Lesson 20: Primary Qualities of the Letters
After having learned the pronunciation of each letter and exactly how to form the sounds they make as heard from the Arabs, one would come under the impression that some letters sound exactly the same as others since there are twenty-eight letters and only sixteen groups in which to distribute them. Granted that some letters share the exact positioning of the tongue, lips, teeth, and they sound similar, but each letter has a distinct sound which is differentiated from the other letters if not by the place of exit, then by the the primary qualities, and if not that then by the secondary quality.
Below is a listing of the qualities found in the Arabic letters and which letters possess these qualities. Even after having learned the pronunciation of letters, it is very important to understand their primary qualities as they 1) differentiate between letters of the same exit place, 2) define the sharpness, fatness, and intensity of letters, and 3) help in speech.
When reading, please notice that there are ten primary qualities divided into five groups of a pair of opposites. For example, one quality is for the letters of the group to be swift in their pronunciation and the next quality is for the letters to be slowly pronounced. Hence each letter has five qualities. The charts describe the quality and listed below the description are the letters grouped in a manner as to create a phrase allowing for easy remembrance.
| Primary Quality 1 |
breath |
Primary Quality 2 |
| The letters are pronounced with weakness in their place of exit and thus the breath continues to flow after their pronunciation |
The letters are pronounced with strength in their exit-place and the tongue, lips, etc remain firm. Thus the breath stops flowing upon completing their pronunciation |
| فَحَثَّهُ شَخْصٌ سَكَتْ |
all other letters |
| Primary Quality 3 |
sound |
Primary Quality 4 |
| The letters rely on the exit-place and thus the sound of the letters stops after pronunciation and is hard |
The letters rely less on the exit-place and thus the sound of the letters continues even after pronunciation has ceased and is soft |
| أَجِدُ قَطٍّ بَكَتْ |
letters not found in 3 & 3.5 |
Primary Quality 3.5: There is a quality which is between that of the description of quality three and four. The sound of the letters is neither hard nor soft, and neither does it rely on the strength of the place of pronunciation nor is it free of it. The letters of this semi-quality are those of لِنْ عُمَرْ.
| Primary Quality 5 |
fatness |
Primary Quality 6 |
| When pronouncing these letters, the back of the tongue will rise towards the palate causing the mouth to seem filled fattening the letters |
When pronouncing these letters, the back of the tongue will not rise in such a way as to cause the mouth to seem empty. This flattens the letters |
| خُصَّ ضَغْطٍ قِظْ |
all other letters |
Rule of 'alif':
If there appears an 'alif' and before it is a letter which is read with a full mouth, then the 'alif' will be read with a full mouth. If the 'alif' is preceded by a letter which is read empty mouth, the 'alif' will then be read empty mouth.
Rule of 'raa':
If there appears a 'raa', mushaddad or otherwise, and its vowel is written on top of it, then the 'raa' will be read with a full mouth. If the 'raa' has a vowel which is written beneath it, then it will be read empty mouth. If, however, the 'raa' is saakin, weather it will be read full mouth or empty mouth will be judged by the position of the vowel on the letter preceding. And if the letter preceding is also saakin, then the fatness of the letter will be determined by the position of the vowel two letters before the 'raa'.
| Primary Quality 7 |
intensity |
Primary Quality 8 |
| When pronouncing these letters, the back of the tongue will rise and embrace the palate causing the letters to be very thick and even fatter than those of the rest of quality 5 |
When pronouncing these letters, the back of the tongue will not embrace the palate causing the letters to remain nominally thick if from quality 5, or thin if from quality 6 |
| ص ض ط ظ |
all other letters |
| Primary Quality 9 |
speed |
Primary Quality 10 |
| These letters are pronounced very quickly and easily |
These letters are pronounced more firmly and with less ease |
| فَرَّ مِنْ لُبٍّ |
all other letters |
End of Lesson 20 | Proceed to lesson 21
