Few objects are as vast in terms of metaphors as the mirror.
Its representations of wisdom, vanity and presentability resonate across cultures. In its sterling bottomlessness, it holds the infinite. In its reflections, it stands as a declarer of truth. It has often been featured as a transcendental vantage point in folk tales and literature around the world. Unbound by time or space, the mirror on the wall knows all.
In the Arab world, the mirror’s influence is just as potent. Evidence to that is how much the Arabic language is filled with idioms, quotes and colloquial quips involving the mirror.
Mir'aat is Arabic for mirror. It is also colloquially referred to as miraye, especially in the Levant. In plural form, the word becomes maraya.
When something, say a body of water, is clear and reflective, you could say it is kal mir'aat. The next time a friend is late because they took their time getting ready, you could as them, Kam sa’aa sarlak/sarlik waqef/waqefa qidam al miraye?, or: How long have you been standing in front of the mirror?
On the other hand, if they appear unkempt, you could say, Shouf shaklak/shaklik qidam al miraye — Look at yourself in the mirror. Another common expression is, Ma a’ndkon miraye bel beit — Do you not have a mirror at home?
Breaking a mirror, or kasr al mir'aat, is also considered ominous in the Middle East, and as the superstition goes, will bring seven years of bad luck.
Maraya was also the name of a popular Syrian comedy television show, which ran for 20 seasons between 1982 and 2013. The show was lauded for the way it presented social commentary about life in Syria through comedy. It starred Syrian actor and writer Yasser al-Azma.
There are several sayings by Arab intellectuals that incorporate al mir'aat.
“Sulook al insan mir'aat al qalb, fa man kan sulookuhoo jamilan kana qalbahu saliman.”
“A person’s manners are the mirror of his heart,” writes Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran. “The more his manners are beautiful, the healthier his heart.”
“La takon kalmijhar yidakhimu altafaseel al saghira wa tukshef mawaten al qubah.
“Kun kal mir'aat, ta'kes ma tarahu amamaka bihiyadiya.”
“Do not be like the microscope,” Saudi journalist Abdullah Al-Maghlouth writes. “Do not enlarge the smallest details to reveal ugliness. Be like a mirror, reflecting what you see in front of you honestly.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see The National's pick of Arabic words of the week
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Hob is the Arabic word for love, but can be used in many contexts -
The Arabic word helu translates, in English, to sweet -
Nashef is the Arabic word for dry, but has many connotations, depending on the context in which you use it -
The Arabic word hurriyeh translates to freedom in English -
The Arabic word tayeb can mean delicious or good, depending on the context -
The Arabic word mustaqbal is best expressed as future in English -
Waqaa, the Arabic word for fall, can signify a loss of power, stature, health or grace -
Hudood means borders in English -
The Arabic word rooh translates to spirit or soul in English -
The Arabic word ain means eye in English -
Waraq, the Arabic word of the week means paper in English -
Bahr, the Arabic for sea, has a poetic lilt -
Kareem means generous in English -
Bab means door in English -
Eid means holiday or festival -
Najm means star for the night sky and cosmos, but also has plenty of other meanings, including ambition or fame -
Alwan, the Arabic word for colours, has many shades of meaning -
Akel can refer to home-cooked meals, embezzlement, fire and rust -
Jamal is the Arabic word for beauty, be it literal or figurative -
Herfe translates to profession or craft -
Tabiaa translates to nature and can frame landscapes and portraits -
Sehha is the Arabic word for health -
Ijaza is Arabic for holiday and shines in summer but is not stress-free -
Aamal is the Arabic word for work -
Al dahr translates to time -
Qalb is a word for heart, with poetic roots -
Lugha in Arabic translates to language in English -
Insaan means human being -
Na'eeman is an idiomatic expression used when someone has had a shower or bath, a haircut or had their beard trimmed -
The Arabic word for life touches on eternity, death and accomplishment -
Qamar is the Arabic for moon -
The Arabic word for strength or power is quwwa -
Burj is Arabic for tower -
The Arabic word for sun is shams -
Sabr in English can translate to patience -
Hayba is the Arabic word for prestige -
The Arabic term al shay'e translates as 'the thing' in English -
The Arabic word for road is tareeq -
The Arabic word for read has mystical and scholarly connotations -
Istikan is the Arabic word for a type of tea cup -
The Arabic word hanan means affection in English -
The Arabic word atlal means ruins in English -
Kura is the Arabic word for ball, in all its forms -
Janaah in Arabic means wing in English -
The Arabic word sana translates to year in English -
Qasida is the Arabic for poem, not poetry -
Ameer, the Arabic word for prince, which influenced another English title -
Nakhla translates to palm tree in English -
Al samt is the Arabic for silence -
Kalimaat translates to words in English -
Markaz is Arabic for centre -
Beshara is the Arabic word for good news -
Bayt is the Arabic for house or home -
Fann is the Arabic word for art, and can be either a verb or an adjective -
Isim, which means name, is made up of three letters, alif, seen and meem -
Dunya is the Arabic word for world -
Nazaafah translates to cleanliness in English -
Many traditions revolve around drinking coffee, including weddings, funerals and business meetings -
Fajr is the Arabic word for dawn -
Maghrib is the Arabic word for sunset -
The Arabic language is filled with idioms, quotes and colloquial quips involving the mirror -
Raei is the Arabic word for opinion -
Wa'ed is a multifaceted word for 'promise', as well as a female name -
Qussa is the Arabic word for story -
Sadaaka is the Arabic word for friendship -
Akhbaar is the Arabic word for news -
Rasem is made up of the three Arabic letters Rah, Seen and Meem. While it can simply mean a drawing or a sketch it’s also a malleable word whose definition can change depending on context and dialect – particularly between colloquial and classical Arabic. -
As well as finishing a task, khatem denotes a deeper sense of finality -
Commonly translated to blessed, mubarak is used as a popular greeting on auspicious days -
The Arabic word for lighthouse is also a term that has become closely associated with Islam -
Siyaam, the Arabic word for fasting is also connected to silence -
Tawbah, the Arabic word for repentance, is also connected to Ramadan -
Safar, the Arabic Word for travel can also refer to sunny days, a brighter-blazing fire or exile. The National
