Two Hamzas in Qalun: Tashil, Idkhal, Ibdal and Isqat

The rules of two hamzas in Qalun recitation require an orderly method. The outcome depends on whether the hamzas occur in one word or across two words, whether their vowels match, and—across a word boundary—whether the reciter joins or stops.

This guide presents Qalun’s rules through the path of al-Shatibiyya: tashil, idkhal, isqat, and ibdal. It then lists all 216 loci using the vocalized Qalun mushaf text. The site’s Quran font renders the authentic tashil sign, so the examples should be viewed in the Qalun font rather than a generic Arabic typeface.

What are the two-hamza rules in Qalun?

Two hamzas may occur inside one word, or the final hamza of one word may meet the initial hamza of the next. Qalun does not treat every meeting alike. One hamza may remain fully articulated, be eased bayna-bayna, be dropped in continuous recitation, or be replaced. An alif may also be inserted between adjacent hamzas.

What does tashil bayna-bayna mean?

Tashil is an intermediate articulation between a fully pronounced hamza and the sound corresponding to its vowel. It is neither complete omission nor full replacement with ya or waw. Its precise sound is learned orally from a qualified teacher.

See the general tashil rule and ibdal rule for their basic definitions.

Idkhal, isqat, and ibdal

• Idkhal: inserting a separating alif between two hamzas.
• Isqat: completely dropping one hamza in continuous recitation.
• Ibdal: replacing a hamza with a sound suited to the preceding vowel.
• Ibdal with idgham: replacement followed by assimilation at specific loci.

Distribution of the 216 loci

The corpus is divided into four explicit categories according to the position and vowels of the two hamzas:

A word-final hamza carrying tanwin is excluded because the pronounced nun separates the two hamzas.

Two hamzas in one word

General rule: idkhal and tashil of the second hamza

When an interrogative hamza immediately meets hamzat al-qat, Qalun keeps the first in full articulation, inserts an alif, and eases the second. Examples in the Qalun mushaf include:

• ءَٰا۬نذَرْتَهُمْ;
• أَٰ۟ذَا;
• أَٰئِنَّكُمْ;
• أَٰوْ۟نَبِّئُكُم.

The sign’s appearance changes with the second hamza’s vowel and seat. The Qalun font used on this site displays these Quranic signs correctly.

Exceptions without idkhal

These are exceptions to the general idkhal rule: the second hamza is eased without an inserted alif at eight fixed loci. ءَاٰ۬مَنتُم occurs three times, ءَاٰ۬لِهَتُنَا once, and أَئِمَّة four times.

The following table identifies all eight exceptions and the additional two-form locus in Az-Zukhruf: nine explicitly documented loci, with exact Qalun mushaf text and a direct link to every ayah.

At Surah Az-Zukhruf, ayah 18, two forms are transmitted. In the preferred form, the first hamza is fully articulated, a separating alif is inserted, and the second hamza is eased. In the second form, the first remains fully articulated and the second eased, but no idkhal alif is inserted. It is therefore not a mandatory exception like the preceding eight loci, but a locus with differing transmitted forms for idkhal.

The ARAʾAYTA family

The corpus contains 34 forms such as أَرَٰ۬يْتُمْ and أَفَرَٰ۬يْتُم. Both hamzas belong to one word but are separated by ra.

Qalun fully articulates the interrogative hamza and eases the root hamza from رَأَىٰ. There is no idkhal because the hamzas are not adjacent.

Two words with matching hamza vowels

These rules apply only in wasl. If the reciter stops on the first word, the meeting no longer exists, and the next word begins with a fully articulated hamza.

Two fathas: drop the first hamza

When both hamzas carry fatha, Qalun drops the first during continuous recitation. The adopted rasm shows its effect in:

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَا أَمْرُنَا

At a stop, the first word’s pausal form is restored before restarting the second with a fully articulated hamza.

Two kasras: ease the first hamza

The general rule is to ease the first hamza and retain the second, as in اَ۬لنِّسَآ۟ إِلَّا and هَٰؤُلَآ۟ إِن.

