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.
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The%20specs
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Honeymoonish
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SHAITTAN
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- Margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars
- Energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- Infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes
- Many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
INDIA SQUADS
India squad for third Test against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar
India squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
