religion questions

[deadbird 2]

Anyone else have a Catholic/Christian fiance in MENA? Even if not I could still use your help!

This might be a stupid question but are there any phrases in Arabic that should not be said by Christians as they are like Muslim phrases? Maybe it's a weird question but I have no idea. I can think of examples in English where Christians would not say Wiccan phrases & vice versa. I'm also looking for different Arabic CDs as well so I can learn it, and the current 3-CD set I have is rather monotonous and I don't think I've ever made it to the 3rd CD (I've had it since February!)

Basically, what are some big no nos that I would run across that are reserved specifically for Muslims and if you're not Muslim, don't do it?

I just really want to know how to act without offending anyone, especially acting in ignorance so any advice is very appreciated!

(My religious background/upbringing is very very confusing--got tangled up in a household tug of war as my mom is heavily into the New Age movement, my dad is atheist, and both of my grandmothers are Jehovah's Witnesses).

OH: Anyone know how to explain Jehovah's Witnesses in Arabic? This is one thing I've failed miserably at conveying to my fiance, when I say my grandmothers are them he's like "what's that?"......I think his father explained it to him but I want to know his father was right.

[ya falaha! 0]

I can't think of really anything a Christian wouldn't say that a Muslim would. Both say "inshallah", "alhamdulilah", "salaam alaikum". The difference is when a Muslim answers a Muslim after salaam alaikum it may include wa rahmantullah wa barakatuhu. A Muslim would never include this last part when responding to a Christian. Other than that I'll have to ask my husband. He has quite a few Christian friends and neighbors back home plus he attended Catholic school as a child.

[doodlebug 3]

Are you using the Rosetta Stone cd's? That's the one I have and I haven't finished the first cd...though they only gave me one but I think you mean going on to the next level? Anyway I impressed my SIL's by saying bint, whaled but that's as far as I got. It got boring after a while, though I wish I had stuck with it. Luckily they were more intense in their English practicing so we were able to have real conversations this time around. (the older sil and me that is,...the younger one just kept saying "owi helwa" or something like that when doing my hair.)

[ya falaha! 0]

lol helwa awy...very beautiful (literally, very sweet).

Does the Rosetta Stone offer Egyptian colloquial Arabic?

Are you using the Rosetta Stone cd's? That's the one I have and I haven't finished the first cd...though they only gave me one but I think you mean going on to the next level? Anyway I impressed my SIL's by saying bint, whaled but that's as far as I got. It got boring after a while, though I wish I had stuck with it. Luckily they were more intense in their English practicing so we were able to have real conversations this time around. (the older sil and me that is,...the younger one just kept saying "owi helwa" or something like that when doing my hair.)

[Nasturtium 500]

Yeah, they use the same phrases because contrary to rumor, Allah is just Arabic for God (and yeah, there are all kinds of arguments involving where does the English word come from and all of that, but before Islam, Allah was used in the language and so basically? i don't feel those arguments have any merit, although that's just my opinion. The common thing I've heard is yes, but it means "the God" and God can mean anything, but actually God with a capitol G doesn't mean just anything in English, so that in addition to basic language history and linguistics...), and all Christians, Jews, and Muslims who speak Arabic use the same word and the same phrasing. Moody mentioned the key one, and you'll find this varies depending on the person and how strict they are and/or their mahdab. I know I always heard you shouldn't add the ending for anyone who isn't Muslim OR that you shouldn't even say walaykum asalaam back to someone who isn't Muslim at all, but I've heard both pop back quite often from muslims to non-muslims, including my husband to me. I just don't expect it and take no offense if it's not given back.

What you will find more often as an American (in my experience) is other Americans (christians) who may freak if you use any of these words.

[doodlebug 3]

lol helwa awy...very beautiful (literally, very sweet).

Does the Rosetta Stone offer Egyptian colloquial Arabic?

Are you using the Rosetta Stone cd's? That's the one I have and I haven't finished the first cd...though they only gave me one but I think you mean going on to the next level? Anyway I impressed my SIL's by saying bint, whaled but that's as far as I got. It got boring after a while, though I wish I had stuck with it. Luckily they were more intense in their English practicing so we were able to have real conversations this time around. (the older sil and me that is,...the younger one just kept saying "owi helwa" or something like that when doing my hair.)

