Noorani Qaida Lesson 3- Arabic Harakat

The Arabic Harakat, Arabic diacritics, or Arabic vowel marks are symbols crucial for accurately pronouncing Arabic words, especially those of the Quranic. Noorani Qaida lesson 3 lays the foundation to understand these symbols to recite the Quran properly and fluently.

Arabic Harakat holds immense importance in Arabic phonology. The eight Harakat (Fatḥah, Damma, Kasrah, Sukūn, Shaddah, and 3 Tanwin) play a pivotal role in distinguishing between Arabic alphabet sounds and phonetic variations.

Harakat Meaning

Harakat ( حَرَكَات) is an Arabic word that is also read as Al-Harakat. Harakat meaning in English is “Motions or Movements” hence, they aid in the proper transition or movement from one letter to the next. Harakat in Arabic are symbols used to indicate the pronunciation of words. 

Mastering Harakat is essential for beginners, especially non-Arabic speakers. It helps the learners by providing clear guidelines on pronunciation and textual integrity. 

Types of Harakat in Arabic Language

 There are eight Harakat in Arabic language. We will learn three basic Arabic accent marks Fatha, Kasra, and Damma in Noorani Qaida lesson 3.

Fathah ( فَتْحَة (ـَ

The Fathah  is a small slanting line placed above a letter ( ـَ) It is the lightest harakat in Arabic. The word Fathah means ‘opening’ and it refers to the opening of one’s mouth when pronouncing it. It indicates the short vowel equivalence to the /a/ sound in English. For example, جَ, أَ بَ.

When a fathah is placed before the letter Alif (ا), it represents a long vowel /aː/ and generates the sound ‘aa’ in English. For example, (دَا), but fathah is usually not written in such cases. 

Kasrah ( كَسْرَة (ـِ 

Kasrah is a small diagonal line placed below a letter ( ـِ ). It denotes the short vowel equivalence to the /i/ sound in English. For example, تِ, كِ,رِ. 

When a kasrah is placed before yaa (ﻱ), it denotes a long vowel equivalence to the /iː/ and gives  a sound of ‘eee’ in English. In this case, Kasrah is not usually written. For example, (دِي) /diː/.

Dammah ( ضَمَّة (ـُ

Dammah is a small curl-like diacritic written  above a letter (ـُ). It produces a short vowel sound /u/ in English. For example, تُ,صُ,كُ. 

When a dammah  is placed before waw ( و), it denotes a long vowel equivalence to /uː/ and generates a sound like the 'oo' in English, and dammah is usually not written in such cases, 

For example,( دُو) /duː/.

This table will aid you in understanding the Harakat and their impacts when appear in different positions.

Fatha Kasra Damma are read quickly when appear in separate letters. For example, بَ,تِ,جُ. They are not prolonged or read with a jolt. Read them as ba, not baa or ba’a… Ti, not Tee or T’ee… jo, not joo or jo’o.

Arabic Alphabet Chart With Movements Or Harakat

Below the  Arabic Alphabet Chart with movements or Harakat will help you to read each alphabet accurately. Focus on each letter and read care fully with three Harakat.

Note:

If there is fathah on Raa رَ, it will be read with a full mouth-heavy accent. If there is kasra رِ it will be pronounced with an empty mouth.

Importance of Harakat In Arabic Language

Harakat in Arabic Language plays an important role in reading and understanding the language as it helps in the proper pronunciation of the words. While reciting the Holy Quran every word should be read carefully as a slight change in pronunciation can drastically change the meaning of the word. 

Accurate Pronunciation

Harakat guide the readers in Arabic phonology by indicating short vowels, and correctly pronouncing Arabic words and other phonetic elements. These harakat also assist in avoiding ambiguity while reciting the Quran.

Enhance Reading Skills

The Arabic language is one of the most difficult languages to read and speak. Knowledge of harakat significantly enhances reading skills, especially for non-native speakers and beginners.

Quranic Recitation Proficiency

Arabic with diacritics is indispensable for those who want to master the recitation of the Quran accurately. Qirat and Tajweed rules, which are based on proper pronunciation, depend on a thorough understanding of harakat. The better you understand the harakat the good will be the recitation.

Differentiates Between Words

In the Arabic language, numerous words have similar writing styles with different meanings. If non-natives read Arabic without Harakat they will be confused. For example, the words شَرَبَ and شُرِبَ have the same letters and writing style but the implementation of Harakat make the meaning different.