Arabic Words Starting With Alif? The 49 Latest Answer

Learn the Arabic Letter Alif You will also see this letter transliterated as Alef.

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Alif is the first letter in the Arabic alphabet. It is also the most used letter among them as it represents multiple sounds. And this leads to many different shapes and forms to recognize each sound.

Alif is a lunar letter and is typically pronounced as the letter “A”, but it has various forms and uses which will be clarified in detail.

This makes Alif the trickiest letter. Its detailed description would be a bit long and might be intimidating for the first letter to learn. So we’re going to do a quick synopsis here to get acquainted with it. And we’ll take the rest of the details later. Read it here.

Let’s start…

The form shown above is the famous isolated Alif form.

How Alif is spelled in a word depends on how it is pronounced and of course its position in the word

How the Arabic letter Alif is written

Basic example words of Alif in different states

Alif can only be combined with the letter before it (the letter on the right). The basic form of alif takes these three forms depending on its position in the word:

Alif is one of the three letters Alif ( ا ), Waaw ( و ), Yaa’ ( ي ), which can be either a consonant or a vowel letter.

In the case of using the alif as a vowel, the hamza (ء) on the alif is removed and only the (ا) remains. As in other languages, it does not appear as a vowel at the beginning of a word, but only in the middle or end position.

Example words that contain the Arabic letter Alif with diacritics

The consonant Alif always comes at the beginning of a word. And it always comes with a character called Hamza ( ء ).

The consonant Alif stands for all four types of sounds:

Alif with a fatha: ( أَ ). We place the Fatha on the top of the Hamza ( ءَ )

Might have a soft sound like A in And

OR a harsh sound like U in Under

Alif with a kasra: ( إِ ). We put the kasra under the hamza ( ءِ ). Note that in this case the hamza is below the alif (ا).

Sounds like:

– E in exam

– Me in India

Alif with a Damma: ( أُ ). We place the damma on top of the hamza ( ءُ )

Sounds like:

– O in Open or Orange.

The vowel alif is usually placed in the middle or at the end of a word:

– The medial vowel alif usually takes this form ( ـا ) (alif never combines with the left side).

It can sound soft like a man.

Or it can sound harsh like a Mars

Final vowel alif usually has this form (ـا).

It can sound quiet like in the cinema.

Or it can sound gruff like a grandpa.

doppelganger

-Alif ( ا ) might look like the joined form of the letter Laam ( لـ ) ( ـاـ ). But thankfully Laam always has an extension down the left flank but Alif never has. Alif can only be connected to the right side.

-Consonant Alif also has the hamza in common with the final form of a letter called Kaaf ( ـك ).

-Alif can also be considered part of drawing the twin letters Toh (ط) and Thoh (ظ).

mnemonics

Alif is a stick. It’s the letter number one and looks the same as number one 1.

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The hamza is the symbol which is a عين (Rħain) without a tail. It looks like this: Á Hamza is best thought of as a vowel separator.

The hamza is not a letter in itself, although it produces a consonant sound.

The hamza is either on a ياء (yaa’) or a ألف (alif) or a واو (waaw) or is on its own.

Æ / Ä / Ó / Å / Á

The Arabic script makes sense, but the bearers of the hamza cannot be found out by mere hearing. One must either know the hamza spelling rules or have seen enough Arabic words to know how a word is spelled. And there are spelling rules to figure out if and over which letter a hamza should go.

But most people don’t know the rules of hamza, and they don’t have to. You can spell well without being able to explain why.

People often wonder why the hamza is carried by other letters at all. Here is a short explanation:

Whenever a word in Arabic begins with a vowel, an alif has been written.

And in the old accents, people probably never pronounced the hamza with one word anywhere else. for example: فائز faa-iz- means winner مؤمن mu’min means (religious) believer

were not pronounced that way

instead it said: faa-yiz or moomin

So if the hamza existed on a yaa’, that means the different dialects pronounced it like a yaa’ instead of a hamza’. This pronunciation is still heard very often in Arabic dialects for many words.

Character used in Arabic orthography

This article is about the letter. For other uses, see Hamza (disambiguation). For the name transliterated with the same spelling, see Hamza (name)

ع ‘ayn), which has a similar-looking initial form. Not to be confused with‎ (), which has a similar-looking initial form.

