Question

Assalamu alaykum

Jazakallahu khayran for your wonderful site.

In the section on hamza wasl (part 3) you mention 5 words (in six ayaat) where hamza has a kasra if starting on them due to the presented dhammah. I understand this rule, but why is 'ittaqu' (to fear) different to the above 5 verbs. It also has a kasra for amr but is not included in your examples - is it because of the shaddah or is it not a presented dhammah or some other rule. 

wa salaam

Answer

Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh.

Wa iyyakum and jazakum Allahu khairan.

You made a good analysis, masha’ Allah.  The shaddah is always representative of two letters, so when we are determining the third letter of a verb beginning with the hamzah al-wasl, a shaddah is counted as two letters.  In the word: , the hamzah al-wasl is the first letter, the  saakinah of the shaddah the second letter, and the  with the fat-h of the shaddah the third letter.  This is the reason the hamzah al-wasl acquires a kasrah when beginning this word, because the third letter of this verb has a fat-h. Baaraka Allahu feekum.

Wa assalaam alaikum wa rahmatu Allah.