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## Lesson Six
### 2. Idghām (Assimilation)
Idghām is an **incidental characteristic of letters**.
– **Linguistically:** it means *insertion or merging*, that is, inserting one thing into another.
– **In Tajwīd terminology:** it occurs when **a silent letter meets a vowelled letter under specific conditions**.
### How Idghām Occurs
When **two letters meet**, the first **silent (sākin)** and the second **vowelled**, the silent letter is merged into the vowelled one so that **they become a single letter**.
– If the assimilation causes the **first letter to disappear completely**, it is called **Complete Idghām**.
– If some of the first letter remains, it is called **Incomplete Idghām**.
Incomplete idghām is often called **Idghām with Ghunnah (nasalization)** because it lacks the full strength of complete assimilation.
—
# Types of Idghām
Idghām is divided into three categories:
1. **Idghām of Identical Letters (Al‑Mutamāthilayn)**
2. **Idghām of Similar Letters (Al‑Mutajānīsayn)**
3. **Idghām of Close Letters (Al‑Mutaqāribayn)**
—
# 1. Idghām of Identical Letters (Al‑Mutamāthilayn)
This occurs when **two letters are identical in both articulation point and characteristics**.
It may occur:
– **Within the same word**, such as:
*yudrikkum al‑mawt* (يدرككم الموت)
– **Between two words**, such as:
*iḍrib biʿaṣāk* (اضرب بعصاك)
When the assimilation involves **Nūn (ن)** or **Mīm (م)**, it occurs **with ghunnah (nasal sound)** lasting **two vowel counts**, for example:
– *lahum mā yashāʾūn* (لهم ما يشاؤن)
– *in naḥnu illā bashar* (إن نحن إلا بشر)
### Cases Where Idghām is Prevented
Idghām does **not occur** when it comes **after the long vowels yā’ or wāw**, such as:
– *fī Yūsuf* (في يوسف)
– *qālū wa hum* (قالوا وهم)
However, if the assimilated letter is a **soft letter**, assimilation must occur, such as:
– *ʿaṣaw wa kānū* (عصوا وكانوا)
– *āwaw wa naṣarū* (آووا ونصروا)
In the phrase **(ماليه هلك)** there is permission in the recitation of **Ḥafṣ** to either **pause slightly (sakt)** or perform **idghām**.
—
# 2. Idghām of Similar Letters (Al‑Mutajānīsayn)
This occurs when **two letters share the same articulation point but differ in their characteristics**.
There are **seven occurrences in the Qur’an**, some producing **complete idghām** and others **incomplete**.
Examples of **complete assimilation** include:
1. **Dāl with Tā’**
Example: *qad tabayyana* (قد تبين)
and the reverse **Tā’ with Dāl**:
*ujībat daʿwatukumā* (أجيبت دعوتكما)
2. **Tā’ with Ṭā’**
Example: *fa āmanat ṭāʾifah* (فآمنت طائفة)
and the reverse **Ṭā’ with Tā’**:
*basaṭta*, *farraṭtum* (بسطت، فرّطتم)
3. **Dhāl with Ẓā’**
Example: *idh ẓalamū* (إذ ظلموا)
4. **Thā’ with Dhāl**
Example: *yalhath dhālik* (يلهث ذلك)
5. **Bā’ with Mīm**
This occurs **once in the Qur’an**, for example:
*irkab maʿanā* (اركب معنا)
Here the assimilation is **complete with ghunnah**, and after assimilation it is pronounced like:
**irkam‑maʿanā**.
—
# 3. Idghām of Close Letters (Al‑Mutaqāribayn)
These are letters that are **close in articulation point and characteristics**, and sometimes share certain qualities.
They may occur **within one word or between two words**, and the assimilation may be **complete or incomplete**.
There are **four cases**:
### 1. Lām assimilated into Rā’
The assimilation is **complete**, such as:
– *qul rabb* (قل رب)
– *bal rafaʿahu* (بل رفعه)
Exception:
**(بل ران)** because it contains a **light pause (saktah)**, so idghām does not occur.
—
### 2. Lām of the Definite Article (Al‑) with the Sun Letters
When the **Lām of the definite article (Al‑)** is followed by one of the **sun letters (except Lām)**, assimilation occurs.
This is called **Solar Assimilation (Idghām Shamsī)**.
Examples:
– *at‑Tawwāb* (التواب)
– *ath‑thuluth* (الثلث)
– *ad‑dīn* (الدين)
– *adh‑dhanb* (الذنب)
—
### 3. Nūn Sākinah or Tanwīn with Certain Letters
When **Nūn sākinah or tanwīn** meets one of the five letters gathered in the phrase:
**(لو يمر)**
– With **م، ل، ر** the assimilation is **complete**, such as:
*min rabbihim* (من ربهم)
*min ladunhu* (من لدنه)
*min māl* (من مال)
– With **و، ي** the assimilation is **incomplete**, such as:
*min walī* (من ولي)
*an yaqūlanna* (أن يقولن)
Assimilation **does not occur within the middle of a single word**. Examples in the Qur’an include:
– *ṣinwān* (صنوان)
– *qinwān* (قنوان)
– *dunyā* (دنيا)
Also, idghām does **not occur in the phrase**:
– *man rāq* (من راق)
because it contains a **light pause in Surah al‑Qiyāmah**.
—
### 4. Qāf assimilated into Kāf
When **Qāf (ق)** is followed by **Kāf (ك)**, assimilation occurs **completely**.
This appears **once in the Qur’an**:
– *alam nakhluqkum* (ألم نخلقكم).
