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Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun

مدّ عارض للسكون

The stretch a stop brings

Lesson 5.4 · Module 5 · Madd

Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun (مدّ عارض للسكون): when you stop, a long vowel placed just before the last letter may last two, four or six counts. When you stop on a word ending in a long vowel and then one letter. The same goes for “ay” and “aw” (yā or wāw with no vowel after a fatḥa): this is madd līn.

What does Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun mean?

Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun (مدّ عارض للسكون): the stretch a stop brings

A permissible elongation of two, four or six counts when stopping on a word whose madd letter is followed by a letter that becomes sakin because of the stop. The same lengthening applies to “ay” and “aw” at a stop (madd līn).

Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun: when does it apply?

When you stop on a word ending in a long vowel and then one letter. The same goes for “ay” and “aw” (yā or wāw with no vowel after a fatḥa): this is madd līn.

The three madd letters

How to pronounce Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun

Hold the vowel as the reciter does, two, four or six counts, then say the last letter with no vowel.

The gesture
Match the model’s duration and keep it at similar stops. Hold the vowel steady, then stop on the final consonant without adding a vowel.
Avoid
Do not keep this extra stretch when joining. The final letter then keeps its vowel, so the reason for the rule is gone.
The condition
A real stop is required. When joining, the final sukoon disappears and this rule no longer applies.

The length, by ear

Two, four or six counts: only when stopping; the chosen length is kept at similar stops.

ٱلْفِيلِ Al-Fil 105:1

One count is the length of a short vowel.

Where the letters come from

Each point is shown on the mouth map, and each letter has its own page.

12 examples of Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun in the Quran

Short surahs first. Tap ▶ to hear Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun in its verse, recited by al-Husary.

Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun: common mistakes

What is often heard, and how to fix it. The ▶ plays the right model, recited by al-Husary.

  1. Lengthening when joining too: with no stop, the long vowel stays at two counts.

    The right model · Al-Fil 105:2

  2. Saying the vowel of the last letter when stopping: at the stop, it drops and the final letter has no vowel.

    The right model · Al-Fil 105:3

  3. Lengthening the “ay” or “aw” of a madd līn when joining: it lengthens only at the stop.

    The right model · Quraysh 106:1

Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun and neighbouring rules

RuleWhenWhat happens
Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun When you stop on a word ending in a long vowel and then one letter. The same goes for “ay” and “aw” (yā or wāw with no vowel after a fatḥa): this is madd līn. When you stop, a long vowel placed just before the last letter may last two, four or six counts.
Madd Lazim Before a doubled or always-vowelless letter, and in some opening letters of surahs. A long vowel, then a doubled or always-vowelless letter: it is held six counts.
Madd Tabee'ee An alif, wāw or yā extending the vowel before it, and no hamzah or vowelless letter after. A long vowel with no hamzah or sukoon after it is held two counts.
Madd Munfasil When a word ends with a long vowel and the next one begins with a hamzah. A long vowel ends a word and a hamzah opens the next: four or five counts.
Madd Muttasil When the long vowel and the hamzah are in the same word. Inside one word, a long vowel followed by a hamzah is held four or five counts.

By ear: two words that sound alike

Two words that sound alike: one is read with Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun, the other with Madd Tabee'ee. Listen for the difference.

What I show you when you recite

Your turn: which rule?

By eye

The highlighted letters carry a rule. Which one?

  1. ٱلنَّاسِ

    n-nās

    An-Nas 114:1

  2. ٱلضَّآلِّينَ

    ḍ-ḍāllīn

    Al-Fatiha 1:7

  3. ٱلنَّاسِ

    n-nās

    An-Nas 114:2

  4. ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ

    l-insāna

    Al-'Asr 103:2

By ear

Listen to the end of the word. If the voice stops on the last letter, right after the long vowel, it is madd ʿārid: at a stop it may last two, four or six counts. If the voice carries on, it is the natural madd. The word appears after you answer.

Practise: tajweed exercises with answers

Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun in numbers

4,543times in the Quran

88surahs

Where to practise: the surahs of 20 verses or fewer with the most Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun
SurahVersesMadd 'Aarid Li-Sukun
49. Al-Hujurat 18 18
64. At-Taghabun 18 18
61. As-Saf 14 14
60. Al-Mumtahanah 13 13
62. Al-Jumu'ah 11 11

Counted on the text of the Madani Mushaf (Hafs reading).

Frequently asked questions

What is Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun in tajweed?

Madd ‘Arid appears when stopping creates a final sukoon. The madd before it may last two, four or six counts.

When does Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun apply?

When you stop on a word ending in a long vowel and then one letter. The same goes for “ay” and “aw” (yā or wāw with no vowel after a fatḥa): this is madd līn. A real stop is required. When joining, the final sukoon disappears and this rule no longer applies.

How many times does Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun occur in the Quran?

4,543 times, in 88 surahs, according to the text of the Madani Mushaf (Hafs reading). Among the surahs of 20 verses or fewer, Al-Hujurat has the most: 18 in 18 verses.

Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun or Madd Lazim: what is the difference?

Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun: when you stop, a long vowel placed just before the last letter may last two, four or six counts. Madd Lazim: a long vowel, then a doubled or always-vowelless letter: it is held six counts.

Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun: how do I know I apply it correctly?

A rule is learned by ear: recite a surah out loud in the Tilawa app, which follows your recitation word by word and shows you where Madd 'Aarid Li-Sukun was missed or done wrong, with the word to replay in its verse.

Tilawa editorial team · Updated 2026-10-24 · Report an error