Hamzah

Video of the Letter Hamzah:

This short video presents the articulation and characteristics of the letter Hamzah, showing its practical pronunciation with Qur’anic examples, and highlighting common pronunciation errors.

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First: Articulation Point of the Letter Hamzah:

Hamzah is produced from the deepest part of the throat at the area of the vocal cords. It shares this articulation point(Makhraj) with the letter Hāʼ. The vocal cords close for a non-vowelled (sukūn) Hamzah and open for a moving (vowelled) Hamzah, as shown in the diagram.

Second: Main Characteristics of the Letter Hamzah:

• Shiddah (strength/intensity) • Jahr (audibility) • Istifāl (non-elevation)

In the image, the Makraj is closed when the Hamzah is pronounced, so the sound of the letter stops immediately upon pronunciation—this expresses the characteristic of shiddah.

Hamzah is a voiced (majhūr)letter, meaning no extra breath accompanies its sound.

It is also a letter of Istifāl; the tongue remains lowered, so the letter is pronounced lightly (Muraqaq).

Hamzah is the first and deepest of the articulation points, making it heavy when pronounced; readers must take care to realize how to pronounce it correctly.

Third: Pronouncing Hamzah in Its Various States with Qur’anic Examples:

You can click on the word to hear the correct pronunciation.

A. Hamzah in the non-vowelled (Sukūn) State
نَأ	مُؤْ	جِئ
﴿نَأۡتِي﴾	﴿مُؤۡمِنُونَ﴾	﴿جِئۡنَا﴾

B. Hamzah with Short Vowels
أَ	أُ	إِ
﴿أَنۡعَمۡتَ﴾	﴿أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ﴾	﴿إِنَّكُمۡ﴾

C. Hamzah with Long Vowels (Madd Letters)
ءَا	أُو	إي
﴿ءَادَمَ﴾	﴿أُوتُواْ﴾	﴿إِيمَٰنٗا﴾

Fourth: Common Mistakes in Pronouncing Hamzah:

• Softening or easing Hamzah where it is not allowed, pronouncing it between Hamzah and Alif in: ﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا﴾. The correct pronunciation is: ﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا﴾. Allah says: ﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱعۡبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ﴾.
• Weakening its sound when stopping on it, like in: ﴿ٱلسَّمَآءِ﴾. The correct pronunciation is: ﴿ٱلسَّمَآءِ﴾. Allah says: ﴿أَوۡ كَصَيِّبٖ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ﴾.
• Whispering it by pronouncing Hamzah with extra breath, like in: ﴿يَشَآءُ﴾. The correct way is for it to be audible without extra breath: ﴿يَشَآءُ﴾. Allah says: ﴿إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفۡعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ﴾.
• Pronouncing it heavily (tafkhīm), especially next to heavy letters, such as: ﴿أَصَٰبِعَهُمۡ﴾. The correct way is to pronounce it lightly: ﴿أَصَٰبِعَهُمۡ﴾. Allah says: ﴿يَجۡعَلُونَ أَصَٰبِعَهُمۡ فِيٓ ءَاذَانِهِم﴾.
• Applying Qalqalah(bounce) when it is in a non-vowelled(Sakin), as in: ﴿ٱلۡمَأۡوَىٰٓ﴾. The correct pronunciation is: ﴿ٱلۡمَأۡوَىٰٓ﴾. Allah says: ﴿عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ ٱلۡمَأۡوَىٰٓ﴾.

الرعاية (145)، التحديد (104)، نهاية القول المفيد، (50)، هداية القاري (1/65)، التجويد المصور (48)، المنير (53).

التجويد المصور (48)، المنير (53).

الرعاية (145)، هداية القاري (1/95)، نهاية القول المفيد (88)، التجويد المصور (97)، المنير (95).

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Lesson questions

1. الحروف العربية

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