As Muslims across the region and the world prepare to celebrate the Eid Al Adha holiday in mosques and homes, it is a good time to refresh our minds on greetings.
When it comes to holiday salutations, there are more possibilities than the frequently used and perfectly serviceable Eid Mubarak, which translates to “blessed Eid”. In addition to sharing good energy for the future, these Eid greetings include references to health, family and spirituality.
Here are 12 Arabic greetings to add to yourroster, separate from Eid Mubarak.
1. Kullu aa’min wa antum bikhair
Translated to: “Wishing you blessings throughout the year,” this is another popular, meaningful greeting. Kullu aa’min wa antum bikhair is often used when popping over to the family home for that big Eid breakfast. The reply here is wa antum bikhair, which means “may you also be blessed".
2. Asakum min uwadah
This is as much a heartfelt greeting as a prayer for your well-being. Translated to mean: “May you successfully go on to witness many more Eids," this is a common refrain shared across the UAE and the wider GCC. Simply repeat the greeting back in reply.
3. Snin Deyma
The greeting is commonly used in North African Arabic-speaking communities, such as those in Tunisia and Algeria. Meaning “lasting years”, it carries a sentiment similar to the English phrase “many happy returns” and is often used during Eid or other communal celebrations.
4. Ayyamukum sa'eeda
Short and sweet, this is a warm greeting meaning: “May your days be happy." While often heard during Eid, it is versatile enough to be used in other festive social gatherings, such as birthdays and weddings.
5. Taqabal Allah minna wa minkum
This salutation encapsulates translates to: “May Allah accept from you and us." It's a phrase that can be used as an Eid greeting on its own, a neat accompaniment to Eid Mubarak or in reply to any Eid greeting.
6. Bil Afrah Daimeen
Another Gulf favourite, this warm and poetic saying, meaning: "May you always be in joyful occasions", is a timeless expression suitable for family celebrations.
7. Kol sana wa anta tayeb
You don’t get a more Egyptian salutation than this.
Essentially meaning: “Happy birthday to you,” the term is wonderfully malleable and can be used in most instances when you want to congratulate or wish someone all the best. Like many Arabic greetings, the reply is often repeating the last two words of the saying. In this case, it's “wa enta tayeb”, which basically means “and to you as well".
8. Salmeen ghanmeen
Want to deliver an elegant and seldom-used Eid tribute? Try this for size.
This is a well-known, yet sparsely used, GCC greeting, wishing someone both a content and insightful Eid. The response, “fayzeen”, is similarly poetic, meaning “may you have more and prosper".
9. Eid saeed
Sometimes, after a full day of well-wishes and congratulations, finding a zippy Eid greeting is handy.
On that score, you won’t find a phrase more streamlined and casual than Eid saeed, which simply means “happy Eid". That said, it would best to reserve it for the youth and use the other standards for the elderly as a sign of respect.
10. Barakallahu lakum fil Eid
Meaning: "May Allah bless you during Eid," this is a heartfelt tailor-made for the festive season and often exchanged during family gatherings.
11. A'adahu Allah laina wa wlaikum bil khair wa al barakat
This is an Eid greeting full of gratitude for experiencing the blessed holidays. Heard in the Gulf, it means: "May Allah return it to us and to you with goodness and blessings."
12. Atamanna lakum Eidan mali’an bil farah wa al surur
Translated to: "I wish you an Eid full of joy and happiness," this all-encompassing greeting is mostly heard in Syria and Jordan.
A version of this story was first published in April 2024
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
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Countries recognising Palestine
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
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Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
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“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
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All people fleeing from Ukraine before the armed conflict are allowed to enter Poland. Our country shelters every person whose life is in danger - regardless of their nationality.
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