By the end of this lesson
- Pronounce hamzat al-qaṭʻ every time
- Skip hamzat al-waṣl when joining words
- Choose the right vowel when starting on it
| Type | Looks like | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Hamzat al-qaṭʻ (cutting) | أَ إِ أُ | Always pronounced |
| Hamzat al-waṣl (joining) | ٱ | Only pronounced when you start on it; silent when joined |
Both joining alifs are silent: bis-mil-lā-hir-raḥ-mā-nir-ra-ḥīm
Starting on a joining alif
- Before ال (the): start with a fatḥah. ٱلْحَمْدُ is read al-ḥamdu.
- In verbs: start with a ḍammah if the third letter has an original ḍammah (ٱدْعُ → ud-ʻu); otherwise a kasrah (ٱهْدِنَا → ih-di-nā).
- In a few nouns such as ٱسْمٌ, ٱبْنٌ and ٱمْرَأَةٌ: start with a kasrah.
PracticePronounced or silent?
أَنْعَمْتَShow answer
Pronounced (hamzat al-qaṭʻ)
وَٱلْعَصْرِShow answer
Silent: wal-ʻaṣr
إِيَّاكَShow answer
Pronounced (hamzat al-qaṭʻ)
ٱهْدِنَا (starting)Show answer
Pronounced with kasrah: ih-di-nā