Aap vs. Tum/Tu

Salams peeps,
Today I just wanted to mention a convention of language in the Urdu language which I found interesting. When we speak of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) we say aap - which is the Proper term to speak to or speak about someone who is revered or older than you - deserves more respect than you. When we speak about Allah (swt) we say Tum or Tera or Tu which is the more common term when addressing someone - it's used to address those who are younger than you or your friends.

I always found this very confusing...I was always wondered why we don't use the more proper term for Allah (swt) and the more common term for the Prophet (saw). So I asked a semi-Scholar (lol), but someone who knows the Urdu language very well. So he told me that the reason this is done is b/c in Urdu Aap can refer to more than one person - so to make it absolutely clear that Allah is one - the term Tum/Tera/Tu is used to refer to Allah (swt). Tum/Tera/Tu cannot ever refer to more than one person. This makes absolute sense to me. I am sure there are more reasons than just this...which I have also though about. Perhaps it is b/c we should be more personal with Allah (swt) - have a very personal relationship with Him (swt) - so we can call on Him (swt)....So any other thoughts from all of you guys ? All five of you??? :)

-Rabea

Allô!!!!!!!!!!!

Assalamu Alaikum to all. Or should I say

Allô!

Allô is the French word for Hello. It is one of my favorite words on paper. It's a very peppy word for Hello. It even comes with its own little hat! What more could you ask for in a word? (Not making fun of the French Language as I took French for 12+ years).

I also like Allô because it reminds of Alloo which are potatoes in Urdu. And from there Alloo remind me of Salou Balou Eatin' Alloo (Salou=my sister Saliha, Balou=teddy bear, Eatin'=Chowing Down, Alloo-Potatoes). A little saying we made up when we were young - not exactly sure where it came from - seems like a community effort (Saliha?).

Whenever I email myself - (which is a lot) - I use the subject line Allô to myself - It brightens up my day :)

A small word - but very lively!

-Rabea

The Fourth

Assalamu Alaikum!
So this is my first post. I was thinking about doing a blog for some time....a blog about language - words, phrases, quotes, etc. I love different languages...I love how a single word can be the whole conversation. So this is a blog about my love of language. I would love to have been a linguist...but I already did one degree that my parents didn't want me to do...so I figure the next degree should be something they want me to do...my parents have rights over me :)

I'm going to try to post different words, phrases, quotes everyday...they might be in different languages...but I'll try to explain what they mean and what they mean to me.

So for the first word.

My name: Rabea.

It is the arabic for the fourth. Ra. Alif. Bay. Aein. Tha' Marbutha.

My parents named me after Rabi'a Basri or Rabi'a thul Adawiyya. She was a very spiritual woman...well-known in Sufi texts for her devotion to Allah and her abandonment of the physical world for the spiritual world.

So what my name means to me... I always liked to be named after a famous Muslim woman...there is a certain bit of mystery surrounding Rabi'a Basri...I liked that also. Her love for Allah(swt) is what I wish I could achieve.

So how "the fourth" relates to me.
I was born on the 4th of December.
I was either born on the 3rd or 4th of Muharram. (I choose to believe the 4th).
I am the 4th child in my family. (My mother had a miscarriage her first pregnancy).
My name means the fourth.
My middle name is Nisa which is the fourth surah numerically in the Quran.
Interesting that I am named a number. I love numbers. Although I generally have a strong liking for anything to do with the number 3.

This is not specific to me, but many things are enumerated by fours in the Quran. Like take Surah Thul Asr. There are four things you need to be successful: To Believe - Have Iman in Allah, To do Good Deeds, To Enjoin the truth - the Haqq, And to Enjoin Sabr or Patience.
I will comment more on this later.

So in a nutshell - it's cool to be named Rabea - I like being the fourth.

-Rabea