nasal sound)
Ghunnah is the nasal hum that belongs to noon and meem; it is held for a full two counts on a noon or meem with shadda (نّ مّ).
Definition
Ghunnah is a sound that resonates in the nasal passage and cannot be separated from noon and meem. Its fullest form is on a noon or meem carrying a shadda, as in إِنَّ and ثُمَّ, where it is held for about two counts. The same nasal sound is also part of ikhfa, iqlab and idgham with ghunnah.
Letters
- نّ
- مّ
Noon and meem with shadda.
Ghunnah (nasal sound)
How to pronounce it
- 1
Self-check: gently pinch your nose while saying it. If the sound changes or is cut off, the ghunnah is coming from the nose, as it should.
- 2
Hold it for about two counts without turning it into a long “nnn”.
- 3
Keep the surrounding vowels clean: the hum should not leak into the vowel before it.
Examples from the Quran
Only the letters that follow this rule are coloured. Press play to hear the ayah, or open it for the full page.
وَأُ
Ghunnah (nasal sound)
And his mother and his father
فَأُ
Ghunnah (nasal sound)
His refuge will be an abyss.
عَ
Ghunnah (nasal sound)
About what are they asking one another?
إِ
Ghunnah (nasal sound)
Indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a decisive statement,
Common mistakes
- Rushing noon or meem mushaddad so the ghunnah is lost.
- Stretching the ghunnah beyond two counts.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ghunnah?
Ghunnah is the nasal hum that belongs to noon and meem; it is held for a full two counts on a noon or meem with shadda (نّ مّ).
On which letters is ghunnah required?
Always on noon and meem with shadda; it is also part of ikhfa, iqlab and idgham with ghunnah.
How long is ghunnah?
About two counts.
Cite this
Cite thisPermanent link: https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ghunnah
- Plain
- Ghunnah: Tajweed Rule, Letters & Quran Examples | গুন্নাহ (Tajweed). Noor Quran. https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ghunnah
- APA
- Noor Quran. (n.d.). Ghunnah: Tajweed Rule, Letters & Quran Examples | গুন্নাহ [Tajweed]. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ghunnah
- MLA
- “Ghunnah: Tajweed Rule, Letters & Quran Examples | গুন্নাহ.” Tajweed. Noor Quran, https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ghunnah. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.
- Markdown
- [Ghunnah: Tajweed Rule, Letters & Quran Examples | গুন্নাহ](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ghunnah) — Tajweed, Noor Quran