Lesson 5: Shadda — The Double Letter (بّ)

Back to: The Quran Reading Journey — Level 1

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Did You Know?

Every mark you have learned so far adds a sound or removes one.

The Shadda does something different — it doubles the letter.

الشَّدَّة comes from شَدَّ — meaning: to tighten · to stress.

One letter written — but said twice. The first is silent (Sukoon), the second carries the vowel. 💪

بَّ

Shadda — شَدَّة

A small ش shape above the letter = the letter is said twice

بَّ = "b + ba" · رَبَّ = "rab · ba" · جَنَّة = "jan · na"

🔍 How Shadda works — one letter, two sounds:

بَّ

Written once

One letter with Shadda

بْبَ

Said twice

Sukoon + Fatha on same letter

Step 1

بْ

First "b" — silent (Sukoon)

Step 2

بَ

Second "ba" — with vowel

Result

بَّ

Written as one = "bba"

رَبَّ

rab · ba

Lord (stressed)

🔊 Tap to listen

جَنَّة

jan · na

Paradise

🔊 Tap to listen

اللَّه

al · lah

Allah — the ل is doubled

🔊 Tap to listen

The Shadda Rule

Shadda = double the letter — hold it one full beat longer than normal.
بَّ تَّ ثَّ جَّ رَّ نَّ
bba · tta · ttha · jja · rra · nna

Word	Shadda on	How to read	Meaning
اللَّه	لّ Lam — doubled	al · lah	Allah
الرَّحْمَٰن	رّ Ra — doubled	ar · rah · man	The Most Gracious
رَبِّ	بّ Ba — doubled	rab · bi	Lord of
إِيَّاكَ	يّ Ya — doubled	iy · ya · ka	You alone

👆 Tap any word to hear it · Hold the doubled letter one full beat — that stress is what makes Arabic beautiful.

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Spot Your Letters in the Quran

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

"You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help" — Surah Al-Fatiha, Verse 5

· يَّ in إِيَّاكَ — the ي has Shadda → "iy · ya"
· The same word appears twice in this verse
· Each time — hold the يَّ one full beat longer

This verse contains 2 Shaddas — can you find them both? 👆