Arabic for Beginners - Hamzatul Wasl - Lesson 12

Summary

The video script is a comprehensive guide to understanding and pronouncing the Arabic letter hamza, including its variations with diacritical marks (fatha, kasra, and dhamma) and the connecting hamza (hamzatul wasl). It explains the rules for pronouncing hamzatul wasl at the beginning of words and when reading connected words, emphasizing the importance of context. The script also provides a systematic approach to determining the correct vowel to use with hamzatul wasl based on the presence of a laam or the third letter's diacritical mark, with examples to illustrate the rules and exceptions.

Takeaways

• 📖 The letter hamza (ء) changes pronunciation based on the vowel diacritics: with a fatha it's 'a', with a kasra it's 'i', and with a dhammah it's 'u'.
• 🔗 The connecting hamza, or hamzatul wasl (ٱ), appears like the head of the letter Saad (ص) and is placed above an Alif (ا) at the beginning of a word.
• 🌐 When reading a word starting with hamzatul wasl, it is pronounced with a vowel: alhamdu for الْحَمْدُ.
• 📚 If continuing a sentence, the hamzatul wasl is dropped, as in rabbil a’alamin instead of rabbi al ‘aalamiin.
• 👉 The pronunciation of hamzatul wasl depends on the following letter: a fatha is added if there's a laam (ل) after it, like in الْحَمْدُ and الْعَـٰلَمِينَ.
• 🔍 If there's no laam after hamzatul wasl and the third letter has a dhamma, a dhamma is placed on the hamzatul wasl, as in ٱخْرُجْ and ٱنظُرْ.
• 📌 In cases where there's no laam after hamzatul wasl and the third letter lacks a dhamma, a kasra is used, such as in ٱفْتَحْ and ٱذْهَبْ.
• 📘 When reading words together, the hamzatul wasl is often dropped, changing pronunciation, e.g., from alqalam to walqalam.
• 💡 Exceptions to hamzatul wasl pronunciation rules exist and can be further explored through tajweed resources.
• 🔢 Practice with examples is crucial for mastering the rules of hamzatul wasl, as demonstrated with various words and phrases in the script.

Q & A

What is the letter hamza and how does it change with different diacritics?

The letter hamza (ء) is a letter in Arabic that changes its pronunciation based on the diacritic marks. With a fatha (َ), it becomes 'a', with a kasra (ِ) it becomes 'i', and with a dhammah (ُ), it becomes 'u'.

What is a connecting hamza or hamzatul wasl?

A connecting hamza, also known as hamzatul wasl, is a diacritic mark that looks like the head of the letter Saad placed above an Alif at the beginning of a word. It indicates that the word starts with a hamza sound.

How do you pronounce hamzatul wasl when starting to read a word?

When starting to read a word with hamzatul wasl, you pronounce it with a vowel. The specific vowel depends on the following letters in the word, as outlined in the rules provided in the script.

What happens to hamzatul wasl when reading a sentence continuously?

When reading a sentence continuously, hamzatul wasl often gets dropped and is not pronounced unless it is at the beginning of the reading.

How do you determine which vowel to place on hamzatul wasl when starting a word?

The vowel placement on hamzatul wasl depends on the letters following it: if there is a laam (ل) after the hamzatul wasl, you add a fatha; if the third letter of the word has a dhamma, you place a dhamma on the hamzatul wasl; otherwise, it takes a kasra.

Can you provide an example of how to read a word starting with hamzatul wasl with a laam after it?

In the example 'ٱلْحَمْدُ', there is a laam after the hamzatul wasl, so a fatha is added to the hamzatul wasl, and it is read as 'alhamdu'.

What is the rule for placing a vowel on hamzatul wasl if there is no laam after it?

If there is no laam after hamzatul wasl, you look at the third letter of the word. If it has a dhamma, you place a dhamma on the hamzatul wasl; otherwise, it takes a kasra.

Are there any exceptions to the rules for pronouncing hamzatul wasl?

Yes, there are a few exceptions to the rules for pronouncing hamzatul wasl, and these can be further explored in tajweed videos for detailed understanding.

How do you read 'وَٱلْقَلَم' when it is part of a continuous sentence?

When 'وَٱلْقَلَم' is part of a continuous sentence, the hamzatul wasl is dropped, and it reads as 'walqalam'.

Can you give an example of a word where hamzatul wasl takes a kasra?

In the word 'ٱفْتَحْ', there is no laam after the hamzatul wasl and the third letter does not have a dhammah, so the hamzatul wasl takes a kasra, and it reads as 'iftah'.