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Lesson 5 الدَّرْسُ الْخَامِسُ

 

Hamza tul Wasl  - هَمْزَةُ الْوَصْلِ 

·      In this part of lesson we will learn about a new concept which is the use of letter Alif in Arabic. In Arabic the letter "Alif" has two types:

o  One type of Alif is called "Hamza tul Qaŧξ". This type of Alif is always pronounced irrespective of whether it is preceded by some word or letter.

o  While the other form of Alif is called "Hamza tul Waŝl". This form of Alif appears in the beginning of a word but if preceded by some word or letter it is not pronounced even if written.

·      Please read the following examples:

Translation:

Transliteration:

Arabic:

Type of /Alif/

He is the teacher's son

/Huwab nul mudarrisi/

هُوَ ٱبْنُ ٱلْمُدَرِّسِ.

هَمْزَةُ الْوَصْلِ

And the girl's name is Aminah

/Was mul binti Aaminatu/

وَٱسْمُ ٱلبِنْتِ آمِنَةُ.

هَمْزَةُ الْوَصْلِ

·      In the above mentioned examples the letter /Alif/ of the words are written but they are not pronounced. In the first example, the letter /alif/ of the word /ibn/ (meaning son) is written yet not pronounced and the letter /ba/ is joined together with letter /wa/ of /howa/ and is pronounced /huwabnu/. This is similar to the letter /alif/ of the word /almudarrisi/, the letter /alif/ is written yet not pronounced and the letters /nūn/ of /Ibn/ (meaning son) and /lām/ are joined together to become /nul/ and the sentence becomes /huwab-nul mudarrisi/.

·      Similarly in the second example the letter /wa/ is joined with the word /Ism/ whose /alif/ is written but not pronounced and the word becomes /wasm/ and the /Alif/ of /Albinti/ is written but not pronounced so they become /was-mul-binti/. Therefore the sentence becomes /Was-mul-binti Aaminatu/.

Translation:

Transliteration:

Arabic:

Type of Alif

I am Ahmad

Ana Aħmadu

أَنَا أَحْمَدُ.

هَمْزَةُ الْقَطْعِ

Where are you from

Min aina anti

مِنْ أَيْنَ أَنْتِ؟

هَمْزَةُ الْقَطْعِ

Who are you

Man anta

مَنْ أَنْتَ؟

هَمْزَةُ الْقَطْعِ

  • In these examples the letter /Alif/ of the words Ahmad, /Aina/ and /Anta/ are written and are pronounced. No letters are merged together. This type of /Alif/ is called /Hamza tul Qaŧξ/.
  • There is no specific rule for recognizing /Hamza tul Qaŧξ/ and /Hamza tul Waŝl but the pronouns, the interrogative articles and the nouns beginning with /Alif/ have /Hamza tul Qaŧξ/.
  • It must be however remembered that when /Hamza tul Waŝl/ is written in the beginning of a sentence and is not preceded by any letter or word, it is pronounced. It is dropped only when it is preceded by some letter or word. /Hamza tul Qaŧξ/ is always written and pronounced and is not affected if preceded by any letter or word.
  • Please read the following sentences carefully and then click on the words to hear the speech, i.e. how the words should be pronounced.

Pictures:

English:

Arabic:

Madinaharabic.com lesson image

Who are you?

I am the son of Abbas

مَنْ أَنْتَ؟

أَنَا ٱبْنُ عَبَّاسٍ.

Madinaharabic.com lesson image

And whose son is he?

He is the son of Khalid

وَٱبْنُ مَنْ هُوَ؟

هُوَ ٱبْنُ خَالِدٍ.

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The teacher's name is Saeed

and the engineer's name is Khalid

اِسْمُ الْمُدَرِّسِ سَعِيْدٌ.

وَٱسْمُ الْمُهَنْدِسِ خَالِدٌ.

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Ammar's son is a student

and Yasir's son is a trader

اِبْنُ عَمَّارٍ طَالِبٌ

وَٱبْنُ يَاسِرٍ تَاجِرٌ.

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Where is the son of the engineer?

He is in the university

أَيْنَ ٱبْنُ الْمُهَنْدِسٍ؟

هُوَ فِي الْجَامِعَةِ

  • In the next part of the lesson we will  In-Shā’-Allâh (God-Willing) learn a new concept which is the use of Vocative Articles.