French philosopher and scientist Rene Descartes created the concept and the now popular term: “I think, therefore I am.”
A fundamental root in western philosophy, this statement implies that if someone has some form of consciousness, it means that they are real and exist. The central idea in this notion is the word “think”, which is this week’s Arabic Word of the Week.
Fikir, which means think or even thought depending on the context, is a malleable word which lends itself to many other ideas and concepts related to thinking.
It's derived from the root word fakara, which comes from the three Arabic letters, Fah, Kaf and Rah. The verb means to think, mull over, or contemplate a topic that is familiar to a person. So much so that the thinker gets to a new conclusion, discovery or a point that was unknown to him/her previously. It can also refer to the act of being so immersed in one's thought, that the mind is working more intensely than usual.
Aside from the root meaning of the word, fikir itself has several meanings that are connected to each other. It can mean a thought or an idea, referring to the process of contemplation, but it also works as a verb meaning to think, consider or reflect on a certain topic. Fikir can also refer to a person’s intellect, their points of voice politically, socially or religiously, and can even be connected to their mental capacity.
Often, the word is used when referring to deep contemplation on a subject, opinion or point of view, and doesn’t apply to the idea of fleeting thoughts. However, colloquially, fikir can also refer to any idea connected to thinking.
From the root word fakara, there are also many words that are connected to the concept of contemplation and thinking. Fikira is the noun variation of the word and means a single idea or thought. It can also refer to someone’s very specific point of view about a particular topic.
From the same root word, we have moufakir or its plural variation moufakareen, which refers to those whose vocation in life is to ponder, think and research intensely – not always with the aim to come to a conclusion but simply for the joy of the process. However, some of these moufakereen are seeking the true nature of things, a specific answer to an issue or conundrum and dedicate their time to intense thinking and research. Moufakareen can include artists, writers, journalists, researchers and philosophers.
There is also the noun tafkeer, which means a person’s perspective, philosophy or point of view about life or a certain topic. The verb of tafkeer is tafakara, and refers to someone who is actively expressing and exchanging their thoughts and ideas within a discussion.
There are also several phrases in Arabic that refer to the concept of fikir. There is moushwish al fikir, which translates to “confused of thought” and means someone who is unsettled, anxious and / or nervous in their thinking and actions.
There is also shared al fikira, which literally translates to “he who strays in thought”, which describes someone whose mind is immersed in extreme thought compared to those around him/her, or one who is daydreaming about something else while in the midst of people who are concentrating together on thing. For example, a university student who is never concentrating in a lecture or a staff member who never pays attention in work meetings.
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
SPECS
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Why seagrass matters
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
