Abstract:
This research aims at interpreting the rules to which Silent Nūn is exposed in the
science of Tajweed in the light of modern phonology regulations.
The research has concluded that the reason why Silent Nūn is restricted by these rules
lies in two things: the first one being the nature of point of articulation; because it has
double points of articulation; oral and nasal. The second one is due to the very common
use of Nūn in language.
Regarding the phonological interpretation of the rules of Nūn, the research has
concluded that from the organic point of view there is no difference between all these
rules regardless of what they are called because both Nūn points of articulation (oral and
nasal) can be exchanged for the sake of achieving the assimilation between Nūn and the
adjoining consonant.
The research also finds that what happens with all rules is a change in the oral point
of articulation of Nūn so that it assimilates the point of articulation for the adjacent
consonant; except diphthongation without nasalization (Idgham be ghayr ghonna) where
the oral point of articulation stays unchanged with dropping the nasal point of articulation.
However, these rules appear from the auditory point of view in more than one form,
and these forms were mentioned by the scholars of Tajweed and they include: >Iżhār,
>Ihfā>, >Iqlāb, diphthongation (idġām) with and without nasalization.