As you know, the Persian alphabet is semi-cursive.  When you see the alphabet written up as an alphabet, the letters are all in the detatched, standalone form. 

When you see them in a word, they are attached according to the rules that govern their shapes.  Here, for example, is the entire alphabet, written as one word.

Note, the یا at the end is there to show how the last letter would connect to the first letter if you went full circle.  We should make a bracelet. 

It’s quite simple when you think of the letters as cheerleaders. 

1. First, they come running out onto the field. 
2. Then, they stand there as individuals, with arms fully extended, pompoms out, full flourish. 
3. They call out the cheer, one individual letter at a time. 
4. Then they group together!  The individuals pile into a pyramid to form a whole.  Individual arms and legs are tucked in.  Each letter has a distinct way of tucking and linking to join the pyramid.  Connected, they are a new thing.  A whole WORD! 
5. And they shout out their name - no longer individual letters, but all the sounds blended together into the word!

Let’s see that in slow mo.

Calling Out the Cheer

“Give me an F!” ف

“Give me an A!”  ا

“Give me an R!”  ر

“Give me an S!”  س

“Give me an I!”  ی

“What does that spell?” (fArsi)    فارسی 

Louder!       فارسی   

Louder!       فارسی

Form The Pyramid

And then the letter “f” does a cartwheel off the field.