The one I have is just plain Arabic. I did get that Egyptian Colloquial arabic book a while back but he didn't really recognize many of the phrases so I chucked it. We also found that people from Alex speak a little differently from those in Cairo. I didn't get into detail about it and maybe it was just the accents but it was definitely noticible for him. (not for me since I couldn't understand anyone)

Oh one thing...ot-sorry!!....I noticed quite frequently on the bus was that people were arguing a lot and very loud and every so often in the middle of the argument someone would say the shahada. I asked Usama why they did this and he said, "they're hot and tired and they'll say whatever they feel". lol. I thought it was kind of funny kind of like their way of saying "ok enough I'm hot and tired!!!"

[doodlebug 3]

What you will find more often as an American (in my experience) is other Americans (christians) who may freak if you use any of these words.

that just reminded me of the first time I went to Cairo in the winter and my mom called me and automatically I said "salam alaykum" and all I heard was her saying to my dad "holy sh!t Bill, she's one of THEM" and then she started crying. lol Good times, good times.

[ya falaha! 0]

My MIL will say part of the shahada all the time. She just says it randomly. I notice she does say it more often when she's annoyed. Maybe that's why the bus ppl were saying it. Kinda to prevent themselves from lashing out maybe. My ex used to always say, la hawla wa la quwatta illah billah, when he was angry. It means something like, there is no power or glory except for God's.

The funny thing is about that Egyptian Arabic phrasebook, it was written in the Cairene dialect. My husband recognizes most of the phrases and words used in that book. He did say that many of the phrases aren't really used.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

If there's one thing JWs are good at, it's prosyletizing in lots of language. Give him their arabic website - http://www.watchtower.org/a/index.html

My husband has now scared away the JWs in addition to the mormons. Now he has no one left to argue about the bible with.

[ya falaha! 0]

Ok I just asked my husband, he said in Egypt they say the same for Christians and they do for Muslims and vice versa including the thing I said Muslims don't say. It was my ex who taught me that Muslims shouldn't say that for Christians. Of course he's from a different mahdab and country, like Julianna said.

[JODO 2]

My fiancé's a Copt and he says all the same stuff like Moody said. In fact, he met a guy from Jordan down at the mailbox and he came over a few nights ago and I heard so many astafigurallah's go up from downstairs, I didn't know who was saying what.

[Nasturtium 500]

Yeah, it just seems to depend. Really strict Salafi get into the not even saying anything back, as do some Hanafi. I've seen ti far less in others. What I found funnyis you also see it more in those who do not speak Arabic as a native language than those who do and of those I have asked about it who are native Arabic speakers, they generally say that the otehrs have misunderstood the Arabic. I don't know if that's true or not, and neither do I particularly care-- but I just thought I would toss that out there as a possible reason. It's all "meh" to me.

[slbois 0]

My ENTIRE family are Jehovah's Witnesses, so I can sympathize with you. My mother has even went as far as studying Islam as to gain insight on how to get the last word in arguments. I was never baptised as a JW. She and my family now refer to me as an "Apostate"...lovely. She has finally come to accept that I have embraced Islam, the religious debates have ceased and she has even stopped feeding my kids pork hot dogs and bologna while I'm at work....

I remember trying to explain Jehovah's Witnesses to my husband, he was like what the?? I told him they kinda sorta have a few of the same ideas as muslims only they are Christians and they believe that Jesus (pbuh) is the son of God and associate partners. Thanks for the link to the website Rahma, maybe now my husband can finally see what he's getting into.

[doodlebug 3]

the religious debates have ceased and she has even stopped feeding my kids pork hot dogs and bologna while I'm at work....

omg too funny...my kids are not muslim but I don't keep pork products in the house. God love my oldest sister because she totally means well but whenever she comes over my house (like today) she brings a huge ziploc baggie of cooked bacon for the kids, like they've been starvin' for it or something. lol. I don't mind as long as I don't eat it but what you said just reminded me of that. lol

[allousa 1]

What you will find more often as an American (in my experience) is other Americans (christians) who may freak if you use any of these words.

that just reminded me of the first time I went to Cairo in the winter and my mom called me and automatically I said "salam alaykum" and all I heard was her saying to my dad "holy sh!t Bill, she's one of THEM" and then she started crying. lol Good times, good times.

:lol: OMG!!!!!!! That's funny stuff!!!!!!!! :lol: