'Sahaba': Why the Arabic word for cloud has profound meaning in the Gulf

A sign of divine wisdom and power, its presence and use can be a harbinger of happiness

Our Arabic word of the week is sahaba, which means cloud. The National

In his 1991 song, Fee Sahaba, Saudi singer Mohammed Abdu declares: “In a cloud adrift upon longing, I saw my life – a shadow in the mist.” Through these words, written by Prince Khalid Al Faisal, Abdu situates his entire existence in the passing of a cloud. The sahaba becomes a vessel for memory and desire, carrying his life like a faint shadow, barely tangible.

Our Arabic word of the week is sahaba, which translates to a single cloud. When used in the plural, clouds, the word becomes sahab or suhub. In the Gulf and across the Arab world, where the desert dominates the landscape, the appearance of clouds has always carried profound meaning. A cloud can promise rain, bring shade or simply remind onlookers of the fleeting nature of life.

In the Quran, clouds are not only a natural phenomenon but a sign of divine wisdom and power. They are described as instruments of mercy, reminders of Allah’s control over creation, and symbols of human dependence on forces far beyond our control.

• 

  The Arabic word for sign is aya. All photos: The National

• 

  The Arabic word for cat is qita

• 

  Laban is the Arabic word for milk

• 

  Mosa, or Moses in English, is mentioned 136 times in the Quran

• 

  The Arabic word for ownership is tamalouk

• 

  The Arabic word for mint is ne’ena’a

• 

  Shuback is the Arabic word for window

• 

  Hilal is Arabic for crescent

• 

  Musafir, the Arabic word for traveller, is often used in music and poetry, evoking a sense of longing and passion

• 

  Raqaba, the Arabic word for neck, can also denote caution and scrutiny

• 

  Ithin, the Arabic word for permission, has many bureaucratic uses

• 

  The Arabic word for chair is kursee

• 

  Faten is Arabic name that has many spiritual and poetic meanings

• 

  The Arabic word for embroidery is tatreez

• 

  Zarafa is Arabic for giraffe

• 

  The Arabic word for dignity, honour and respect is izza

• 

  Hewi is the Emirati word for front garden

• 

  Lahja is the Arabic word for dialect

• 

  Muratabat is often translated as refreshments

• 

  Handasa is the Arabic word for engineering

• 

  The Arabic word for octopus is akhtaboot

• 

  The Arabic word for mightiness is jabarut

• 

  The Arabic word kibriyaa, often seen in Quranic verses, speaks to might and humility

• 

  Junoon is the Arabic word for madness and obsession

• 

  Adheem is commonly translated as great, magnificent or mighty

• 

  Tanamor is the Arabic word for bullying

• 

  The Arabic word for forgetfulness and oblivion is alnisyan

• 

  Yallah, the Arabic word for 'let's go', is an expression of urgency, encouragement or even impatience

• 

  The Arabic word majlis, rooted in Bedouin tradition, refers to a space for hospitality and dialogue

• 

  Falaj is Arabic for water channel

• 

  Ne'meh is Arabic for blessing

• 

  The Arabic word sumud means resilience and steadfastness

• 

  The Arabic word for mountain is jabal

• 

  Kibreet is Arabic for matchstick

• 

  Sahaba means cloud in Arabic

• 

  Qilada is the Arabic word for necklace

The Quran speaks of clouds in several contexts, often linking them to rain. In Surat Al-Nur, a verse describes how Allah “drives the clouds, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap, and then you see the rain emerge from within them”. This imagery is both scientific in its observation of cloud formation and spiritual in its reminder that rain is ultimately a gift from the Creator.

While abundant and omnipresent in Europe and the Americas, many parts of the Gulf rarely experience cloudy days, making the presence of a sahaba a harbinger of happiness and jovial moods. In English, cloudy days are called gloomy and dreary. In the Gulf, many cheer at the arrival of cloudy days, often using them to be outdoors away from the harsh rays of the sun.

The word can also be seen in phrases such as sahabat ssaif, or a summer cloud, which usually refers to a fleeting moment or respite rather than a positive and lasting change. Sahaba is also found in the Arabic word for skyscraper, which is natihat sahab, literally translating to cloud rammer. The imagery it evokes is of mighty structures of steel which go head-to-head with the skies, surpassing their faraway yet feeble defences.