Any Arabic speakers/readers?

[baxterb]

Ran across this in my grandmother’s jewelry box. Looks vaguely Arabic? Any ideas what it might say?

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Ran across this in my grandmother’s jewelry box. Looks vaguely Arabic? Any ideas what it might say?

View attachment 538953

I’m sure there many members who can help you out but I know @Red Leg does

 

[Red Leg]

Unfortunately, stylized calligraphy is very difficult to decipher (at least for a Westerner). If I had to guess, it is "mashallah" which is an expression of awe or happiness. On the Arab peninsula, it is often used as an expression of thankfulness when someone refers to a child or family member or some resent event.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Yes, I speak/read/write Arabic. It says "Allahu Akbar" or "God is the Greatest".

That Arabic Alphabet which looks vaguely like a trident pointing upwards, is the dead giveaway.

 

[Red Leg]

Thank you @Hunter-Habib You are almost certainly correct. This is "Allahu Akbar" in yet another style. As I say, Arabic calligraphy is very difficult for a Westerner to decipher. This is "God is great" الله أكبر as it appears in Modern Standard Arabic - printed Arabic.

In much of the Arab world, it was (is) considered a form of blaspheme (idolatry) to create an image of a living thing. As result, calligraphy became a very ornate and beautiful art form.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

View attachment 538982 Thank you @Hunter-Habib You are almost certainly correct. This is "Allahu Akbar" in yet another style. As I say, Arabic calligraphy is very difficult for a Westerner to decipher. This is "God is great" الله أكبر as it appears in Modern Standard Arabic - printed Arabic.

In much of the Arab world, it was (is) considered a form of blaspheme (idolatry) to create an image of a living thing. As result, calligraphy became a very ornate and beautiful art form.

@Red Leg, you're as immensely knowledgeable about different cultures and religion as you are about fine quality firearms. I'm very impressed.

I'll add a tiny bit of commentary on your second paragraph (being a Muslim myself). The actual Quran itself makes no mention of people being forbidden from drawing living things (like people or animals) or making statues of them. It just forbids people from worshipping idols.

The restriction about creating images of living things first appeared in a series of books called the "Hadith" (the first of which was written by a 16 year old shepherd 193 years after the Muslim Prophet died). The books also imposed other restrictions on Muslims which were never actually mentioned in the Quran (like listening to Music, women being open haired, interacting with people of other faiths, wearing silk, etc) and also glorifying things like "Jihad" and "Killing Infidels".

Many of us, Muslims (myself included) don't regard the Hadith (or the restrictions set by them) as authentic (because they were written almost 200 years after the Muslim Prophet and everyone in his family died). But as you noted, unfortunately much of the Muslim word (especially in the Middle East) do regard them as authentic. Which causes them to live restrictive lifestyles. And tragically, causes them to not live in peace with the rest of the civilized world.

 

[baxterb]

Yes, I speak/read/write Arabic. It says "Allahu Akbar" or "God is the Greatest".

That Arabic Alphabet which looks vaguely like a trident pointing upwards, is the dead giveaway.

Thank you very much my friend, this is great to know for sure.

She was born in 1921 in a teeny, poor town in North Carolina but my dad remembers her wearing it in the mid-50s, still in North Carolina and also rural Virginia. No idea where she may have gotten it.

Thanks again.

 

[Red Leg]

@Red Leg, you're as immensely knowledgeable about different cultures and religion as you are about fine quality firearms. I'm very impressed.

I'll add a tiny bit of commentary on your second paragraph (being a Muslim myself). The actual Quran itself makes no mention of people being forbidden from drawing living things (like people or animals) or making statues of them. It just forbids people from worshipping idols.

The restriction about creating images of living things first appeared in a series of books called the "Hadith" (the first of which was written by a 16 year old shepherd 193 years after the Muslim Prophet died). The books also imposed other restrictions on Muslims which were never actually mentioned in the Quran (like listening to Music, women being open haired, interacting with people of other faiths, wearing silk, etc) and also glorifying things like "Jihad" and "Killing Infidels".

