There is a famous Arabic saying that has been attributed to many people in history, which translates as: “Have mercy on the once-honourable who has been humiliated, the once-rich who has become poor, and the scholar who is lost among the ignorant.”
The phrase invites both humility and caution. It asks for mercy towards those who have lost what they once had.
Izza, this week's Arabic word, means dignity, honour, power and respect, depending on the context of its use. Izza and words branching from it appear 11 times in the Quran.
While some attribute its origin to a similar word in Hebrew, others say it comes from the name of a pre-Islamic deity, Al Uzza. Izza is also a girl’s name, while Izzat and Mutaz, which means dignified, are boys’ equivalents.
Azeez, which comes from izza, is used to address someone who is honoured, respected and beloved, with azeezy used in the possessive. The Arabic phrase for “once honourable” is azeez qawm, literally translating to “dignified by his people”.
Other languages have similar-sounding words. Recently, British singer Ed Sheeran released a song titled Azizam, which is the Persian variation of azeezy.
-
The Arabic word for sign is aya. All photos: The National -
The Arabic word for cat is qita -
Laban is the Arabic word for milk -
Mosa, or Moses in English, is mentioned 136 times in the Quran -
The Arabic word for ownership is tamalouk -
The Arabic word for mint is ne’ena’a -
Shuback is the Arabic word for window -
Hilal is Arabic for crescent -
Musafir, the Arabic word for traveller, is often used in music and poetry, evoking a sense of longing and passion -
Raqaba, the Arabic word for neck, can also denote caution and scrutiny -
Ithin, the Arabic word for permission, has many bureaucratic uses -
The Arabic word for chair is kursee -
Faten is Arabic name that has many spiritual and poetic meanings -
The Arabic word for embroidery is tatreez -
Zarafa is Arabic for giraffe -
The Arabic word for dignity, honour and respect is izza -
Hewi is the Emirati word for front garden -
Lahja is the Arabic word for dialect -
Muratabat is often translated as refreshments -
Handasa is the Arabic word for engineering -
The Arabic word for octopus is akhtaboot -
The Arabic word for mightiness is jabarut -
The Arabic word kibriyaa, often seen in Quranic verses, speaks to might and humility -
Junoon is the Arabic word for madness and obsession -
Adheem is commonly translated as great, magnificent or mighty -
Tanamor is the Arabic word for bullying -
The Arabic word for forgetfulness and oblivion is alnisyan -
Yallah, the Arabic word for 'let's go', is an expression of urgency, encouragement or even impatience -
The Arabic word majlis, rooted in Bedouin tradition, refers to a space for hospitality and dialogue -
Falaj is Arabic for water channel -
Ne'meh is Arabic for blessing -
The Arabic word sumud means resilience and steadfastness -
The Arabic word for mountain is jabal -
Kibreet is Arabic for matchstick -
Sahaba means cloud in Arabic -
Qilada is the Arabic word for necklace
Izza can also mean power and honour, as used in a verse from the Quran which reads: “And to Allah belongs all honour, and to His Messenger, and to the believers.”
Self-respect in Arabic is izzat al nafs, which translates to “dignity in oneself”. Azeez al nafs describes a person who is humble and treats everyone equally and fairly.
Speaking to someone, to say uizuka means “I cherish you”. A funeral is called azaa which refers to mourners taking part in a dignified ceremony after the deceased is buried.
Famous Arab celebrities named Izza (or its equivalent) have included Egyptian actors Ezzat Abou Aouf and Ezzat El Alaili, as well as Lebanese sculptor Ezzat Mezher.
