What do the symbols in the Quran mean?
Usually they are small marks that tell you where to pause, where to prostrate and where each verse ends. They are not part of the Quran's revealed words. Later scholars added them to help readers recite correctly. The set below is the one used in the widely printed Madinah-style Quran, and other editions may differ slightly.
Verse-end and section marks
- Round marker with a number (): the end of a verse, with the verse number inside.
- ۩: a verse of prostration (sajdah), where reciters prostrate.
- ۞: the start of a quarter of a hizb, a section used for dividing the Quran. The margin often also shows the juz' (one of 30 parts), hizb and quarter.
The prostration mark appears at certain verses, and many reciters prostrate when they reach one. See What do I do when I reach a sajdah verse in the Quran?
Marks that show where to stop
These small letters above the text are called waqf (stopping) signs. Stopping and starting in the right place keeps the meaning clear. The Prophet ﷺ used to recite by dividing the recitation into verses, stopping after each one (Sunan Abi Dawud 4001).
- م (ۘ): you should stop here. Carrying on could change the meaning.
- لا (ۙ): do not stop here, because the sentence continues.
- ج (ۚ): either is fine: you may stop or continue.
- صلى (ۖ): you may stop, but continuing is better.
- قلى (ۗ): you may continue, but stopping is better.
- Three dots in two places (ۛ ۛ): stop at one of the two spots, but not both.
A reciter who runs out of breath may stop at a convenient place and begin again from a point that keeps the meaning clear, as a teacher will show you. See What is tajweed and do I need to learn it?
Small signs on the letters
- Short vowels: a small stroke above a letter (fatha) gives an "a" sound, below it (kasra) an "i" sound, and a small curl above (damma) a "u" sound.
- Sukun (a small circle): no vowel on the letter.
- Shaddah (a small "w" shape): the letter is doubled.
- Madd (a wavy line): a vowel is stretched.
Together, these marks allow even non-Arabic speakers to read the text. Without them, Arabic is written mainly with consonants. Learning to read the marks is part of learning to recite. See How do I learn to read the Quran in Arabic as an adult?
Different editions, different marks
The symbols can vary. Quran editions common in South Asia (Indo-Pak style) use a different set of stop signs and letters, and tajweed-coloured editions add colours on top. Always read the key at the front of your own copy. Allah tells us to "recite the Quran [properly] in a measured way" (Quran 73:4), and these marks are one of the tools that help us do so.
- The marks guide recitation and are not part of the revealed words.
- Round markers show verse ends; ۩ marks a prostration verse.
- Small letters above the text show where to stop, continue or choose.
- Editions differ, so check the key in your own copy.
People also ask
What does the Quran say about backbiting?
Yes, the Quran forbids backbiting and compares it to eating your dead brother's flesh (49:12). Even true words said behind someone's back count.
Read the full answer →What does it mean to be a hafiz of the Quran?
Usually, a hafiz (hafiza for a woman) has memorized the whole Quran by heart. It is a great honour, but not required of every Muslim.
Read the full answer →What do the colors in a tajweed Quran mean?
Usually each colour marks a tajweed rule: grey for silent letters, warm shades for stretching, green for nasal sounds, blue for echo. Check your key.
Read the full answer →What do I do when I finish reading the Quran?
Mostly you thank Allah, make dua and start again. There's no required ritual, but a dua after finishing the Quran is a beautiful custom.
Read the full answer →Is Quranic Arabic different from modern Arabic?
Yes, somewhat. The Quran is in Classical Arabic; Modern Standard Arabic grew out of it, but vocabulary and style differ and dialects differ more.
Read the full answer →