Hamza (Arabic: همزة hamzah) (ء) is a letter in the Arabic alphabet representing the glottal stop [ʔ]. Hamza is not one of the 28 “full” letters and owes its existence to historical inconsistencies in the standard writing system. It derives from the Arabic letter ʿAin (ع). In the Phoenician and Aramaic alphabets, from which the Arabic alphabet descends, the glottal stop was expressed as alif (𐤀), and continued as alif (ا) in the Arabic alphabet. However, alif has been used to express both a glottal stop and a long vowel /aː/. To indicate that a glottal stop is used and not a mere vowel, it was added diacritically to alif. In modern orthography, hamza may also appear on the line as if it were a full letter, independent of an alif.

Etymology[ edit ]

Hamza derives from the verb hamaza ( هَمَزَ ), meaning “to prick, goad, drive” or “to hamzah (a letter or word)”.[1]

Hamzat al-waṣl ( ٱ ) [ edit ]

The letter hamza ( ء‎ ) alone always represents hamzat al-qaṭ’ ( هَمْزَة الْقَطْع , “the hamzah that breaks, ceases or stops”, d Contrasted with the hamzat al-waṣl ( هَمْزَة الوَصْل , which “hangs on the hamt,h connects or connects”, i.e. the attachment, connection, connection”), a non-phonemic glottal stop is automatically produced only when assimilated at the beginning of an utterance, otherwise. Although the hamzat al-waṣl is written as alif with a waṣlah character ٱ (only in the Qur’an), it is usually indicated by a simple alif without a hamza.[2]

ٱ occurs in:

the definite article al-

Some short words with two of their three consonant roots: Ism اسْم, ibn ابْanz, Imru ‘امْرُؤ (fem. Imra’ah امْرأأأ), ithnāni اثْنَانِ (fematāni اثْ 20 َáni اثْ)

, , (fem. ), (fem. ) the imperative verbs of forms I and VII to X

the perfective aspect of verb forms VII through X and their verbal nouns

some borrowed words beginning with consonant clusters, such as B. istūdiyū

It is not pronounced after a vowel (البَيْتُ الكَبِير, al-baytu l-kabīru). This event occurs in the definite article or at the beginning of a noun after a preposition or a verb after a relative pronoun. When the definite article al- is followed by a solar letter, -l- also gives way to the next letter, for lām is assimilated.

spelling [edit]

The hamza can be written either alone, as if it were a letter, or with a bearer, if it becomes a diacritic:

Alone: ​​(just an isolated form):

Position in Word Isolated Final Medial Initial Glyph Shape:

(help) ء ‎ (none) (none) (none)

By itself:

High Hamza (not used in Arabic; just an isolated form, but actually used in middle and final positions where it is not joined), after each Arabic letter (if that letter has an initial or middle form, those forms become changed to isolated or final forms): position in word isolated final medial initial glyph form:

(help) ٴ ‎ (none) (none) (none) Three-Quarter High Hamza (used in Malay; just an isolated form, but actually used in middle and last positions where it is not joined): Word position: Isolated Final form of the medial initial glyph:

(help) ء (none) (none) (none) This form is in the process of being encoded to the Unicode standard and is currently displayed with a standard Arabic Hamza with a modified vertical position.[3][4]

Combined with a letter:

Above or below an alif : Position in word Isolated Final Medial Initial Glyph Shape:

(help) أ ‎ ـأ ‎ ـأ ‎ أ ‎ Word Position Isolated Final Medial Initial Glyph Form:

(help) إ ‎ ـإ ‎ ـإ ‎ إ ‎ Above a wāw : Position in Word Isolated Final Medial Initial Glyph Form:

(help) Ä ‎ ـÄ ‎ ـÄ ‎ Ä ‎ Over a pointless Yāʾ, also called همزة على نبرة ‎ Hamza ʿAlā Nabrah / Yāʾ Hamza. Medially and finally connected in Arabic, other languages ​​written in Arabic script may also have it initially (or it may take its isolated or initial form, even in Arabic, after a non-connecting letter in the same word): position in word isolated final medial initial glyph shape:

(help) ئ ‎ ـئ ‎ ـئـ ‎ ئـ ‎ About Hāʾ . In the Persian alphabet, not used in Arabic: Position in word Isolated Final Medial Initial Glyph shape:

(help) هٔ ‎ ـهٔ ‎ ـهٔـ ‎ هٔـ ‎ About Ḥāʾ . In the Pashto alphabet, not used in Arabic: Position in Word Isolated Final Medial Initial Glyph Shape:

(help) ځ ‎ ـځ ‎ ـځـ ‎ ځـ ‎ About Rāʾ . In the Khowar alphabet not used in Arabic: Position in Word Isolated Final Medial Initial Glyph Shape:

(help) ٬ ‎ ـ٬ ‎ ـ٬ ‎ ٬ ‎

Arabic “sit” rules [ edit ]

The rules for writing hamza differ somewhat between languages, even though the script is based on the Arabic Abjad. In the following, special attention is paid to Arabic.

