What is shaddah (also spelled shadda or tashdeed) in Arabic, and how do I read it?

Answer by Hafiz Shahbaz

Shaddah (also spelled shadda or tashdeed) is the small mark ّ written above an Arabic letter. It tells you to read that letter twice: the first time silent, the second time with its vowel.

For example, رَبَّ is read "rab-ba", not "ra-ba". Press the letter firmly and do not rush it. In Surah Al-Fatihah you will find it in الرَّحْمَٰنِ (ar-Rahmaan), رَبِّ (Rabbi) and إِيَّاكَ (iyyaaka).

The shaddah can sit with any of the three short vowels:

With fatha: رَبَّ (rabba)
With kasra: رَبِّ (rabbi)
With damma: رَبُّ (rabbu)

If the shaddah is on a noon (نّ) or a meem (مّ), add ghunnah, a nasal sound held for about two counts, as in إِنَّ (inna) and ثُمَّ (thumma).

A common mistake is to read a letter with a shaddah as a single letter. Always give it the extra pressure. Practise slowly: say the silent letter first, then the vowelled letter, then join the two without a gap.

Shaddah is learned best by ear. Listen to a good reciter, repeat after them, and ask a teacher to correct how long you hold the letter.

Learn more: Learn Tajweed online · See shaddah examples in Surah Al-Fatihah

19 October 2026