Arabic Letter Alef Wasla

It marks an Arabic opening that links to the word before it.

Alif wasla, also called hamzat al-waṣl (“connecting hamza”), has an opening vowel when the word starts a phrase; in connected speech after another word, that vowel drops. It marks pronunciation, not a standalone word.

The reading rule predates the present written form. Some manuscript traditions used inverted signs, circles, or colored marks for the same connection.

When do I write ٱ?

Mostly in fully marked Qur’ans, lessons, and specialist text.

Ordinary Arabic prose usually omits the predictable cue. A Qur’anic, language-learning, or fully vocalized edition may print ٱ where unvocalized writing has plain ا.

Arabic learners may value the printed cue; fluent readers can supply the vowel from grammar and context. It is more useful in lessons and carefully marked editions than in everyday typing.

How is ٱ different from أ?

ٱ can drop its onset; أ and إ keep the hamza.

The grammatical contrast is hamzat al-qaṭʿ: its glottal stop, a brief catch in the throat, stays pronounced when speech links words. Plain ا leaves the wasla cue unwritten.

Use ٱ when an edition marks wasla; otherwise follow the spelling of the source you are reading.