'Kursee': The Arabic word for chair has a special place in the Quran

It could also refer to a seat of power and is an important element of Arab hospitality

The Arabic word for chair is kursee. The National

The 255th verse of the second chapter of the Quran, Al Baqara, is titled “Ayat Al Kursee”, or The Throne Verse. In it, God introduces himself to mankind and says nothing and nobody is comparable to God.

Considered one of the best-known verses in the Quran, “Ayat Al Kursee” is believed to shield the reciter from evil due to its association with protection. The throne in the verse refers to God’s throne, but kursee in its simplest form means chair.

The Arabic dictionary defines kursee as a seat made of wood or other materials. Kursee could also mean a bed, and kursee al mamlaka, which means “the kingdom’s chair”, is used to refer to the capital city. At a university, kursee is used to refer to the dean of a college. For example, the dean of a college of literature is a kursee al adab.

Chairs in Arab culture are associated with hospitality. Homes will have many chairs so they appear welcoming to guests. Most homes also have a dedicated room with many chairs, called a majlis.

A kursee could also refer to a valuable, often gold, necklace. A kursee necklace could be emblazoned with materials such as pearls and emeralds but must be mostly made of gold.

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The plural for kursee is karasee. A popular children’s party game in the Middle East is musical chairs or, as it is called in Arabic, karasee mutaharika – moving chairs. Participants must walk around chairs – there are always fewer than the amount of people – while music is played. When the music stops, the players must each find a kursee or they will be counted out.

The seat of power is called kursee al hukum and could refer to the actual throne or the head of a nation. An empty chair could also indicate the absence of power or a person. In her 2024 song, Al Kursee, Assala Nasri sings about facing an empty chair, one that was once occupied by her lover.