Reading Arabic with Mona

Before we start discussing this unique letter and its sound, I want to express my excitement! We have finally reached the end of our learning journey for the second set—the Challenging Letters. This post marks our final exploration in this set, focusing on the letter Qaaf "ق" . In the order of the Arabic alphabet, " ق " stands as the last of the challenging sounds; the remaining letters follow sounds that are much more familiar to non-Arabic speakers. In a nutshell, " ق "is considered the   قرطاس Qirtaas (wrap) of these alphabet lessons! The letter " ق " is the  21 st  letter of the Arabic alphabet. This prominent sharp sound is produced by the contact of the tongue and the soft palate. The mechanism is simple: the back of the tongue (the root) rises to block the airflow for a fraction of a second, creating a burst of sound. In this specific action—blocking the air—it is similar to the Hamza, but the resulting sound is much deeper. T...