Hamzat al-Wasl vs Hamzat al-Qat‘: When to Pronounce the Alif

Why do we say bismillah and not bi-ismillah? Why does the alif of اهْدِنَا sound like "i" at the start of a verse, but disappear in the middle? The answer is the difference between two kinds of hamza: hamzat al-qat‘ and hamzat al-wasl.

This guide explains both, how to recognise them in the Mushaf, and how to start a word that begins with hamzat al-wasl.

The two kinds of hamza

Hamzat al-qat‘ is a real consonant, like a short catch in the throat. You always pronounce it: قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ — the hamza of ahad is clear.

Hamzat al-wasl is a "helper" sound. Arabic words can't start with a sukoon, so this hamza helps you start. When the word comes after another word, you don't need it, so it disappears and you connect the two words.

Examples in the middle of reading

• بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ → bismillah. The alif of Allah is not pronounced.
• ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَالَمِينَ → rabbil-‘alamin, not rabbi al-‘alamin.
• إِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ٱهْدِنَا → if you connect, nasta‘inuhdina. Most people stop at the end of the verse, so they start ihdina.

How to start a word with hamzat al-wasl

When you start on a word that begins with hamzat al-wasl, you must choose a vowel for it. Here are the rules:

1. In the article ال — start with fatha (a)

• ٱلْحَمْدُ → al-hamdu
• ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ → ar-rahman

2. In certain nouns — start with kasra (i)

These few nouns begin with hamzat al-wasl: ٱسْم (name), ٱبْن (son), ٱبْنَة (daughter), ٱمْرُؤ (man), ٱمْرَأَة (woman), ٱثْنَان / ٱثْنَتَان (two).

• ٱمْرَأَتُ → imra'atu
• ٱثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ → ithnata ‘ashrah

3. In verbs — look at the third letter

There are five verbs in the Quran where the third letter has a damma, but you still start with kasra, because that damma is not original: ٱمْشُوا (38:6), ٱبْنُوا (18:21), ٱقْضُوا (10:71), ٱئْتُوا (20:64) and ٱمْضُوا (15:65).

What happens when two sukoons meet?

When hamzat al-wasl disappears, the letter before it may meet another sukoon. Arabic doesn't allow two sukoons together, so:

• A long vowel before it is shortened. فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ → fil-ard, not fee al-ard. وَقَالُوا ٱتَّخَذَ → wa qalut-takhadha (2:116).
• A consonant with sukoon gets a short vowel, usually a kasra. قُلِ ٱدْعُوا → qulid-‘u (17:110). In the Mushaf, the kasra is already written for you.

Common mistakes

• Pronouncing hamzat al-wasl in the middle of reading. Saying bismi Allah or rabbi al-‘alamin.
• Dropping hamzat al-qat‘. Saying qul huwallahu-had instead of a clear ahad. A cutting hamza is always pronounced.
• Starting a verb with the wrong vowel. For example adhhab instead of idhhab.
• Keeping the long vowel before a dropped hamza: fee al-ard instead of fil-ard.

How to practise

1. Open Surah Al-Fatiha and circle every alif with the small ٱ sign.
1. Read the surah verse by verse, then try connecting two verses, and notice which alifs disappear.
1. Practise starting these words on their own: ٱقْرَأْ, ٱهْدِنَا, ٱدْعُونِي, ٱلْحَمْدُ, ٱسْمُ.
1. Ask a teacher to check how you start after a stop in the middle of a long verse.

This rule works closely with the sun and moon letters and with waqf (stopping). You can also learn how the Mushaf marks it in our guide to the symbols in the Quran. For the full path, see the Tajweed guide.