Summary[edit]

Initial hamza is always placed above (أ for ʾa- or ʾu-) or below (إ for ʾi-) an alif.

is always placed above (Ó for or ) or below (Ó for ) an alif. Medial hamza has a seat or is written alone: ​​surrounding vowels determine the seat of the hamza, ignoring preceding long vowels and diphthongs (such as aw or ay ). i- (ئ) over u- (Ä) over a- (Ä) when there are two conflicting vowels counting; on the line (Ñ) if there is none. As a special case, āʾa, ūʾa and awʾa require hamza on the line rather than over an alif as one would expect. (See III.1b below.)

will have a seat or be written alone: ​​Final Hamza will have a seat or be written alone: ​​Alone on the line when preceded by a long vowel or final consonant. Has a place corresponding to the last short vowel for words ending in a short vowel.

will have a seat or be written alone: ​​two adjacent alifs are never allowed. If required by the rules, replace the combination with a single Alif Maddah.

Detailed description [ edit ]

Logically, hamza is just like any other letter, but it can be written in different ways. It does not affect the spelling of other letters. In particular, surrounding long vowels are written as they always are, regardless of the “seat” of the hamza—even if this results in the appearance of two consecutive wāws or yāʾs.

Hamza can be written five ways: alone (“on the line”), below an alif, or above an alif, wāw, or yāʾ, which is called the “seat” of the hamza. When written above yāʾ, the dots that would normally be written below are omitted.

According to the following rules, if a hamza with an alif seat would precede an alif representing the vowel ā, a single alif with the maddah symbol is written above it instead.

, a single alif is written with the maddah symbol above it instead. The rules for hamza depend on whether it occurs as the first, middle, or last (non-phone) letter of a word. (Hence, final short inflected vowels do not count, but -an is written as alif + nunation, counts, and the hamza is considered medial.)

I. When the hamza is initial:

When the following letter is a short vowel, fatḥah (a) (as in أَفْرَاد ʾafrād) or ḍammah (u) (as in أُصُول ‎ ʾuṣūl), the hamza is written over a placeholder alif; kasrah (i) (as in إِسْلَام ʾislām) the hamza is written under a place-holding alif and is called “hamza on a wall”.

(a) (as in ) or (u) (as in ), the hamza is written over a placeholder alif; (i) (as in ) the hamza is written under a placeholder alif and means “Hamza on a wall”. If the letter after the hamza itself is an alif: (as in آكُل ʾākul) alif maddah will occur.

II. When the hamza is final:

When preceded by a short vowel, the hamza is written over the letter (alif, wāw, or yāʾ) that corresponds to the short vowel.

or ) corresponding to the short vowel. Otherwise, the hamza is written on the line (as in شَيْء, shayʾ “thing”).

III. If the hamza is medial:

When preceded by a long vowel or diphthong, the seat of the hamza is primarily determined by the following:

If i or u follows, the hamza is written over yāʾ or wāw, respectively.

or follows, the hamza is overwritten accordingly or . Otherwise the hamza would be written on the line. However, if preceded by a yāʾ, this would conflict with the stroke connecting the yāʾ to the following letter, so the hamza is written over the yāʾ. (as in جِئْت)

Otherwise, both preceding and following vowels affect the hamza.

When there is only one vowel (or two of the same type), that vowel determines the seat (alif, wāw, or yāʾ).

or ). When there are two conflicting vowels, i takes precedence over u, u over a so miʾah ‘hundred’ is written مِئَة ‎, with hamza before the yāʾ.

takes precedence over so that ‘hundred’ is written with hamza appearing over the alif-maddah when appropriate.

Not surprisingly, the complexity of the rules leads to some disagreement.

Barron’s 201 Arabic verbs follow the rules exactly (but the sequence ūʾū does not occur; see below).

follows the rules exactly (but the order does not matter; see below). John Mace’s Teach Yourself Arabic Verbs and Essential Grammar presents alternative forms in almost all cases when the hamza is followed by a long ū. The motivation seems to be to avoid two wāws in a row. In general, the choice is between the form that follows the rules here, or an alternative form that uses hamza over yāʾ in all cases. Example forms are masʾūl (مَسْئُول, [adj: responsible, responsible, responsible]; [noun: officially, official]), yajīʾūna (يجِيؤُونَ, verb: jāʾa ججاءء “), yashāʾūna (يؤُاؤُ è ؤُاؤُونَ, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb verb, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb, verb. : shāʾa شَاءَ ‎ “want, want, intend, desire”). Exceptions:

In the sequel ūʾū (yasūʾūna, يَسُوؤُون‎, verb: sā’a سَاءَ‎ “to act badly, to be bad”) the alternatives are hamza on the line or hamza over yāʾ, when the rules here would call for hamza over wāw. Perhaps the resulting sequence of three wāws would be particularly repulsive.

