The Arabic alphabet
The Arabic alphabet is the gateway to reading the Quran. It has 28 consonant letters, completed by a system of short vowels (ḥarakāt), long vowels and diacritical signs that specify pronunciation. Without this foundation, no correct Quranic reading is possible. For French-speaking beginners, the al-Qāʿidah al-Nūrāniyyah method, developed by shaykh Nūr Muḥammad al-Ḥaqqānī, has become a globally used reference. It breaks learning into progressive steps, from the isolated letter to continuous reading. This hub presents the structure of the alphabet and its vocalic system; the Deen Coach app integrates a « Read Arabic » track that makes this learning accessible and progressive. Wa Allāhu aʿlam.
The 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet
The Arabic alphabet consists of 28 consonant letters. They can be grouped by family according to their point of articulation (makhraj) in the vocal tract: labial, dental, palatal, guttural. This classification, inherited from classical grammarians like al-Khalīl ibn Aḥmad and Sībawayhi, helps to understand why some letters look similar (ب / ت / ث or ج / ح / خ): they share the same articulation point, and only a detail (dot, position) distinguishes them.
The main articulatory families
Labial letters (lips): ب، م، و، ف. Dental letters (tongue/teeth): ت، ث، د، ذ، ط، ظ، ز، س، ص. Palatal letters: ج، ش، ي. Velar letters: ك، ق. Guttural letters (throat): خ، غ، ح، ع، ه، أ (hamzah). Lateral/liquid letters: ل، ن، ر. This list is indicative; precise classification of the makhārij belongs to advanced tajwīd and is learned with a teacher.
The four forms of each letter
Unlike the Latin alphabet, each Arabic letter can take up to four different forms depending on its position in the word: isolated (when not attached), initial (at the beginning of a word or after a non-joining letter), medial (in the middle of a word, attached on both sides), and final (at the end of a word, attached on the left). Six letters are exceptions: they never join the following letter (ا، د، ذ، ر، ز، و) and therefore have only isolated and final forms.
The short vowels (ḥarakāt)
The short vowels are not letters: they are diacritical signs placed above or below the consonant to indicate the vocalic sound that follows. The system has four main signs.
Fatḥah, kasrah, ḍammah
The fatḥah ( َ ) is a small oblique stroke above the letter, giving a short « a » sound. The kasrah ( ِ ) is a small oblique stroke below the letter, giving a short « i » sound. The ḍammah ( ُ ) is a small loop above the letter, giving a short « u » sound. Example: بَ is pronounced « ba », بِ is pronounced « bi », بُ is pronounced « bu ».
Sukūn
The sukūn ( ْ ) is a small circle above the letter. It indicates the absence of a vowel: the consonant is pronounced dry, without attached vocalic sound. It plays a major role in tajwīd, especially for the rules of idghām and iẓhār.
Long vowels and additional signs
Beyond the ḥarakāt, several elements lengthen or modify pronunciation.
Madd (lengthening)
Three letters serve as vocalic lengtheners: ا (alif) lengthens fatḥah to give a long « ā », و (wāw) lengthens ḍammah to give a long « ū », ي (yāʾ) lengthens kasrah to give a long « ī ». The precise duration of the lengthening (measured in « ḥarakāt » in tajwīd) varies according to context and is governed by detailed rules studied with a teacher.
Shaddah (gemination)
The shaddah ( ّ ) is a « w »-shaped sign placed above the letter. It indicates that the consonant is doubled: the first occurrence is sukūn, the second carries the vowel. Example: رَبَّ is pronounced « rab-ba » with emphasis on the first « b ».
Tanwīn (nunation)
Tanwīn is a doubling of the final vowel that adds an « n » sound at the end of the word. There are three forms: tanwīn al-fatḥ ( ً ) giving « an », tanwīn al-kasr ( ٍ ) giving « in », tanwīn al-ḍamm ( ٌ ) giving « un ». It is a typical grammatical mark of classical Arabic, particularly present in Quranic recitation.
Practise with Deen Coach
The Deen Coach app offers a « Read Arabic » learning track designed for beginners: presentation of the 28 letters with their four forms, pronunciation audio by a reciter, progressive exercises on the ḥarakāt, then reading of words and short verses. The goal is to bring the user to autonomous reading of sūrat al-Fātiḥah and the short sūras of Juzʾ ʿAmma. All this without ads or distraction.
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