Izhar Shafawi: Rule, Letters and Quran Examples

Izhar Shafawi is the rule you apply most often with meem sakinah (مْ), because it covers 26 of the 28 letters. When a meem with sukoon is followed by any letter other than ب or م, you close the lips, say a clean “m”, and move on without holding it in the nose. You recite it in the very first ayah of Al-Fatiha after the basmalah: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ.

The rule sounds simple, yet it is where many students quietly slip, especially before the letters و and ف. This guide explains the rule, the letters, clear Quran examples, how to read it in the Mushaf, and a focused drill for the two trap letters. It belongs with our wider Tajweed rules series for anyone who wants to learn Quran online with accurate recitation.

What Is Izhar Shafawi?

Izhar (إِظْهَار) means “making clear” and shafawi (شَفَوِي) means “of the lips”, because meem is a lip letter. Izhar Shafawi is pronouncing a meem sakinah clearly, from the lips, without merging it into the next letter and without a held ghunnah.

Which Letters Trigger Izhar Shafawi?

All the letters of the alphabet except two: ب (baa) and م (meem). Those two have their own rules:

Because 26 letters is too many to memorise as a list, it is easier to remember the two exceptions and treat everything else as Izhar. Our guides to Ikhfa Shafawi and Idgham Shafawi cover the two exceptions.

What Are Examples of Izhar Shafawi in the Quran?

Izhar Shafawi happens inside one word and across two words. These examples are easy to find and practise:

Notice that Al-Fatiha contains three Izhar Shafawi examples. That makes it the perfect surah to test yourself every day.

How Do You Pronounce Izhar Shafawi?

1. Close the lips firmly and evenly for the meem.
2. Let a short, natural “m” sound out. Do not hold it for two counts.
3. Open the lips straight into the next letter, from its own makhraj.

The meem keeps a small natural nasal quality, because that is part of the letter itself. What Izhar Shafawi forbids is a deliberately held ghunnah, the two-count hum you use in Ikhfa and Idgham.

Why Are Waw and Faa the Hardest Letters for Izhar Shafawi?

Classical Tajweed books single out و and ف and ask the reciter to be extra careful with them. The reason is how close they are to meem:

• Waw (و) is also made with the lips, just like meem. The lips are already rounding, so it is tempting to slide the meem into the waw or to hide it.
• Faa (ف) is made with the lower lip against the upper teeth, very close to where meem is made. The tongue and lips naturally want to “prepare” for the faa early, which hides the meem.

The classic warning is that the reciter must show the meem clearly before these two letters, without turning it into Ikhfa. Practise these phrases until the meem is crisp:

• عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا (1:7)
• هُمْ فِيهَا (2:25)
• أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي (2:262)
• هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ (2:39)

When you can say hum fīhā with the lips clearly closing and opening before the faa, you have mastered the hardest part of Izhar Shafawi.

How Can You Recognise Izhar Shafawi in the Mushaf?

In the Madani (Uthmani) Mushaf, a meem with Izhar Shafawi carries a visible sukoon on top (مْ). When the next rule is Ikhfa or Idgham, the meem is printed without a sukoon. So a meem with a sukoon sign tells you: say it clearly. Colour-coded copies leave Izhar Shafawi in normal black, because no special effect is added. Our guide to the colour-coded Tajweed Quran explains the colour systems.

How Is Izhar Shafawi Different from Izhar of Noon?

Both rules mean “clarity”, but they apply to different letters:

You can read the noon version in our guide to Izhar in Tajweed. Keeping the two separate in your notes helps a lot in exams and when teaching children.

What Mistakes Do Students Make with Izhar Shafawi?

• Holding a ghunnah: stretching the meem for two counts before letters like و or ف.
• Hiding the meem: not closing the lips fully before ف, so the meem disappears.
• Adding a vowel: saying lakumu dīnukum instead of lakum dīnukum.
• Bouncing the meem: adding a little echo, as if the meem were a qalqalah letter.
• Lazy lips: closing the lips only halfway, which gives a muffled meem.

How Can You Practise Izhar Shafawi?

1. Recite Al-Fatiha slowly and stop after each Izhar Shafawi to check the meem was short and clean.
2. Drill the waw and faa phrases above five times each.
3. Use a mirror: the lips should close fully and open quickly.
4. Read Surah Al-Kafirun (109), which ends with لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ, a clear Izhar Shafawi.
5. Compare with a slow teaching recitation and correct one thing at a time.

A teacher can hear the difference between a clean meem and a slightly held one far more easily than you can on a recording. Our online Tajweed course gives this kind of feedback live in every lesson.