( , , verb: “do badly, be bad”) The alternatives are hamza on the line or hamza over when the rules here would call for hamza over. Perhaps the resulting sequence of three wāws would be particularly repulsive. In the sequence yaqraʾūna ( يَقْرَأُونَ , verb: qaraʾa قَرَأَ ‎ “read, recite, check/study”), the alternative form has hamza over alif, not yāʾ.

( , verb: “read, recite, repeat/study”) the alternative form has hamza over alif, not The forms yabṭuʾūna ( يَبْطُؤُونَ , verb: baṭuʾa بَطُؤَ ‎ “to be or become slow, late or backward, “to be late”, “to move slowly”) and yaʾūbu ( يَؤُوبُ , verb: آبَ ‎ “go backwards”, “return, come back”, “repent”) have no alternative form. (Note yaqraʾūna with the same vowel sequence.)

Haywood and Nahmad’s A new Arabic Grammar of the Written Language do not write out the paradigms in full, but generally agree with John Mace’s book, including the alternative forms, and sometimes list a third alternative, with the entire sequence ʾū as a single hamza above it wāw is written instead as two letters.

does not write out the paradigms in full, but generally agrees with John Mace’s book, including the alternative forms, and sometimes lists a third alternative, writing the entire sequence as a single hamza instead of two letters. Al-Kitāb fī Taʿallum… presents paradigms with hamza written the same way throughout, regardless of the above rules. So yabdaʾūna with hamza only about alif, yajīʾūna with hamza only about yāʾ, yaqraʾīna with hamza only about alif, but that is not allowed in any of the previous three books. (It seems to be an over-generalization on the part of the al-Kitāb authors.)

Summary tables[ edit ]

The letter ط ‎ (ṭ) stands for any consonant.

Note: The table shows only possible combinations and their graphic representations according to the spelling rules; not every possible combination exists in Arabic.

Intervocalic First Second ʾuṭ ʾaṭ ʾūṭ ʾāṭ ṭiʾ ṭiʾuṭ ṭiʾiʾ ṭiʾ ṭiʾ طِئِط طِئَ طِئَ ṭuʾ ṭuʾ ṭuʾ ṭuʾ ṭuʾ ṭuʾ ṭuʾ ṭuʾ ṭuʾ ṭuʾ ṭaʾ ṭaʾiṭ ṭaʾuṭ ṭaʾaṭ ṭaʾīṭ ṭaʾūṭ[a] ṭaʾāṭ طَئِط ‎ طَؤُط ‎ طَأَط ‎ طَئِيط ‎ طَؤُوط ‎ طَآط ‎ ṭīʾ ṭīʾiṭ ṭīʾuṭ ṭīʾaṭ ṭīʾīṭ ṭīʾūṭ ṭīʾāṭ طِيئِط ‎ طِيئُط ‎ طِيئَط ‎ طِيئِيط ‎ طِيئُوط ‎ طِيئَاط ‎ ṭayʾ ṭayʾiṭ ṭayʾuṭ ṭayʾaṭ ṭayʾīṭ ṭayʾūṭ ṭayʾāṭ طَيْئِط ‎ طَيْئُط طَيْئَط طَيْئَ طَيْئَ ṭ ṭūʾ ṭūʾuṭ ṭūʾaṭ ṭūṭ ṭūʾ ṭ طُوءِط طُوءَ طُوءَ ṭAWʾ ṭAWʾUṭ ṭAWʾAṭ ṭAWʾ طَوْءِط طَوْءِط طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ طَوْءَ ططوْؤُط ططوْأْأط ططوْآط ṭāʾ ṭ ʾuṭ ṭāʾaṭ ʾūṭ ṭ ط ط ط ط ط ط ءُ ءُ è ءُ ءُ طءُ ط ط ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ ءُ

Other cases ṭaʾṭ ṭūʾṭ ṭūʾṭ طِئْط طَأْط طَ طَ طَ طَ طَi ṭuʾ ṭaʾ ṭīʾ ṭūʾ ṭ طِئ طُؤ طَ طَ طَ طَ طِء طِء طُء

Colours:

The hamza is written over yāʾ ئ

The hamza is written over wāw Ä

The hamza is written above or below alif أ , آ , إ

The hamza is written on the ء line

Remarks:

The a b Arabic script has attempted to avoid two consecutive wāws, however in modern Arabic this rule is less applicable, hence modern رُؤُوس corresponds to ruʾūs “heads” رُءُوس in the Qur’an.