Three loci are exceptions involving ibdal and idgham. At Surah Yusuf, ayah 53, two specific forms are transmitted:

1. Preferred form: replace the first hamza with waw and assimilate it into the preceding waw, producing بِالسُّوِّ إِلَّا;
2. Second form: ease the first hamza bayna-bayna while fully articulating the second; its written form remains بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا.

Two dammas

This configuration occurs once: أَوْلِيَآ۟ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ. The first hamza is eased and the second retained.

Two words with different hamza vowels

The first hamza has fatha

When the first hamza has fatha and the second has kasra or damma, Qalun eases the second hamza. This family contains 19 loci, including:

• شُهَدَآءَ ا۪ذْ;
• جَآءَ ا۟مَّةٗ.

The second hamza has fatha

When the second hamza has fatha, it is replaced according to the first hamza’s vowel:

• after kasra, it becomes ya at 16 loci, as in اِ۬لسَّمَآءِ اَ۬نْ;
• after damma, it becomes waw at 12 loci, as in اَ۬لْمَلَأُ اَ۬فْتُونِے.

Damma then kasra: two forms

At 28 loci, the first hamza has damma and the second kasra. Qalun transmits two forms:

1. replace the second hamza with waw, the preferred form in this guide;
2. ease the second hamza bayna-bayna.

يَّشَآءُ اِ۪لَىٰ is one example. The selected form must remain consistent with the learned path and should not be combined arbitrarily with unrelated recitation choices. The Qalun rules index places this chapter among the riwaya’s other principles.

What happens in waqf?

• Rules inside one word remain applicable because a stop cannot divide the word.
• The 122 meetings across two words are conditional on wasl.
• When stopping on the first word, its pausal form is restored; when restarting, the second word begins with a fully articulated hamza.

The reciter must therefore identify the word boundary, each hamza’s vowel, and whether the reading is joined or stopped.

All 216 two-hamza loci in Qalun

The following inventory follows Qalun verse numbering and uses the site’s exact mushaf text. The relevant word or pair is enlarged so that the tashil sign rendered by the Qalun font remains visible. Each category can be expanded separately.

Common mistakes

1. Confusing tashil with ibdal: bayna-bayna is not a complete long vowel.
2. Applying a wasl rule after making a stop.
3. Dropping the wrong hamza: with two fathas across words, the first is dropped.
4. Confusing the inserted alif with any neighboring madd.
5. Using a font that does not contain the Qalun mushaf’s special signs.
6. Counting meetings interrupted by the pronounced nun of tanwin.

Frequently asked questions

Does tashil remove the hamza?

No. The hamza remains audible in an intermediate form. Complete omission is isqat.

What is the difference between tashil and ibdal?

Tashil preserves an intermediate hamza articulation. Ibdal turns it into ya, waw, or a long vowel according to context.

Does every written pair of hamzas belong to this chapter?

No. Tanwin, word boundaries, and long vowels must be considered. For example:

• at Surah Al-Baqarah, ayah 177, وَأَدَآءٌ إِلَيْهِ بِإِحْسَٰنٖ is not a direct meeting: the pronounced nun of tanwin occurs between the two hamzas, “adaʾun ilayhi”;
• at Surah Al-Mumtahanah, ayah 4, إِنَّا بُرَءَٰٓؤُاْ مِنكُمْ is excluded because a long alif separates the two hamzas inside the word.

Written proximity alone is therefore insufficient; the rule depends on whether the two hamzas are truly adjacent in pronunciation.

Is the written sign enough to learn tashil?

The Qalun font displays the correct sign and identifies the locus, but its phonetic realization must be learned through listening and supervised recitation.

Do Qalun and Hafs apply the same rules?

No. Hafs often keeps full hamza articulation where Qalun transmits tashil, idkhal, isqat, or ibdal. The Qalun and Hafs comparison presents their broader differences.

Key points

• The inventory contains 216 loci.
• In one word, the dominant rule is alif insertion with tashil of the second hamza.
• Forms of أَرَٰ۬يْتَ use tashil without idkhal.
• Across words with matching vowels, the rule varies among isqat, tashil, and ibdal with idgham.
• Across different vowels, the vowel pair determines tashil, ibdal, or two forms.
• Rules across two words apply only in wasl.
• The Qalun font renders the signs, while correct pronunciation remains rooted in oral transmission.