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Today, we are going to take a look at the structure and pattern of a very common word. The Arabic word dunya (ุฏููููุง) is usually translated into English as world. The meaning is correct โ but the literal translation is totally different. Let us check the root for this word: ุฏ – ู – ู
The literal meaning of ุงูุฏูููููุง is the lowest or the closest or the nearest โ and not world.
Grammatically speaking, the word ุฏููููุง is the feminine form of the pattern ุฃูููุนููู. It is the comparative or superlative (elative) form, so called ุงูุณูู ุงูุชููููุถููู. The word ุฏููููุง is generally used in its definite form: ุงูุฏูููููุง. The plural of ุฏููููุง is ุฏููููููุงุช
Let us check this pattern in detail:
meaning | comparative feminine form | comparative masculine form | root |
closer; closest | ุฏููููุง | ุฃูุฏูููู | ุฏ – ู – ู |
higher; highest | ุนููููุง | ุฃูุนูููู | ุน – ู – ู |
further; furthest | ููุตูููู | ุฃูููุตูู | ู – ุต – ู |
Notice the feminine form in the last example! It is different because in the root, there is a ู.
The meaning of ุฏููููุง is similar to ุฃูููุฑูุจู โ meaning: closer.
A long time ago, people were using the term ุงููุญููุงุฉู ุงูุฏูููููุง for describing the life which is closest to us (namely: life in this world) โ because the afterlife/the hereafter (ุงููุญููุงุฉ ุงููุขุฎูุฑุฉ) is something we don’t know. After some time, the word ุงููุญููุงุฉ was deleted.
The expression ุงูุฏูููููุง is already found in the Qur’an, e.g. 16;30, ุณููุฑุฉ ุงููููุญูู (The bee)
… ูููููุฐูููู ุฃูุญูุณููููุง ููู ููฐุฐููู ุงูุฏููููููุง ุญูุณูููุฉู ููููุฏูุงุฑู ุงููุขุฎูุฑูุฉู ุฎูููุฑู…
…for those who do good is a reward in this present world, but the abode of the Hereafter is far better…
Good to know:
- The most famous mosque in Jerusalem, which is also one of the most important in Islam, is called al-Aqsa-Mosque. It is called ุงูุฃูููุตูู as in old times it was the mosque that was the furthest from Mecca. ุงูุฃูููุตูู literally means the furthest.
- In German, the word dunya is sometimes transliterated as dunja, as in the name of the TV journalist Dunja Hayali.
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