Rules Governing the Silent Lam in the Quran
The silent lam appears in the Holy Quran in five distinct forms: the lam of the verb, the lam of the letter, the lam of the noun, the definite article “al,” and the lam of command. It can be categorized under two main rules: manifestation (izhar) and assimilation (idgham). It is important to note that the articulation point of the letter ‘lam’ begins at the lower edge of the tongue near the canine teeth. Below, we provide a detailed overview of the rules associated with the silent lam as it is found in the Quran.
The Lam of the Definite Article “Al”
The lam in the definite article “al” is intrinsically linked to the noun. It can either be separable or inseparable from it. It is separable when followed by the lunar letters and is pronounced as per the rule of manifestation. The lunar letters are represented in the phrase: “إبغ حجك وخف عقيمه.” Any letter that is not in this group is considered a solar letter, which observes the rule of assimilation. There are specific words that the article “al” attaches to and remains inseparable, categorized in two forms: the first includes terms such as “الذي,” “التي,” and “اللّاتي,” which follow the assimilation rule, while other words like “اليسع” and “الآن” adhere to the manifestation rule, where the lam is pronounced clearly when followed by the letters hamzah or ya.
The Lam of Nouns and Commands
The lam found in nouns and in the imperative form consistently follows the rule of manifestation. The lam in nouns refers to its presence in a word that possesses noun characteristics and appears in the middle of the word. The lam of command refers to the additional lam used in the jussive form, which precedes a verb and is often preceded by the conjunctions “fa,” “thumma,” or “wa,” as seen in the phrase: “ثم لْيقضوا.”
The Lam of Verbs and Letters
The term lam of verb indicates the presence of lam in a word conveying an action. Conversely, the lam of letters refers to its occurrence in the particles “هل” and “بل.” The lam in both verbs and letters adheres to the same rule; it undergoes assimilation when followed by another lam or by the letter ra, owing to their closeness in articulation. If followed by any other letter of the Arabic alphabet, the lam is articulated clearly in accordance with the rule of manifestation.