Note: It is recommended that this document be read using a Braille display or embossed through a Braille Embosser. This will give readers the look and feel of symbols as they appear in the Holy Quran.
Arabic words are spelled out phynetically (in such a way where a screen reader such as JAWS for Windows or Window Eyes will be able to pronounce the words somewhat correctly.) Therefore, the terms used are not always the correct spelling of the actual Arabic words. (This document was tested with JAWS for Windows using Eloquents(on pronounciation.))
It is also necessary to note that this document should not be translated to grade II Braille. The translation of this document may modify the symbols (which are displayed as they would appear in the Quran,) causing misinterpretations.
If you wish to emboss this document, you may download the text version here.
The below index is clickable (specific to the HTML version.) You may click any topic below and jump directly to that point of interest.
This document was written strictly for the purpose of teaching blind/visually impaired individuals how to read the Holy Quran in Braille. This document was not designed to teach individuals how to read the Holy Quran (rules, pronounciation, Etc.,) and there is no garentee that by reading this document, blind and VI individuals will be fluent Quran readers. The only ppurpose of this document is to clarify what Braille symbols are used for which letters, vowels, Etc.
The reason I wrote this document was because I was faced with the challenge of learning the Braille code for the Holy Quran on my own, with noone to teach me. I did struggle, but after much hard work, I did become a fluent reader of the Holy Quran. I wrote this document to prevent other blind and VI individuals from facing the same challenge I did. I truely hope this document benefits you and would really appreciate your feedback on it.
This section discusses the layout of the Holy Quran I.E. verse numbering.
• The Braille version of the Holy Quran is set up from left to right, whereas the print version is set up from right to left. The Quran, for the most part, is divided into six volumes, each volume containing a minimum of five chapters, or jooz. It is a good idea to arange the volumes of the Quran on a shelf in their respective order, or otherwise label the covers with the contents found I.E. from Jooz to Jooz. This will make it easier to locate the chapter or soora you are wanting to read.
• The dashes out to the left margin are used to mark the line on which a new verse or aya starts. if there is no new aya starting on the line indicated by the dash, the aya starts above the line.
• The reader is required to read two simultaneous lines of braille in order to receive the proper information about the line which they are reading. The top line (which looks like a bunch of repeated letters like a and e,) is used to represent the vowels and symbols applied to the respective letter. (We will be referring to this line as line1.) The second line (the line below it,) consists of the words presented. As you will see when we discuss how to apply these into reading, the second line (line2) means merely nothing without line1.
• To mark the beginning of sooras, one will find a double line break (approximately.) This consists of a blank line. The number in parens is the soora number. Jooz numbers are found on the right-hand page (the Quran should be double sided,) with the number following the word jooz being the Jooz number. Since line1 is not present on side information (information which is not part of the Quran's content,) all the reader sees is the word. Therefore, if you were looking for the Jooz number, you would first find the top margin of the right-hand page. Then look for the following symbol:
jz4'
Therefore, if the Jooz being read was Jooz 4, the reader would find something similar to the following on the top margin of the right-hand page:
jz4' #d
And, if the reader was searching for the Soora number which happened to be 4, the following symbol would be meaningful:
7#d7
• Verse numbers come after their respective verses. Therefore, if you were reading verse 1, you would find the number 1 after aya 1.
In this section, we'll discuss the symbols used to represent letters in Braille.
The base for a word is line2. if you move your finger directly above the letter to line1, you will find the vowel associated with that letter. Note that all symbols in line1 are dropped to the lowest cells possible to make reading easier. Therefore, a dot 1 would actually be referring to a dot 3.
• An A[dot-1] is used for a fut-ha or sometimes called zubbur.
• An E[dots 1-5] is used for a kes-ra or sometimes called a Zair.
• An h[dots 1-2-5] is used for a thumma or sometimes called a pesh.
• A -[dots 3-6] is used to tell the reader that no vowel accompanies the letter. This symbol is known as a Sokin.
• An I[dots 2-4] is used to notify the reader that after the letter is spoken, form the "in" sound. This symbol is known as Kes-ra-tain.
• A B[dots 1-2] is used to notify the reader that when they reach the letter on which this symbol exists, produce the "un" sound. This symbol is known as a Fut-ha-tain.
• A J[dots 2-4-5] is used to notify the reader that when they reach the letter which has this symbol, produce the "oon" sound. This symbol is known as Thuma-tain.
(Letters and symbols on this line are brailled in their appropriate cells, whereas in Line1, letters and symbols are dropped.)
