Islam: The Religion and the People

Appendix: Some Practical Matters

Transcription

The Arabic script contains 28 letters, of which all but one, known as Alif, are consonants. Alif, corresponding to the Greek “Alpha” and the Hebrew “Alef,” is the first letter of the alphabet. Unlike Alpha, it is not limited to the “a” sound but may be used at the beginning of a syllable or a word which starts with a vowel not a consonant.

Alif and two other letters, w and y, are also used to indicate long vowels and compound vowels or diphthongs.

Arabic orthography indicates only three short vowels, three long vowels, and two diphthongs:

• The three short vowels are a as in hat, i as in bit, and u as in put. These vowels are not represented by letters of the alphabet but are indicated by small signs ...