# Ghunnah (nasal sound) (غُنَّة)

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.

## How to pronounce

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

- مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ  (An-Nas 114:2): The Sovereign of mankind, — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/an-nas/2
- وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ  ('Abasa 80:35): And his mother and his father — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/abasa/35
- فَأُمُّهُۥ هَاوِيَةٌ  (Al-Qari'ah 101:9): His refuge will be an abyss. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-qariah/9
- عَمَّ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ  (An-Naba 78:1): About what are they asking one another? — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/an-naba/1
- إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ  (At-Tariq 86:13): Indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a decisive statement, — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/at-tariq/13

## Common mistakes

- Rushing noon or meem mushaddad so the ghunnah is lost.
- Stretching the ghunnah beyond two counts.

## FAQ

**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.

## Related

- [Idgham with ghunnah](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/idgham-with-ghunnah)
- [Ikhfa (hiding)](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ikhfa)
- [Iqlab (conversion)](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/iqlab)

Cite: Ghunnah (nasal sound). Noor Quran. https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ghunnah

Canonical: https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ghunnah