Hamzah
هَمْزَة
Shapes in a word
ء
alone
أ
start
ـئـ
middle
ـأ
end
ء never joins the letter after it.
The little catch in the throat in “uh-oh”. It sits on a seat: أ إ ؤ ئ or alone as ء.
In the Quran
Voiced · الجَهْرStrong (stopped) · الشِّدَّةLowered (light) · الاسْتِفَالOpen · الانْفِتَاحRestrained · الإِصْمَات
2
Deepest part of the throat
Right at the vocal folds, furthest from the mouth.
Close the vocal folds at the very bottom of the throat, then release them cleanly — no breathy h.
More words with ء
ءَWith fatha
ءِWith kasra
ءُWith damma
ءْWith sukun
Characteristics (ṣifāt)
| Voiced | الجَهْر | The breath is held back and the voice carries the letter. |
| Strong (stopped) | الشِّدَّة | The sound stops completely at the makhraj, then releases. |
| 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. |