Inshallah!

Inshallah

As I mentioned in my first post "Aiwaa" - This is what I wrote quite a while ago.

When I used to live in my company provided residence, I had a few Egyptian colleagues living with me, Once on the weekend, we decided to visit some mall by a Limo, when the driver asked that where do we have to go, one of the Egyptian replied “Geant Mall, Inshallah” - “to Geant Mall, God willing”.

It is a Muslim tradition that whenever you aim or plan anything – we say that Inshallah - (God Willing – with the will of the God) – but recently “Inshallah” has been creep, to the extreme. Atleast in the Arabian countries, it is now attached to the answer for any question, almost every question (past, present or future) shall get an answer but not without Inshallah. “Inshallah” is used for future, technically & religiously – If I say, “I plan to take CISA exams, Inshallah” – It means that “If God willing, I’ll take CISA exams” – but now? Here with Saudis or for that matter any Arab national, considers his conversation incomplete, if he/she doesn’t use this word – What’s your name, for example, might be answered, “Muhammad, Inshallah.” I often wonder about the answer and sometimes out of my curiosity ask ‘You are already Muahmmad or you are going to be Muhammad?’

It has become a public display of piety, fashion, culture leaving the religious part aside (which was a symbol of faith) – but now very rarely you see this word being used to show one’s faith in God. It has become a word that has attached itself to nearly every moment, every question, like the word ‘like’ in English. But it is powerful reference, intended or not.

It has also become a very diplomatic phrase, in most of the cases denial or refusal shall also be replied with only one phrase ‘Inshallah’.

For example, if you go to some Arab (Saudi particularly) in your office and if you get the answer, “Inshallah” – then most of the expatriates considers it a refusal.

Inshallah Bukra, Masslam (I.B.M)

Don’t confuse Saudi/Arabic IBM with the International Business Machines – its a very commonly used sentence, there are very few days when you won’t come across this sentence – whether early morning, noon, afternoon or almost the closing hours of any office – you just go to any of your department which is being run by the locals (courtesy Saudisation) – and if the person is not willing to respond to you (95% of time), you’ll most probably get this answer “Inshallah Bukra, Massalam” (if God willing, Tomorrow, peace be with you). So, whenever you get this answer, just assume that there are rare chances that your task/request or work (no matter how official/important it is) would get done.

So, as I come to end of today’s blog – I invite your comments and Inshallah would respond to them Bukra, till then Massalam ;)

Aiwaa!!!

B.R.R.

As the title suggests – this is meant to explain the title itself – though it is self explanatory but some goofs like myself need explanation to everything that is almost everything. It has nothing to do with the troubled brand Aiwa of Sony Corporation, it is certainly not a name of any female, it is not a drink neither a cigarette brand nor it is a candy.

Then what is it all about?

It is a word. Blah! of course it is a word? But what? Perhaps, well no, not perhaps, surely, it is one of the most commonly used word in spoken Arabic language across the middle-east. Inshallah Yes, Inshallah No, it is a slang! Now what’s the point of using Inshallah here? Some other time – when you are busy and am not free I’ll explain that Inshallah.

Enough of my crap! lets get to the point. “Aiwaa” pronounced as ‘eye-wah’ simply means ‘Yes’. It’ll have more effect if it is delivered with a nod. A synonym to a rather formal, more grammatical & literary word ‘Na`am’.

It is a multipurpose word as there are many words in English Language and Arabic being a vast language, one word can be used for many different meanings, positions & places. Similarly, Aiwaa is usually (say for 99% of the time) in positive situations, whether to express your understanding, your interrogation about something uncertain but expecting it to be a positive one.

It can be as simple as the word ‘Hello’ in English, you pick up the phone and “Aiwaa?” – that shows the interrogative use of the word.

It is a word full of positive energy, transmitting energetic vibes to the addressee, a baby making first step, the whole family shall go up “Aiwaa, Aiwaa, Hayakallah Aiiiiwaaaaa”

“Aiwaa” can be used as an exclamatory word expressing joy & happiness. It can be used as a word to go. “Aiwaa ya Masr” - “Egypt, Here I come’ – Basically, as per my ‘historians’ i.e. ‘history-sheeter’ friends (majority of them come from Egypt), this slang has its roots back to Egypt.

This is such an interesting word that can be used to appreciate irrespective of the gender, age or your relationship to the person being addressed. Say you have achieved something, so your mother, father, siblings & friends would go like “Aiwaa!! Ya Habeebi!”

Aiwaa!…There is lot more to follow!

Laters Alligators!