# Meem sakinah rules (أَحْكَام الْمِيم السَّاكِنَة)

A meem with sukun is hidden before ba (ikhfa shafawi), merged before another meem (idgham shafawi) and read clearly before every other letter (izhar shafawi).

## Definition

The meem sakinah rules are called “shafawi” (labial) because the meem is made with the lips. There are three: ikhfa shafawi (before ba), idgham shafawi (before meem) and izhar shafawi (before any other letter).

**Letters:** ب م. Ba triggers ikhfa, meem triggers idgham; every other letter gives izhar.

## How to pronounce

1. Before ba: close the lips lightly and hum for about two counts, then release into the ba.
2. Before meem: merge into the second meem, which is read with a shadda and about two counts of ghunnah.
3. Before any other letter: pronounce the meem clearly with closed lips, without a hum. Take extra care before waw and fa so the meem is not hidden.

## Examples from the Quran

### Ikhfa shafawi: meem before ba

- فَإِذَا هُم بِٱلسَّاهِرَةِ  (An-Nazi'at 79:14): And suddenly they will be [alert] upon the earth's surface. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/an-naziat/14
- لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ  (Al-Ghashiyah 88:22): You are not over them a controller. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-ghashiyah/22
- وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجْنُونٍ  (At-Takwir 81:22): And your companion [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) ] is not [at all] mad. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/at-takwir/22

### Idgham shafawi: meem before meem

- إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِم مُّؤْصَدَةٌ  (Al-Humazah 104:8): Indeed, it [i.e., Hellfire] will be closed down upon them — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-humazah/8
- وَٱللَّهُ مِن وَرَآئِهِم مُّحِيطُۢ  (Al-Buruj 85:20): While Allāh encompasses them from behind. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-buruj/20
- فَوَٲكِهُ‌ۖ وَهُم مُّكْرَمُونَ  (As-Saffat 37:42): Fruits; and they will be honored — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/as-saffat/42

### Izhar shafawi: meem before any other letter

- إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ  (Al-Layl 92:4): Indeed, your efforts are diverse. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-layl/4
- وَخَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَزْوَٲجًا  (An-Naba 78:8): And We created you in pairs. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/an-naba/8
- إِذْ هُمْ عَلَيْهَا قُعُودٌ  (Al-Buruj 85:6): When they were sitting near it. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-buruj/6

## Common mistakes

- Hiding the meem before waw or fa because the lips are close to those letters.
- Pressing the lips hard in ikhfa shafawi.

## FAQ

**What does shafawi mean?** “Of the lips”: the meem is articulated with both lips.

**How many meem sakinah rules are there?** Three: ikhfa shafawi, idgham shafawi and izhar shafawi.

## Related

- [Ikhfa (hiding)](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ikhfa)
- [Iqlab (conversion)](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/iqlab)
- [Ghunnah (nasal sound)](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/ghunnah)

Cite: Meem sakinah rules. Noor Quran. https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/meem-sakinah

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