# Ikhfa (hiding) (إِخْفَاء)

Ikhfa means hiding a noon sakinah or tanween, with ghunnah, before any of the fifteen remaining letters.

## Definition

Ikhfa is the most common noon rule. The noon is neither clearly pronounced (izhar) nor fully merged (idgham): the tongue does not touch the place of the noon, the sound is carried through the nose for about two counts, and the mouth already takes the shape of the next letter.

**Letters:** ت ث ج د ذ ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك. Fifteen letters: all those not covered by izhar, idgham and iqlab.

## How to pronounce

1. Keep the tongue away from the noon’s place (behind the upper front teeth).
2. Let the sound resonate in the nose for about two counts.
3. Prepare the mouth for the next letter while humming: light before light letters, fuller before heavy ones such as ص ض ط ظ ق.

## Examples from the Quran

- فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَىٰ  (An-Nazi'at 79:37): So as for he who transgressed — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/an-naziat/37
- مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ  (Al-Falaq 113:2): From the evil of that which He created — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-falaq/2
- وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًا  (An-Naba 78:34): And a full cup. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/an-naba/34
- فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ  ('Abasa 80:6): To him you give attention. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/abasa/6
- مُّطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ  (At-Takwir 81:21): Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/at-takwir/21

## Common mistakes

- Touching the tongue to the noon’s place, which turns ikhfa into a clear noon.
- Making the ghunnah too short or too long.

## FAQ

**Which letters need ikhfa?** Fifteen: ت ث ج د ذ ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ف ق ك.

**Is ikhfa the same as idgham?** No. In idgham the noon is absorbed into the next letter (which gets a shadda); in ikhfa the noon is hidden but the next letter has no shadda.

## Related

- [Izhar (clear pronunciation)](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/izhar)
- [Iqlab (conversion)](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/iqlab)
- [Ghunnah (nasal sound)](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ghunnah)

Cite: Ikhfa (hiding). Noor Quran. https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ikhfa

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