The act of prayer is a part of every religion around the world.
And while it is an act, this week’s Arabic word of the week, duaa, is a noun with many associations with the idea of a call or invitation.
Colloquially, the word duaa is used to mean prayer. It comes from the Arabic word da’aa, which is derived from the three Arabic letters, dal, ain and alif. Da’aa means to call or invite someone and can also refer to the act of asking or requesting something.
The word duaa takes this meaning but adds another facet to it. Duaa is the act of one speaking to God or asking for something, often in a state of desperation or complete submission.
Duaa is the idea of prayer which includes invocation, supplication or a request from God. In Islam it can also mean the actual special scripted prayers that people may use when in need of particular guidance.
-
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
It is important to note that there is a difference between duaa and salah in Islam – the two words often cause some confusion to non-native Arabic speakers.
Salah refers to the formal prayer that Muslims perform five times a day. This routine of prayer involves particular physical movements while reciting specific verses from the Quran.
Duaa is the act of prayer, of speaking directly to God with whatever needs or wants someone may have. Both are considered a form of prayer. Salah is formal and structured and performed at certain times with specific physical movements and memorising small passages from the Quran, while duaa is the more conventional idea and form of prayer, performed at any time and anywhere.
Outside of the context of religion, while not commonly used, duaa is also when one physically calls out to someone to get their attention. For example, when a parent calls out to the children in the garden to come back into the house.
Interestingly, other words that derive from the root word of duaa are also associated with a form of request, call or invitation.
Deea’ya is an oral invitation, proclamation or an advertisement. It’s a word commonly used to refer to a television or radio advertisement. Daawa refers to a verbal or physical invitation to someone’s home or social gathering such as a wedding. Again, in the context of religion, daawa is also used to refer to the invitation or the call prophets extend to the public to spread the values and principles of Islam.
Dua, Doaa or Duaa are also popular names for women, and which mean prayer. British Albanian pop singer Dua Lipa, who comes from a Muslim family, carries the name, which also means love in Albanian.
The renowned 1959 film Duaa Al-Karawan (The Nightingale's Prayer) is based on the novel of the same name by the Egyptian writer Taha Hussein. The film was directed by Henry Barakat, and stars celebrated Egyptian actress Faten Hamama and actor Ahmed Mazhar.
The story is set in the Egyptian countryside and follows Amna (Hamama) as she plots revenge for the murder of her sister. Not only does the film portray the changing landscape of Egypt at the time, but it also delves into themes such as the traditional roles of men and women in society and how Amna defies them through great sacrifice and with dangerous consequences.
