Arabic Alphabet Pronunciation and Punctuation

Arabic Alphabet Pronunciation – Arabic Alphabet is the letter of the Koran, therefore it is the duty of every Muslim to learn Arabic Alphabet in order to read Arabic characters. Isn’t al-fatihah which is the pillar of prayer written in Arabic letters! So a good Muslim absolutely can read Arabic. Indeed, we can learn al-fatihah by memorizing it without knowing makhraj, but be aware that this is not perfect.

Learning Arabic Alphabet or reading Arabic script does not only focus on reading fluency but also must pay attention to the makhrajil of the letters (where the sounds of the letters come out) so that the Arabic reading is perfect and pleasant to hear.

For Muslims, learning the Arabic Alphabet (hijaiyah letters) is an important thing that has been used since childhood. This has even become sacred in Muslim families, both in the village and in the city, only now, the increasingly rapid and free development of the times makes some Muslim families more busy with their worldly life, compared to the hereafter. Even though learning how to read the Koran is a sacred and important thing in religious life.

Learning from childhood, slowly, is not a burden at all for children. Therefore, as parents we also need to know the method and how to read the Arabic Alphabet so that it is easy to teach it to children. Now is the time to familiarize children with the Arabic Alphabet and leave the game.

Ok, before we discuss at length about hijaiyah letters and punctuation and the nature of their letters, let’s first get to know the Arabic Alphabet.

Names of Hijaiyah letters or Arabic Alphabet

No.	Alphabet	Name of alphabet & How to Read	Read in Latin	Latin Transliteration
1	ا	أَلِفْ	Alif	A, I, U
2	ب	بَا	Bâ	B
3	ت	تَا	Tâ	T
4	ث	ثَا	Tsâ	TS
5	ج	جِيمْ	Jîm	J
6	ح	حَا	Hâ	H
7	خ	خَا	Khô	KH
8	د	دَالْ	Dâl	D
9	ذ	ذَالْ	Dzâl	DZ
10	ر	رَا	Rô	R
11*	ز	زَايْ ، زَيّ ، زَا	Zây, Zayy, atau Zâ	Z
12	س	سِينْ	Sîn	S
13	ش	شِينْ	Syîn	SY
14	ص	صَادْ	Shôd	SH
15	ض	ضَادْ	Dhôd	DH
16	ط	طَا	Thô	TH
17	ظ	ظَا	Zhô	ZH
18	ع	عَيْنْ	`Aîn	`A, `I, `U
19	غ	غَيْنْ	Ghoîn	GH
20	ف	فَا	Fâ	F
21	ق	قَافْ	Qôf	Q
22	ك	كَافْ	Kâf	K
23	ل	لامْ	Lâm	L
24	م	مِيمْ	Mîm	M
25	ن	نُونْ	Nûn	N
26	هـ	هَا	Hâ	H
27	و	وَاوْ	Wâw	W
28	ي	يَا	Yâ	Y
29	ء	هَمْزَةٌ	Hamzah	‘
30*	لا	لامْ أَلِفْ	Lâm Alif	–
31*	ة	تَا مَرْبُوطَةٌ	Tâ Marbûthoh	H atau T

Hijaiyah letter table quoted from sahnesia.com

The mark is given to the mad letter (the long letter reading)

• The letter â, read aa.
• The letter î, read ii.
• The letter û, pronounced uu.

In addition, the table is also marked with * as a sign that these letters are considered istiqlal letters and are counted as one letter each. Then the number of Arabic Alphabet becomes 29 letters. For example the letters tha ‘marbuthah (ة) and lam alif (لا), each counted one letter. Whereas (لا) consists of lam and alif, while Tha marbuthah is a letter that functions like “Ta” if it is wasal and becomes “ha” if it is represented in the letter.

Punctuation of Arabic Alphabet

After we get to know the 29 arabic alphabet, now we see how the Arabic punctuation marks make it easier for us to learn the language of the Quran.

1. Punctuation arabic alphabet “fathath”

The way to read the line “fathah” is a punctuation mark that is located above the letter in the form of a muted line. Hijaiyah letters are pronounced by opening the mouth and exhaling, this applies to each Arabic alphabet. For example the letter “nun”, when this letter is lined up “fathah” above it is read as “Na”. This rule applies to all hijaiyyah letters.

2. Punctuation arabic alphabet “dhammah”

In addition to punctuation of fathah, there is also a punctuation of dhammah. Dhammah is located above the hijaiyyah letter and is shaped like a small waw or a crooked line like the number 9. The reading gets an additional “U” in each letter. This applies to all Arabic alphabets.

3. Punctuation Arabic alphabet “Kasrah”

The punctuation “kasrah” is a punctuation mark like a fathah line, except that it is located under the letter, not above. If the alphabet “nun” lines up in kasrah, the reading becomes “ni”. This applies to all hijaiyah letters (arabic alphabet).