As we discussed earlier, the Braille Quran consists of two lines which make up the Quran's content. In this section, we will discuss letters and symbols which are found on Line2 (the line just below line1, the line which holds respective vowels.)
• Line2 holds muddas and shuddas. A mudda is represented by a dot 3(') and is found just after the letter or symbol it modifies; this is usually an Alif.
• • A shudda is represented by a dot 6(,) and is found just before the letter which it modifies.
• A /[dots 3-4] is used to notify the reader that the vowel above this symbol has no associated letter and therefore the vowel should be said as it sounds.
• A *[dots 1-6,] when associated with a I, B, or J (in Line1,) should notify the reader to produce the "tin," "tun," or "toon" sounds respectively. This symbol is a tah (the letter just after bah.)
• A V[dots 1-2-3-6] is used to symbolize a Lom-alif.
• An A[dot 1] is used to represent an alif. The alif can be written sevral ways; if a /[dots 3-4] is underneath a vowel, the / is an Alif (some readers call it a Humza.) The Humza doesn't really exist; it is, most always, in conjunction with an Alif. As discussed briefly above, when a / exists under a vowel, the vowel should be said as it sounds.
• A B[dots 1-2] is used to represent a Ba.
• A T[dots 2-3-4-5] is used to represent a Ta. When under a Fut-ha, Kes-ra, or Thuma-tain, the Tah changes its symbol to a *[dots 1-6.] Considering this, if a * exists under an I, B, or J (Kes-ra, Fut-ha, or Thuma-Tain respectively,) the reader should form the "tin," "tun," or "toon" sounds respectively.
• A ?[dots 1-4-5-6] is used to represent a Tha.
• A J[dots 2-4-5] is used to represent a Jeem.
• A :[dots 1-5-6] is used to represent the Ha which comes from the throat.
• An X[dots 1-3-4-6] is used to represent a xa (this letter is merely impossible to sound right through a screen reader.)
• A D[dots 1-4-5] is used to represent a Dahl.
• A ![dots 2-3-4-6] is used to represent a Thahl.
• An R[dots 1-2-3-5] is used to represent a Ra.
• A Z[dots 1-3-5-6] is used to represent a Za.
• An S[dots 2-3-4] is used to represent a Seen.
• A %[dots 1-4-6] is used to represent a Sheen.
• An &[dots 1-2-3-4-6] is used to represent a Sawd.
• A $[dots 1-2-4-6] is used to represent a Dawd.
• A )[dots 2-3-4-5-6] is used to represent a Taw.
• A =[dots 1-2-3-4-5-6] is used to represent a Tha (this letter makes a sound similar to a Thahl.)
• A ([dots 1-2-3-5-6] is used to represent an Ain.
• A <[dots 1-2-6] is used to represent a Gain (again, this sound is merely impossible to form with a screen reader.)
• An F[dots 1-2-4] is used to represent a Fa.
• A Q[dots 1-2-3-4-5] is used to represent a qof.
• A K[dots 1-3] is used to represent a Kaf.
• An L[dots 1-2-3] is used to represent a Lom.
• An M[dots 1-3-4] is used to represent a Meem.
• An N[dots 1-3-4-5] is used to represent a Noon.
• An H[dots 1-2-5] is used to represent the Ha which comes from the chest.
• A W[dots 2-4-5-6] is used to represent a Wow.
• A >[dots 3-4-5] is used to represent a Humza. This letter can also be taken as an Alif.
• An I[dots 2-4] is used to represent a Yah.
In this section, we'll look at how to pronounce some words found in the Holy Quran. It is highly recommended that this section at least be embossed through a Braille embosser; again, do not translate this document. Notice that Line1 is dropped to the lowest cells possible. This is how the line will appear in the Quran to make reading easier.
For the first part of our discussion, we will analyze the following word:
58''9
bm:md
To listen to the pronounciation of this word, click on Line1 of the above word. (Sound quality isn't the best; I don't have the best microphone in the world.)
The first letter on Line2 is a Bah. Above this letter, we find a Kes-ra (e.) Therefore, this letter would be pronounced as "be." Continuing on, the next letter is a Meem (m.) Above this letter, we find a Thuma (h.) This letter would therefore be pronounced as "moo." Going still further, the third letter is a Ha which comes from the throat (:.) Above this letter we find a Fut-ha (a.) Because of this, this letter would be pronounced as "huh." The next letter is a Meem (m.) Above this letter we find a Fut-ha (a.) This letter would be pronounced as "muh." The last letter is a Dahl (d.) Above this letter we encounter a Kes-ra-tain. This letter would therefore be pronounced as "din." And thus the whole word is pronounced like this!
