Makhraj al-Ḥalq (The Throat)

مَخْرَجُ الْحَلْقِ

Makhraj al-Ḥalq (The Throat)

Translated by: Reza Ervani bin Asmanu

This article, “Makhraj al-Ḥalq (The Throat)” is included in the English Article Category.

Al-Ḥalq may simply be understood as the throat. More specifically, it includes the area extending from the vocal folds (al-awtār al-ṣawtiyyah), approximately around the Adam’s apple in males, up to the uppermost part of the throat, where the root of the tongue (jadhru al-lisān) meets the uvula.

There are three articulation points in the throat, from which six Arabic letters are pronounced.

أَقْصَى الْحَلْقِ

The Deepest Part of the Throat (Aqṣā al-Ḥalq)

Imam Ibn al-Jazarī says in Al-Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah:

١١ – ثُمَّ لأَقْصَى الحَلْقِ هَمْزٌ هَاءُ

Then, from the deepest part of the throat come Hamzah (ء) and Hā’ (هـ).

Pronunciation Exercises

 

أقصى الحلق أي : أبعده، وهو آخره مما يلي الصدر

Aqṣā al-Ḥalq means the farthest or deepest part of the throat. It is the lowest part of the throat, closest to the chest.¹

Two letters are articulated from this area:

ء    هـ

Imam Ibn al-Jazarī says in An-Nashr:

المخرج الثاني : أقصى الحلق، وهو للهمزة والهاء، فقيل : على مرتبة واحدة، وقيل : الهمزة أوّل

The second articulation point is Aqṣā al-Ḥalq, the deepest part of the throat. It is the articulation point of Hamzah and Hā’. Some scholars hold that both occupy the same level, while others hold that Hamzah comes first.²

Illustration

Labels

Notes on Pronouncing Hamzah and Hā’

When Hamzah with sukūn (ءْ) is pronounced, the outgoing sound is stopped by the closure at the vocal folds, as illustrated below:

[Image: Vocal folds during the pronunciation of Hamzah with sukūn]

This causes the Hamzah to have the characteristic of Taḥqīq, in which the airflow and sound are interrupted.

When a vowelled Hamzah is pronounced, the vocal folds open again, as illustrated below:

[Image: Vocal folds during the pronunciation of a vowelled Hamzah]

The letter هـ (Hā’), on the other hand, is pronounced with the vocal folds open, whether it carries a vowel or a sukūn, as illustrated below:

[Image: Vocal folds during the pronunciation of Hā’]

Therefore, even when هـ carries a sukūn, air continues to flow during its pronunciation.

وَسَطُ الْحَلْقِ

The Middle of the Throat (Wasaṭ al-Ḥalq)

Imam Ibn al-Jazarī says in Al-Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah:

١١ – …………………… ثُمَّ لِوَسْطِهِ فَعَيْنٌ حَاءُ

And from the middle of the throat come ‘Ayn (ع) and Ḥā’ (ح).

Two letters are articulated from this area:

ع    ح

Pronunciation Exercises

 

Imam Ibn al-Jazarī says in An-Nashr:

الْمَخْرَجُ الثَّالِثُ – وَسَطُ الْحَلْقِ – وَهُوَ لِلْعَيْنِ وَالْحَاءِ الْمُهْمَلَتَيْنِ، فَنَصَّ مَكِّيٌّ عَلَى أَنَّ الْعَيْنَ قَبْلَ الْحَاءِ، وَهُوَ ظَاهِرُ كَلَامِ سِيبَوَيْهِ وَغَيْرِهِ، وَنَصَّ شُرَيْحٌ عَلَى أَنَّ الْحَاءَ قَبْلُ، وَهُوَ ظَاهِرُ كَلَامِ الْمَهْدَوِيِّ وَغَيْرِهِ.

The third articulation point is Wasaṭ al-Ḥalq, the middle of the throat. It is the articulation point of the two undotted letters ‘Ayn (ع) and Ḥā’ (ح).

Makkī explicitly stated that ‘Ayn comes before Ḥā’, and this is also apparent from the wording of Sībawayh and others. Meanwhile, Shurayḥ stated that Ḥā’ comes first, and this is also apparent from the wording of al-Mahdawī and others.²

Illustration

Notes on Pronouncing ‘Ayn and Ḥā’

Observe the blue arrow in the illustration. The structure indicated there is the epiglottis (Lisān al-Mizmār).

The degree of opening in this area differs when pronouncing ع (‘Ayn) and ح (Ḥā’).

When pronouncing ع, the passage becomes slightly more constricted. This creates friction in the airflow and contributes to the characteristic of Bayniyyah (Tawassuṭ).

When pronouncing ح, the passage is more open, allowing the air to flow without being completely obstructed.

Verse 12

أَدْنَى الْحَلْقِ

The Upper Part of the Throat (Adnā al-Ḥalq)

Imam Ibn al-Jazarī says in Al-Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah:

١٢ – أَدْنَاهُ غَيْنٌ خَاؤُهَا……. ……….………

And from the part of the throat nearest to the mouth come Ghayn (غ) and Khā’ (خ).

Two letters are articulated from this area:

غ    خ

Pronunciation Exercises

 

Imam Ibn al-Jazarī says in An-Nashr:

الْمَخْرَجُ الرَّابِعُ – أَدْنَى الْحَلْقِ إِلَى الْفَمِ – وَهُوَ لِلْغَيْنِ وَالْخَاءِ، وَنَصَّ شُرَيْحٌ عَلَى أَنَّ الْغَيْنَ قَبْلُ، وَهُوَ ظَاهِرُ كَلَامِ سِيبَوَيْهِ أَيْضًا، وَنَصَّ مَكِّيٌّ عَلَى تَقْدِيمِ الْخَاءِ

The fourth articulation point is Adnā al-Ḥalq, the part of the throat closest to the mouth. It is the articulation point of Ghayn (غ) and Khā’ (خ).

Shurayḥ stated that Ghayn comes first, which also appears to be the view indicated by the wording of Sībawayh. Makkī, however, stated that Khā’ comes first.²

Illustration

Notes on Pronouncing Ghayn and Khā’

Observe the illustration. Both letters are pronounced through contact or narrowing involving the root/back of the tongue (jadhru al-lisān) and the rear part of the roof of the mouth near the uvula.

The difference is that غ (Ghayn) is articulated slightly lower and deeper toward the throat than خ (Khā’).

Because the root of the tongue (jadhru al-lisān) participates in the articulation of these two letters, some scholars considered them to belong to the articulation points of the tongue (al-lisān).

Among those who held this view was Imam Abū Ja‘far ibn al-Qa‘qā‘ al-Madanī (35–130 AH), one of the reciters of the Ten Canonical Qirā’āt (al-Qirā’āt al-‘Ashr).

1. Jāmi‘ Shurūḥ al-Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah.
2. Ibn al-Jazarī, An-Nashr fī al-Qirā’āt al-‘Ashr, Dār Ibn al-Jawzī, Egypt, 2014, p. 161.