4. Punctuation Arabic alphabet “tanwin fathah”

The tanwin fathah line is also a part of reading the Arabic alphabet. Arabic letters that have been marked with a tanwin line, then the reading sounds like “n”. If a letter nun has tanwin fathat, the read sound becomes “nan”, if tanwin kasrah, the sound becomes “nin” and if dhammah becomes “nun”.

5. Punctuation Arabic alphabet “Tanwin Kasrah”

The tanwin kasrah line is also one of the punctuation marks in hijaiyah letters, just like the above, the tanwin sound is like the “N” sound, because what is called tanwin is “nun sakin”. If the nun is lined up with kasrah tanwin it will read “nin”, if the letter “mim” is lined up with tanwin kasrah, then the reading will be “min”.

6. Punctuation Arabic alphabet “tanwin dhammah”

Tanwin dhammah also has the same reading sound, namely “N”, it is located above the hijaiyah letter just like the fathah line. If you read a line of dhammah that is above the letter nun, then the sound is “nun”, if dhammah is above the letter MIM then the sound is “mun”. etc.

7. Punctuation SAKIN

The punctuation “SUKUN” has the meaning of turning off the letter or holding the hijaiyah letter with the value of SUKUN. When we want to read the letter “nun” on which there is “SUKUN”, it cannot be read out, because SUKUN (dead punctuation) means not lining up or the letter is dead. It is only a punctuation mark to turn off a letter after the previous letter is lined up. For example the sentence names (nun and mim), if we line up NUN and MIM, the reading is (NA MA), but if the meme is in SUKUN, then the reading is (NAM).

8. Tasydid punctuation

There is one more Arabic Alphabet Pronunciation, namely tasydid. Tasydid is a sign above a letter indicating that there are two letters, one SUKUN and one is lined up. For example Manna, consisting of Mim, and two NUNs. The first letter (MIM) line up, and the second letter (NUN) SUKUN, and the third letter (second NUN) line up. In writing, NUN is written only one time, and above it is marked with tasydid.

Also: Dua for Tahajud Prayer (Arabic and its translation)

The Characteristics of Arabic Alphabet

We have studied the punctuation of hijaiyah letters, and now we will review the properties of the Arabic alphabet so that we know where the makhraj of the letter comes out. This greatly influences the correct reading of hijaiyah letters.

1. Al-Jauf (Oral cavity)

This is also known as makhraj jauf or letters that come out in the oral cavity. Pronounce letters that are makhraj otherwise need not interfere with the lips and tongue because they come out of the oral cavity. The Arabic alphabet which is included in the makhraj jauf has three letters, namely “ا”, “و”, and “ي”. When we pronounce this letter we know that it is coming out of the inner oral cavity.

So it is necessary to pay attention so that the letter when pronouncing can come out of the oral cavity, if not then there is an error. How to read makhraj must be practiced from an early age because if not, then the pronunciation will be difficult, especially if you learn makhraj hijaiyah when you are old.

2. Al-Halqi (esophageal makhraj)

There is also the hijaiyah letter, which comes out when pronounced is in the throat, not in the mouth. This is called makhraj halqi (throat), and the letters included in al-halqi are “ه”, “غ”, “ع”, “خ”, “ح”. When we practice reading this letter, there will be a vibration in the throat cavity.

So, the way of reading these Arabic alphabet will be different from one another, and if the makhraj of the letters doesn’t come out of the throat, it means that the pronunciation is not correct.

3. AL-Lisan (oral makhraj)

The letter al-Lisan is a hijaiyah typeface where it comes out on the tongue. The letters belonging to the حرف السان are “Kaf”, “Ka”, “La”, “Syin”, “dho” and “ja”. When we are going to say this letter, it will move all parts of our mouth such as the base of the mouth, lips and tongue and even the throat will move.

Also read: Fii Amanillah Meaning: Answers, Replies and Explanations

4. As-Shafatain (Two-lip Makhraj)

This Makhraj is the Arabic alphabet that comes out of the two lips. The syafatain of Arabic Alphabet Pronunciation are “mim”, “wawu”, “ba”, and “fa”. When we say these two letters, automatically our lips (upper and lower) will meet.

5. Al khoysyuum (Makhraj nose bridge)

The next character of the Arabic alphabet is the character of letter that called the khoysyum letter or the sound of the letter coming out of the nose. So reading like this lies in the pronunciation of “mim tasydiid” and “nun bertasydid”. So the sound when we read the letters with these properties will appear hum from the nose bridge.

Apart from tasydid, in addition to “MIM” and “NUN” there is indeed a hum too, but it is different in nature from these two letters, where the hum of mim bertasydid and nun bertsasydid is more pronounced and stronger.