Hamza ( ) () is a letter in the Arabic alphabet, representing the glottal stop . Hamza is not one of the 28 "full" letters and owes its existence to historical reform of standard writing system. It is derived from the Arabic letter ʿAyn ( ). In the Phoenician, Hebrew and Aramaic alphabets, from which the Arabic alphabet is descended, the glottal stop was expressed by alif (𐤀), continued by Alif (ا) in the Arabic alphabet. However, Alif was used to express both a glottal stop and also a long vowel . In order to indicate that a glottal stop is used, and not a mere vowel, it was added to Alif diacritically. In modern orthography, hamza may also appear on the line, under certain circumstances as though it were a full letter, independent of an Alif.
Etymology
Hamza is derived from the verb () meaning 'to prick, goad, drive' or 'to provide (a letter or word) with hamzah'.
Hamzat al-waṣl (ٱ)
The letter hamza () on its own is (, "the hamzah which breaks, ceases or halts", i.e. the broken, cessation, halting"), otherwise referred to as (), that is, a phonemic glottal stop unlike the (, "the hamzah which attaches, connects or joins", i.e. the attachment, connection, joining"), a non-phonemic glottal stop produced automatically only if at the beginning of an utterance, otherwise assimilated. Although the can be written as an alif carrying a sign (only in the Quran), it is normally indicated by a plain alif without a hamza.
occurs in:
the definite article
some short words with two of their three-consonant roots apparent: ism , ibn , imru (fem. imra'ah ), ithnāni (fem. ithnatāni ) the imperative verbs of forms I and VII to X the perfective aspect of verb forms VII to X and their verbal nouns some borrowed words that start with consonant clusters such as
It is not pronounced following a vowel (, ). This event occurs in the definite article or at the beginning of a noun following a preposition or a verb following a relative pronoun. If the definite article al- is followed by a sun letter, -l- also gives way for the next letter for lām is assimilated.
Orthography
The hamza can be written either alone, as if it were a letter, or with a carrier, when it becomes a diacritic:
Alone: (only one isolated form):
By itself: High Hamza (used in Kazakh; only one isolated form, but actually used in medial and final positions where it will be non joining), after any Arabic letter (if that letter has an initial or medial form, these forms will be changed to isolated or final forms respectively):
Three-Quarter High Hamza (used in Malay; only one isolated form, but actually used in medial and final positions where it will be non joining): This form has been proposed for the inclusion to the Unicode Standard, but the Unicode Script Ad Hoc Group stated that it can be unified with the existing . The form above currently being displayed using a standard Arabic Hamza with an altered vertical position. Combined with a letter: Above or below an :
Above a :
Above a dotless , also called . Joined medially and finally in Arabic, other languages written in Arabic-based script may have it initially as well (or it may take its isolated or initial shape, even in Arabic, after a non-joining letter in the same word):
Above . In the Persian and Pashto alphabets, not used in Arabic:
Above . In the Pashto alphabet, not used in Arabic:
Above . In the Khowar alphabet, not used in Arabic:
Above a . In the Urdu alphabet, not used in Arabic:
Arabic "seat" rules
The rules for writing hamza differ somewhat between languages even if the writing is based on the Arabic abjad. The following addresses Arabic specifically.
Summary
Initial hamza is always placed over (أ for or ) or under (إ for ) an alif. Medial hamza will have a seat or be written alone: Surrounding vowels determine the seat of the hamza with preceding long vowels and diphthongs (such as or ) being ignored. (ئ) over (ؤ) over (أ) if there are two conflicting vowels that count; on the line (ء) if there are none. As a special case, and require hamza on the line, instead of over an alif as one would expect. (See III.1b below.) Final hamza will have a seat or be written alone: Alone on the line when preceded by a long vowel or final consonant. Has a seat matching the final short vowel for words ending in a short vowel. Two adjacent alifs are never allowed. If the rules call for this, replace the combination by a single alif maddah.