10.3: Letters Alif MAqsurah الألف المقصورة, Dagger Alif الألف الخنجرية

Arabic Level One · LibreTexts

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    Learning Objectives

    In this section, you will be able to:

    • Read, write, and type "Alif Maqsura" ى" الألف المقصورة"
    • Learn the concept of Dagger Alif الألف الخنجرية

    الألف المقصورة ـى- ى

    • The Alif Maqsurah: is the "Alif" that is only written in the final position of the word in the form of Yaa ي, but without dots.
    • Alif Maqsurah sounds as a long vowel "Alif."
    • Alif Maqsurah is strictly used at the end of the word and never comes at the beginning or in the middle of the word.
    • Non-Arabic words and names are not spelled with Alif Maqsurah, but with Alif Maad (فرنسا، ألمانيا، نتاشا)

    Writing Alif Amasurah

    You write الألف المقصورة Alif Maqsurah "ى" like a final letter ياء Yaa "ي" and without the dots:

    Example: إلى ، عَلى ، موسيقى ، لَيْلى ، مُنى ، سلمى

    Alif Maksorah Forms

    Arabic Letter Alif Maksorah Final Form ــى Arabic Letter Aif Maksorah Isolated Form ى
    يحيى - موسى- عيسى هُدى - شَذى - نَدى

    Activities

    Identify the Arabic letter ى الألف المقصورة

    Query \(\PageIndex{1}\)

    Dagger Alif الألف الخنجرية (١)

    • This symbol is called Dagger Alif الألف الخنجرية because its shape is similar to a small dagger.
    • It is pronounced as a long vowel Alif Maad (ا).
    • The Dagger Alif occurs in only a few modern words, but these include some common ones; it is seldom written, even in fully vocalized texts, except in the Quran.
    • The words in the table are the most common words spelled with Dagger Alif.
    • You should pronounce them with the long vowel Alif Almaad because they are not spelled with Alif Almaad.
    • Most keyboards do not have dagger alif. The word الله (Allāh) is usually produced automatically by entering "alif lām lām hāʾ".

    Please read and listen to the following examples.

    الألف الخنجرية Dagger Alif
    Audio English Meaning Arabic Word

    		God ﷲ

    		This (masculine, singular) هَـٰـذا

    		This (feminine, singular)

    هَـٰـذِهِ

    		But

    لَـٰـكِن

    Query \(\PageIndex{2}\)

     

    This page titled 10.3: Letters Alif MAqsurah الألف المقصورة, Dagger Alif الألف الخنجرية was last modified on Sun, 06 Apr 2025 20:27:58 GMT and is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Hana Kassas.