Luck is an intangible force, a universal concept that exists around the world.
This week’s Arabic word of the week is hath, a word that simply means luck. Unlike other Arabic words it’s not an overcomplicated term with several meanings. Despite the elusive concept of luck, it is rather straightforward as Arabic words go.
Hath is a noun made up of the two Arabic letters, haa and thaa. It’s derived from the verb hatha, which means a person whose luck is getting better. There are two plurals for hath, houthouth and ahthin, which are both used depending on the grammatical context.
The concept of hath in Arabic is similar to the way luck is defined in the western world, a force that can bring good or bad fortune as a result of complete chance or fate.
Officially in Arabic, hath is defined as naseeb, the Arabic word for destiny. Naseeb has its definition more rooted in the idea of a predetermined future or fate, which is believed to be influenced by a higher power or force. Interestingly, while naseeb is the belief that everything happens according to a higher purpose, hath is more connected to chance.
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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 -
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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
All other meanings of hath are linked to luck in various ways. For example, trying something at random or having no knowledge in a subject but seeing if you find success in it, is one of the definitions of hath.
Hath can also mean, and is connected to concepts of, chance, success or good fortune. However, hath is not only connected to good luck.
Sou’u al hath is a phrase which means that luck wasn’t on someone’s side and housn al hath or as'afahou is considered a positive coincidence where matters worked out in spite of the odds, while tharbat al hath means a surprising stroke of luck.
From the word hath we have the word mahthouth, which refers to someone who is lucky. There is also the verb hathiya which refers to someone in the act of getting very lucky or someone who is favoured.
This can refer to being favoured by people, gaining their love or respect, or favoured by fate, meaning experiencing continuous luck in life. Houthwa is also a word derived from the word hath which refers to someone who has a high status in society or is known for their good reputation.
While many cultures in the West have symbols that represent or attract good luck, such as the four-leaf clover, a rabbit’s foot, or a horseshoe, the Arab world instead has symbols to ward off bad luck, such as the evil eye.
The 1945 film Al Hath Al Saeed (The Good Luck) directed by Fouad El Gazairely and starring legendary actors Hussein Sidqi and Nagat Ali takes the theme of good luck and fortune into its storyline.
The film follows the character Saeed, who wants to marry Somaya but must face challenges and depend on luck to get the girl of his dreams.
