The question:
"Maliki yawm al-din" (Al-Fatiha: 4) — when you stop on "maliki," do you stop with the alif or without it?
Rule of stopping on the written form:
The foundational rule: stop on what is written in the Uthmani mushaf. The word "maliki" is written with an extended alif — so you stop with the alif visible and extended.
Question of "maliki" vs "maliki" (without alif):
- Hafs from Asim: "Maliki" with alif — stopping is on "maliki" with visible alif
- Nafi, Ibn Kathir, and others: "Maliki" without alif — stopping on "maliki" with no extension
Stopping on madd letters omitted in the written text:
Some Quranic words have their alifs omitted in writing — like "Al-Rahman" written without the alif after ra — the stop is made with restoring the extension since the omission is orthographic not linguistic.
General principle:
"Follow the narration and consult the written form" — the script guides but the narration decides. Al-Dani: "Whoever reads as directed and as narrated has done well."
Question: How does Hafs stop on "maliki" in Al-Fatiha? How does one who reads "maliki" (without alif) stop?
Answer: Hafs stops on "maliki" with the alif visible and extended. One who reads "maliki" without alif stops without extension. Each follows their own narration.