Alif
أَلِف
Shapes in a word
ا
alone
ا
start
ـا
middle
ـا
end
ا never joins the letter after it.
A long “aa”, as in “father”. It has no sound of its own — it stretches the fatha before it.
In the Quran
Voiced · الجَهْرSoft (flowing) · الرَّخَاوَةLowered (light) · الاسْتِفَالOpen · الانْفِتَاحRestrained · الإِصْمَات
1
The empty space of mouth and throat
Air flows freely with nothing touching. The sound lasts as long as the breath.
Keep the mouth open and let the “a” flow from the open space of the mouth and throat for two counts.
More words with ا
As a long vowel
Characteristics (ṣifāt)
| Voiced | الجَهْر | The breath is held back and the voice carries the letter. |
| Soft (flowing) | الرَّخَاوَة | The sound flows on while the letter is held. |
| Lowered (light) | الاسْتِفَال | The tongue stays low, so the letter sounds light. |
| Open | الانْفِتَاح | The tongue stays apart from the palate. |
| Restrained | الإِصْمَات | Made further in, so it takes more care to say. |