3 Tajweed Mistakes You Might Be Making Without Realizing
By Ummu Yaaser | AlhudaaIslamicSchool.com
Do you ever feel like your recitation is mostly correct… but something still sounds off?
You’ve learned tajweed rules before, maybe even taken a course or two—but when you recite, there are little stumbles, uncertain pauses, or patterns that just don’t feel smooth.
That’s more common than you think.
Many Qur’an learners—especially self-taught or intermediate readers—develop small tajweed habits that go unnoticed for years. The good news? These are fixable, and it doesn’t take memorizing every rule again.
In this post, I’ll show you 3 subtle but common tajweed mistakes, why they happen, and how you can gently correct them for more confident, beautiful recitation.
🌙 Mistake 1: Over-Stretching or Under-Stretching Vowels (Madd)
What It Sounds Like:
- Saying: maa-liki with a super long aa — or shortening it too much: ma-liki
- Inconsistent elongation: sometimes 2 counts, sometimes 6, depending on your breath or speed.
Why It Happens:
You may not have internalized the rhythm of each madd rule (natural, necessary, or optional), or you're adjusting your stretch based on breath instead of tajweed.
Gentle Fix:
-
Practice counted elongation with a slow reciter. Say each madd with deliberate timing: mā-liki (2 counts), wa-lā-ddāllīn (6 counts).
- Use your finger to tap or count lightly as you stretch.
- Don’t worry about labeling the rule—just feel the consistent length.
✨ Pro Tip: Focus on Surah al-Fātiḥah—it’s full of madd examples and part of every ṣalāh.
🌙 Mistake 2: Missing the Ghunnah (Nasal Sound)
What It Sounds Like:
- Saying min shain as flat and dry instead of with a soft nasal sound: mi(n)-shain
- Rushing past nūn mushaddadah or mīm mushaddadah without holding the sound
Why It Happens:
You may be skipping the hold (2 counts) due to speed, nerves, or simply not hearing the sound properly in your own voice.
Gentle Fix:
- Close your mouth slightly and hum “nnn” or “mm” for two counts. Feel the vibration in your nose and face.
- Practice with phrases like inna, thumma, ʿalayhimma—recite slowly and feel the “buzz.”
- Record yourself and compare with a slow reciter to tune your ear.
✨ Reflection Tip: Ghunnah adds beauty and calm to your recitation—it’s not just a rule; it’s a softness.
🌙 Mistake 3: Stopping at the Wrong Places (Waqf)
What It Sounds Like:
- Halting mid-phrase, e.g., wa mā rabbuka bi [pause] nasiyyā
- Unnatural breaks that affect the meaning or flow
Why It Happens:
You may be stopping based on breath, line breaks in the mushaf, or nervousness about what comes next. But sometimes stopping mid-rule or sentence changes the meaning or cuts tajweed application short.
- Practice stopping only at complete ideas or symbols like “مـ” or “ج” in your mushaf.
- If your breath runs short, take a breath before the next phrase instead of mid-word.
- Use a color-coded or guided mushaf with stopping signs.
🌸 Tajweed Is a Journey—Not a Test
If you’re making these mistakes—don’t feel discouraged.
It doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re human. And it means you’re learning.
Tajweed is not about perfection—it’s about striving for ihsān (excellence) and growing closer to the words of Allah.
🎁 Ready to Clean Up Your Recitation Gently?
I’ve created a free printable:
Tajweed Flow Fixes Guide – with simple reminders and visual cues to help you apply the rules without overwhelm.
This you receive as a bonus when you book your free Quran Mapping Session where you get personalized feedback on your fluency and identify your top growth area with me
👉 Book Your Quran Mapping Session Here
Or if you’re ready for 1:1 feedback and a structured path to fluency, check out the Tajweed Fluency Framework Program—designed for women who want to recite beautifully, consistently, and with full confidence.