Seeds have always had very powerful significance across cultures around the world. Habb, this week’s Arabic Word of the Week, which is commonly used to refer to a seed, is an incredibly multifaceted word. Rich in meaning, habb is used symbolically to express many elements, both figurative and literal, about varied aspects of life. To begin, habb can mean any small hard seed, grain or berry from food plants that could be planted and then grow. In Arabic there are other words for this type of seed such as bathra. However, habb is the one most commonly used in classical and colloquial Arabic across dialects to mean seeds that grow from the earth. Habb can also refer to the concept of something small. Habb or al habba can mean one small piece, a small part of a bigger thing or the weight of something. For example, habb can be used in the context to describe a grain of rice, the seed of an apple or a tiny piece of bread. The root for the word habb curiously has nothing to do with seeds in the literal sense. It is derived from the word habouba, a verb which means to love. All the variations for the Arabic word for love, such as hub or habibi, are derived from habouba. An Arabic phrase that sits on the intersection of habb and hub, seed and love, is habbit al qalb, which translates to piece of the heart. The phrase means the joy, happiness and love one feels towards someone or something. Habb, or huboub in its plural form, can also mean any type of pimple or boil on the skin. It refers specifically to something of a hard nature that protrudes out of the skin – not blemishes, freckles or scarring. In fact, acne in Arabic is habb al shabaab, which translates to pimples of youth. While these three definitions of habb differ greatly, they all have the same idea in common – something very small but noticeable or powerful. Universally, seeds have always been a symbol for growth, transformation and the passage of time, with many associations to love or something bigger than the self. Shakespeare writes in his play <i>Macbeth</i>: "If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak, then, to me, who neither beg nor fear your favors nor your hate." The character of Banquo here is seeking a prophecy from the three witches. They reveal to him that his descendants will be kings, completely changing the plot of the play. Here the metaphor of the seed is used in a number of ways – to symbolise the beginning of new eras and the future of the world, while also referring to Banquo’s own genetic seeds and family tree. Another example of how the idea of habb can be a symbol for powerful ideas is in the work of Palestinian-American writer and poet Naomi Shihab Nye. In her poem <i>Blood</i>, Nye writes, "I wave the flag of stone and seed, table mat stitched in blue." Here, Nye uses the idea of a seed to represent her Palestinian identity and the way in which her people and culture are rooted to the land of their ancestors and struggle for peace.
