Al nazaafah hadaara, al nazaafah thaqaafa, al nazaafah min al imaan.
“Cleanliness is civilisation, cleanliness is culture, cleanliness comes from faith,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said on Twitter in March.
The Ruler was tweeting in celebration of Dubai being named the cleanest city in the world, according to the Global Power City Index.
Ramadan also provides an opportune moment to explore nazaafah , the Arabic word for cleanliness, and its wider connotations of morality, faith and clarity.
Al nazaafah min al imaan, cleanliness comes from faith, is a common expression across the Arab world. This cleanliness is also proverbial, extending to the heart and mind.
Natheef min al khaarej wa min al daakhel is an expression that implies someone’s proper appearance extends within. Wasaakha, dirtiness, is one antonym of nazaafah.
Dameer natheef is a clean conscience. Shakhs natheef is a clean person. Bayt natheef is a clean house. Madrasa natheefa is a clean school.
Yad natheefa, or a clean hand, is an expression that, much like its English counterpart, implies a person had no part in a wrongdoing. Taqreer natheef is a clean record. Al beeah al natheefa is a clean environment. Haara natheefa is a clean neighbourhood. Sharikat tantheef is a cleaning company.
Some common sayings that touch upon cleanliness, include:
Inna Allaha natheefon yuhibbu al nazaafah, which means, “God is clean and loves cleanliness”.
Al nazaafah nisf al ghina, “Cleanliness is half of wealth”.
Lisaanuhu/lisaanuha natheef, “His/her tongue is clean”.
Al nazaafah daleel ala thaqaafet shuoob, “Cleanliness is proof of a nation’s culture”.
Scroll through the gallery below to see The National's pick of Arabic words of the week
