The Arabic alphabet for kids — known as Huroof-e-Tahaji — is the very first step every child takes on the path to reading the Quran. The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters, and once a child knows their names and sounds, they are ready to begin Noorani Qaida and, soon after, read the Quran itself.
How many letters are in the Arabic alphabet?
There are 28 letters in the Arabic alphabet. Arabic is written from right to left, and most letters change their shape slightly depending on whether they appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a word — but the name and sound stay the same. That is why children first learn the letters on their own before learning how they join.
Arabic alphabet chart (Huroof-e-Tahaji)
Here are all 28 Arabic letters with their names. Tap through them slowly with your child and repeat each name aloud:
The right order to teach the Arabic alphabet
- Letter names — recognise and name each of the 28 letters (Alif, Baa, Taa…).
- Letter sounds — the actual sound each letter makes, with correct pronunciation from the throat and mouth (Makharij).
- Letter shapes — how each letter looks at the beginning, middle and end of a word.
- Joining letters — connecting letters to form small words.
- Vowels (Harakat) — Zabar (a), Zer (i), Pesh (u), then Tanween and Sukoon.
This is exactly the sequence taught in Noorani Qaida — the proven primer used worldwide to prepare children to read the Quran. Learn more in our complete Noorani Qaida guide.
Tips to teach the Arabic alphabet to kids
- Short, daily sessions (5–10 minutes) work far better than long weekly ones.
- Colour, sound and play — young children learn letters faster through visuals, songs and games.
- Correct sounds from day one — some Arabic letters (like ح, ع, ض, ق) have no English equivalent, so hearing them correctly matters.
- Repeat and revise yesterday's letters before adding new ones.
- Use a live tutor for pronunciation — this is the one thing apps and charts cannot correct.