What is Madd?

Madd mean prolongation. For example, 'Amin' is a word, now if you read it as 'A-mi-n', this prolonged pronunciation is called Madd. 

How many Madd are there?

By characteristics there are over 10 type of Madd, but by prolongation Madd is 4 type such as 1, 2 , 3 and 4 Alif.

How long A Madd should prolong? 

Letter Alif is used to measure prolongation time. How much time it take to say Alif is the duration of 1 Alif Madd, In other word 1 alif madd mean extra 1 second prolongation. So 2 alif mean 2 second, 3 alif mean 3 second and 4 alif Madd mean 4 second prolongation. 

Types of Madd

For making easier to understand we will not discuss grammatical rules of Madd but will show some ways to easily recognize 1, 2, 3 and 4 alif Madd.

 How to Recognize 1 Alif Madd? 

ي و ا are called letters of Madd. When these letters comes in ayah like below combinations, you must have to prolong there 1 Alif. These are called 1 Alif Madd Al Tabaee or Asli. Remember below combinations carefully 'Empty Alif after Fatha', 'Empty Wow after Damma' and 'Empty Yaa after Kasra'  because of in almost every ayah you may see these combinations. In Indo-Pak Quran 'Wow' and 'Yaa' contains 'Sakin' over them.

Now see below, how combinations of 1 alif madd looks in ayah, wherever you see those combinations you must have to prolong 1 Alif.

Now see same ayah from Saudi Quran below (which is also called Madina Mushaf) there are no 'Sakin' above 'Yaa' and 'Wow' so it looks like empty yaa after kasra and empty wow after damma.

Reading example, this word's normal pronunciation is 'Saudikin',  now see red colored, there are two 1 alif madd, standing fatha and 'Yaa Sakin after Kasra' now it must have to read 

with 1 alif Madd as 'Sau-diki-n'.

An Exception of 1 Alif Madd: If empty alif after fatha has any little circle above it, see red circle , don't do any madd there, that is called 'Alif Zaida' and 'circle' indicating not to madd here.

 How to Recognize 2 Alif Madd Al Ewaj? 

If stopping place has double fatha, you must have to do 1 alif madd. See  below  word 'hasana', 

if you  want to stop  on this word, recite that as 'hasanaa'. This is called 1 Alif Madd al Ewaj. If you not stop on double fatha, don't do any madd.

 How to Recognize Madd Al Leen? 

Letter ى and  و are called letters of Leen, when arji sakin come for stopping after any one of the below combinations, you have to do 2 or 3 alif madd. This is called Madd al Leen.

Remember if you not stop, there will be no madd. For example see these 2 words below which

has wow sakin and yaa sakin after fatha, now for stopping on these words blue double kasra have to replace with imagined arji sakin (click here to learn what is arji sakin?), so conditions of Madd al Leen will fulfilled, now you have to read those words with 2/3 alif madd as 'Kurai--sh' and 'Khau--f'. If you not stop, you have to read double kasra as it is like 'kuraishin' and 'khaufin' then continue reading next words. 

For more clarification play below audio which is the 1st ayah of Sura Quraish to realize how reciter doing Madd Al leen on word 'Quraish'.

 Way to Recognize 3 & 4 Alif Madd 

In both Saudi and Indo-Pak Quran 3 & 4 Alif Madd are indicated by signs. So it is easy for reciters to know where to madd 3/4 alif. Just remember those signs and you are done.

When you see this   sign prolong 3 alif.

When you see this sign prolong 4 alif.

In below ayah prolong green part 4 alif for red sign, and prolong black part 3 alif for blue sign. Also play audio to realize how reciter prolonging 3 and 4 Alif Madd.

 

 What is 3 Alif Madd Al Arji? 

There is another 3 alif madd which has no 3 alif madd sign, because this madd is conditional. This condition happen when previous 2 rules 'Arji sakin' (click here to know what is arji sakin) and 'combinations of 1 alif madd' meet together. 

Conditions: If arji sakin come for stopping after any combinations of 1 alif madd, you have to increase 1 alif madd to 3 alif then imagine arji sakin. This is called Madd al Arji. 

For example see red part of the below word which is combinations of 1 alif madd.  

Now if you want to stop on black letter, you need to replace blue damma with arji sakin, and increase 1 alif  madd (red part) to 3 alif then imagine arji sakin (replace blue damma with a sakin see arrow indicated word). 

Remember, it only happen if arji sakin come for stopping, if you not stop, don't increase 1 alif madd to 3 alif, 1 alif should keep as it was. For more clarification play below ayah and realize how reciter replacing blue damma with arji sakin and increasing 1 alif madd (red part) to 3 alif.

If You not do any Madd what will happen?

Reading without Madd is called big mistake. It is permissible to Madd only 1 Alif although there is indication of doing 2, 3 or 4 Alif. But totally ignoring Madd could fully change meaning, for example, 'Have' is a word mean 'surely you have', but 'Have?' Same word but for expression change, meaning is also changed, 'May be you not have it anymore'! If you leave Madd, meaning will be like this, So never leave any Madd.