Lesson 5: Elongations (Madd)

When the letters [ا], [و] and [ي] are vowelized, they serve as independent letters. However, if they come after a letter without a vowel, they elongate it.

[ا] (Alif) elongates the preceding letter by one Alif measure as ‘aa’, [و] (Waw) as ‘uu’ and [ي] (Ya) as ‘ii’.

Additionally, there are some places in the Quran text that are not visible but must be elongated. These are called hidden elongations. [ٰ] (hidden Alif) ⠈(dot 4) is elongated as ‘aa’, [ِ] (hidden Ya) ⠘(dots 4,5) is elongated as ‘ii’ and [ُ] (hidden Waw) ⠬(dots 2,4,5,6) is elongated as ‘uu’ by one Alif measure.

Examples of open and hidden Alif elongation

ArabicBraille
قالَ⠟⠁⠇⠂
هٰذا⠓⠈⠮⠁
كابَ⠅⠁⠃⠂
جَمالُ⠚⠂⠍⠁⠇⠥
ذٰلِكَ⠮⠈⠇⠑⠅⠂
كِتابَ⠅⠑⠞⠂⠃⠂
مالِكِ⠍⠁⠇⠑⠅⠑
رَبُّنا⠗⠂⠠⠃⠥⠝⠁
حاقَ⠱⠁⠟⠂
قِيٰمَ⠟⠑⠊⠈⠍⠂
سُبْحانَ⠎⠥⠃⠒⠱⠁⠝⠂
رَحْمٰنَ⠗⠂⠱⠒⠍⠈⠝⠂
سُلَيْمٰنُ⠎⠥⠇⠂⠊⠒⠍⠈⠝⠥
صالِحُ⠯⠁⠇⠑⠱⠥
سَمٰواتِ⠎⠂⠍⠈⠺⠁⠞⠑
وَلٰكِنَّ⠺⠂⠇⠈⠅⠑⠠⠝⠂
جَوابَ⠚⠂⠺⠁⠃⠂
صِراطَ⠯⠑⠗⠁⠾⠂

Examples of open and hidden Ya elongation

ArabicBraille
كَريمُ⠅⠂⠗⠊⠍⠥
بِه۪⠃⠑⠓⠘
كِتابِه۪⠅⠑⠞⠁⠃⠑⠓⠘
حَفيظُ⠱⠂⠋⠊⠿⠥
هٰذِه۪⠓⠈⠮⠑⠓⠘
يُحْي۪كُما⠊⠥⠱⠒⠊⠘⠅⠥⠍⠁
جَليلَ⠚⠂⠇⠊⠇⠂
نَبِيّ۪نَ⠝⠂⠃⠑⠠⠊⠘⠝⠂
خالِدينَ⠭⠁⠇⠑⠙⠑⠊⠝⠂
صادِقِنَ⠯⠁⠙⠑⠟⠑⠝⠂
حَديدُ⠱⠂⠙⠊⠙⠥
شَفيعُ⠩⠂⠋⠊⠷⠥
فيها⠋⠊⠓⠁

NOTE: Different symbols are used in Mushaf editions to indicate the hidden Waw elongation. Here, Damma will be used; the elongation letter will only be indicated in Braille.

Examples of open and hidden Waw elongation

ArabicBraille
غُرورُ⠣⠥⠗⠺⠗⠥
داَوُدَ⠙⠁⠺⠬⠙⠂
نورِ⠝⠺⠗⠑
لَهُ⠇⠂⠓⠬
ضَعوفُ⠫⠂⠷⠺⠋⠥
وُرِيَ⠺⠬⠗⠑⠊⠂
صَعودَ⠯⠂⠷⠺⠙⠂
سُهولَ⠎⠥⠓⠺⠇⠂
رَسولَ⠗⠂⠎⠺⠇⠂
غاَوُنَ⠣⠁⠺⠬⠝⠂
حَبيبَهُ⠱⠂⠃⠊⠃⠂⠓⠬
ماَعونَ⠍⠁⠷⠺⠝⠂
طاَغوتَ⠾⠁⠣⠺⠞⠂
نَفْسَهُ⠝⠂⠋⠒⠎⠂⠓⠬