Shadda: the letter that counts twice

Here is a new sign: the shadda ـّ It looks like a small "w" sitting on the letter. It means: "This letter counts twice!"

How do we read it? In two pieces: 1. the letter a first time, resting (as with a sukun); 2. the same letter a second time, with its vowel.

رَبَّ = رَبْ + بَ = rab-ba أُمّ = um-m: mum 👩 (we press on the "m") جَدَّة = jad-da: grandma 👵

Words from your alphabet: بَطَّة baṭ-ṭa: the duck 🦆 تُفَّاح tuf-faaḥ: apples 🍎 دُبّ dub-b: the bear 🐻 هَدِيَّة hadiy-ya: the present 🎁

Very important words: مُحَمَّد muḥam-mad: our Prophet ﷺ مُعَلِّم mu'al-lim: the teacher 👨‍🏫 (here, the kasra is under the shadda) رَبِّ rab-bi: my Lord

And the most beautiful word: اللَّه Allaah The laam has a shadda and a tiny alif above it: we read al-laah, pressing on the "l" and stretching the "aa".

Shadda can also go with tanwin: جِدًّا jid-dan, "very".

Little activity: read slowly with your parent, clapping once on the letter that counts twice: um-m, jad-da, muḥam-mad, Al-laah!

Understanding the lesson

Explanation The shadda lets us write the same letter twice while drawing only one. If we forget it, the word changes: جَدَّة (jadda, grandma) is not the same as جَدَة. The name of Allah, اللَّه, has a shadda: we say it with respect and pressing well. The name of our Prophet, مُحَمَّد ﷺ, also has a shadda. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever reads the Qur'an stumbling, with difficulty, has two rewards (Bukhari 4937, Muslim 798). So even if it is hard at first, every effort counts!

Lessons to draw from it • I look for the little "w" above the letters before reading a word. • I say the letter twice: one resting, one speaking. • I say the name of Allah and of the Prophet ﷺ with respect.

Key points to remember • ـّ = the shadda: the letter counts twice. • رَبّ = rab-b; أُمّ = um-m; مُحَمَّد = muḥam-mad. • اللَّه = al-laah (shadda + tiny alif). • Reading with difficulty = two rewards (Bukhari 4937, Muslim 798).

The main message With the shadda, the letter is said twice: I press on it well, as in "Allaah" and "Muḥammad".