Arabic letter Ṣād

An emphatic s, usually written /sˤ/ in pronunciation guides. Compared with س /s/, ص is pronounced farther back in the mouth and gives nearby vowels a darker quality. Its exact realization varies by Arabic dialect.

Arabic script developed from Nabataean Aramaic, an earlier writing tradition. A Ḥimā inscription dated 470 CE is an early witness to Arabic script, but does not establish when this exact letter first appeared.

At the opening of Quran chapter Ṣād (38), ص is a recited initial rather than an ordinary word. Its interpretation is disputed; explanations include the chapter’s name and a sign of the Quran’s inimitability.