I asked ChatGPT to explain the difference between 'kaff' and 'qaff', and here's what it said. I've read it and agree with it:
In Arabic, the letters you're asking about —
"kaff" and
"qaff" — most likely refer to two
different Arabic letters that are sometimes confused by English speakers due to similar transliteration. Here’s a clear distinction:
- Arabic: ك
- Name: Kāf (كاف)
- Sound: "k" as in kite
- Arabic: ق
- Name: Qāf (قاف)
- Sound: "q", a deeper “k” sound made from the throat
As to the ' between the r and the a, Chat told me this:
The
hamza represents a
glottal stop, a sound like the catch in the throat between the syllables of
uh-oh in English. In Arabic, it is a
full consonant, not just a diacritical mark.
Since Qur'an is written with a qaff and a hamza, it best represents the Arabic the way I write it (plus I've seen it written that way by scholars).