Did you know that in Arabic, there are 12 levels of friendship?
For every level of friendship, there is an Arabic word to describe it. From Sadeeq to Khaleel, it is rare to find all 12 levels of friendship in one person.
A thread on the 12 levels of friendship in Arabic…
1/ 𝙎𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙦 (صديق) - a true friend; someone who doesn't befriend you for an ulterior motive. The word "Sadeeq" is commonly translated as truth, so honesty and loyalty is at the core of this friendship
2/ 𝘼𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙨 (أنيس) - someone with whom you're really comfortable and familiar with.
3/ 𝙕𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙡 (زميل) - someone you have a nodding acquaintance with.
4/ 𝙅𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙨 (جليس) - someone you're comfortable sitting with for a period of time.
5/ 𝙎𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙧 (سمير) - you have good conversation with them.
6/ 𝙎𝙖𝙝𝙞𝙗 (صاحب) - someone who's concerned for your well-being.
7/ 𝙍𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙦 (رفيق) - someone you can depend upon.
8/ 𝙆𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙡 (خليل) - an intimate friend; someone whose presence makes you happy.
9/ 𝙉𝙖𝙟𝙞𝙮𝙮 (نجي) - a confidant; someone you trust deeply.
10/ 𝙉𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙢 (نديم) - a drinking companion (just tea) that you might call when you're free.
11/ 𝙎𝙖𝙛𝙞𝙮𝙮 (صفي) - your best friend; someone you've chosen over other friends.
12/ 𝙌𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 (قرين) - someone who's inseparable from you; you know how they think (and vice versa).
Want to know more about Arabic language & poetry?
Join us for a captivating journey into the realm of Language and Verse, where the enchanting art of poetry unites cultures, kindles imaginations, and resonates across generations.
September 7
6:00 = 7:30pm BST
All ticket holders receive a recording so you can watch back at your convenience…
Embark on a poetic odyssey that transcends time and borders, as we journey through the enchanting world of language and verse across the expanse of the Muslim world. We will pay homage to the timeless poets, from Rumi to Yunus Emre to Hafiz to Faiz Ahmed Faiz, whose eloquence has shaped the very essence of poetry within this rich cultural tapestry.
Unlock the linguistic treasures that have shaped the poetic traditions of the Muslim world, from historical epics to modern odes, and experience the profound impact of language on poetic expression.
Engage in conversations with poets, scholars, and linguists, as they illuminate the intricate techniques, metaphorical brilliance, and cultural significance that define the heart of poetry.
Discover how poetry transcends borders, bridging diverse communities and fostering cross-cultural dialogues that nurture understanding, empathy, and shared experiences.
Book your tickets:
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The colour blue (al-azraq) in Islamic tradition often signifies the impenetrable depths of the universe, and turquoise blue is thought to have mystical qualities.
Uzbekistan is home to some of the most incredible turquoise Islamic architecture in the world.
In 1807, Omar ibn Said, a Muslim scholar, was stolen from Senegal & sold into slavery in America. He left behind an autobiography written in Arabic.
To mark the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade & its Abolition, a thread on the remarkable story of Omar...
1/ Written in Arabic and recently acquired by the @librarycongress, "The Life of Omar Ibn Said” is not only a rare handwritten personal story of an American slave, but it's also one of the first intimate accounts of the early history of Muslims in the United States.
2/ Omar wrote his brief autobiography, 190 years ago, & it spent much of the last century forgotten in an old trunk in Virginia. When he wrote it, Omar was 61 and more than two decades into a long enslavement in America, first in Charleston and then North Carolina
Amazing work paying tribute to Omar ibn Said by artist
@RSaadiy
‘Traveling leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller’
- Ibn Battuta
The most famous explorer in the Muslim World, Ibn Battuta, travelled more than any other explorer in pre-modern history - around 117,000 km!
A thread on the 14th century explorer Ibn Battuta…
1/ Ibn Battuta was born in 1304 CE in Tangier, Morocco. His travelogue the Rihla is his most important work. His journeys in the Rihla lasted for a period of almost thirty years, covering nearly the whole of the known Islamic world & beyond.
2/ Ibn Battuta travelled more than any other explorer in pre-modern history, surpassing Zheng He with 50,000 km (31,000 mi) and Marco Polo with 24,000 km. His total distance travelled was approximately 117,000 km (73,000 mi) (15,000 mi).
From selfies to family photos, our phone cameras have enabled us all to become photographers. But, did you know a Muslim scientist in the 10th century, Ibn al-Haytham invented the camera obscura, the earliest avatar of the modern digital camera
For #WorldPhotographyDay a thread
1/ Born in Basra, Iraq, around the year 965, Al-Hasan Ibn al-Haytham, Latinised as Alhazen, was a pioneering scientific thinker who, from his observation of light entering a dark room made major breakthroughs in understanding light and vision.
2/ Ibn al-Haytham set new standards in experimental science and completed his influential Book of Optics sometime around 1027. He wrote at least 96 books. His most famous is the Book of Optics or Kitab al-Manazir which was translated into Latin and became very influential.
The Shah Mosque is located in Isfahan, Iran. It is regarded as one of the masterpieces of Persian architecture in the Islamic era, built during the Safavid dynasty under the order of Shah Abbas I of Persia.
Let’s explore the exquisite beauty of the Shah Mosque…
1/ The Shah Mosque is located on the south side of Naghsh-e Jahan Square.
2/ The Royal Mosque is registered, along with the Naghsh-e Jahan Square, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.