Bayt, the Arabic word for house, also has poetic and religious connotations
Bayt, the Arabic word for house, also has poetic and religious connotations
Bayt, the Arabic word for house, also has poetic and religious connotations
Bayt, the Arabic word for house, also has poetic and religious connotations

'Bayt': Arabic for house resonates with poetic and familial timbres


Razmig Bedirian
  • English
  • Arabic

Bayt is Arabic for house, and while it exemplifies domestic warmth, it also has poetic and religious connotations and serves as a reminder that true wealth goes beyond the material.

In plural form, the word becomes buyoot. Bayt is a metrical unit of poetry in Arabic, Urdu, Indian and Sindhi traditions. It usually corresponds to a line, encompassing two hemistiches of equal length. However, when someone says bayt al qaseeda, they can also be referring to the core couplet in a poem, its most powerful part.

Furthermore, bayt al qaseed can be used as one would use "the bottom line" in English. If you’ve been conversing in circles with a friend and finally arrive at the core of the matter, you could describe that as bayt al qaseed.

The Kaaba in the centre of the Masjid Al Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia in 1967. The mosque is also referred to as Bayt Al Haram. Getty Images
The Kaaba in the centre of the Masjid Al Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia in 1967. The mosque is also referred to as Bayt Al Haram. Getty Images

In a more domestic setting, a happy home is bayt saeed. Bab al bayt is the door of a house, judran al bayt, its walls. Adawat baytiyya are home appliances. Farsh al bayt, meanwhile, is a home’s furniture. Bayt maskoon is a home that is inhabited, although it is more commonly meant as a haunted house.

Bayt al naar is a fireplace, or an oven. Bayt al maal is a somewhat archaic term for a bank. Bayt lal ijar is a home that’s for rent. Bayt lal baea is a home that’s for sale.

In Islamic history, Ahl Al Bayt, which literally translates to People of the House, refers to the family tree of the Prophet Mohammed. In Sunni Islam, it extends to include everyone from his clan, Banu Hashim. It can even refer to all Muslims.

Al Masjid Al Haram, or the Great Mosque of Makkah, is also known as Bayt Al Haram. Bayt Al Maqdis, meanwhile, is a common designation of Jerusalem in Arabic.

Awhan min bayt al ankaboot is a common Arabic expression, which means “more fragile than a spider’s nest”.

If you are particularly close to your neighbour, where they are almost a part of the family, you could describe that relation as jari bayt bayt.

A’mood el bayt is the pillar of a home, whether that is literal or proverbial, such as a family’s breadwinner. Sitt bayt is a homemaker.

If a person says kharabet bayti, it usually means they’ve had an adverse experience, like losing their jobs, which puts them and their family at risk. Bayt byoot is the game children play when imagining themselves in a household.

If a person is mirabba bi bayt izz, then they are brought up in a family that prioritises respect and discipline over material wealth.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

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Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

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Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
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It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
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Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')

 

Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)

RESULT

Chelsea 2

Willian 13'

Ross Barkley 64'

Liverpool 0

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1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68

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Director: Shahad Ameen

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Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.

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OTHER IPL BOWLING RECORDS

Best bowling figures: 6-14 – Sohail Tanvir (for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in 2008)

Best average: 16.36 – Andrew Tye

Best economy rate: 6.53 – Sunil Narine

Best strike-rate: 12.83 – Andrew Tye

Best strike-rate in an innings: 1.50 – Suresh Raina (for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals in 2011)

Most runs conceded in an innings: 70 – Basil Thampi (for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018)

Most hat-tricks: 3 – Amit Mishra

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The burning issue

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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Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

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Updated: February 25, 2023, 10:19 AM`