my husband's favorite song

[sereia 0]

That always amazed me how Muslims act. They always know when to speak arabic and when to speak english. Like they are all speaking english and they throw an arabic word here and there. They always say it in arabic though, I don't know why if that is the only word they know in arabic. They always say Alhumdoolillah for example, and never just simply praise god. they don't actually try to learn the language, they just say Islamic words that are catch phrases from the mosque. Am I the odd one here or am I the only revert who actually wants to learn how to speak arabic aside from a few Muslim catch phrases?

Well I'm not Muslim but I definitely understand what you're saying. There definitely are other people on VJ who are attempting to learn Arabic, myself included. Inch'Allah!

HAHAHAHAHA

Edited May 25, 2008 by sereia

[S and S 12]

I know what you mean. I have been studying and reading arabic for several years now. I always try to look at how something is translated so I can understand it better. It doesn't do anything for me to say something I don't fully understand. It is like reading the Quran, I often try to see how something is worded and use the dictionary when I have to so I can get a better understanding. The english translations don't always do it for me.

[MelindaandTarek 0]

yes very famous song indeed. i used to have this exact version on mp3 but its gone anyone wanna send me the file?

I have this song and would be happy to email it to you....if you want PM me and I will be happy to do so....

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

yes I think since rabi is a traditional word in Islam (like said in Koran, etc) everyone who speaks arabic regardless of dialect would say it the same. Well, ok maybe with their own accent perhaps but the word is same:)

That always amazed me how Muslims act. They always know when to speak arabic and when to speak english. Like they are all speaking english and they throw an arabic word here and there. They always say it in arabic though, I don't know why if that is the only word they know in arabic. They always say Alhumdoolillah for example, and never just simply praise god. they don't actually try to learn the language, they just say Islamic words that are catch phrases from the mosque. Am I the odd one here or am I the only revert who actually wants to learn how to speak arabic aside from a few Muslim catch phrases?

Well I actually learned that word from a cheb khaled song.. sidi rabi... where cheb khaled is talking to allah about his cheating girlfriend in a rai song. As far as reverts, I dont know too many of them so I dont know how they talk too much LOL

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

Ok help me, is he talking about his father, or God, nice tune. I am always interested in learing more of this.

hes talking to sidi mansour...baba mansour...like a venerated saint both in judaism and sufi islam.

They say baba also when you go to one of the graves in north africa like BOUYA OMAR in Morocco or SIDI BOUMEDIENE or SIDI HOUARI in Oran....sufism and judaic thought have alot of parallells in North Africa. Sidi's are considered living saints in sufi islam.. Like you go to them and talk out your problems

Some videos

Najim sings in Sidi Houari about the saint Sidi Houari in the section of Oran called Sidi Houari

actually the song is called LIAH.. why... Why do you sleep with these men and change men every night instead of being with someone who loves you?

Or Sidi Rabi smalhi

which is father forgive me...talking to god

[chaishai 1]

someone was kind enough to post some of the lyrics on youtube. So for those of us who are arabic challenged, here ya go;)

allah allah ya baba

oh god oh god ,my father

we salam 3alek ya baba

greetings be upon you

allah allah ya baba

oh god oh god ,my father

we salam 3alek ya baba

greetings be upon you

sidi mansour ya baba

sidi mansour oh father

wenjek enzour ya baba 2x

i'll come to visit you my father

This is actually considered one of the national songs of Tunisia. Sidi is like the word for a saint. In north africa they have songs like sidi mansour... in oran sidi houari. When I bought a camel in Tunisia ( like a toy camel) you squeeze its stomach and it starts singing allah allah ya baba sidi mansour ya baba...The song is clearly known as SIDI MANSOUR. The version you have been listening to is by a non tunisian....Mansour is a common sephardic jewish surname and the expression baba is father, a term used by north african jews to venerate their saints. In Oran they sing SIDI HOUARI, Khaled also sings the song Sidi Boumediene and Sidi Houari as well as Sidi Mansour. I think your palestinian husband will get a kick out of the jewish origins of this song..

A brief excerpt from the sephardic geneology website

"Mizrahi is a common Sephardic name found from Morocco to Greece, to Turkey, to Syria, Iran and every place on the road to and from the old Silk Caravan Route. The same is true of old Judeo-Arabic names like Douek, Tawil, Gindi, Gemal, Mansour and Blanco. Many Sephardic Jews changed their 15th-century Spanish names to their equivalent in Judeo-Arabic, Italian, even Maltese; others kept the Spanish version.

The problem with finding the origins of Sephardic names is that many Sephardim took their names from varying sources at different times. For some, a name was shortened. Some Spanish crypto-Jews took common Spanish and Portuguese Christian names from gravestones."

Some non jews now bear the name Mansour but it is sephardic jewish in origin and in Djerba Tunisia, there are streets sidi mansour in the jewish quarter and the theatre in tunis where star academy is held is called sidi mansour theatre

no wonder, i listened to the clip and it remiinded me of my henna party!