‘Tawbah’: The Arabic word for repentance is significant during Ramadan

It is closely linked to - but different from - forgiveness

Tawbah, the Arabic word for repentance, is significant in Ramadan. The National

As the end of Ramadan approaches, it is only fitting we explore the word intricately connected to the intention of fasting.

This week’s Arabic word of the week is closely connected to – and usually only ever used in association with – religious thoughts and concepts.

Tawbah, which means repentance, is an important aim or theme during the holy month. It's a concept that is fundamentally important in Islam and one that is positioned as accessible to all who truly surrender to its meaning.

Tawbah, a noun, comes from the word taba, which is made up of the three Arabic words – tah, alif and bah.

Taba is a verb that encompasses a particular set of actions involving the concept of repentance. It is the act of repentance that entails the feeling of regret or guilt over continued thought, actions or behaviour.

This is followed with the admission of these wrongdoings and the immediate stopping of this behaviour, followed by an enforced assertion upon the self through thought and action to not repeat this behavior.

Tawbah is an action-based word, meaning that one has to actively abstain from behaviour they have commonly indulged in the past, to receive grace, mercy and forgiveness.

It’s important to note that tawbah and the word for forgiveness, samaah, are related, but are two very distinct concepts.

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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

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Qamar is the Arabic for moon

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Burj is Arabic for tower

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Sabr in English can translate to patience

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The Arabic word for road is tareeq

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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

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Fajr is the Arabic word for dawn

Maghrib is the Arabic word for sunset

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Raei is the Arabic word for opinion

Wa'ed is a multifaceted word for 'promise', as well as a female name

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Akhbaar is the Arabic word for news

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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

Forgiveness means the pardoning or releasing someone of the guilt or wrongdoing of an offense they committed. But it may not necessarily mean forgetting, but to move on without any negative feelings.

One can forgive someone for their wrongdoing even if that person is not aware or doesn’t admit to fault on their behalf.

Repentance, however, must involve acknowledging one's own wrongdoing, expressing remorse and taking steps to make amends. It also involves a change in behaviour and the commitment to avoid repeating the actions in the future.

Repentance focuses much more on the wrongdoer taking ownership and actively seeking to amend themselves and to those they may have harmed.

This is another difference between the concepts of forgiveness and repentance. People are able to forgive, but only God can both forgive and grant complete absolution for the one who repents.

In fact, another meaning for the word taba, the origin of the word Tawbah, also refers to the act of God accepting repentance and granting grace upon the person who seeks it.

Tae’ib is the word used for the person who repents and tawab is one of God’s names in Islam, meaning he who accepts repentance and also grants it.

Al Tawbah is the 9th surah, or chapter, in the Quran and is considered an important one.

The surah has 129 verses that focus on themes such as loyalty and faith, the need for repentance, the consequences of betrayal, and the distinction between those who believe and those who actively work against believers.

The connection between Tawbah and the holy month is a significant one.

Ramadan is reserved as a time of spiritual reflection and to seek forgiveness, seeking mercy and to repent for sins or wrongdoing.

Fasting, prayer, acts of worship and charity are opportunities for people to sincerely repent and seek God’s forgiveness, not only through actions undertaken during the holy month, but as a first step in one’s own journey of transformation to be a better person.