Learn · Unit 8 of 9
Lengthening and shortening signs
Up to here every sound has had something on the line to carry it. This unit is about the ones that do not. They are the last thing between you and reading an Uthmani page without stopping to wonder what a mark means.
The 5 signs to recognise
| Sign | Name | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| مَٰ | Dagger alif | A small upright stroke above a letter. Read it as a full alif: the a stretches for about two counts even though no alif is written on the line. |
| هُۥ | Small waw | A miniature waw, most often on the ha of the pronoun at the end of a word. It stretches the u the way a full waw would. |
| هِۦ | Small yaa | A miniature yaa doing the same job for an i sound. |
| ـآ | Madd sign | The curved sign above a madd letter. It marks a stretch longer than the natural two counts; unit 9 names which family each one belongs to. |
| ٱ | Hamzat wasl | The small head of a sad above an alif. Pronounce it if you begin reading on it; skip it and run straight on if you are continuing from the word before. |
The ha of the pronoun
A ha at the end of a word meaning "his" or "its" usually carries a small waw or a small yaa. Read it long while the sentence runs on, and short when you stop on the word. This is one of the most common things a beginner reads flat, because the mark is small and easy to skip.
The 2 lams in the name of Allah
The lam in the name of Allah is read one of two ways. After a fatha or a damma it is heavy, with the back of the tongue raised, and after a kasra it is light. Nothing in the writing changes; the vowel in front of it decides.
4 real words to read
ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ
A small upright stroke above the mim, the dagger alif. It is read as a full alif even though no alif is written on the line.
لَّهُۥ
The small waw after the ha of the pronoun: it stretches the u for about two counts when the word runs on.
بِهِۦٓ
The small yaa does the same job for an i sound, and the curved madd sign above it says stretch this one further.
ٱللَّهِ
The name of Allah. After a fatha or a damma the lam is read heavy; after a kasra, as here, it is read light.
Check yourself
Is a dagger alif pronounced?
Yes, as a full long a. It is written small because the word is spelled without an alif on the line.
When is hamzat wasl pronounced?
Only when you begin reading on it. If you are continuing from the previous word you slide straight past it.
Why is the lam in the name of Allah sometimes heavy?
Because of the vowel before it: heavy after a fatha or a damma, light after a kasra.
Saved on this device only. Tap again to undo; nothing is lost either way.
These lessons cover reading mechanics only. For recitation itself, learn with a teacher; text can show you the rules, not your own voice.
The Quran, word by word, and a daily reading habit in one free app.
