Hamza : هَمْزَةُ
The هَمْزَةُ (Hamza) is considered a consonant in the Arabic alphabet. Its pronunciation is impacted by the vowel it takes. Depending on these vowels, the sound of the Hamza can shift to the english sounds ‘i’, ‘a’ or ‘u’.
There are two types of هَمْزَةُ :
- Hamzatul-Qat / هَمْزَةُ ٱلْقَطْعِ
- Hamzatul-Wasl / هَمْزَةُ ٱلْوَصْلِ
1. هَمْزَةُ ٱلْقَطْعِ
هَمْزَةُ ٱلْقَطْعِ appears in many written forms as detailed in the tables below:
| Form | هَمْزَة عَلَى الأَلِفْ Hamza above the Alif | مِثَالٌ |
|---|---|---|
| Isolated | أ | – |
| Initial | أ | أَخْرَجَ To bring forth; To drive out |
| Medial | ـأ | فَأَمَّا Then as for |
| Final | ـأ / أ | نَبَأ News |
| Form | هَمْزَة تَحْت الأَلِفْ Hamza Below the Alif | مِثَالٌ |
|---|---|---|
| Isolated | إ | – |
| Initial | إ | إِلاَّ Except |
| Medial | ـإ | فَإِنَّهُ So it is |
| Final | ـإ / إ | مَبْدَإٍ Principle |
| Form | هَمْزَة عَلَى السَّطْر Hamza on the Line | مِثَالٌ |
|---|---|---|
| Isolated | ء | – |
| Initial | ء | ءَامَنَ To Believe |
| Medial | ء | جَاءَهُ He Came to him |
| Final | ء | جَاءَ To Come |
| Form | هَمْزَة عَلَى الوَاو Hamza on the و | مِثَالٌ |
|---|---|---|
| Isolated | ؤ | – |
| Initial | – | – |
| Medial | ـؤ | مَؤْمِن Believer |
| Final | ـؤ | مَؤْمِن Believer |
| Form | هَمْزَة عَلَى اليَاء / النَّبِرَة Hamza on the ي / Mark | مِثَالٌ |
|---|---|---|
| Isolated | ئ | – |
| Initial | – | – |
| Medial | ـئـ | يَوْمَئِذ On that day; At that time |
| Final | ـئ | – |
| Form | هَمْزَةْ المد Elongation Hamza | مِثَالٌ |
|---|---|---|
| Isolated | آ | آيَة Sign |
| Initial | آ | آيَة Sign |
| Medial | ـآ | نِسآء Women |
| Final | ـآ / آ | لَآ Do not, No |
2. هَمْزَةُ ٱلْوَصْلِ
هَمْزَةُ ٱلْوَصْلِ is a term referring to a specific type of هَمْزَةُ that occurs only at the beginning of some words. Particularly in the definite article “ال” (al-), imperative verbs, the particle “اِبْن” (ibn, meaning “son of”), and some other derived forms. It plays crucial roles in both pronunciation and grammar.
Normally it is written as a small ص – shaped symbol on an alif :
ٱ
هَمْزَةُ ٱلْوَصْلِ can also be written without the ص – shaped symbol.
ا
In some Mus-haf’s[1] the ٱ is replaced with the alif form accompanied with the appropriate vowel:
اَ لْحَمْدُ – All Praise
اِقْرَأْ – Read
Remember, when you see the alif (ا) in the form اَ, اِ or اُ remember it is هَمْزَةُ ٱلْوَصْلِ.
هَمْزَةُ ٱلْوَصْلِ is pronounced when the word begins a sentence or follows a pause but is silent when the word comes after another word.
The pronunciation of the ٱ is influenced by the following set of rules:
Rule 1: هَمْزَةُ ٱلْوَصْلِ is Succeeded by ل making the definite article
a) If the ٱ begins a sentence or follows a pause then the ٱ will be pronounced with ــَـ (‘a’) sound as in ٱ لْحَمْدُ reading ‘Alhamdo’.
ٱ لْحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. [1:2]
b) If the ٱ does not begin a sentence nor follows a pause, then please study the Lesson ‘Sun and Moon Letter’ that details the rules for this condition.
Rule 2: هَمْزَةُ ٱلْوَصْلِ NOT succeeded by ل
a) If the ٱ begins a sentence or follows a pause then , If the third letter has a ــُـ then the ٱ is pronounced with ــُـ ‘u’ sound as in ٱلْغُرُور (ul-ghurur)
However, If the third letter does not have ــُـ, then ٱ is pronounced with ــِـ (‘i’) sound, as in ٱقْرَأْ whose third letter has a ــَ i.e. رَ, therefore reading ‘iqra’.
ٱقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ
Read in the name of your Lord who created. [96:1]
b) If the ٱ does not begin a sentence nor follows a pause, then the ٱ is not pronounced.
[1] A Mus-haf refers to a physical copy of the Quran.