What Do the Letters above Certain Words in the Quran Signify?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

Question

I find some letters above certain words in the Quran, such as (ج), (صلى), (قلى), and (لا). What do these letters mean?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.

Importance of Stopping and Starting Rules in Quranic Recitation

These letters are known as terms related to the rules of stopping (waqf) and starting (ibtida’) in the Quran. Their purpose is to preserve the meanings of the Quran from distortion. Just as knowing where to stop and start during a conversation is crucial for eloquence, similarly, it is vital for the proper recitation, understanding, and Tajwid of the Quran.

The Significance of Proper Stopping

The importance of knowing where to stop and its effect on the meaning is emphasized in a hadith narrated by ‘Adi Ibn Hatim: A man gave a speech in the presence of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said:

“Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed been guided, and whoever disobeys them has gone astray.” The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “What a bad speaker you are; say ‘and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger’.” [Muslim; Ahmad]

Abu Ja‘far al-Nahhas explained that the speaker stopped at “and whoever disobeys them” and then continued with “has gone astray.” He should have either connected the statement by saying, “and whoever disobeys them has gone astray,” or stopped at “has indeed been guided.” If this is disapproved in ordinary speeches, it is even more disapproved in the Quran, and the prohibition from the Prophet is more stringent. [Nahhas, al-Qat‘ wa al-I’tinaf]

Ibrahim Nakha‘i disliked the phrase “No, and praise be to Allah,” but did not object to “Yes, and praise be to Allah.”

It is reported that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (Allah be pleased with him) told a man who had a camel, “Will you sell it for such and such?” The man replied, “No, may Allah grant you well-being.” Abu Bakr said, “Do not say this, but say ‘No, and may Allah grant you well-being’.” He objected to the wording, not the intent. [Ibid.]

Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar said,

“We lived for a while in our time, and one of us would receive faith before the Quran. A sura would be revealed to Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), and we would learn its halal and haram (rules and regulations), its commands and prohibitions, and where to stop in it, just as you learn the Quran today. But I have seen today men who receive the Quran before faith, and they recite from its beginning to its end without knowing its commands, prohibitions, and where to stop in it, and they scatter it like bad dates.” [Hakim, al-Mustadrak; Bayhaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra]

Importance of Critical Markers in Recitation

These letters are critical markers that guide proper recitation and maintain the verses’ intended meanings. Understanding and adhering to these signs helps preserve the integrity and eloquence of Quranic recitation.

It is narrated from ‘Ali (Allah be pleased with him) that he was asked about Allah’s (Most High) saying: “and recite the Quran (properly) in a measured way (tartila).” [Quran, 73:4]. He replied: “Tartil means to articulate the letters well and to know where to stop.” [Ibn Jazari, Sharh Tayyibat al-Nashr; Ashmuni, Manar al-Huda; Suyuti, al-Itqan]

Note: These symbols generally refer to four categories of stops: the complete stop, the sufficient stop, the good stop, and the bad stop. When scholars determine the type of stop, they look at the phrase before the stop and the phrase after it and search for three types of connections or one of them. Based on the presence of any or all of these connections, the type and ruling of the stop are determined. These connections are:

• Verbal connections.
• The specific meaning of each phrase.
• The general context and subject. [‘Abd al-Aziz Ibn Abd al-Fattah al-Qari’, Qawa‘id al-Tajwid ‘ala Riwayat Hafs ‘an ‘Asim]

Example

One of the most famous examples used in this regard is the verse:

“He is the One Who has revealed to you (O Prophet) the Book, of which some verses are precise—they are the foundation of the Book—while others are elusive (mutashabihat). Those with deviant hearts follow the elusive verses seeking (to spread) doubt through their (false) interpretations—but none grasps their (full) meaning except Allah. As for those well-grounded in knowledge, they say, ‘We believe in this (Quran)—it is all from our Lord.’ But none will be mindful (of this) except people of reason.” [Quran, 3:7]

In the Madina Mushaf printed by the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran, the word “mutashabihat” (allegorical) is marked with the symbol (صلى), the word “ta’wilihi” (interpretation) is marked with the symbol (صلى), the word “except Allah” is marked with the symbol (قلى), and the word “from our Lord” is marked with the symbol (قلى). These symbols refer to the meaning: those who interpret “ta’wil” as the ultimate realities of the Quran stop at the name of Allah because the knowledge of ultimate realities is exclusive to Allah (Most High). Whoever claims to know it has lied about Allah. Those who interpret “ta’wil” as exegesis can connect the name of Allah to what follows and stop at the word “meaning” because those firmly grounded in knowledge know its exegesis. [Tayyar, al-Muharrar fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]

