Mastering the recitation of the Quran requires abiding by the guidelines of Tajweed, which dictate the rules of reciting the Quran. Numerous methods can be followed to perfect the rules of Tajweed, such as taking online Tajweed classes with an experienced tutor or following a reliable source in a physical or digital form. Learners need to find the best learning methods that best ensure the results they are looking for.
Hams is one of the basic rules of Tajweed because it is concerned with the characteristics of the Arabic alphabet and their proper articulation to avoid making mistakes that would alter the meaning of Quranic verses. This article attempts to define what Hams are and provide instructions on how to apply Hams in Tajweed.
What is Hams in Tajweed?
Hams is one of the attributes of Arabic letters in Tajweed, meaning the manner of articulation from their proper Makhraj or articulation point. The sifat are what distinguishes letters pronounced from the same articulation point in their pronunciation. It is similar to the case of vegetables that are all planted in the same soil with similar conditions but have different shapes, sizes, and tases despite coming from the same source. Therefore, if the reciter does not apply these characteristics properly, this results in a change of meaning.
Hams as one of the characteristics of letters, translates in Arabic into whispering. It correlates to the concept of voiceless sounds in English. For example, /t/ is a voiceless sound because it is pronounced with an open vocal tract and produced with vibration in the vocal cords. Hence, Hams allows for a more open flow of air while pronouncing the letter.
Letters of Hams With Examples From the Quran
The letters that have the sifah of Hams are 10 letters, grouped in the following phrase:
فحثه شخص سكت
In order to pronounce these letters with the sifah of Hams:
- Place the tip of your fingers on your throat to make sure your vocal cords do not produce vibration
- Put your hand in front of your mouth to make sure that you produce an extra flow of air while pronouncing the letter. It also helps if you place a piece of paper close to your mouth and notice how the flow of breath makes it move.
Here, we provide an example for each of the Hams letters from verses of the Quran. Notice that the Hams’ letter is underlined and in bold to distinguish it from the rest.
| Hams Letter | Example from the Quran |
| ف (faa) | (أم يقولون افتراه) |
| ح (haa) | (الرحْمن) |
| ث (thaa) | (التي كانت تعمل الخبائثْ) |
| ه (haa) | (ويؤتِ كل ذي فضلٍ فضله) |
| ش (sheen) | (والذين أشْركوا) |
| خ (khaa) | (فلا تعلم نفس ما أخْفي لهم من قرة أعين) |
| ص (saad) | (هذان خصْمان اختصموا في ربهم) |
| س (seen) | (ذو مرَّة فاسْتوى) |
| ك (kaf) | (أو جاء معه ملكْ) |
| ت (taa) | (وليتبروا ما علوا تتْبيرا) |
Check our online Tajweed classes at Almuhammadi Academy for an insightful learning experience of the Hams and others with the guidance of our Tutors who are graduates of Al-Azhar University and certified in Quranic recitation.
Hams Vs. Jahr
Hams is considered one of the Sifat that have opposites. The opposite of Hams is Jahr. So how can you differentiate between the two?
Al-Jahr is the opposite of Hams as it refers to pronouncing the letters as voiced letters. This means that their pronunciation produces vibration in the vocal cords, and the vocal tract is not as open as it is with the pronunciation of Hams. similar to /d/ in English, which is a voiced letter pronounced with vibration of the vocal cords, letters of Jahr are pronounced in the same manner. The result is that the flow of breath is a little bit more obstructed with Jahr than it is with Hams.
Jahr is applied to the remaining letters of the alphabet such as:
- (له في الدنيا خزي)
- (وكذلك جعلْناكم أمةَ وسطى)
- (فاخرج إنك من الصغرين)
In these examples, the letters (ز-ل-ج) are pronounced with the characteristic of Jahr, which means that the vocal cords vibrate, as you can feel with your fingers placed on your throat, and the breath coming out of your mouth is not as free-flowing as it is with pronouncing letters of Hams.
Conclusion
Understanding the Sifat or characteristics of the Arabic letters in Tajweed is one of the prerequisites of proper recitation of the Quran. In order to accurately pronounce letters of Hams, you need to fulfill the conditions we have listed in the article, mainly the vibration of the vocal cords and the free flow of breath while reciting letters (ف-ح-ث-ه-ش-خ-ص-س-ك-ت).
It is quite beneficial to seek the guidance of an expert Tajweed tutor on such matters as properly applying the rule of Hams in Tajweed. So, we advise you to check our online quran recitation classes for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels so that you do not have to worry about mastering the recitation of the Quran. With their extensive knowledge and expertise, our male and female tutors are here to help!