Three kinds of duration of the stretch

There are three kinds of duration of the stretch for different syllables regulated by certain principles.

•             قَصْر      Qasr,  shortness:                  The duration of stretch should not be more than two حَرَكَة ḥarakah.
•             تَوَسُّت   Tawassut,  intermediacy:    The duration of stretch is between three to five حَرَكَة ḥarakah.
•             طاَل      Tal,  lengthy:                          The duration of stretch is five to six حَرَكَة ḥarakah.

In the second and third instances the qārī, the reciter, has the choice of the extension of the measures for the duration of stretch. It is recommended that the qari as far as possible maintains consistency in the duration of stretch to syllables. The kinds of al-Madd can be comprehended without difficulty if the table on p. 144 is applied in the reading of Rules 36-49.