Explanation of These Symbols

We will now explain what these symbols signify, detailing their specific meanings and implications for proper Quranic recitation:

The Symbol for Permissible Stop (ج):

This symbol indicates that it is equally permissible to stop or continue, as there are two grammatical interpretations without a preference for either. An example is Allah’s (Most High) saying:

“(Remember) how We delivered you from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with dreadful torment, slaughtering your sons and keeping your women. That was a severe test from your Lord.” [Quran, 2:49]

The symbol (ج) is placed above the word “your women” because “slaughtering” can be interpreted as a state of the subject “who afflicted you” or as an independent clause. [‘Abd al-Aziz Ibn Abd al-Fattah al-Qari’, Qawa‘id al-Tajwid ‘ala Riwayat Hafs ‘an ‘Asim]

Similarly, in the verse:

“We relate to you (O Prophet) their story in truth. They were youths who truly believed in their Lord.” [Quran, 18:13]

The symbol (ج) is placed above “in truth”.

The Symbol for Necessary Stop (م):

This indicates that continuing would corrupt the meaning or imply an unintended meaning. An example is in the verse:

“Only the attentive will respond (to your call). As for the dead, Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will (all) be returned.” [Quran, 6:36]

The symbol (م) is placed above “those who listen”.

The Symbol for Preferable Continuation (صِلَى):

Indicates that continuation is preferable. For example, in the verse:

“These are the ones who trade the Hereafter for the life of this world. So their punishment will not be reduced, nor will they be helped.” [Quran, 2:86]

The symbol (صلى) is placed above “the Hereafter” because the “so” (ف) indicates a consequential relationship that makes continuing preferable.

Similarly, in the verse: “

“If Allah touches you with harm, none can undo it except Him. And if He touches you with a blessing, He is Most Capable of everything.” [Quran, 6:17]

The symbol (صلى) is placed above “except Him” to indicate a permissible stop but with a preference for continuation.

The Symbol for Preferable Stop (قِلَى):

Indicates that stopping is preferable, opposing the preference for continuation. It signifies two compelling reasons: one for stopping and one for continuing, but the reason for stopping outweighs. For example, in the verse:

“And others will say, ‘They were seven, and their dog was the eighth.’ Say, (O Prophet,) ‘My Lord knows best their (exact) number. Only a few people know as well.’ So do not argue about them except with sure knowledge, nor consult any of those (who debate) about them.” [Quran, 18:22]

The symbol (قلى) is placed above “only a few ”.

The Symbol for Prohibited Stop (لا):

Denotes a prohibited stop, indicating a point where stopping or starting is unsuitable. This symbol is not included among the symbols at the end of the Madina Mushaf.

Important Points Regarding Starting and Stopping

The science of Waqf (stopping) and Ibtida’ (starting) is crucial for both the reciter and the reader of the Quran. It clarifies meanings and is considered half of the science of Tajwid. Correct stopping aids in understanding the verse, while incorrect stopping can alter the meaning or mar the beauty of the recitation.

Waqf and Ibtida’ are directly influenced by the meanings of the words. Understanding the meaning guides where to stop or continue. This knowledge is also connected to the science of Nahw (grammar), as it involves knowing which words or sentences can be stopped at or must be connected, such as conjunctions and parenthetical statements. It is also related to the science of Qira’a (readings).

Abu Ja‘far al-Nahhas said that a Quran reader should understand what they read, focus on the meaning, and be mindful of where they stop and start to ensure clarity for listeners during prayer and otherwise. They should stop at complete or nearly complete statements and start well, avoiding places like: “Only the attentive will respond (to your call). As for the dead, Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will (all) be returned.” [Quran, 6:36], because stopping here wrongly equates listeners with the dead, who neither listen nor respond but are raised by Allah. [Nahhas, al-Qat‘ wa al-I’tinaf]

Waqf conventions are based on scholarly interpretation of the meaning, so disagreements may arise, provided they are rooted in knowledge and understanding, not personal taste or arbitrary decisions, which can lead to strange stops and starts. [Tayyar, al-Muharrar fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]

Abu Ja‘far al-Nahhas also stated that anyone who doesn’t understand the connections and separations Allah made in His Book should not discuss stopping and starting in recitation. [Nahhas, al-Qat‘ wa al-I’tinaf]

May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.