Question

Assalaamu alaikum

Could you please clarify which letters have heaviness (tafkheem) in reading? Do they always have this heaviness?  Are vowels affected by it or only letters? And, how important is it to read these letters this way? 

May Allah reward you for answering our questions.

 Answer

Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh.  

The letters that always have tafkheem are the letters in the group:.  These letters and their accompanying vowels are recited with tafkheem.  The true Arabic pronunciation of these letters is with tafkheem, and the authentic transmission of these letters in the recitation of the Qur'an is with tafkheem, so we therefore should do our very best to recite these letters with tafkheem. 

There are three letters that sometimes have tafkheem and sometimes have tarqeeq; they are the alif, the  and the .  Please use the following links for further explanation of when these three letters have tafkheem and when they do not:

http://www.abouttajweed.com/tafkheem_and_tarqeeq2.htm

http://www.abouttajweed.com/tafkheem_and_tarqeeq_3.htm

http://www.abouttajweed.com/tafkheem_and_tarqeeq_4.htm

 May Allah reward you for your questions.