Conditional or Temporary Attributes of Letters

In Arabic phonetics, certain letters exhibit conditional or temporary attributes, meaning their pronunciation can vary depending on their context. One of these letters is Laam (ل), particularly in the word Allah (اللَّه). The pronunciation of Laam can change based on the vowel that precedes it.

1. Heavy Pronunciation of Laam in the Word “Allah” (اللَّهُ)

When the letter Laam in the word ‘Allah’ (اللَّه) is preceded by a letter with either a Fathah (َ) or a Dhammah (ُ), the Laam is pronounced heavily. This rule applies specifically to the word Allah.

– Fathah (َ): A short vowel that sounds like ‘a’ in ‘cat.’

– Dhammah (ُ): A short vowel that sounds like ‘u’ in ‘put.’

In these cases, the sound of Laam becomes more emphatic, often described as ‘heavy’ (also called Tafkhīm in Arabic). This heaviness gives the word a deeper, more resonant sound.

Examples:

1. سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ (Subḥāna Allāh): The Fathah on the word ‘Subḥān’ causes the heavy pronunciation of Laam in Allāh.

2. جَعَلَ اللَّهُ (Jaʿala Allāh): The Fathah on ‘Jaʿala’ leads to the heavy pronunciation of Laam in Allāh.

3. رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ (Rafaʿahu Allāh): The Dhammah on ‘Rafaʿahu’ requires the heavy pronunciation of Laam.

2. Soft Pronunciation of Laam in the Word “Allah” (اللَّهِ)

If the letter Laam in the word ‘Allah’ (اللَّه) is preceded by a letter with a Kasrah (ِ), the Laam is pronounced softly.

– Kasrah (ِ): A short vowel that sounds like ‘i’ in ‘sit.’

In this case, the sound of Laam is more delicate and light, a pronunciation often referred to as Tarqīq in Arabic. This softening creates a smoother transition between the vowel and Laam.

Examples:

1. قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ (Quli Allāhumma): The Kasrah on ‘Quli’ softens the Laam in Allāhumma.

2. بِسْمِ اللَّهِ (Bismi Allāh): The Kasrah on ‘Bismi’ causes the Laam to be pronounced softly.

3. دُونِ اللَّهِ (Dūni Allāh): The Kasrah on ‘Dūni’ results in the soft pronunciation of Laam.

3. Pronunciation of Laam Outside the Word “Allah”

In all other instances, when Laam is not part of the word Allah, it is always pronounced softly, regardless of the preceding vowel. This rule applies to all other words in Arabic where Laam appears.

Examples:

1. عَلَى (ʿAlā): The Laam in ‘ʿAlā’ is pronounced softly because it is not part of the word Allah.

2. أَصْلِهِمْ (Aṣlihīm): The Laam here is soft, as it appears in a regular word, not in the name Allah.

Summary of Rules:

1. Heavy Laam: When Laam in Allah follows a letter with Fathah (َ) or Dhammah (ُ).

2. Soft Laam: When Laam in Allah follows a letter with Kasrah (ِ) or appears in any word other than Allah.