The next word we shall analyze will demonstrate a Shudda.
For this discussion, refer to the following word:
' 9 ''
:,q wv
Again, click on Line2 to listen to the word's pronounciation.
We will analyze this word in a similar manner as we did the previous word. Starting from the first letter; we can easily tell that it's the Ha which comes from the throat (:.) Above this letter, we see a Fut-ha and therefore the letter would sound as "huh." The next letter is what I would like to discuss here. This symbol consists of a single dot 6 (,) and has no symbol above it. This is because the symbol is not a letter, instead it is considered a modifier. The dot 6 is refered to as a Shudda. The letter it modifies comes right after the dot 6 symbol, being the Qof (q.) This is why we stress the Qof in the audible pronounciation. Notice that we must hold the letter in for about a half of a second. The shudda is a dot 6 to make reading easier. Since it comes just before the letter it signifies to stress, having it set to dot 6 gives the effect of it being pressed up against its letter. Likewise, a Mudda (which will be analyzed a bit later) is set to dot 3 since it appears after the letter it modifies.
Notice that we threw in a two-worded example here. After finishing the Qof, we will move to word two. The Qof just after the Shudda holds a Kes-ra-tain, forming the "qin" sound.
In word two, the first letter is obviously a Wow (w.) Above this letter we find a Fut-ha (a,) forming the "wuh" sound. The next letter, though, is a bit weird. It is what is known as a Lom-Alif. This symbol is represented by a v[dots 1-2-3-6.] Since there is a Fut-ha above this symbol, we form the "la" sound. Going back to the first letter (still second word,) note, in the audio, we hear a "iwh" sort of sound. This is because since the last letter of the joining word (the first word) is a Tain (it can be either Kes-ra, Fut-ha, or Thuma,) we need to join the two letters; since the first word of the second word is a wow. (For further clarification, talk to your malim.) ...When we put the whole thing together, we get this sound!
For this section, refer to the following word:
' '
ja'
In this word, we have two things to discuss. The first being the double Alif and the second being the Mudda. Let's start with the first letter, obviously being a Jeem with a Fut-ha forming "juh." After the Jeem, we find an Alif. Notice that the Alif is not accompanied by a vowel or symbol on Line1. This alif goes with the Fut-ha on the Jeem to form the sound "ja." After the Alif, we encounter a Mudda. Notice, as said earlier, a Mudda is represented by a dot 3 ('.) The Mudda is a modifier similar to a Shudda. Here, however, the symbol (the dot 3) appears justafter the letter is modifies. Since the Mudda appears after the Alif, we stretch the Alif. Now we must analyze the Mudda. Once we are done stretching the Alif as necessary, what do we do next? The Mudda has a vowel above it, being a Fut-ha. Therefore, we would treat the Fut-ha as if it were above an Alif or Humza. We simply form the "uh" sound. Again, putting all this together, we get this sound right here!
For this discussion, refer to the following word:
'-'-
r:mn
In this word, we can see that the first letter is a Rah with a Fut-ha forming the "ruh" sound. The next letter, however, doesn't have any vowel above it. Instead, there is a dash[dots 3-6.] This symbol stands for a Sokin. A sokin signifies that no vowel accompanies the respective letter. Therefore, the Ha would be said as is; refer to the audible pronounciation for further clarification. Continuing on, we find a Meem with a Fut-ha above it. This would normally be pronounced as "muh." However, the rule is that in this word, treat the fut-ha like a double Alif, changing "muh" to "mah." The next letter also has a Sokin. Again, the Noon should be said as is. When we fit the puzzle together and examine it, we get this sound right here!
This document was not written by a registered qualified Quran specialist. Therefore, I am not, in any way, stating that this document is free of errors. An element of data may be inaccurate and may be misleading. If you find this to be occurring, please send me an Email right away! ([email protected]) In the message, state the error(s) and I will do my best to correct it/them.
All sound files are my property. However, I am granting you free distribution of these files. Feel free to use these files in any way you feel will benefit other individuals, groups, or organizations. (I have done this for the pleasure of The Almighty Allah [SWT] and to benefit any moomeem who wishes to read this document. Also, if at all possible, send me feedback on this document. I would very much appreciate it if I knew my work is being put to good use.