In this posting, I continue to summarize some rules related to the use of alif and hamza in Arabic writing. If you missed Part 1, check it out here.

At the beginning of a word, ‘hamzat alwaSl’ (همزة الوصل) can be found in relation to certain verb forms and their derivatives, e.g. verb form VIII (افتعل) for example to ‘approach’ (اقترب) and verb form X استفعل)) for example ‘to enquire (استعلم) and to use (استخدم). So, the alif at the beginning of these verbs should not be written with a hamza. The verbal nouns, i.e. (المصدر) of these verb forms should not have hamza written on the initial alif either, e.g. ‘respecting’ (احترام), ‘using, (استخدام), etc. In addition, all imperative, i.e. orders (الأمر) that begin with alif should not be written with a hamza, e.g. ‘write’ (اكتب) and ‘use’ (استخدم)

Sometimes, there are different ways of writing the same word when hamzas are involved, e.g. ‘responsibility’ can be written as (مسئولية) or (مسؤولية), and ‘affairs’ can be written as either (شئون) or (شؤون). Both forms are acceptable, and it is often the case that one of the forms is common in a certain country, e.g. the first of both examples are more common in Egypt, and the later of both are more common in the Gulf and the Levant regions.

At the end of the word, hamza can be written in conjunction with any of the short vowels, e.g. with a short /a/ (أ), with a short /o/ (ؤ), or with a short /i/ (ئ), e.g. ‘refuge; (ملجأ), ‘refugee’ (لاجئ), ‘slowing down’ (تباطؤ) At the end of the word, hamza can also occur not in conjunction with any vowel, and in this case it is written on the line (ء), e.g. ‘burden’ (عبء) and ‘friends’(أصدقاء)