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  • Our three ‘Eids

    Sunday, May 28, 2006 E-Mail this article to a friend Printer Friendly Version

    WORD FOR WORD: Our three ‘Eids —Khaled Ahmed

    ‘Eid is from a root meaning repetition. ‘Eid festivals come again and again. From the same root “aadat” means habit because of its repetitive pattern. “Milad” from “wld” meaning to “give birth”. In Urdu, “eaada” means repetition

    Two ‘Eids are those that all Muslims celebrate in memory of ancient events linking Islam to its earliest origins. The third ‘Eid is the birthday of the Prophet (peace be upon him). In some ways, this third ‘Eid or ‘Eid Milad is the most important one in the eyes of Muslims.

    The massacre of ‘Eid Milad in Karachi this year has shaken Pakistan to its roots. If the attack were sectarian, it denotes a new kind of internal conflict that can destroy everything that Pakistan stands for. What is the origin of the word ‘Eid?

    One would be surprised to know that we use words related to ‘Eid every day in Urdu. For instance, habit in Urdu is ‘adat. The root is ‘awd meaning to return or visit again and again. This kind of action would be called routine in English.

    ‘Adat is therefore routine. But why should ‘Eid be derived from this root? Simple, because ‘Eid comes again and again. Anyone who does something in routine will become an experienced person in whatever he does.

    Such a person would be m’ueed. In Arabic, a camel that pays off in terms of journey again and again without getting tired is called m’ueed. But those who are named M’ueed should not be disturbed. Anyone who does this in routine is also a restorer of things.

    One of the 99 attributes of Allah is M’ueed because He is able to revisit his creation and restore it. From this comes the other name ‘Aida, one who is kind and helpful. The root ‘awd means repetition and therefore custom. One tribe mentioned in the Quran is called ‘Aad.

    In Urdu we have the word i’ada for repetition, from the same root.

    ‘Aud is also fragrance because of its capacity to make you revisit an earlier happening in life. Ghalib’s letters were issued under the title of ‘Aud-e-Hindi, the Fragrance from India. The name of one son of Saddam Hussein, ‘Uday (fragrance?) could be related.

    Another related word that we use very often in Urdu is me’ad or a pledged time. It is in fact a promise of payment at a place to be revisited at an agreed time. The sense of coming back is the basis of all these formulations.

    The study of roots reveals a lot about a culture or civilisation. Those who investigate the roots of their language actually find out how their collective mind works. It is a pity that no one has even tried to write an etymological dictionary of Urdu.

    Arabic names don’t always have a good root to begin with, but the derived meanings somehow come out good. At times they reflect on a nation’s attitudes, as in the case of the name Khadija. It is probably the most favourite name for girls among Muslims. Khadija was the first wife of the Prophet (Peace be upon him).

    The root that applies to Khadija is the one applied to an aborting camel or a prematurely born baby-camel. In a society where girl children were not greatly prized, this name denoted a sense of loss. But for us Muslims Khadija was the Prophet’s most honoured wife.

    She gave birth to a daughter whose name is now more of a favourite than even Khadija. This was Zainab which comes from root zyn meaning ornament. When you join it with abb it becomes ornament of the father.

    The word milad is from the root wld meaning to give birth. We have the young boys in Paradise called wildaan, and we have the name Waleed from it. Of course we also have the Urdu waalid (father) and walidayn (parents). *

    http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...8-5-2006_pg3_3


    "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

    I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

    HAKUNA MATATA

  • #2
    Did anyone get the writers point?

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by platinum786
      Did anyone get the writers point?

      That's why I posted it.

      So that people understand the nuances! Rather than take off in a nebulous space!

      You give us the critique!


      "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

      I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

      HAKUNA MATATA

      Comment


      • #4
        I genuinely didn't understand it....let me read it again, now that it is not 2am...

        Comment


        • #5
          Aaah, i get it...

          He's trying to make us think about what our mental setting is through the words that we use, an exmaple being the naming of children, it's a shame that most people do not understand that though, the origin and root of langauge.

          This sort of work perhaps should be taugght in schools to older students, seriously it's quite interesting. We did a lot of work on english literature at school (here in the UK) and often discussed things like this, one of my favourite peices was a poem about water by an Indian women who's name and wrk i Have forgotten but it was incredible, i remember drips and draps of it.

          Interesting the name Khadija, i didn't realise what it meant, I also didn't think It was popular, i feel that's a "spin" for the sake of making his peice, infact i don't know 1 person by that name, but i do know 2 Waleed's.

          Comment


          • #6
            You must read this gentleman articles in the Daily Times.

            He gives a great insight in to many issues of Islam that one does not know; at least non Moslem do not know.

            Also what appears as the Second Opinion where the writer analyses the Urdu press.


            "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

            I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

            HAKUNA MATATA

            Comment

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