Volume 13 · Issue 2 · June 2026
The Phenomenon of Phonetic Similarity and its Implications in the Authentic Narrations on Trials in Two Authentic Collections
Asos Hassan Hamad, Abdulrahman Azez Mustafa
This research which is entitled "The Phenomenon of Phonetic Similarity and its Implications in the Authentic Narrations on Trials in Two Authentic Collections" is a linguistic and phonetic analysis of some prophetic narrations about tribulations in two authentic collections. The study investigates the phenomenon of phonetic similarity with presenting a methodological perspective through analysis and study of the prophetic text (peace be upon him), and explores how this similarity can be properly understood within the text. Moreover, phonetic similarity is one of the most prominent and widespread phonetic phenomena in the Arabic language. It is actually considered one of the fundamental phonetic rules that has captured the attention of linguists, morphologists, and reciters, both classical and modern. However, it is a natural intention to reduce muscular effort in spoken language for the purpose of easier pronunciation. According to the early scholars, this concept of similarity appeared under different terms. For example, Sibawayh discussed it in the chapter on assimilation, referring to it as the present tense or similarity. Meanwhile, Ibn Jinni also addressed this phenomenon in detail in his discussion of minor and major assimilation, where he explained how close sounds influence each other, which in turn this interaction of sounds leads to changes in pronunciation. One fact is, all of these beliefs center on a common idea which is the proximity of sounds to one another and the influence of phonetic phenomenon that adjusts sounds within a single structure. The purpose of similarity is to ease pronunciation when sounds share close points of articulation and similar features. In conclusion, the paper highlights the importance of this phenomenon in Arabic and in phonetic studies in general, and clarifying and changing certain sounds within spoken language in particular. The study presents multiple examples of phonetic similarity and assimilation as they appear in prophetic narrations on tribulations, through analysis of some chosen cases. At the end of our study, we also explain why this phenomenon happens.
