'Ne'meh': The Arabic word for blessing can be both a gift and a test

Traditionally referring to a God-given favour, the term encompasses health, comfort, good fortune and family

The Arabic word for blessing carries with it a theological paradox, in that it offers both a gift and a test.

Ne’meh is Arabic for blessing. It encompasses health, comfort, good fortune and family. Ne’meh kabeera is a great blessing. Al ne’mehtein, or the two blessings, often refers to safety and health. In plural form, ne’meh becomes na’mat or na’amat. As a verb, it becomes an’ama, which can be translated as: to bestow.

Traditionally, ne’meh refers to a God-given favour. To say something is a blessing from God is to say hatha ne’meh men Allah. To be thankful for a blessing, you could say al hamdu-lillah ala al ne’meh.

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Islamic scholars – such as Ibn Arabi, the 12th century Andalusian polymath – have pointed out the trials inherent within blessings. Unlike hardships, they are a more subtle type of test. When living a life of ease, it is easy to neglect blessings or take them for granted. Not recognising a ne’meh as a privilege is considered a spiritual failure. This shortcoming, or ingratitude, is sometimes referred to as kufr al-ne’meh.

The root of ne’meh renders other words that echo with similar connotations. Often used as a name, na’eem resonates with meanings of bliss, health, wealth and peace of mind. You can describe someone who is calm and collected as na’eem al bal. Janat al na’eem, or dar al na’eem, refers to paradise. Na’eem Allah refers to God’s mercy.

Finally, ne’meh can be used with a a sardonic undertone. Enta/enti ne’meh fi hayati can be a sincere expression of appreciation, but the phrase – you are a blessing in my life – is also often said sarcastically.