Do not automatically change an initial wāw to hamzah. Identify its vowel and determine whether the book describes an optional environment or a specific attested case.
ExampleInitial vowelStatus
وُجُوهٌ → أُجُوهٌḌammaPermitted
وِشَاحٌ → إِشَاحٌKasraPermitted
وَحَدٌ → أَحَدٌFatḥaSpecific transmitted form
وَنَاةٌ → أَنَاةٌFatḥaSpecific transmitted form
A similar-looking spelling change does not necessarily have the same morphological reason.
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Miscellaneous Morphological Explanations: Eight Rules for Wāw, Yāʾ, Alif and Hamzah
Do not automatically change an initial wāw to hamzah. Identify its vowel and determine whether the book describes an optional environment or a specific attested case.
ExampleInitial vowelStatus
وُجُوهٌ → أُجُوهٌḌammaPermitted
وِشَاحٌ → إِشَاحٌKasraPermitted
وَحَدٌ → أَحَدٌFatḥaSpecific transmitted form
وَنَاةٌ → أَنَاةٌFatḥaSpecific transmitted form
A similar-looking spelling change does not necessarily have the same morphological reason.