8.1: ﭐ (Hamzat Alwasel) & آ (Alif Maddah)

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Learning Objectives

In this section, you will be able to:

Learn ﭐ" همزة الوصل " Hamzat Alwasel.
Learn Alif Maddah آ" ألِف مدَّة".

ﭐ" همزة الوصل " Hamzat Alwasel

What is ﭐ" همزة الوصل " Hamzat Alwasel?

In chapter four, we learned the words "ابن"," ابنة" and "اسم." In these examples, the words are started with همزة الوصل "HamzatAlwasel." This form of Hamza appears at the beginning of a word. همزة الوصل Hamzat "Alwasel meaning" is a hamza that connects or joins. It is a non-phonemic glottal stop produced automatically only if at the beginning of an utterance; otherwise, it is written yet not pronounced. ﭐ" همزة الوصل " Hamzat Alwasel is written with an alif carrying a Waslah sign, which is a small letter صـ on top of it ﭐ. Also, it can be written with a plain Ailf without the Waslah sign.

Why we use ﭐ" همزة الوصل " Hamzat Alwasel?

Some words are not written with a short vowel on the first letter, like "اسْم," and starting a word with Sukoon السكون is not permissible in Arabic. So, we use an extra Hamza at the beginning of the word. This extra tool is called ﭐ" همزة الوصل " Hamzat Alwasel.

This form of Hamza appears at the beginning of a word, but if preceded by some word or letter, it is not pronounced, even if it is written.
You should know that ﭐ" همزة الوصل " Hamzat Alwasel is different from the consonant hamza "همزة القطع "ئ ؤ أ ء Hamzat Alkat'a.
"همزة القطع "ئ ؤ أ ء Hamzat Alkat'a comes at the beginning, middle, or end of the word. It is pronounced with Sukoon and the short and long vowels.

Please read and listen to the following examples.

همزة الوصل in action
Meaning in English	Example	Words with همزة الوصل
Bashier is my nephew	بَشيرٌ اِبْنُ أَخي	اِبْنٌ
Rana is my niece	رَنا اِبْنَةُ أُخْتي	اِبْنَةٌ
What is your name?	ما اِسْمُك؟	اِسْمٌ
One and two	واحِد وَاِثنان	اِثنان

Alif Maddah آ

You should know that a long vowel Alif can follow the consonant Hamza, like the word آمين. The Combination can happen at any part of the word, and it is pronounced as Hamza and Alif(ء + ا= آ). Alif Maddah آ means to stretch the sound, which only happens with an Alif.

Please read and listen to the following examples.