Nobel prize-winning Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz has been quoted as saying, "You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions".
This week our Arabic word is su'al, which simply means question. More broadly it is the universal way to acquire knowledge and wisdom.
The word is a noun derived from the verb sa'ala, which means to ask or to enquire. Both the verb and the noun come from the three Arabic letters, seen, alif and lam. The plural form of the word can be said in two ways, su'alaat and as'ela.
In Arabic, the word su'al means a question, verbal or written, asked in order to seek more information or clarity. It can also act as a means to add doubt or to further explore a rule, guideline or idea.
It’s an important concept that comes in many forms. Exam questions for students are used to test the knowledge they have learnt. In business and science questions are posed to prove theories and ensure plans are implemented correctly. In social interactions questions are vital to get to know new people, a way to better understand the boundaries of other people. There are also philosophical questions, which often do not have a clear answer but are used as prompts to explore abstract concepts.
The word and the meaning of su'al hasn’t changed over time nor across the various Arabic dialects, but its context varies depending on the way the word is expressed within a conversation. Various phrases do this. For example, su'al shakhsee refers to a personal question, su'al mughlack refers to a close-ended question, and su'al mua’aqd means a complex question.
These phrases help to give more clarity and nuance to the idea of a question.
Interestingly, the word su'al has other Arabic variations to do with the concept of questions. Saa’il (masculine) and saa’ilaa (feminine) refer to the person who asks a question. Sa'ala (masculine) and sa’alat (feminine) are verbs meaning he or she asked. Sa'alane refers to being asked a question by someone. Tasaa’ul is the concept of questioning someone and mas'alah refers to a topic or issue often riddled with questions.
One of the most popular songs in the Arab world is by the renowned Lebanese songstress Fairuz and deals with the idea of being questioned. Titled Saalouni El Nass (The People Asked Me) from her album Emany Satea, the song tells the story of a woman telling her missing lover that people are asking whether he will come back to her or not, causing her to question his dedication and love for her.
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
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Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
Related
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
