Pause Marks

Pause marks are special signs placed in mushafs to help reciters decide when to pause and when to recite continuously. There are six pause marks used in Medina Mushaf, which are also used in Uthmani and Imla'ei Quran texts provided by Tanzil. These six pause marks are listed below.

Pause Mark Description Example
م Compulsory Pause فَلَا يَحْزُنكَ قَوْلُهُمْ ۘ إِنَّا نَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ (36:76)
لا Impermissible Pause وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِلَّـهِ الْبَنَاتِ سُبْحَانَهُ ۙ وَلَهُم مَّا يَشْتَهُونَ (16:57)
ج Permissible Pause
It is equally permissible to make pause or continue
وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ (2:45)
قلی Permissible Pause
It is preferred to make pause
أَفَمَن يَخْلُقُ كَمَن لَّا يَخْلُقُ ۗ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ (16:17)
صلی Permissible Pause
It is preferred to continue
أَمْوَاتٌ غَيْرُ أَحْيَاءٍ ۖ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ (16:21)
∴ ∴ Interchangeable Pause
You can pause on any of the two pause marks, not on both
ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ (2:2)

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