Many of us, Muslims (myself included) don't regard the Hadith (or the restrictions set by them) as authentic (because they were written almost 200 years after the Muslim Prophet and everyone in his family died). But as you noted, unfortunately much of the Muslim word (especially in the Middle East) do regard them as authentic. Which causes them to live restrictive lifestyles. And tragically, causes them to not live in peace with the rest of the civilized world.

I am not not sure that I am "immensely knowledgeable" about anything as my spouse is quick to remind me. But I am a product of the Walsh School, Contemporary Arab Studies Georgetown (Fellowship), the Defense language Institute (Arabic), and Foreign Service Institute (Arab Peninsula dialect) and a lot of years banging around the Gulf region.

An yes, you are absolutely correct. For most of its Islamic history for instance, Persian art was known for is beautiful representations of wildlife, hunting scenes, etc. The art of the Mogul Empire of modern day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh is another. It was for a time in Turkey, on the Arab peninsula, and in recent decades Iran, where conservative movements, such as the Wahabi among the Arabs, really embraced many of the strictures of Hadith. Saudi "missionary" work through sponsoring madrassas throughout the Middle East and beyond has perpetuated that rising tide beyond the peninsula.

I remember while stationed at the US Embassy in Riyadh that a new hotel was being built downtown (I think a Sheraton). As a logo, a huge prancing stallion was placed next to the name of the hotel. It was up for perhaps three days before the religious authorities demanded its removal.

 

[Osama Mahdi]

ma sha' allah
God bless

 

[Red Leg]

ma sha' allah
God bless

What I thought as well. The "ma" seemed pretty clear, and I do not see أكبر at all. But as I noted, trying to read calligraphy is extremely difficult for a Westerner.

 

[Osama Mahdi]

The type of the font is very difficult, an ancient style and in fact written in a beautiful way

 

[Hunter-Habib]

@Osama Mahdi & @Red Leg
You both could be right. But what stops me from concluding that this is "Masha Allah" is the absence of the three vertical ruby-like dots.

For reference, here is a picture of Masha Allah.

My reasoning for concluding that the ornament has "Allahu Akbar" calligraphed on it, is because the word "Allahu" can be seen very clearly.

 

[ofbiro]

Hunter-Habib, not only are you a great hunter, but a person with a vast and deep culture.
Congratulations,

 

[Tucketed]

Very interesting read. It always amazes me how as humans we continue to seek knowledge and you gentlemen have done that on this topic. Thank you

 

[cash_tx]

Agreed. I even sent a link to this thread to a half dozen people I know who aren't hunters because I knew they would be captivated by this cultural enlightenment.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Thank you very much my friend, this is great to know for sure.

She was born in 1921 in a teeny, poor town in North Carolina but my dad remembers her wearing it in the mid-50s, still in North Carolina and also rural Virginia. No idea where she may have gotten it.

Thanks again.

Possibly could have been a gift from someone in one of the World Wars deployed in North Africa or Ottoman stronghold. That’s how my family has heirlooms from Korea and Japan. I have a cigarette case from a Korean town that was the location of a Japanese POW camp.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Hunter-Habib, not only are you a great hunter, but a person with a vast and deep culture.
Congratulations,

Why, thank you, Ofbiro. Actually all religions and cultures teach us good things. It’s people who make them pervasive.

When I used to study in East Pakistan Primary School during the 1950s and 1960s, we used to have a subject called “Moral Science” which made us study books from all faiths (Muslim Quran, Christian Old Testament & New Testament Bible, Jewish Taorah, Hindu Geeta) in order to respect and understand them. In 2006, the National Curriculum Board unfortunately abolished this subject. Which is incredibly tragic, considering that this is a subject which our younger generations could really benefit from. Especially in these divisive times.

 

[Sh1kar]

Another example?

 

[Osama Mahdi]

Another example?

View attachment 539479

"Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds.

Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

Master of the Day of Judgment.

It is You we worship and You we ask for help.

Show us the straight path,

The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray."

It is seven verses, the first chapter of Quran. Also written in a nice style.

 

[Sh1kar]

Indeed. An old Bidri bowl I bought in Hyderabad many years ago
I really like it. Great craft work. Along with a small flagon
S