Accents

Question 1

Fathah (Zabar)

Answer 1

1. Comes on the top of the letter as a slanted line.
2. The “a” sound is like flat, apple, cat, acid, or hat. (Cat in the Hat)
3. Most letters with a fatha are read with a smile on your face.

Question 2

Dhammah (Paish)

Answer 2

1. Comes on the top of the letter as a mirrored “e”.
2. The “u” sound is like drool, cool, jewel, rule, or fool. (Cruel Fool)
3. Not like pull, bull, full, or wool.
4. Any letter with a Dhammah on top will be read with your lips puckered.

Question 3

Kasra (Zer)

Answer 3

1. Comes on the bottom of the letter or under the shaddah as a slanted line.
2. The “e” sound is like feel, reel, deal, seal, or heal. (The Real Deal)
3. Not like fill, kill, bill, or drill.
4. You should making a smiling motion with your mouth.

Question 4

Letters that can be either Heavy or Light

Answer 4

ل ر

• Depend on the accent on it, or the accent of the letter before it.
• If the ر is HEAVY due to a fathah, it should sound like “RAW”, as in “Raw Meat.”
• If the ر is HEAVY due to a dhammah, pucker your lips and say “ROO.”
• Don’t roll your tongue like car’s engine
• If the ر is LIGHT due to a kasra, make sure to SMILE! The kasra should sound like the “e” in “feel.”

Question 5

When is ر heavy?

Answer 5

Fathah or Dhammah

Question 6

ر Fathah

Answer 6

Heavy

• it should sound like “RAW”, as in “Raw Meat.”

Question 7

ر Dhammah

Answer 7

Heavy

pucker your lips and say “ROO” or “RUE”

Question 8

ر Sakin/Shaddah

Answer 8

Light

If ر has a saakin on top, and the letter before it has an accent on the bottom (kasrah). Remember: a saakin is not an accent; it serves to join the letters

Question 9

ر Kasrah

Answer 9

Light

ر has an accent on the bottom (kasra), it will be LIGHT.

Question 10

ل is only heavy in اللّه and will be light everywhere else

Answer 10

How do we determine if the ل in الله is heavy or light?

• If the letter before the ل in الله has a fatha/dhammah, the ل will be heavy.
• If the letter before the ل in الله has a kasra, the ل will be light.

Question 11

Rules of Saakin - Connector

Answer 11

• Marked by a little circle or mirrored “c” on top of a letter and is joined with the letter before it

Press - ث ح س ش ص ف

Buzz - ذ ز ظ

Click - ت ك

Round - و ي

Special - ض ع ه ر ل

Bounce - ق ط ب ج د

Question 12

Special Saakin

ض

ع ه ر

Answer 12

ض

• Tongue should be touching either side of your molars (not be bouncing)
• ض is a HEAVY letter
• Sound of the ض should be swallowing, not let out.
• Hold the ض for 3⁄4 of a second.
• Mouth should fill up with a little bit of air while you are saying this letter

Question 13

Special Saakin

ع

ض ه ر

Answer 13

ع

• It’s a common mistake to think that ع is Heavy, but it isn’t!
• ع is light and will be pronounced light.
• Hold it for 3⁄4 of a second

Question 14

Special Saakin

ه

ض ع ر

Answer 14

ه

• The sound should come from your chest, not your throat
• If it comes from your throat, then you are saying ح
• The ه should be said like letting out a sigh after a tired day.
• It should be held 3⁄4 of a second.

Question 15

Qalqalah - Bounce Letters

Answer 15

ق ط ب ج د also known as .قُطُبُجد

A letter of Qalqalah will be read with a bouncing sound if a saakin

appears on it

Question 16

Shaddah

the “w” that comes on top of a letter

Answer 16

hold it for a 1.5 seconds and then read the accent that is on top or bottom

Question 17

Tanween - Dual Accents

Answer 17

• Two fathas, two kasras, or two dhammas
• It makes a ن sound when you say it.
• Instead of saying “aa”, “ee’, or “oo”, the tanween will end in “an”, “in”, or “un”