Hamza in other Arabic alphabets[ edit ]

Jawi alphabet [ edit ]

In the Jawi alphabet (Malay in Arabic script), hamza is used for a variety of purposes, but is rarely used to denote a glottal stop except in certain Arabic loanwords. The standard isolated hamza form (known locally as “Hamzah Setara”) is the second most common form of hamza, while another form unique to the Jawi script, the three-quarter height hamza (Malay: Hamzah Tiga Suku) is the most common occurs frequently in everyday Jawi script. The three-quarter height hamza itself is used in many cases:[5]

Denotes diphthongs and disyllabic vowels for “a-i”, “a-é”, “a-o” and “a-u”;

For certain suffixes like “-ن” and “-ي”;

To write non-Malay monosyllabic words (most commonly names) beginning with a vowel other than ‘a’;

glottal stops for archaic words (especially titles and names that should not be changed); and

Retaining its Arabic purpose when the Arabic spelling of the loanword was changed to have its hamza use the three-quarter height hamza instead.

However, this form has yet to be added to the Unicode Standard as it is being proposed to the Unicode Consortium. Currently the only way to write this form is to use a regular hamza and change its vertical position.

Hamza over alif is used for words with prefixes that use the prefixes “د-”, “ک-”, or “س-” where the root word begins with a vowel (e.g. “د+امبيل” means taken to resulting in “دأمبيل”). This form, as well as hamza under alif, is also used for certain Arabic loanwords whose spelling has been retained as in Arabic.

The hamza above you is known as housed hamza (Malay: hamzah berumah) and is most commonly used for certain Arabic loanwords. It is also used for words with repeated or combined ‘i’ and ‘é’ vowels, such as “چميئيه” (taunt), and to denote a glottal onset in the middle of a word after a consonant, such as “سوبئيديتور” (subeditor). More commonly, however, it is used to denote a schwa vowel after the vowels ‘i’, ‘é’, ‘o’, and ‘u’, like “چندليئر” (chandelier).

Hamza below vav is completely removed from the Jawi alphabet, and for Arabic loanwords using the letter it is replaced with a normal vav followed by a three-quarter pitch hamza.

Urdu (Shahmukhi) Alphabet[ edit ]

In the Urdu alphabet, hamza does not occur in the initial position above alif because alif is not used as a glottal stop in Urdu. When hamza is surrounded by vowels in middle position, it indicates a diphthong between the two vowels. When hamza is surrounded by only one vowel in the middle position, it takes on the sound of that vowel. In the final position, hamza is silent or produces a glottal sound, as in Arabic.

In Urdu, hamza usually represents a diphthong between two vowels. It rarely behaves like Arabic hamza except in some Arabic loanwords.

Hamza is also added to the last letter of the first word of the ezāfe compound to represent -e- when the first word ends in yeh or he, or over bari yeh when added to the end of the first word of the ezāfe compound .

Hamza is always written on the line in middle position, except in Vav when that letter is preceded by a non-joiner letter; then it sits over waw. Hamza also sits when written over bari yeh. In the final form, Hamza is written in its full form. In ezāfe, hamza sits above he, yeh, or bari yeh of the first word, which is the -e- of the ezāfe compound.

Uyghur alphabet[ edit ]

In the Uyghur Arabic alphabet, the hamza is not a separate letter and is generally used to indicate vowels rather than glottal stop. The hamza is represented only with vowels in their initial or isolated form, and only when the vowel begins a word. It is also occasionally used when a word has two vowels in a row.[7]

Latin representations[ edit ]

There are several ways to represent hamza in Latin transliteration:

See also[edit]

The most common questions asked by non-Muslims who know about Islam

MEANING OF ALIF LAAM MEEM

Question:

Why do certain suras in the Qur’an begin with Alif Laam Meem, ‘Haa Meem, Yaa Seen, and what is the meaning of such terms or phrases?

