Articulatory Difficulties of Arabic Sounds in Qur'anic Recitation among Malay Speakers: A Contrastive Analysis from Tajwid and Phonetic Perspectives

Abstract

Accurate articulation of Arabic sounds is fundamental to Qur’anic recitation, as the science of tajwid requires each letter to be pronounced according to its precise point of articulation (makhraj) and phonetic characteristics (sifat). However, differences between the Arabic and Malay phonetic systems may pose articulation difficulties for Malay speakers, particularly when Arabic sounds have no equivalent phonemic counterparts in their first language. This study aims to analyse Arabic sounds that pose articulation difficulties for Malay speakers, identify the factors and forms of these difficulties, and formulate a pedagogical framework integrating the science of tajwid with contrastive phonetic analysis. The study adopts a qualitative research design based on document analysis, drawing on classical and contemporary tajwid sources, works on Arabic and Malay phonetics, and previous empirical studies on Arabic sound articulation in Qur’anic recitation among Malay speakers. Contrastive analysis is conducted by comparing the sound systems of Arabic and Malay in terms of points and manners of articulation, voicing, isti‘la’, itbaq and tafkhim, while examining the availability of phonemic equivalents in Malay. The findings indicate that articulation difficulties are concentrated in pharyngeal and uvular sounds, interdental consonants, and consonants characterised by itbaq and tafkhim. The sounds identified include ḥā’, ‘ayn, khā’, gḥayn, qāf, ṣād, ḍād, ṭā’, ẓā’, thā’ and dhāl. These difficulties manifest as phoneme substitution, shifts in points of articulation, weakening of phonetic characteristics, sound deletion or insertion, and unstable articulation during connected recitation. Based on the analysis, the study formulates a seven-stage pedagogical framework comprising pronunciation diagnosis, auditory discrimination, articulatory awareness, controlled sound production, contrastive practice, connected recitation, and skill retention. The framework retains talaqqi and mushafahah as the foundations of instruction while integrating a systematic phonetic approach to address the identified articulation difficulties. This study contributes to the development of a more diagnostic and systematic approach to teaching Qur’anic recitation that addresses the specific phonetic needs of Malay speakers.