“My treasure and all that I have, the life of my heart, the light of my eyes.”
These opening lines from Amr Diab’s 2003 song Ya Kanzi capture the intimate and all-encompassing nature of our Arabic word of the week, kanz.
Translated simply as “treasure,” kanz carries far more weight than a reference to material wealth. In Arabic, it signifies something very precious, often hidden, something that inspires admiration and longing.
In Diab's song, a loved one is described as a treasure, reflecting the word’s emotional resonance. It is something cherished above all else in the heart and life.
The word kanz comes from the root kaa-noon-zay, which means to store, hoard or protect. Traditionally, a kanz refers to wealth or valuables kept safe, sometimes buried, sometimes hidden.
But it is also used metaphorically in Arabic to describe knowledge, wisdom or spiritual insight. The Quran mentions kanz in the context of hoarding gold and silver, warning against withholding wealth from those in need.
Kanz has long appeared in Arabic literature and poetry. In pre-Islamic poetry, it often referred to hidden riches or rewards earned through courage and effort. In Sufi thought, the term takes on a spiritual dimension.
Mystical texts describe God as a hidden treasure, waiting to be discovered by creation. Here, the treasure is not gold or jewels but divine knowledge and truth. The search for kanz becomes a search for meaning and connection, reflecting a worldview in which value is found not only in what is possessed but also in what is sought and understood.
In modern Arabic, the term retains both its literal and figurative meanings. Someone can be described as a kanz of knowledge, kindness or love.
Musicians and poets, as Diab demonstrates, use it to convey emotional richness. Love itself becomes a form of treasure, illuminating life and shaping experience. The song speaks to this timeless idea, portraying the beloved as a source of joy and light, a presence that fills the heart and inspires devotion.
The word also conjures up the image of a crate overflowing with riches including jewellery and gold. In its plural form, kanz becomes kunooz.
The word kanz reminds us that treasures are not always tangible. They can be love, knowledge, or moral integrity. They can be the divine essence hidden within the self.
Just as Diab sings of his beloved as kanzi, a treasure of his life and dreams, Arabic language and tradition invite reflection on the things that are truly valuable.
Uefa Nations League: How it works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
Results:
6.30pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,400m.
Winner: Walking Thunder, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap (rated 72-87) Dh 165,000 1,600m.
Winner: Syncopation, George Buckell, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,400m.
Winner: Big Brown Bear, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap (75-95) Dh 190,000 1,200m.
Winner: Stunned, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Handicap (85-105) Dh 210,000 2,000m.
Winner: New Trails, Connor Beasley, Ahmad bin Harmash.
9.25pm: Handicap (75-95) Dh 190,000 1,600m.
Winner: Pillar Of Society, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Series information
Pakistan v Dubai
First Test, Dubai International Stadium
Sun Oct 6 to Thu Oct 11
Second Test, Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tue Oct 16 to Sat Oct 20
Play starts at 10am each day
Teams
Pakistan
1 Mohammed Hafeez, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Asad Shafiq, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Babar Azam, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed, 8 Bilal Asif, 9 Yasir Shah, 10, Mohammed Abbas, 11 Wahab Riaz or Mir Hamza
Australia
1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Mitchell Marsh, 5 Travis Head, 6 Marnus Labuschagne, 7 Tim Paine, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Jon Holland
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The lowdown
Bohemian Rhapsody
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee
Rating: 3/5
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
