Arabic Tutorial – Lesson 4
الْحَرَكَاتُ
Al-harokaat refers to as the three signs/marks found on top of Arabic letters/words. The three (3) signs/marks are:
- Al-Fathah – الْفَتْحَةُ
- Al-kasroh – الْكَسْرَةُ
- Ad-dommah – الضَّمَّةُ
The above three (3) signs are regarded as harokaat. If the three signs above are to be called in combination with shaddah, sukuun and others, they are collectively called As-shakalaat – الشَّكَلَاتُ
Now, these harokaat (faatihah, kasroh and dommah) are treated the same way either in single form as in “fathah, kasroh and dommah” or in double form as in “fathataan, kasrotaan and dommataan“
Therefore, harokaat are the following:
- Fathah or Fathataan
- Kasroh or Kasrotaan
- Dommah or Dommataan
I hope you understand, shall we continue ? ok, fine.
All these three (3) harokaat are only called these names for a layman who is just reading Quran. But for a someone who is studying Nahwu, the names of these harokaat have changed.
This change serves as the term used in Nahwu, so that whenever you are taking about Arobiyyah, Nahwu or Sorf, laymen can not understand what you are saying because it is not their field.
For example, let consider the word “cell“, cell means different things to different people in their respective fieids.
For instance:
People normally know cell as a place at police custody where all criminals (or victims) are kept.
In Biology, cell is a smallest unit of life found on the body of living organisms.
Also, in Physics, cell is referred to as battery.
Can you see how it goes ?, fine !, let ride on
Arabic Terms for Harokaat
- ضمة – الرَّفْعُ
- فتحة – النَّصْبُ
- كسرة – الْجَرُّ أَوِ الْخَفْضُ
- Dommah is called Ar-rof’u
- Fathah is called An-nasbu
- Kasroh is called Al-jarru
Note the arrangement, we started with dommah (rof’u), Fathah (nasbu), kasroh (jarru).
As from this lesson, you should have changed how you called those Harokaat, I don’t want to hear you saying, Fathah, kasroh or dommah, no no no !. That’s for laymen.
I want you to be saying rof’u, nasbu and jarru in replacement of fathah, kasroh and dommah respectively.
Now, let move on.