Answers:

1. Abbreviated letters

Alif Laam Meem, Yaseen, Ha-meem etc. are known as Al-Muqattaat i.e. the abbreviated letters. There are 29 letters in the Arabic alphabet (if hamza and alif are considered two letters) and there are 29 suras, i.e. H. Chapters in the Glorious Quran preceded by the abbreviated letters. These abbreviated letters sometimes appear alone, sometimes in a two-letter combination, and sometimes in a three-, four-, or five-letter combination.

a. Three suras are prefixed with just one letter:

I. Surah Sad Chapter 38 with Sad

ii. Surah Qaf Chapter 50 with Qaf

iii. Surah Nun or Qalam Chapter 68 with Nun

b. The combination of two letters occurs in 10 suras:

Three of them appear only once each:

I. Surah Ta Ha Chapter 20 has Ta Ha

ii. Surah Al Naml beginning with Chapter 27 has Ta Seen

iii. Surah Ya Seen Chapter 36 has Ya Seen

Ha Meem occurs in seven consecutive suras from sura 40 to sura 46:

I. Sura Ghafir or Al-Mu’min Chapter 40

ii. Surah Fussilat or Ha Meem Chapter 41

iii. Surah Al Shura Chapter 42

IV. Surah Al Zukhruf Chapter 43

v. Surah Al Dukhan Chapter 44

vi. Surah Al Jathiyah Chapter 45

vii Surah Al Ahqaf Chapter 46

c. There are three combinations of three letters each that appear in 13 suras.

Alif Laam Meem occurs in six suras

I. Surah Al Baqarah Chapter 2

ii. Surah Ali ‘Imran Chapter 3

iii. Surah Al ‘Ankabut Chapter 29

IV. Surah Al Rum Chapter 30

v. Surah Luqman Chapter 31

vi. Surah Al Sajdah Chapter 32

Alif Laam Ra occurs in five suras:

I. Sura Yunus chapter 10

ii. Surah Hud Chapter 11

iii. Sura Yusuf Chapter 12

IV. Sura Ibrahim Chapter 14

v. Surah Al Hijr Chapter 15

Ta Seen Meem occurs in two suras:

I. Surah Al-Shura Chapter 26

ii. Surah Al-Qasa’s Chapter 28

i.e. Combination of four letters occurs twice:

I. Surah Aaraf Chapter 7: Alif Laam Meem Sad

ii. Surah Al Rad Chapter 13: Alif Laam Meem Ra

e. Combination of five letters occurs twice:

I. Surah Maryam Chapter 19 begins with Kaf Ha Ya Ayn Sad

ii. Surah Al-Shura Chapter 42 begins with Ha Meem Ayn Seen Qaf

Surah Al-Shura Chapter 42 has a double combination of abbreviated letters, a two-letter sentence followed by a three-letter sentence.

2. Meaning of these abbreviated letters

The meaning and purpose of these letters is uncertain. Over the centuries, there have been a variety of explanations offered by Muslim scholars. Some of them are:

I. These letters can be abbreviations for certain phrases and words, for example Alif Laam means Meem Ana-Alahu -a’Laam or Nun means Noor (light) etc.

ii. These letters are not abbreviations but symbols and names of Allah or something else.

iii. These letters were used to rhyme.

IV. These letters have some numeric meaning, since the Semitic letters also have numeric values.

v. These letters were used to attract the attention of the Prophet (and later his audience).

Several volumes have been written on the meaning of these abbreviations.

3. Best explanation for abbreviated letters:

Of all the explanations given by various scholars, the following is authentic and supported by Tafsir of Ibne-Kathir, Zamakshari and Ibne-Taiymiyah:

The human body is made up of various basic elements found in nature. Clay and dust are made up of the same basic elements. However, it would be absurd to say that a man is the same as the dust.

We all have access to the elements found in the human body and add a few gallons of water which is the constitution of the human body. We know the elements in the human body and yet we are at a loss when asked about the secret of life.

Similarly, the Qur’an addresses those people who reject its divine authority. It tells you that this Quran is in your own language and which the Arabs were proud of. It is composed of the same letters with which the Arabs expressed themselves most eloquently.

The Arabs took great pride in their language and Arabic was at its peak when the Qur’an was revealed. With the letters Alif Laam Meem, Yaa Seen, Ha-Meem, etc. (in English we would say A, B, C, D), the Qur’an urges mankind to produce a sura that at least approximates the Qur’an in beauty and Elegance when you doubt the authenticity.

First, the Qur’an asks all men and jinn to produce a recitation like the Qur’an, adding that even if they supported each other, they would not be able to do it. This challenge is mentioned in Sura Isra chapter 17 verse 88 and in Sura Tur chapter 52 verse 34.

