This week’s Arabic word of the week is one of the most famous names in the world.
Mohammed is a name that is not only widely used by Arab speakers but due to its significance in Islam, has become popular among Muslims from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
The name Mohammed is traditionally given to boys, usually in Muslim families to honour the Prophet Mohammed, the founder of Islam. It is derived from the word hamad whose root letters are Hah, Meem and Dal. Hamad is a verb which means to praise, be thankful for or be grateful to someone. Hammadaa is another variant of the verb which means to give praise to and laud someone because of their good nature and honourable character.
Many other variants or words are also derived from hamad whose meanings are closely associated with praise, gratefulness and thanks.
One of these is the name Mohammed, which means someone whose character traits are praiseworthy. It also means someone whose intentions and actions are kind and lean towards pleasing others, making him worthy of constant thanks.
The name can also refer to the idea of someone being the best or most favourable from a group or being a chosen one. Overall, as a name, Mohammed signifies the traits of someone who is commendable or laudable, two qualities that are valued in both cultural and religious contexts in the region.
The name Mohammed has important significance in Islam. The Prophet Mohammed is revered as the messenger of God, who delivered the Quran and whose life and teachings form the foundation of Islamic belief. His name is mentioned four times in the Quran in four different chapters where he is referred to as the Prophet, the Messenger, and the Seal of the Prophets. Compared to other prophets such as Moses and Abraham, Mohammed is mentioned fewer times by far, but this has been seen as a reflection of his role as the messenger of Islam.
Given the reverence of his character and role in the history and spread of Islam, it should come as no surprise that his name has been wildly used in the region and beyond. There are an estimated 150 million boys and men worldwide named Mohammed. There are also variations of the name Mohammed, which include Mahmood, Ahmed, Hamid, Hamaad, Hameed and Houmaid. There are also female versions, including Hamedia and Hamda. Often for Arabs or Muslims living in the West, the name Mohammed is shortened to Mo.
As both a name and a word, Mohammed not only has religious reverence in the region but connects people to the history of Islam and has become a marker of a whole culture's identity.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
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Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
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- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
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The biog
Alwyn Stephen says much of his success is a result of taking an educated chance on business decisions.
His advice to anyone starting out in business is to have no fear as life is about taking on challenges.
“If you have the ambition and dream of something, follow that dream, be positive, determined and set goals.
"Nothing and no-one can stop you from succeeding with the right work application, and a little bit of luck along the way.”
Mr Stephen sells his luxury fragrances at selected perfumeries around the UAE, including the House of Niche Boutique in Al Seef.
He relaxes by spending time with his family at home, and enjoying his wife’s India cooking.
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FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Saint-Etienne v Montpellier (10.45pm)
Saturday
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Amiens v Bordeaux (10pm)
Angers v Toulouse (10pm)
Metz v Dijon (10pm)
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Rennes v Lille (10pm)
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How to get exposure to gold
Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.
A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.
Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.
Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.
London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long
However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.
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PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
