Kitab, our Arabic word of the week, is the name of a simple object that has changed the world, the book.
From the scrolls of ancient Egypt and the codex of the Romans, to the Chinese’s invention of paper, and what is considered the first official printed book in The Diamond Sutra in AD 868, the book evolved over the centuries.
Kitab, or a book, is a collection of pages, inscribed with words, about one topic, or several topics within a theme, a story, a poem, a novel, bound together between a front and back cover.
Whether used to tell stories, record history or share information, the word kitab is a purely Arabic word. Its root derives from the word kataba, meaning “to write”. So it’s fair to say that the book came to be as a result of the act of writing.
The word kataba is also the source of several other words. Katib meaning writer, maktaba, which means library, and katateeb, which is a school dedicated to the studying and memorising of the Quran.
Islam and the Quran have a great historical influence on books and literature in the Arab world. To start, the word Quran derives from the word qaraʼa, meaning "he reads" and the first aya, or revelation, that came to the Prophet Muhammad from the angel Gabriel was to read.
Al Kitab, meaning “the book”, is sometimes used to reference the Quran or any holy book from the Abrahamic religions. The Quran is also considered the first Arabic book.
During the pre-Islamic period, stories, poetry and speeches were recorded and passed on orally. However, with the revelation of the Quran, many of its passages were written in tablets and scraps and eventually transcribed under Abu Bakr, the senior companion of the Prophet.
The Quran as a book and the religion of Islam had a great and lasting effect on Arabic literature, inspiring writers of prose and poetry for generations and spreading a love for the written word and for books.
Acclaimed Egyptian poet Ahmed Shawky, known as the prince of poets, wrote a poem, The Poem of the Book, in which he details his love for the book.
“I who replaced my companions with books, did not find anyone more faithful than the book,” reads the first sentence of the poem.
Shawky lovingly describes the transformative powers of books while celebrating their ability to archive the past and their diversity in tone from the serious to the humorous. He also cleverly compares books to a loyal friend and advises to choose companions as wisely as one chooses the books they read, since both have the power to influence you for better or for worse.
Scroll through the gallery below to see The National's pick of Arabic words of the week
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Hob is the Arabic word for love, but can be used in many contexts -
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 -
The Arabic word for life touches on eternity, death and accomplishment -
Qamar is the Arabic for moon -
The Arabic word for strength or power is quwwa -
Burj is Arabic for tower -
The Arabic word for sun is shams -
Sabr in English can translate to patience -
Hayba is the Arabic word for prestige -
The Arabic term al shay'e translates as 'the thing' in English -
The Arabic word for road is tareeq -
The Arabic word for read has mystical and scholarly connotations -
Istikan is the Arabic word for a type of tea cup -
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 -
Many traditions revolve around drinking coffee, including weddings, funerals and business meetings -
Fajr is the Arabic word for dawn -
Maghrib is the Arabic word for sunset -
The Arabic language is filled with idioms, quotes and colloquial quips involving the mirror -
Raei is the Arabic word for opinion -
Wa'ed is a multifaceted word for 'promise', as well as a female name -
Qussa is the Arabic word for story -
Sadaaka is the Arabic word for friendship -
Akhbaar is the Arabic word for news -
Rasem is made up of the three Arabic letters Rah, Seen and Meem. While it can simply mean a drawing or a sketch it’s also a malleable word whose definition can change depending on context and dialect – particularly between colloquial and classical Arabic. -
As well as finishing a task, khatem denotes a deeper sense of finality -
Commonly translated to blessed, mubarak is used as a popular greeting on auspicious days -
The Arabic word for lighthouse is also a term that has become closely associated with Islam -
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
