The seven istiʿlāʾ letters—خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ—retain emphatic quality. Their actual degree of emphasis can vary, but they should not lose their identity.
Istifāl letters are generally read lightly. The book singles out alif, the lām in the divine name, and rāʾ for context-dependent rules. That distinction prevents overgeneralizing the simple “heavy versus light” classification.
Opening interactive controls...
General rule: elevated versus low-tongue letters
Tafkhīm and Tarqīq — Alif, Divine-Name Lām and Rāʾ
The seven istiʿlāʾ letters—خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ—retain emphatic quality. Their actual degree of emphasis can vary, but they should not lose their identity.
Istifāl letters are generally read lightly. The book singles out alif, the lām in the divine name, and rāʾ for context-dependent rules. That distinction prevents overgeneralizing the simple “heavy versus light” classification.