'Issbaa': How the Arabic word for finger is popular in proverbs

In William Shakespeare’s play Troilus and Cressida, Ulysses, King of Ithaca, who's a cunning and strategic leader, is angry about the lack of honour the Greeks have displayed. “Why, this hath not a finger's dignity,” he asks. His words are not only a reflection of how he sees the actions of the Greeks during combat, but also an expression of his disdain for them. He compares their dignity to something as small and trivial as a finger.

This week’s Arabic word of the week, issbaa, which means finger, is a body part that is often used as a metaphor to mean many things in different cultures, but is particularly resonant across this region. Issbaa is a noun, which refers to the often straight muscle and joint that pokes out of the hand or foot. In Arabic, issbaa can be used to mean fingers or toes.

The official description of issbaa details that the average human being has on each hand five fingers that are made up of three joints, which are used for many things, such as to touch and hold other people and objects or to write and carry things. Issbaa can also be used to refer to anything that may look like a finger – for example, the fingers of a fork.

Issbaa comes from the root word saba’a, a verb that describes the action of someone pointing at someone or something or when a violent act results in the injury of another person’s finger. The three root words that make up issbaa are Sad, Bah and Aain, and in its plural form, the word is pronounced asaabeea.

While it's pronounced issbaa in classical Arabic, in many colloquial dialects across the region, the word is pronounced as ousbaa. In Arabic, different fingers on the hand have different names. The thumb is referred to as ibham, the pointing finger as sababa, the middle finger as al wista, which literally translates to “the middle”, while the ring finger is known as khounsour and the pinkie finger is bounsour. Even the tip of each issbaa has a name – banan.

There are many phrases in Arabic that use issbaa as a metaphor to explain a number of things from feelings to complex social situations. Aatha asbeeaawho, which translates to “he who bites his fingers” is used to describe someone who is regretful. Ala rass asabeeaa, which translates to “on the tips of his fingers”, refers to someone walking carefully or soundlessly.

There are several proverbs that also use the idea of the issbaa to make their point. “Do not put your finger in every pot” is a proverb that advises against meddling in issues that are none of your business while “from your finger to your head” is about something being entirely within someone’s own control.

One of the actions undertaken while praying in Islam involves raising the index finger and proclaiming that there is only one God. Raising the issbaa in this instance demonstrates, through the symbol of number one, that there is only one God.