Of all the artistic vocations in the Arab world, poetry is perhaps the most esteemed.
The art form holds great importance and value in Arab culture, throughout the region’s history. As a vehicle of expression, the various forms of Arabic poetry have been a means to record and retell history and have been a reflection of traditions, culture and identity in the Arab world.
This week’s word is she'er, which translates to the word poetry, referring to the specific subset within Arab literature as well as the global artform of poetry overall.
The origin of the word she’er is sha’ara, made of the three Arabic letters, sheen, ain and rah. It’s a verb that means to perform or recite poetry. Sha’ara also means to feel, know or understand and to perceive or sense while being conscious of this sense of knowing.
She’er comes from the word sha’ara, taking from its definition the idea of experiencing emotions and knowledge and being mindful of those experiences and then expressing them through words.
Officially, she’er is defined as a work that is written or performed that has been created from the imagination, with the intent to make one feel something. This feeling that the poet, or the shaa'er in Arabic, wants to convey to their reader or audience, ranges across the emotional spectrum, depending on the nature and genre of the poem.
A previous Arabic Word of the Week was qasida, which means a single poem. Its meaning is connected to the concept of intention, while she’er is connected more to feelings and awareness.
There are various genres or forms of poetry in Arabic, some with very strict rules in how they are formed and their specific word and sentence structure. This very formal manner of poetry has particular guidelines and rules pertaining to grammar, pronunciation, and rhythm. For example, a single, elaborate rhythmic structure or verse formation, usually runs from 15 to 80 lines and sometimes can be more than 100.
Many purists, particularly up to the early 20th century, considered this the only true form of poetry. However, other forms of poetry have always existed in Arabic outside the formal guidelines. These forms have become more popular, recognised and esteemed.
There is she’er al manthour which is free-flowing poetry outside the conventional rules. There is also she’er al hour, which literally translates to free poetry, which is another form of free-form poetry but one that can include colloquial words.
Within these various forms of poetry, there are several official traditional genres of Arabic poetry that are identifiable by the subject matter. There is she’er al hikma which is poetry that has a specific message, often a moral fable and one that contains plenty of proverbs.
She’er al madeeh is a genre of poetry where the poet is in a state of awe and praise of their subject matter. It is a highly complimentary poem that can be dedicated to any one person, friend, lover, family member, or any concept, such as the weather, the sea, the land, or a home.
She’er al mounaasabaat literally translates to poetry for events. This is a genre of poetry that is written or sometimes performed at events or celebrations – everything from weddings and birthdays to funerals and battle anniversaries.
Like many Arabic words, she’er is connected to other words whose meanings are all associated to the concept of poetry in subtle and surprising ways. to spiritual and romantic love poems that are often epic but vague in subject matter.
Like many Arabic words she’er is connected to other words whose meanings are all associated to the concept of poetry in subtle and surprising ways.
Sha’ara, which comes from the same root word of she’er refers to the time when someone who doesn’t have body hair begins to grow it. It’s linked more specifically to the idea of children entering puberty or when a foetus starts to grow hair. Sha’ara is connected to the concept of maturing or becoming more aware. This is in the same way that she’er is connected to the idea of the understanding and maturing of feelings with the intention to enlighten audiences through words.
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
RESULTS
Bantamweight title:
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) bt Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
(KO round 2)
Catchweight 68kg:
Sean Soriano (USA) bt Noad Lahat (ISR)
(TKO round 1)
Middleweight:
Denis Tiuliulin (RUS) bt Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
(TKO round 1)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) bt Joachim Tollefsen (DEN)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 68kg:
Austin Arnett (USA) bt Daniel Vega (MEX)
(TKO round 3)
Lightweight:
Carrington Banks (USA) bt Marcio Andrade (BRA)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 58kg:
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) bt Malin Hermansson (SWE)
(Submission round 2)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (CAN) bt Juares Dea (CMR)
(Split decision)
Middleweight:
Mohamad Osseili (LEB) bt Ivan Slynko (UKR)
(TKO round 1)
Featherweight:
Tarun Grigoryan (ARM) bt Islam Makhamadjanov (UZB)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 54kg:
Mariagiovanna Vai (ITA) bt Daniella Shutov (ISR)
(Submission round 1)
Middleweight:
Joan Arastey (ESP) bt Omran Chaaban (LEB)
(Unanimous decision)
Welterweight:
Bruno Carvalho (POR) bt Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
(TKO)
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Scores
Oman 109-3 in 18.4 overs (Aqib Ilyas 45 not out, Aamir Kaleem 27) beat UAE 108-9 in 20 overs (Usman 27, Mustafa 24, Fayyaz 3-16, Bilal 3-23)
Manchester United v Liverpool
Premier League, kick off 7.30pm (UAE)
The Ashes
Results
First Test, Brisbane: Australia won by 10 wickets
Second Test, Adelaide: Australia won by 120 runs
Third Test, Perth: Australia won by an innings and 41 runs
Fourth Test: Melbourne: Drawn
Fifth Test: Australia won by an innings and 123 runs
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
John Cena v Triple H
Matches to be announced
WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Raw Tag Team Championship, United States Championship and the Cruiserweight Championship are all due to be defended
Stage 5 results
1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 3:48:53
2 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team -
3 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott -
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:04
5 Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) CCC Team 0:00:07
General Classification:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 20:35:04
2 Tadej Pogacar (SlO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:01
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 0:01:33
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:48
5 Rafał Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:02:11
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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.
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How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
Bharat
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
SPECS
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