Later the Qur’an repeats the challenge in Sura Hud chapter 11 verse 13 by saying generate ten similar suras and later in Sura Yunus chapter 10 verse 38 generate a similar sura and finally the easiest challenge becomes in Sura Al -Baqarah, chapter 2, given verses 23 and 24.

“And if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to Our servant from time to time, then bring forth a surah like this and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah, if your doubts are true.

But if you cannot – and you certainly cannot – then fear the fire whose fuel is men and stones – prepared for those who reject the faith.”

[Al-Quran 2:23-24]

To compare the skills of two crafters, you must give them samples of the same raw material and evaluate their performance in performing the same task. If they are tailors, they must be equipped with the same fabrics. The raw material of the Arabic language are these letters Alif Laam Meem, Ya Seen (in English they are A, B, C, D, etc.). The wondrous nature of the language of the Qur’an lies not only in the fact that it is the word of Allah, but also in the fact that although it is composed of the same letters that the pagan Arabs were proud of, it has not been surpassed.

Arabs are known for their rhetorical skills, eloquence and meaningful expression. Just as the components of the human body are known to us and can be obtained by us, the letters that make up the Qur’an, such as Alif Laam Meem, are known to us and are often used to formulate words. Life cannot be created by us even if we have knowledge of the components of the human body. Likewise, although we know the letters that make up the Qur’an, we cannot grasp the same eloquence and beauty of expression that we find in the Qur’an. The Koran thus proves its divine origin.

4. Immediately following these broken letters, the wondrous quality of the Qur’an is mentioned

Therefore, immediately after these broken letters are mentioned in the Qur’an, the following verses speak about the miracle of the Qur’an and its authority

E.g. in Surah Baqarah chapter 2 verse 1-2:

“Alif Laam Meem.

That is the book; therein is undoubtedly guidance for those who fear Allah.”

[Al-Quran 2:1-2]

Allah knows it best

Name Character Explanation Pronunciation Sample transcription

Damma ُ Damma is an apostrophe-like form placed above the consonant that precedes it in pronunciation. It represents a short vowel u (like the “u” in “but”). u بُت but

Wāw و Wāw is the long vowel ū (like the “oo” in “moon”). It also represents the consonant w. When vav is used to represent the long vowel, damma appears over the preceding consonant. ū بُوت but

Fatha َ Fatha is a diagonal stroke written over the consonant that precedes it in pronunciation. It represents a short vowel a (a bit like the “u” in “but”; a short “ah” sound). a بَت bat

Alif ا Alif is the long vowel ā (a long “ahh” sound like “father” in English). ā بات bat

Kasra ِ Kasra is a diagonal stroke written under the consonant that precedes it in pronunciation. It represents a short vowel i (like the “i” in English “pit”). I بِت bit

Ya’ ي Ya’ is the long vowel ī (like the “ee” in English “sheep”). It also represents the consonant y. When Ya’ is used to represent the long vowel, Kasra appears over the preceding consonant. ī بِيت bit

Sukūn ْ Whenever a consonant has no vowel, it is given a mark called sukūn, a small circle that represents the end of a closed syllable (CvC or CvvC). It stands above the letter that is not followed by a vowel. بِنْتُ bintu

As-aalaam alaikum: Peace be upon you (السلام عليكم)

This is an all-purpose greeting, shortened to simply “salaam,” meaning “peace,” and is well-received almost everywhere. Starting your conversation with a local greeting is respectful and friendly, even if you switch to English immediately. The appropriate answer is “wa alaikum salaam” – “peace be upon you also”.

Sabah al-khair: Good morning (صباح الخير)

Cairo sizzles with energy late into the night: sidewalk cafes seem to burst out of the sidewalk as the sun goes down, and Kairen of all ages spend hours socializing over Turkish coffee, backgammon, shisha pipes and selfies. After every busy night, the sun rises over the east bank of the Nile and moments later the soothing sounds of the call to prayer echo through the streets. It is morning in Cairo and a moment of calm settles over the city before the heat of the day sets in. You might say “sabah al-khair” or “good morning” to your neighbor on your way to breakfast and hear a nap “sabah al-noor” or “morning light” in response.

Shukran: Thank you (ﺷﻜﺮﺍﹰ)

Seasoned travelers know it’s important to learn how to say “thank you” anywhere, and this small courtesy makes a world of difference in Egypt. Luckily, the word is relatively simple and perfectly suited to use whenever you want to express your gratitude, whether it’s ordering a fresh mango juice or having your ticket torn up on the way to a tomb or temple. You’ll almost certainly hear a cheerful “Afwan” – “You’re welcome” – in response.

