Madd Rules Explained: How Long Do You Hold Each Letter?

Madd means "lengthening". In Tajweed it is the rule for holding the sound of a long vowel letter (alif after a fatha, waw with a sukoon after a damma, or ya with a sukoon after a kasra) for a set length of time. The shortest is the natural madd at about two counts, and the other types are longer, usually because a hamzah or a sukoon comes after the madd letter.

Last updated: 14 November 2026

What is a "count"?

A count (harakah) is the time it takes to say one short vowel. Teachers often use a finger movement or a steady tap to keep the beat. Two counts is therefore about the length of two short vowels. Counts are about even, controlled timing, not about speed, so the same lengthening should feel the same each time you read it.

The three madd letters

• Alif after a letter with a fatha.
• Waw with a sukoon after a letter with a damma.
• Ya with a sukoon after a letter with a kasra.

If the letter before them does not carry the matching short vowel, they are not madd letters, which is why a teacher will often ask you to identify the short vowel first.

The main types, in the order beginners meet them

• Madd tabii (natural), 2 counts. A madd letter with no hamzah and no sukoon or shaddah straight after it. This is the foundation, and the others add length on top of it. It is also called madd asli, "the original madd".
• Madd muttasil (connected). A madd letter followed by a hamzah in the same word. It is commonly taught as 4 or 5 counts.
• Madd munfasil (separated). A madd letter at the end of a word, with a hamzah at the start of the next word. It is lengthened when you read on, and is commonly taught as 4 or 5 counts.
• Madd lazim (necessary). A madd letter followed by a letter with a permanent sukoon or a shaddah in the same word. It is the longest, at 6 counts.
• Madd arid lil-sukoon. Appears only when you stop on a word, with the madd letter in front of the last letter. It is commonly 2, 4 or 6 counts.
• Madd leen. A soft madd on ya or waw sakinah after a fatha, in front of the last letter when you stop. It is also commonly 2, 4 or 6 counts.
• Madd badal (substitute). The hamzah comes before the madd letter in the same word, and the length is 2 counts.

Counts for several types are described as "commonly taught as" because teachers follow the chain of recitation they were trained in, and different chains choose different lengths within accepted limits. Follow your own teacher, and stay consistent with the length you have been given. Our madd rules chart shows all seven types on one printable page, with a short recognise-the-madd quiz.

How to tell which madd you are looking at

• Step 1. Find the madd letter and check that the short vowel before it matches.
• Step 2. Look at what comes straight after it. A hamzah in the same word means muttasil. A hamzah at the start of the next word means munfasil.
• Step 3. A shaddah or permanent sukoon in the same word means lazim.
• Step 4. If nothing follows it that needs extra length, it is natural madd, 2 counts.
• Step 5. If a madd appears only because you stop at the end of a word, it belongs to the stopping types.

How to practise

• Master natural madd first. Read a familiar page and tap two counts on every natural madd until the length is steady.
• Add one type at a time. Move on only when the earlier type is automatic.
• Keep the length even. A madd that grows louder or faster as it goes is a mistake; hold the same sound for the whole time.
• Record and listen back. Your teacher can then comment on length rather than guess from memory.

Common mistakes

• Cutting natural madd short, or stretching it too far.
• Treating every long sound as a long madd. Most are only 2 counts.
• Letting the pitch or loudness change while holding the sound.
• Changing the length from one place to the next within the same page.

Learn it with someone listening

Counts are very easy to understand and a little hard to do evenly. Book a free trial class and read to a teacher, who can tap the count with you. For where each letter is made, see makharij explained.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between madd muttasil and madd munfasil?

In madd muttasil the madd letter and the hamzah are in the same word. In madd munfasil the madd letter ends one word and the hamzah starts the next.

How many counts is natural madd?

Natural madd is two counts, about the length of two short vowels.

Why do some teachers give different counts?

Different chains of recitation choose different lengths within accepted limits for some types. Follow the length your teacher teaches and keep it consistent.

Which madd is the longest?

Madd lazim is the longest, at 6 counts.