Question

As you suggested for those without a teacher, I am listening to Quran tapes.  The alif laam, which I believe means “the” in English, seems to be read sometimes pronouncing the laam and sometimes not.  Is there a reason for each pronunciation?

Answer

A noun preceded by a hamzat wasl and a laam which is the definite article “the” can be affected by the article laam if the first letter of the noun (ism) is one close to the laam in articulation point or characteristics.  The hamzat wasl looks like an alif, but instead of having nothing over it, which is the case of the true alif, it has a little letter right above it, as shown here: .

The laam of the article “the” has two possible states.  It is either said clearly, or merges completely into the letter immediately following it, meaning the laam is not pronounced at all in this second case, instead the letter after it acquires a shaddah, and becomes two of that same letter. .  When the definite article laam is followed by any of the following letters, the laam is pronounced clearly: .  An example of this is: . 

When the definite article laam is followed by the rest of the Arabic letters, the laam merges completely into the next letter.  That letter, the first letter of the noun following the laam, then becomes two of that same letter, because of the merging, or idghaam.  An example of this is: