1. النكرة و المعرفة SH MUHAMMAD ISSA

2.  In lesson one, we saw that in Arabic there are no “copula” or particles (a or an) as in English but they are implied while reading.  So هذا كتابٌ is literally translated as “This book” but it actually means “This is a book”.  However, there is a provision for a definite article (Ma’rifah) and indefinite article (Nakirah) with nouns.

3.  In Arabic, the basic situation for a noun is its being in an indefinite form i.e. Nakirah.  This is mostly formed by the double nunnation (Tanween) added at the end of the noun indicated by the presence of “two dhwammah vowels” (Dhwammataani or dhwammatayn)  Examples: بَيْتٌ A house (any, one house) كِتَابٌ A book (any, one book) قَلَمٌ A pen (any, one pen)

4.  Contrary to English language, in Arabic there are more than one way of making a noun definite in Arabic.  At this stage, we will begin with the most common one which is “making a noun definite by entering ‘Alif and laam’ at the beginning of an indefinite noun”.  This changes the status of a noun from being “indefinite” to “definite”. بَيْتٌ الْبَيْتُ The House (Ma’rifah) A house (Nakirah) DEFINITE INDEFINITE  Note that, the double nunnation is dropped by dropping one dhwammah at the end of the “Nakirah” noun.

5. 1 مَسْجدٌ الْمَسْجِدُ 2 سَيَّارَةٌ السَّيَّارَةُ 3 قَلَمٌ الْقَلَمُ 4 زُجَاجَةٌ الزُّجَاجَةُ Note that: in 2 and 4 above, the ‘Laam’ has no vowel (Saknah) as in 1 and 3.

6. معْرفةٌنكِرةٌ DEFINITEINDEFINITE Don’t have double nunnation at its end Has double nunnation at its end Mostly begins with “Alif and laam” Doesn’t begin with “Alif and laam”

7.  Now that we know the difference between Nakirah and ma’rifah, we will learn types of definiteness of a noun.  The form of a ‘Ma’rifah’ (definite) noun is indicated by the type of ‘Laam ma’rifah the beginning of a noun.  There are two types of ‘Laam’ signifying the definiteness of a noun as follows;-

8.  1 st – لَامُ الْقَمَرِيَّةُ in English ‘The Moon Laam’ This is the ‘Laam’ with a Saknah ( ْ ) on it and is pronounced in reading.  Examples. الْكِتَابُ الْبَابُ الْقَلَمُ الْمَسْجِدُ This is the easier of the two

9.  2 nd – لَامُ الشًّمْسِيَّةُ in English ‘The Sun Laam’. This is the ‘Laam ma’rifah’ written without the “Saknah”. Examples: The Car السَّيَّارَةُ The Bottle (glass) الزُّجَاجَةُ The garment الثَّوْبُ The Sun الشَّمْسُ

10. Note:  All nouns with ‘Laam As-shamsiyyah” ;- 1.The ‘Laam’ has no vowel on it. 2.The ‘Laam’ is therefore not pronounced. 3. The letter following this ‘Laam’ must have a shaddah (strong repetition of a sound) on it. 3. The ‘Alif’ at the beginning of a ‘Ma’rifah’ noun is pronounced ONLY when the noun is not preceded by another word. However, it remains in writing.

11.  Following the presence of ‘Laam Al- qamariyyah and Laam As-shamsiyyah’ Arabic alphabets are divided into two types;-  Letters of Al-qamaraiyyah  Letters of As-shamsiyyah  The letters of Qamariyyah are preceded by a ‘Laam’ that has Saknah on it and the ‘Laam’ is pronounced in reading.

12.  Letters of ‘Shamsiyyah’, on the other hand, they are preceded by a ‘Laam’ without a ‘Saknah’ on it the letter after it must have a Shaddah on it.  The most important point to understand with this rule is that it governs the spoken (pronunciation) and not the written word.

13.  Of the 28 Arabic letters, 14 letters are called Solar (Sun) Letters, and the other 14 are called Lunar Letters.  In the articulation (speaking) of the Solar letters, the tip or blade of the tongue is involved as in t, n, r, s, etc.  The tip or blade of the tongue does not play any part in the articulation of the Lunar Letters as in b, w, m, k etc.

14. The Sun LetterThe Moon Letters الْحُرُوْفُ الشَّمْسِيَّةُ الْحُرُوْفُ الْقَمَرِيَّةُ The businessman ت - التَّاجِرُ The father ا - الْأَبُ The cloth/garment ث - الثَّوْبُ The door ب - الْبَابُ The cock د - الدِّيْكُ The Garden ج - الْجَنَّةُ The sin ذ - الذَّنْبُ The donkeyح - الْحِمَارُ The man ر - الرَّجُلُ The loaf of breadخ - الْخُبْزُ

15. The Sun LetterThe Moon Letters الْحُرُوْفُ الشَّمْسِيَّةُ الْحُرُوْفُ الْقَمَرِيَّةُ The flower ز - الزَّهْرَةُ The eye ع - الْعَيْنُ The fish س - السَّمَكُ The unseen غ - الْغَيْبُ The Sun ش - الشَّمْسُ The mouth ف - الْفَمُ The chest ص - الصَّدْرُ The moon ق - الْقَمَرُ The guest ض - الضَّيْفُ The dog ك - الْكَلْبُ

16. The Sun LetterThe Moon Letters الْحُرُوْفُ الشَّمْسِيَّةُ الْحُرُوْفُ الْقَمَرِيَّةُ The male student ط - الطَالِبُ The water م - الْمَاءُ The afternoon ظ - الظُّهْرُ The boy و - الْوَلَدُ The night ل - اللَّيْلُ The air ه - الْهَوَاءُ The star ن - النَّجْمُ The day ي - الْيَوْمُ