Understanding Qalqalah
The term “Qalqalah” refers to a distinctive characteristic inherent to certain Arabic letters, which has no opposite. It pertains to the instability or vibration produced when pronouncing a letter in a state of silence. The letters involved in Qalqalah are five in total, and can be remembered through the phrase: “Qatb Jad.” When a reader articulates a Qalqalah letter while it is silent, they must emphasize the sound; otherwise, these letters may become nearly inaudible. If the reader produces a tone for the Qalqalah letter that is not recognized by anyone but themselves, this does not qualify as proper Qalqalah; it is instead viewed as an omission, which constitutes an error in recitation. Therefore, proper application of this rule requires noticeable vibration during the pronunciation of these letters.
Levels of Qalqalah
Qalqalah is typically categorized into two primary levels, with some scholars identifying as many as three distinct ranks. Below are the three classifications as noted by certain scholars:
- Small Qalqalah: This occurs when a Qalqalah letter is silent in the middle of a word or at the end while linked through recitation, exemplified by words like “yatma'” and “qad aflaha.”
- Major Qalqalah: This occurs when a Qalqalah letter remains silent at the end of a word with a pause, as seen in terms like “muheet” and “baheej.”
- Greatest Qalqalah: This level is debated among scholars, but it is described as occurring during a pause on a double Qalqalah letter, with examples including “al-haqq” and “ash-shidd.”
Characteristics of Arabic Letters
Scholars have established that each letter in the Arabic language possesses unique inherent attributes that differentiate it from others. These characteristics are categorized into those with opposites and those without. Similar to Qalqalah, these attributes can be enumerated as follows:
- Characteristics with Opposites (Ten traits):
- Voiced versus Voiceless (جهر و همس)
- Strong versus Weak (شدة و رخاوة)
- Elevation versus Lowering (استعلاء و استفال)
- Closure versus Opening (إطباق و انفتاح)
- Immobility versus Fluidity (إصمات و إذلاق)
- Characteristics without Opposites (Seven traits):
- Whistling (صفير)
- Qalqalah (قلقلة)
- Twinning (تكرير)
- Deviation (انحراف)
- Softness (لين)
- Lengthening (استطالة)
- Diffuse Sound (تفشي)