Tajweed · Lesson
The Rules of Laam Sakinah · Sun & Moon Letters
You always write the article الـ the same way — but sometimes you hear the laam, and sometimes you don’t. The next letter decides.
Sun & moon letters → Jump to practice Part of the Noon · Meem · Laam Sakinah seriesStart here
A laam sakinah is a laam with a sukoon (لْ). The most important one is the laam of the article “ال” (meaning “the”) that we attach to nouns. It is always written, but its laam is read in two different ways depending on the letter that comes right after it — named after the sun and the moon.
“the sun” — the laam disappears into the ش, which doubles.
“the moon” — you hear the laam plainly before the ق.
The two skies
Every letter the article can meet belongs to one of two groups. Tap any letter to see a real word and hear how the laam behaves.
14 sun letters. The laam is silent and the next letter takes a shaddah (doubles).
14 moon letters. The laam is pronounced clearly, with its sukoon.
A small circle on the laam (لْ) means a moon letter — pronounce it. As in الْقَمَر.
A shaddah on the next letter (and no sukoon on the laam) means a sun letter — the laam is hidden. As in الشَّمْس.
The two rules
Tap each rule to open it for the full set of letters, the memory aid, and verified Qur’anic examples.
Beyond the article
The article’s laam is the famous one, but a sukoon laam also appears in verbs, particles, commands, and nouns. As a rule these are pronounced clearly — with two exceptions that merge before ل and ر.
Your turn
Read each word with “ال”. Is the laam hidden (Shamsiyyah ☀) or clear (Qamariyyah ☾)?
Keep it close
| Rule | Letters | The laam | Sign in the mushaf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shamsiyyah ☀ الشَّمْسِيَّة |
ت ث د ذ ر ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ل ن 14 sun letters |
Hidden — merges into the next letter, which doubles. | Shaddah on the letter, no sukoon on the laam. |
| Qamariyyah ☾ القَمَرِيَّة |
ء ب ج ح خ ع غ ف ق ك م و ه ي 14 moon letters · ابغ حجك وخف عقيمه |
Clear — pronounced plainly. | A sukoon on the laam (لْ). |