Rules of Silent Nūn in the Light of Modern Phonology

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.