The five Qalqalah letters are ق ط ب ج د — Qaf, Ta, Ba, Jeem and Dal. They produce a short, controlled bounce when they carry a sukoon or when you stop on them.
Qalqalah (قَلْقَلَة) literally means "shaking" or "disturbance." In Tajweed, it refers to a slight echo or bounce sound that occurs on specific letters when they carry a sukoon (no vowel) — either within a word or when stopping at the end.
Think of it as the sound of a letter releasing rather than stopping dead. It's a brief, controlled vibration — not a full vowel, not silence. Something in between.
There are exactly five letters that carry Qalqalah. A common memory aid that gathers them together is قُطُبُ جَدٍّ (Qutbu Jadd):
These letters produce Qalqalah only when they have a sukoon — either marked or implied when stopping (waqf).
| Letter | Name | Sound location | Quran example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ق | Qaf | Back of the tongue | الْفَلَقْ |
| ط | Ta | Tip of the tongue | أَطْعَمَهُم |
| ب | Ba | Lips | أَبْتَرُ |
| ج | Jeem | Middle of the tongue | يَجْعَلُونَ |
| د | Dal | Tip of the tongue | أَحَدْ |
The letter stops briefly, then a slight resonance or echo is released — like a gentle tap on a drum.
The echo is not a vowel — don't add "a", "i", or "u". It's purely a release of the stopped sound.
Qalqalah is most prominent when you stop (waqf) on one of these letters at the end of an ayah.
The word أَحَدْ — from Surah Al-Ikhlas — ends with a دال (Dal) at sukoon when stopping. Release a slight echo on the Dal rather than ending it in silence.
Similarly, الْفَلَقْ ends with Qaf when stopping. Qaf is articulated by raising the back of the tongue toward the soft-palate area, then releasing the stopped sound with a controlled bounce.
Mid-word examples include أَطْعَمَهُم, أَبْتَرُ and يَجْعَلُونَ. In each one, keep the bounce brief so it does not turn into an extra vowel.
The most common mistake. The letter simply stops with no resonance, making the recitation sound abrupt.
Over-doing Qalqalah sounds unnatural and breaks the flow. The echo should be subtle and controlled.
Some reciters add "ah" or "a" after the letter — this is incorrect Tajweed and alters the word.
Step 1: Say each letter with sukoon: أَقْ، أَطْ، أَبْ، أَجْ، أَدْ. Step 2: Keep the letter closed briefly, then release it without adding “a”, “i” or “u”. Step 3: Practise the Quran examples above, first slowly and then within the full ayah.
They are ق ط ب ج د: Qaf, Ta, Ba, Jeem and Dal. The mnemonic قُطُبُ جَدٍّ (Qutbu Jadd) helps learners remember them.
Qalqalah occurs when one of the five letters carries a sukoon, either within a word or because you stop on that letter at the end of a word.
Sughra is the lighter bounce on a sakin Qalqalah letter within a word. Kubra is the stronger, clearer bounce heard when stopping on a Qalqalah letter.
No. The bounce must not become “a”, “i” or “u”. It is a controlled release of the stopped consonant.
Qalqalah has two levels of strength:
When you stop on a Qalqalah letter at the end of a word or ayah. This is the strongest and most noticeable.
When the letter carries sukoon within a word. The echo is present but lighter.
Most people don't realise they're missing Qalqalah until someone tells them. Our free checker detects missing or over-done Qalqalah in your recitation and shows you exactly what to adjust.