There are many ways to describe the world we live in, the physical reality, the present moment. In Arabic, there is one powerful word that describes each of these separately and together.
Our Arabic word of the week, dunya, essentially means the world.
Specifically, it means the physical world or life in the here and now, and all of the material and intangible desires people have in this life.
The meaning also, depending on context, encompasses the western meaning of fate and destiny. For example, while one may have plans for their life, dunya might thwart them. It is a similar sentiment to the quote often attributed to John Lennon, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
The root of the word dunya is danaa, derived from the three Arabic letters, dal, noon and yaa.
Danaa is a verb which means the act or that which is brought near or closer physically or comparatively. It can also mean, if used in a certain context, something that is not within reach or is unattainable.
Within an Islamic context, dunya is often used in association to the akhirah — the hereafter or the life beyond this life.
The two words are used dichotomously and complementarily to each other. And while akhirah may mean the paradise of the afterlife in some contexts, this does not frame dunya as evil or wrong. Dunya is, more often than not, referred to in Islam as the ultimate test.
Dunya is also a feminine noun, used as a name, and Adna is the male version, meaning the act of bringing something closer.
The word dunya has spread from Arabic to many other languages, especially in cultures where there are large groups of Muslims.
These include Somali, Turkish, Kurdish, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Urdu, Sindhi, Farsi and more.
Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama’s song Nasini El Dunya (Make Me Forget the World), released in 2004 from his album El Hob El Kebir (The Great Love), is one of his most popular hits. In the song he asks a love interest to make him forget the world through her love and he also describes travelling the world and the universe never to find a love like hers.
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
