# Waqf signs (stopping marks) (عَلَامَات الْوَقْف)

Small signs above the line in the mushaf show where to stop, where to continue and where a stop is not allowed.

## Definition

Waqf (“stopping”) is pausing to take a breath at a place where the meaning is complete enough. The Madani mushaf marks the places with the signs below. They guide you but do not replace a teacher; the signs used in South-Asian mushafs differ a little.

## How to pronounce

1. Learn the seven signs in the table and find them in the examples below.
2. At every ayah end you may stop; when you stop, a vowel becomes sukun (with the usual rules for ta marbuta, tanween and madd).
3. If you must stop at a place where stopping is not preferred, go back a few words when you resume.

## Examples from the Quran

### ۘ Waqf lazim: stopping is necessary

- فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ‌ۘ يَوْمَ يَدْعُ ٱلدَّاعِ إِلَىٰ شَىْءٍ نُّكُرٍ  (Al-Qamar 54:6): So leave them, [O Muḥammad]. The Day the Caller calls to something forbidding, — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-qamar/6
- لَّعَنَهُ ٱللَّهُ‌ۘ وَقَالَ لَأَتَّخِذَنَّ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ نَصِيبًا مَّفْرُوضًا  (An-Nisa 4:118): Whom Allāh has cursed. For he had said, "I will surely take from among Your servants a specific portion. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/an-nisa/118
- فَلَا يَحْزُنكَ قَوْلُهُمْ‌ۘ إِنَّا نَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ  (Ya-Sin 36:76): So let not their speech grieve you. Indeed, We know what they conceal and what they declare. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/ya-sin/76

### ۖ Continuing is preferred

- كَلَّا‌ۖ لَيُنۢبَذَنَّ فِى ٱلْحُطَمَةِ  (Al-Humazah 104:4): No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-humazah/4
- كَلَّا‌ۖ بَل لَّا تُكْرِمُونَ ٱلْيَتِيمَ  (Al-Fajr 89:17): No! But you do not honor the orphan — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-fajr/17
- كَلَّآ‌ۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ  (Al-Ma'arij 70:15): No! Indeed, it is the Flame [of Hell], — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-maarij/15

### ۗ Stopping is preferred

- وَبِٱلَّيْلِ‌ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ  (As-Saffat 37:138): And at night. Then will you not use reason? — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/as-saffat/138
- ذُرِّيَّةَۢ بَعْضُهَا مِنۢ بَعْضٍ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ  (Ali 'Imran 3:34): Descendants, some of them from others. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/ali-imran/34
- أَفَمَن يَخْلُقُ كَمَن لَّا يَخْلُقُ‌ۗ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ  (An-Nahl 16:17): Then is He who creates like one who does not create? So will you not be reminded? — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/an-nahl/17

### ۚ Stopping or continuing are both permitted

- قٓ‌ۚ وَٱلْقُرْءَانِ ٱلْمَجِيدِ  (Qaf 50:1): Qāf. By the honored Qur’ān... — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/qaf/1
- قَوْمَ فِرْعَوْنَ‌ۚ أَلَا يَتَّقُونَ  (Ash-Shu'ara 26:11): The people of Pharaoh. Will they not fear Allāh?" — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/ash-shuara/11
- صٓ‌ۚ وَٱلْقُرْءَانِ ذِى ٱلذِّكْرِ  (Sad 38:1): Ṣād. By the Qur’ān containing reminder... — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/sad/1

### ۛ Stop at one of the two marked places (mu‘anaqah)

- ذَٲلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ‌ۛ فِيهِ‌ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ  (Al-Baqarah 2:2): This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allāh - — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-baqarah/2
- قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ‌ۛ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً‌ۛ يَتِيهُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ‌ۚ فَلَا تَأْسَ عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ  (Al-Ma'idah 5:26): [Allāh] said, "Then indeed, it is forbidden to them for forty years [in which] they will wander throughout the land. So do not grieve over the defiantly disobedient people." — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-maidah/26
- وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ‌ۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰ‌ۛ شَهِدْنَآ‌ۛ أَن تَقُولُواْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَـٰذَا غَـٰفِلِينَ  (Al-A'raf 7:172): And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we have testified." [This] - lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, "Indeed, we were of this unaware." — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-araf/172

### ۙ Do not stop here

- إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَهُۥ قَدَّرْنَآ‌ۙ إِنَّهَا لَمِنَ ٱلْغَـٰبِرِينَ  (Al-Hijr 15:60): Except his wife." We [i.e., Allāh] decreed that she is of those who remain behind. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-hijr/60
- وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِلَّهِ ٱلْبَنَـٰتِ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ‌ۙ وَلَهُم مَّا يَشْتَهُونَ  (An-Nahl 16:57): And they attribute to Allāh daughters - exalted is He - and for them is what they desire [i.e., sons]. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/an-nahl/57
- وَٱلَّذِى جَآءَ بِٱلصِّدْقِ وَصَدَّقَ بِهِۦٓ‌ۙ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ  (Az-Zumar 39:33): And the one who has brought the truth [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] and [they who] believed in it - those are the righteous. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/az-zumar/33

### ۜ Saktah: a brief pause without breath

- وَقِيلَ مَنْۜ رَاقٍ  (Al-Qiyamah 75:27): And it is said, "Who will cure [him]?" — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-qiyamah/27
- مَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنِّى مَالِيَهْۜ  (Al-Haqqah 69:28): My wealth has not availed me. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-haqqah/28
- كَلَّا‌ۖ بَلْۜ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ  (Al-Mutaffifin 83:14): No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning. — https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/surah/al-mutaffifin/14

## Common mistakes

- Stopping in the middle of a phrase because the breath ran out, without going back when you resume.
- Ignoring the stops at the signs and reading through a long passage without a breath.

## FAQ

**What does the sign ۘ mean?** It is the meem of waqf lazim: stopping is necessary here so that the meaning is not confused.

**What does the sign ۙ mean?** It stands for “la” (do not stop here), unless it comes at the end of an ayah.

## Related

- [Hamzatul wasl (connecting hamza)](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/hamzatul-wasl)
- [Madd ‘arid lis-sukun (madd when stopping)](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/madd-arid)
- [Qalqalah (echoing)](https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/qalqalah)

Cite: Waqf signs (stopping marks). Noor Quran. https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/tajweed/waqf-signs

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