What is ghunnah?
Ghunnah is a nasal sound. It does not come from the tongue or the lips but from the nasal passage, and it belongs to two letters: Noon ن and Meem م. Every Noon and Meem has a little ghunnah in its nature, but Tajweed asks us to hold it, for about two counts, in certain situations.
Try this: hum "mmm" and gently pinch your nose. The sound stops. That is ghunnah. A sound that continues with the nose pinched is not ghunnah.
How long should ghunnah be?
For beginners the rule is: about two counts. One count is roughly the time it takes to fold or open one finger. The same length is used for the natural stretch of the madd letters in Noorani Qaida lesson 7. Teachers sometimes rank ghunnah in levels from strongest to lightest, but the practical rule below is the one that matters first.
When is ghunnah held for two counts?
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Noon or Meem with shaddah (نّ, مّ) | Ghunnah is held every time, including when you stop on it. |
| Ikhfa (Noon Sakinah or tanween before 15 letters) | The "n" is hidden with a nasal sound. |
| Iqlab (before ب) | The "n" becomes a soft hidden Meem, held with ghunnah. |
| Idgham with ghunnah (before ي ن م و) | The "n" merges into the next letter with a nasal sound. |
| Ikhfa Shafawi (Meem Sakinah before ب) | The Meem is hidden gently with ghunnah. |
| Idgham Shafawi (Meem Sakinah before م) | The two Meems merge into one with ghunnah. |
With izhar (the clear "n" before the throat letters) and with Noon or Meem that carry a normal vowel, the sound stays clear and no extra holding is added. With idgham before ل or ر there is no ghunnah at all. Full details of each rule are in our guides to Noon Sakinah and Tanween and Meem Sakinah.
Examples from the Quran
| Example | How it is read | Where |
|---|---|---|
| إِنَّآ | innaa: Noon with shaddah, hold two counts | Quran 108:1 |
| ٱلنَّاسِ | an-naas: Noon with shaddah, hold the nasal sound before the long Alif | Quran 114:1 |
| ثُمَّ | thumma: Meem with shaddah, hold two counts | Quran 102:4 |
| مِن شَرِّ | min sharri: ikhfa, the "n" is hidden before Sheen | Quran 113:2 |
| مِنۢ بَعْدِ | mim-ba'di: iqlab, the Noon becomes a hidden Meem before Baa | Quran 2:27 |
| فَمَن يَعْمَلْ | famay-ya'mal: idgham with ghunnah into Yaa | Quran 99:7 |
| تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍۢ | tarmeehim bi-hijaarah: ikhfa shafawi, the Meem is hidden before Baa | Quran 105:4 |
| أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن | at'amahum-min: idgham shafawi, two Meems merge | Quran 106:4 |
Al-Kawthar has ghunnah twice, in innaa and inna. You can practise on our page for Surah Al-Kawthar for kids.
Common mistakes
- Skipping it. Rushing through إِنَّآ so the Noon is not held.
- Holding it too long. More than two counts sounds like humming, not reciting.
- Making it from the throat. It should be a gentle nasal sound; a "ng" sound is wrong.
- Adding it where it does not belong, such as in izhar or in idgham before Laam and Raa.
- Changing the vowel while holding. The ghunnah is a steady nasal sound, not a new syllable.
How to practise, and how to teach children
- Use the nose test on every example: the sound must stop when the nose is pinched.
- Count with fingers. Fold one finger, then a second, and release the sound as the second finger moves.
- Start with نّ and مّ. They are the clearest examples, and children hear them in the 4 Quls and Juz Amma.
- Record and compare. Play a trusted reciter, then your own recording, and compare the length.
- Recite to a teacher. Ghunnah is learned by ear. A teacher hears whether the length is right.
Ghunnah is one of the first rules in our online Tajweed classes, and children usually meet it after the Noorani Qaida. See the whole series in the Tajweed rules hub, read the beginners' overview, or book a free trial.