An artistic illustration featuring outstretched hands positioned below the Arabic word 'Allah', surrounded by stars and a crescent moon, set against a blue circular background with a light beige border.

How do you pronounce Allah correctly?

The word Allah (ุงู„ู„ู‡) is a special word in many ways. Especially the pronunciation can be tricky if you don’t know the rules. Here is how to pronounce Allah correctly.

Last updated: 2 months

The correct pronunciation of the word Allah is tricky.

Let’s see why.

The most important rules to pronounce Allah

You have to focus on the second “l” (ู„) in Allah (ุงู„ู„ู‡). Let’s analyze the so-called Grand Word and derive two rules that are easy to remember.

What I mean here by correctly is the reading of the Qur’an accordยญing to the rules of Tajwฤซd (ุชุฌูˆูŠุฏ).

The word Tajwฤซd is derived from the root j-w-d (ุฌูˆุฏ). Tajwฤซd literally means to make better; to ameliorate. It is the way of reciting the Qur’an according to well-established rules of pronunciation and intonation.

Tajwฤซd (Tajweed) is a religious duty, a so-called Fard (ููŽุฑู’ุถ), whenever a Muslim recites the Qur’an. A Muslim must try to read the Qur’an according to certain rules as good as he can and knows.

Two more rules which bring us closer to the correct pronunciation of the word Allah:

RULE 1: Mufakhham / Tafkhim

The emphatic Arabic consonants ุฎ ุต ุถ ุท ุธ ุบ ู‚ – known as Mufakhkham (ู…ูููŽุฎูŽู‘ู…) – are pronounced with a heavy accentuation, so-called Tafkhim (ุชูŽูู’ุฎููŠู…). To produce this sound, the tongue elevยญates towards the roof of the mouth in order to force a thick and heavy sound that fills the mouth.

This can be achieved either by pharyngealization (proยญnounced while squeezing one’s voicebox) or by velarization. The voice box (larynx) is the part of the breathing tract which contains the vocal cords. Velarization means that the tongue is drawn far up and back in the mouth towards the soft palate (velum).

RULE 2: Muraqqaq / Tarqiq

The remaining letยญters – known as Muraqqaq (ู…ูุฑูŽู‚ูŽู‘ู‚) – have a light accentuation, so-called Tarqiq (ุชูŽุฑู’ู‚ููŠู‚).

They are pronounced norยญmally, without pharyngealization (except ุน, which is often considered a pharyngeal sound). To produce this sound, the back of the tongue lowers, so that a flat sound is produced.

Two Arabic letters are special

  • The Rฤ’ (ุฑ) is pronounced with a heavy accentuation when accompanยญied by the vowel a (ููŽุชู’ุญุฉ) or vowel u (ุถูŽู…ู‘ุฉ). The Rฤ’ is light when it is accompanied by the vowel i (ูƒูŽุณู’ุฑุฉ).
  • The Lฤm (ู„) in general is a Tarqฤซq-letter. However, this is not the case in the word Allah. The Lฤm in the word Allah can be pronounced as a thick (Tafkhฤซm) or thin (Tarqฤซq) letter dependยญing on the vowel before. The rules are similar to the ones mentioned above for the letter Rฤ’.

Let’s check the Arabic word for God, Allah (ุงู„ู„ู‡), in detail.

Scholars refer to this word as the Grand Word โ€“ in Arabic: Lafz al-Jalฤla (ู„ูŽูู’ุธ ุงู„ุฌูŽู„ุงู„ุฉ).

The word Allah is a special word in Arabic. It has a distinct appearance and is written with two Lam (ู„) along with a Shadda (ุดูŽุฏู‘ุฉ).

The word Shadda literally means strengthening and is marked by a small w on top (ู‘_) in the Arabic script. It indicates a doubling/gemination of a . This is found over the second Lฤm: ุงู„ู„ู‡.

This is because Allah literally means the God; the first Lฤm is part of the defยญinite article: al (ุงู„).

The correct pronunciation of Allah

  • When the word Allah is preceded by the vowel “a” (ููŽุชู’ุญุฉ) or the vowel “u” (ุถูŽู…ู‘ุฉ), then the Lฤm is pronounced in a distinct heavy manner โ€“ with Tafkhฤซm. This heavy Lฤm is thus articulated with the entire body of the tongue rather than its tip alone.
  • Let’s take for example the term Hezbollah (ูุญูุฒู’ุจู ุงู„ู„ู‡), literally Party of Allah, which is the name of a Islamist group and political party based in Lebanon. Or a part of the verse 58:22: “man hadยญdaAllah” (ูู…ูŽู†ู’ ุญูŽุงุฏู‘ูŽ ุงู„ู„ู‡) which means: those who oppose Allah.
  • If, however, the preยญceding vowel is “i” (ูƒูŽุณู’ุฑุฉ), then the Lฤm in Allah is light, such as in the Basmala: Bismillahiโ€ฆ (ูุจูุณู’ู…ู ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุงู„ุฑูŽู‘ุญู’ู…ูฐู†ู ุงู„ุฑูŽู‘ุญููŠู…ู). So if a Muslim says “Bismillahi”, he should not pronounce the Lam with a heavy โ€“ instead, just with the tip of the tongue.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
1 Comment
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Raudhah
Raudhah
6 years ago

Shukran for writing a very clear explanation of the pronunciation.
I look forward to learning more from you.
Amd perhaps a chanced meeting.
Best Regards,
Raudhah
Kuala Lumpur
Aspiring arabic learner

Previous Article
An illustration of a green microscope with three eyepieces, positioned over a flat stage, surrounded by swirling orange ribbons that feature scientific or mathematical text, against a dramatic burst of light in the background.

Mastering grammatical analysis in Arabic: How to do the ุฅุนุฑุงุจ

Next Article
A glowing padlock outlined with mathematical equations, set against a dark background, with a keyhole emitting a bright light from within.

Al-Kindi: The pioneer of cryptology

โžค DIDN'T FIND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR?

Related Posts