If you have ever been told “that letter is not quite right” during recitation, the problem was almost certainly the makhraj, the exact place in the throat or mouth where the letter is made. Makharij al huroof (مَخَارِجُ الْحُرُوف) means “the exit points of the letters”, and it is the foundation of every Tajweed rule. If a letter comes from the wrong place, no amount of ghunnah or madd will make the recitation correct.
This guide follows the method of Imam Ibn al-Jazari, the most widely taught approach: 5 main areas containing 17 articulation points. For each point you get the letters, where to feel them, and a quick self-test. If you are starting to learn Quran online, read it alongside our guides to the Arabic alphabet and harakat.
What Is a Makhraj?
A makhraj (مَخْرَج) is the point where a sound “exits”, meaning where the airflow is shaped or stopped to produce a particular letter. Two letters made at the same point are then told apart by their characteristics (sifaat), such as whether the breath flows or the voice is heavy. So makharij answer “where is the letter made?” and sifaat answer “how is it made?”. Our guide to sifaat al huroof covers the second half.
How Many Makharij Are There?
Following Ibn al-Jazari, there are 17 articulation points grouped into 5 main areas:
| Area | Arabic name | Number of points |
|---|---|---|
| Empty space of mouth and throat | Al-Jawf (الجَوْف) | 1 |
| Throat | Al-Halq (الحَلْق) | 3 |
| Tongue | Al-Lisan (اللِّسَان) | 10 |
| Lips | Ash-Shafatan (الشَّفَتَان) | 2 |
| Nasal passage | Al-Khayshum (الخَيْشُوم) | 1 |
Some scholars count 16 or 14 points by merging certain positions, but the 17-point model is the standard in most Mushafs, Tajweed books and online courses.
What Is Al-Jawf, the Empty Space?
The first makhraj is not a touch point at all. It is the open space of the mouth and throat that produces the three long vowels (madd letters):
- Alif after a fatha: قَالَ
- Waw with sukoon after a damma: يَقُولُ
- Yaa with sukoon after a kasra: قِيلَ
These sounds end when the breath ends, which is why they can be stretched. The rules of how long to stretch them are in our guide to Madd in Tajweed.
Which Letters Come from the Throat?
The throat has three points, from deepest to highest. These are also the six letters of Izhar.
| Point | Letters | How to feel it |
|---|---|---|
| Deepest part of the throat | ء ه | The catch in “uh-oh”, and a light breathy h |
| Middle of the throat | ع ح | Tighten the middle of the throat; ح is a strong whispered h, ع is the voiced partner |
| Top of the throat | غ خ | Close to the back of the tongue; خ like “loch”, غ like a soft gargle |
Self-test: say أَحْ and then أَخْ. If both feel as though they come from the same place, your ح is too high and is turning into خ.
Which Letters Come from the Tongue?
The tongue has ten points, the most of any area. Here they are from the back of the tongue to the tip:
| No. | Point | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deepest back of the tongue against the soft palate | ق |
| 2 | Back of the tongue, slightly forward of qaf | ك |
| 3 | Middle of the tongue against the hard palate | ج ش ي (consonant yaa) |
| 4 | One or both sides of the tongue against the upper back teeth | ض |
| 5 | Front edges of the tongue against the gums | ل |
| 6 | Tip of the tongue, slightly in front of laam | ن |
| 7 | Tip and a little of the top of the tongue | ر |
| 8 | Tip of the tongue against the base of the upper front teeth | ت د ط |
| 9 | Tip of the tongue just above the lower front teeth | ص س ز |
| 10 | Tip of the tongue touching the edges of the upper front teeth | ث ذ ظ |
Self-tests:
- Say أَقْ then أَكْ. Qaf should feel deeper, near the uvula. If they sound alike, your qaf is too far forward.
- For ض, the side of the tongue presses against the upper molars (most people use the left side). It is heavy and must not become an English “d” or a “z”.
- For ث ذ ظ, the tongue tip must actually be visible between the teeth. If your tongue stays behind the teeth, ذ turns into “z” and ث turns into “s”.
Which Letters Come from the Lips?
The lips have two points:
| Point | Letters | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Inside of the lower lip against the edges of the upper front teeth | ف | Like English “f” |
| Both lips together | ب م و | Lips close for ب and م; lips round without closing for و |
A frequent error is closing the lips completely for و. It should be a rounded opening, not a “b”.
What Is Al-Khayshum, the Nasal Passage?
The last point is the nasal passage, the source of ghunnah. It is used whenever noon or meem carries a shaddah, and in the rules of Ikhfa, Idgham with ghunnah and Iqlab. Self-test: hold your nose while saying إِنَّ. If the sound stops, your ghunnah is coming from the right place. Our guide to ghunnah explains the timing.
How Can You Find the Makhraj of Any Letter?
Scholars teach a simple test: put a sukoon on the letter and a hamzah with a vowel before it, then say it slowly. Wherever the sound stops is the makhraj.
- أَبْ stops at the lips
- أَتْ stops at the tongue tip behind the teeth
- أَقْ stops at the back of the tongue
This one trick lets you check every letter on your own, with no special tools. It is also the method used in the Noorani Qaida, where letters are first practised with sukoon.
Which Makharij Mistakes Are Most Common for Non-Arabs?
| Mistake | What it sounds like | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ح made as English h | رَحِيم sounds like “raheem” with a soft h | Tighten the middle of the throat and push air |
| ع dropped | عَلِيم sounds like “aleem” | Constrict the middle throat with the voice on |
| ق made like ك | قُلْ sounds like “kul” | Move contact to the very back of the tongue |
| ث ذ ظ made behind the teeth | ذَلِكَ sounds like “zalika” | Let the tongue tip touch the edges of the upper teeth |
| ص made as a light s | صِرَاط sounds like “sirat” | Raise the back of the tongue for a deep, heavy s |
How Should You Practise Makharij Every Day?
- Pick one area per day: throat, back of tongue, middle of tongue, tip of tongue, or lips.
- Say each letter of that area with the hamzah-and-sukoon test.
- Use a mirror to check the lips and the tongue tip for ث ذ ظ ف.
- Read one short surah, such as Al-Ikhlas, focusing only on that day’s letters.
- Record and compare with a slow teaching recitation, such as Sheikh Al-Husary’s.
Makharij are the area where a live teacher helps the most, because many mistakes are impossible to hear in your own voice. Our online Tajweed course starts every new student with a makharij check.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many makharij al huroof are there?
The most widely taught method, from Imam Ibn al-Jazari, counts 17 articulation points in 5 main areas: the empty space, the throat, the tongue, the lips and the nasal passage.
What are the five main areas of articulation?
Al-Jawf (the empty space for long vowels), Al-Halq (the throat), Al-Lisan (the tongue), Ash-Shafatan (the lips) and Al-Khayshum (the nasal passage).
Which area has the most makharij?
The tongue, with 10 of the 17 points. That is why most pronunciation mistakes involve tongue letters such as qaf, daad and the letters made between the teeth.
What is the difference between makhraj and sifah?
The makhraj is where a letter is made. The sifah is how it is made, such as heavy or light, with breath or without. Letters that share a makhraj are told apart by their sifaat.
Can I learn makharij without a teacher?
You can learn the theory and use the hamzah-and-sukoon test on your own. A teacher is still very helpful, because many makharij mistakes cannot be heard in your own voice.
