How many Ikhfa letters are there?

Fifteen: all the letters left after those of Izhar, Idgham and Iqlab.

Why is the noon hidden in ﴿وَمِن شَرِّ﴾?

Because ش comes after it, and ش is an Ikhfa letter.

Ikhfa for kids (الإخفاء) 🤫

Ikhfa: the noon hides, with a Ghunnah

When Noon Sakinah or Tanween is followed by one of the fifteen remaining letters, we say the noon hidden: between clear and merged, with a Ghunnah of two counts.

صذثكجشقسدطزفتضظ

They begin the words of “صِفْ ذا ثنا كم جاد شخصٌ قد سما، دُمْ طيبًا زِدْ في تقًى ضَعْ ظالمًا”.

Try the Ikhfa station with your child

Examples of Ikhfa from the short surahs

وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ ۝٥

Surah Al-Falaq · Ayah 5Noon Sakinah

وَلَآ أَنتُمْ عَـٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ ۝٣

Surah Al-Kafirun · Ayah 3Noon Sakinah

فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ ۝٦

Surah Al-Qari'ah · Ayah 6Noon Sakinah

تَنَزَّلُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍۢ ۝٤

Surah Al-Qadr · Ayah 4Noon Sakinah

تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍۢ مِّن سِجِّيلٍۢ ۝٤

Surah Al-Fil · Ayah 4Noon Sakinah

سَيَصْلَىٰ نَارًۭا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍۢ ۝٣

Surah Al-Masad · Ayah 3Tanween

Questions and answers about Ikhfa

How many Ikhfa letters are there?: Fifteen: all the letters left after those of Izhar, Idgham and Iqlab.
How do we say the noon in Ikhfa?: Between clear and merged, with a Ghunnah.
Why is the noon hidden in ﴿وَمِن شَرِّ﴾?: Because ش comes after it, and ش is an Ikhfa letter.

A short video about Ikhfa

The video is in Arabic.

▶ Watch on YouTube