Makharij — where letters come from
مخارج الحروف
The five main articulation areas and the letters that most beginners confuse.
The five regions
Letters emerge from the empty space (jawf), the throat (ḥalq), the tongue (lisān), the lips (shafatān), and the nasal passage (khayshūm). Every letter has one fixed exit point — pronouncing it elsewhere changes the word.
The throat in three parts
Deep throat: ء and ه. Middle throat: ع and ح. Upper throat: غ and خ. Practise them as pairs so you feel the point of contact move forward.
The pairs beginners mix up
ح vs ه, ع vs ء, ق vs ك, ط vs ت, ص vs س, ض vs د, ظ vs ذ. Say each pair slowly with a fatḥah and feel the difference in depth and weight.
Examples
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
al-ḥamdu lillāh
ح from the middle throat — do not soften it into ه.
قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
qul huwa-llāhu aḥad
ق from the deepest part of the tongue, heavier than ك.
Interactive practice
Distinguish ق from ك, and keep ع clear from the middle throat.
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ
qul a'ūdhu bi-rabbi-l-falaq · Al-Falaq 113:1
Quiz
1. Which letters come from the middle of the throat?
2. ق is articulated from…
Lesson status
Quiz —% · Pronunciation —% · pass mark 80% on both.