Tajweed is the art and science of reciting the Qur’an correctly. For students using HifzFocus, understanding how errors are categorized is key to making real progress. The app classifies mistakes into two core types: Lahn Jali* (major errors) and *Lahn Khafi (minor errors).

This guide helps learners and teachers understand which mistakes affect meaning* versus which affect *recitation quality, enabling them to focus their practice more effectively.

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What Is Lahn?

In the context of Tajweed, “Lahn” simply means a mistake in recitation. These can range from clear mispronunciations that change the meaning of a word to subtle deviations from proper articulation and rule application.

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Lahn Jali — Major, Clear Errors

Lahn Jali* refers to **major mistakes** that are obvious and have the potential to *alter the meaning or grammar of the Qur’anic text. These errors are often noticeable even to listeners who don’t know detailed Tajweed rules. In Hifz Focus, these are typically marked with a red highlight.

Common Jali Errors and Examples

| Error Type | What It Means | Example |

| --------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |

| Harakah | A vowel change alters meaning. | Reciting “an’amta” with a dammah (an’amtu) changes it from “You favored” to “I favored.” |

| Letter | One letter is swapped for another. | Saying “عَلِيم” (All-Knowing) instead of “أَلِيم” (Painful). |

| Word Miss | A word is added or skipped. | Skipping a word in a verse, which alters the sentence structure. |

| Shaddah | A required doubling is missed. | Not applying the required Shaddah on a letter like in “إِيَّاكَ”. |

| Waqf | A stop that changes the meaning. | Pausing in a place that incorrectly breaks the grammatical or semantic flow of a sentence. |

Lesson Example for Students:

If a student recites “لَا تُسْـَٔلُنَّ”* (you will *not* be questioned) instead of the correct **“لَتُسْـَٔلُنَّ” (you *will definitely* be questioned), the meaning is completely reversed. This is a classic *Lahn Jali error.

Why This Matters: Jali errors are critical because they can distort the intended meaning of the Qur'an. They must be corrected immediately.

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Lahn Khafi — Minor, Hidden Errors

Lahn Khafi* refers to **minor mistakes** that do **not** change the meaning of the text but violate specific Tajweed rules. These errors affect the *beauty, rhythm, and quality of the recitation and are usually only noticeable to those who have studied Tajweed. In Hifz Focus, these are marked with a yellow highlight.

Common Khafi Errors and Examples

| Error Type | What It Means | Example |

| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

| Madd | Incorrect elongation of a vowel. | Shortening a required Madd or over-stretching a natural one. |

| Ghunna | Incorrect duration of nasalization. | Not holding the nasal sound on a نّ or مّ for the correct length. |

| Sifaat | Incorrect attribute of a letter. | Mispronouncing a "heavy" letter as "light" (Tafkheem/Tarqeeq). |

| Rule | General misapplication of a Tajweed rule. | Incorrectly applying rules of Idgham (merging) or Ikhfa (hiding). |

Lesson Example for Students:

In Surah Al-Fātiḥah, in the word “وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ”*, the *Madd Al-Lazim* requires a 6-count elongation. If a student only gives it 2 counts, they commit a *Lahn Khafi error. The word’s meaning is unchanged, but the rule of recitation has been broken.

Why This Matters: While Khafi errors do not invalidate a prayer, correcting them is essential for reciting the Qur'an as it was revealed and taught.

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How HifzFocus Uses These Categories

HifzFocus tags every error so students and teachers know where to focus their practice:

1. Jali Errors (Red): These are high-priority. Focus on memorizing the correct text and vowels immediately.

2. Khafi Errors (Yellow): These are for refinement. Use the feedback to practice specific Tajweed rules and improve recitation quality.

Each marked error can be reviewed with your teacher, who can add detailed notes and even record short audio snippets demonstrating the correct pronunciation, creating a clear path to improvement.

Teaching Tips:

* Use the error list to identify recurring mistake patterns.

* Focus on correcting all Jali errors first, as they affect meaning.

* Use the Khafi error tags to assign targeted practice on specific Tajweed rules like Madd or Ghunna.

By understanding this system, learners can make measurable progress and deepen their connection to the beautiful art of Quranic recitation.