Step 7 of 8
Hamza and Alif
The short catch in the voice, and the letters that carry it.
Hamza (ء) is a short catch in the voice, deep in the throat. It is written alone or placed on an alif, a waw or a dotless ya: these letters are then only a carrier. The joining alif (ٱ) carries a hamza that is said only when you begin with that word.
A catch in the voice
Hamza is said deep in the throat, like the short stop in the middle of “uh-oh”. The deepest part of the throat: hamza (ء) and hā (ه).
It carries its vowel like a letter: أَ reads “a”, إِ “i”, أُ “u”. The alif, waw or ya carrying it are not read: they hold it.
At the start of a word, on the alif topped with a small sign (ٱ), as in “al”. The joining hamzah (ٱ), at the start of some words: said if you begin on that word, not if you read on.
Hamza by its carrier
| Sign | Name | Sounds like | In the Quran |
|---|---|---|---|
| ء | Hamza alone | catch in the voice | 2,782 |
| أ | On an alif, above | catch in the voice | 8,900 |
| إ | On an alif, below | catch in the voice | 5,088 |
| ؤ | On a waw | catch in the voice | 706 |
| ئ | On a dotless ya | catch in the voice | 921 |
| ٱ | Joining alif | said only when starting | 13,483 |
Hamza in words of the Quran
Tap ▶ to hear the word in its verse. The hamza is highlighted with its carrier.
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إِيَّاكَ
iyyāka
You Alone
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أَنْعَمْتَ
'anʿamta
You have bestowed (Your) Favors
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ءَامَنُوا۟
'āmanū
believe
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شَانِئَكَ
shāni'aka
your enemy
Going further
Frequently asked questions
Is hamza a letter?
It has its own point of articulation and characteristics, like a letter. Textbooks count 28 or 29 letters: in the count of 29, hamza is a letter of its own; in the count of 28, it is written alone or on a carrier.
What is the difference between hamza and alif?
An alif without hamza is not said on its own: it lengthens the fatha before it. Hamza is a sound: a catch in the voice.
When is the hamza of the joining alif said?
The joining hamzah (ٱ), at the start of some words: said if you begin on that word, not if you read on.
How can I check my reading when I learn without a teacher?
Read out loud in the Tilawa app: it follows your reading word by word and shows you the words to work on. The transliteration under each word helps you until you can read Arabic.
Tilawa editorial team · Updated 2026-10-24 · Report an error