Lazeeza: Delicious (لذيذ)

Make sure you have these handy, because there’s only one way to describe the crisp tahini that can be drizzled over anything and everything, the smoked eggplant and grilled tomatoes smothered in olive oil, and the crunchy faba bean falafel: delicious. My personal favorite dish is a regional staple and a true folk meal: koshary. It’s the ultimate comfort food with rice, pasta, lentils and chickpeas – all covered in tomato sauce and crunchy onions. What really makes this dish stand out is a special vinegar and garlic dressing that you pour over the whole thing just before you dig in. Lazeeza indeed.

Najma: Stars (نجوم)

Before traveling to Egypt, I knew I had to look out for detailed hieroglyphs, clean lines, and proportionate objects. I knew that the ancient Egyptians depicted animals, people, gods and landscapes in bright colors and in their iconic dynastic style. Seeing these works in person was as breathtaking as promised, but even the recognizable landmarks held surprises. I wasn’t prepared for the star-painted ceilings – every tomb and temple bore the motif. This detail endeared me more than any other to the ancients and served as a tangible reminder that they looked up at the night sky over the Nile and probably felt the same sense of wonder we feel today when gazing at the stars.

Jameela: Beautiful (جميل)

The famous Nile flows through all of Egypt, and sailing down this tranquil, albeit populous, river is still one of the best ways to experience the daily pace of local life. Aboard a ship, you can see lush wetlands give way to fertile farmland and orderly rows of date palms. The scene is rendered in all shades of green, made even more stunning by the stark backdrop of the brown desert beyond. A flock of snow-white herons suddenly flies out of the reeds, and a boy on the river bank pulls out a fluttering fish with a homemade rod. You reflect on how this scene has and has not changed over the past millennia since humans have inhabited it, and you can understand what draws people to the river valley. Beyond its life support nature, it absolutely is Jameela.

Ma’an: Water (مـَييـَه)

The ancient Egyptians worshiped the Nile, and it continues to support nearly a hundred million Egyptians and many others throughout East Africa. Life in Egypt still revolves around the great river and its vital Ma’an. On Cairo’s wide riverside walkways, families gather for birthday parties, couples of all ages stroll and young men swim for a break from the unrelenting heat. In Upper Egypt you will notice many of the same activities as well as a dominant agricultural industry that depends on the river for irrigation. The river no longer floods annually, but the water still supplies.

Habibi: My love (حبيبي)

I was in a dusty spice shop in Aswan trying to smell my way through the list of spices I wanted to take home, and the fast-talking spice merchant was adding items to my bag faster than I could say “Shukran.” The price went up quickly and I couldn’t get his attention until, in a move I was only privileged to get away with as a foreign woman, I dropped “habibi,” a term of endearment widely used for all manner of sweet speech . Mothers use it with their children, close friends use it with each other, and it’s ubiquitous in Egyptian popular music. In my case, the shopkeeper broke into a big smile, told me he underestimated me, and gave me a better price for my spices — and he threw in a free bag of candy.

Insha’Allah: God willing (إن شاء الله‎)

This phrase is often used to answer all sorts of questions in Egypt, instead of a simple “yes” or “no”. Will we have good weather tomorrow? InshaAllah. Will the ship leave on time? InshaAllah. Even a farewell as harmless as “see you tomorrow” is answered with “insha Allah”. On the surface, the phrase suggests that nothing happens that is not God’s will, but in practice it allows the user to express their hopes that something might happen, while conveniently delegating responsibility for a particular outcome. Once you learn the phrase, you’ll hear it everywhere and may appreciate the casual reminder to expect the unexpected and keep an open mind while in Egypt.

Yalla: Let’s go (يللا)

For many travelers, an Egyptology tour guide is the highlight of their trip to Egypt. As you explore with one of these experts, each new monument is contextualized and interpreted with skill, sensitivity and critical thought about what these sites mean to Egyptians and the world at large. As I learned more as I traveled the country, I didn’t need as much explanation to place the sights into history, but still each morning began with an overview of what I would see and ended with a wave and a quick ” Yala”. – “Let’s go” – from my guide. I now associate the phrase with the dizzying anticipation of new experiences, and I encourage you to do the same. Yala!

Learn the Arabic Alphabet:

‘alif

At right is the basic (isolated) form of the letter ‘alif.

‘alif is pronounced like a in “bag” when carrying a hamza*.

‘alif is pronounced like a in “care” when not carrying a hamza.

*An Arabic word cannot begin with a vowel. Therefore ‘alif has a hamza in the initial position (see below under “Examples of Words”).