If you read the Quran in the recitation of Hafs, you have probably seen a small seen (ۜ) above some words, and wondered what it means. It is the sign of a saktah: a very short pause without taking a breath. There are only a few of them, so they are easy to learn.
What is a saktah?
Saktah (سكتة) means "a short silence". In tajweed, it is:
- A short pause, about two counts,
- Without taking a breath,
- Then you continue reading from the next word.
It is different from a normal stop (waqf), where you take a breath and may restart, and from continuing without any pause (wasl).
Waqf (stop) | Saktah | Wasl (continue) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Pause? | Yes | Very short | No |
Breath? | Yes | No | No |
Then | Restart, or start the next verse | Continue straight away | Continue |
The four saktahs in Hafs
In the common way of reading Hafs from ‘Asim (by way of al-Shatibiyyah, which is what the Madinah Mushaf follows), there are four places where the saktah is required when you read through without stopping:
Place | Words | Why the pause |
|---|---|---|
Al-Kahf 18:1–2 | عِوَجَا ۜ قَيِّمًا | So qayyiman (straight) is not heard as describing ‘iwaja (crookedness) |
Ya-Sin 36:52 | مِن مَّرْقَدِنَا ۜ هَٰذَا | To separate the words of the people rising from their graves from the reply that follows |
Al-Qiyamah 75:27 | وَقِيلَ مَنْ ۜ رَاقٍ | To keep man and raq as two words, instead of merging them into marraq |
Al-Mutaffifin 83:14 | كَلَّا ۖ بَلْ ۜ رَانَ | To keep bal and rana as two words, instead of merging them into barrana |
In the last two, the pause replaces a merging (idgham) that would normally happen between the noon and the ra, or the lam and the ra.
Two optional saktahs
There are two more places where Hafs has a choice:
- Al-Haqqah (69:28–29): مَالِيَهْ ۜ هَلَكَ. You can make a saktah on maliyah, or merge the two ha letters. The saktah is the more common reading.
- Between Surah Al-Anfal and Surah At-Tawbah: since At-Tawbah has no Bismillah, you may stop with a breath, make a short saktah, or join them directly.
How to make a saktah
- Read up to the word with the small seen.
- Hold your voice for a moment — about two counts — keeping the breath in.
- Continue from the next word.
On ‘iwaja, the tanween fatha becomes a long alif, so the pause comes after ‘iwajaa. On marqadina, the pause comes after the alif.
Common mistakes
- Taking a breath during the saktah. It should be a pause without breathing.
- Pausing too long. A saktah is short, not a full stop.
- Skipping the saktah in man raq and bal rana, and merging the letters instead.
- Making a saktah wherever there is a small seen. In a few words, like يَبْصُۜطُ, a small seen above a ص means "read it as a seen", not "pause". The position of the sign tells you which one it is.
How saktah fits with other rules
Saktah is one of the rules about stopping and starting. Read our guide to waqf (stopping) for the full picture, and our guide to the symbols in the Quran to learn the other signs in the Mushaf. For the merging that saktah replaces, see the three types of idgham. To practise with a teacher, see our online Tajweed course.
FAQ
What is saktah in tajweed?
A short pause of about two counts without taking a breath, after which you continue reading.
How many saktahs are there in Hafs?
Four required ones when reading through: in Al-Kahf 18:1, Ya-Sin 36:52, Al-Qiyamah 75:27 and Al-Mutaffifin 83:14. There are also optional saktahs in Al-Haqqah 69:28 and between Al-Anfal and At-Tawbah.
What is the difference between saktah and waqf?
In waqf you stop and take a breath. In saktah you pause very briefly without breathing, then continue.
How is saktah shown in the Mushaf?
In the Madinah Mushaf, a small seen (ۜ) is written above the word where you pause.
Sources
- Surah Al-Kahf 18:1–2 — Quran.com
- Surah Ya-Sin 36:52 — Quran.com
- Surah Al-Qiyamah 75:27 — Quran.com
- Surah Al-Mutaffifin 83:14 — Quran.com
- Tajwid — Wikipedia