Learn · Unit 3 of 9
Harakat: the vowel marks
A bare Arabic letter is only half a syllable. The haraka on top of it, or under it, is the other half. Once you can see the three short vowels you can read almost any fully marked word out loud, whether or not you understand it.
The 3 short vowels
fatha
reads as "a"
A short stroke above the letter. It gives the short "a" sound.
kasra
reads as "i"
A short stroke below the letter. It gives the short "i" sound.
damma
reads as "u"
A small waw above the letter. It gives the short "u" sound.
Every one of them is a mark on the letter, never a letter of its own. That is the single idea this unit is teaching: the consonants are on the line and the vowels are above and below it.
3 real words to read
بِسۡمِ
A kasra under the ba gives bi. The mim at the end of the word carries one too.
نَعۡبُدُ
A fatha on the noon gives na; the damma on the ba and the dal gives bu and du.
قُلۡ
A damma on the qaf gives qu, and the lam after it carries no vowel at all.
All 8 marks, for reference
The other five have their own units. Mark any of them here once you have met it, or come back after unit 7.
fathatan
reads as "an"
Two fathas at the end of a word: the "an" sound. Unit 4.
kasratan
reads as "in"
Two kasras below at the end of a word: the "in" sound. Unit 4.
dammatan
reads as "un"
Two dammas at the end of a word: the "un" sound. Unit 4.
sukun
reads as "no vowel"
A small mark above the letter meaning no vowel at all. The letter closes the syllable. Unit 6.
shadda
reads as "doubled letter"
A small w-shape above the letter: the letter is held twice. Unit 7.
Check yourself
What is the difference between fatha and kasra?
Position and sound. Fatha is a stroke above the letter and gives a short "a"; kasra is the same stroke below the letter and gives a short "i".
Does every letter in the Quran carry a mark?
Almost. A letter either carries a vowel mark, or a sukun meaning no vowel, or it is a madd letter stretching the vowel before it.
Are the marks part of the letter?
No. They are separate signs written above or below the line, and the same letter takes different ones in different words.
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These lessons cover reading mechanics only. For recitation itself, learn with a teacher; text can show you the rules, not your own voice.
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