Sunday, December 27, 2009

'Alf Lyala wa Layla' or 1001 Nights




Image taken from: this website  
(if you click on the link you'll be able to hear the music from the film)


Today's post is simply a story: the start of the 1001 nights and a recalling of events which happened in Syria and Egypt between 1260 and 1517

It's thought the original stories were written in Sanskit about 1,000 years ago and were translated into Persian between 1100 and 1400 AD and then into Arabic. They were only translated into English about 120 years ago (Andrew Lang, 1898; Edward Lane, 1841 and Malcolm Lyons, 2008).

A full explanation of the history, translation and relevance can be found here For me it's simply the experience of reading and imagining or listening to someone telling a story which makes them so enchanting.




Image taken from: this website 


1,001 Nights
In the chronicles of the ancient dynasty of the Sassanidae [sass-san-nee-day], who reigned for about four hundred years, from Persia to the borders of China, beyond the great river Ganges itself, we read the praises of one of the kings of this race, who was said to be the best monarch of his time.

His subjects loved him, and his neighbors feared him, and when he died he left his kingdom in a more prosperous and powerful condition than any king had done before him.

The two sons who survived him loved each other tenderly, and it was a real grief to the elder, Schahriar, [scar-ah-ha- ree-arr] that the laws of the empire forbade him to share his dominions with his brother Schahzeman [scar-haa-zee-man].

Indeed, after ten years, during which this state of things had not ceased to trouble him, Schahriar cut off the country of Great Tartary from the Persian Empire and made his brother king.

Now the Sultan Schahriar had a wife whom he loved more than all the world, and his greatest happiness was to surround her with splendour, and to give her the finest dresses and the most beautiful jewels.

It was therefore with the deepest shame and sorrow that he accidentally discovered, after several years, that she had deceived him completely, and her whole conduct turned out to have been so bad, that he felt himself obliged to carry out the law of the land, and order the grand-vizir to put her to death.

The blow was so heavy that his mind almost gave way, and he declared that he was quite sure that at bottom all women were as wicked as the sultana, if you could only find them out, and that the fewer the world contained the better.




Image taken from: this website

So every evening he married a fresh wife and had her strangled the following morning before the grand-vizir, whose duty it was to provide these unhappy brides for the Sultan. The poor man fulfilled his task with reluctance, but there was no escape, and every day saw a girl married and a wife dead.

This behaviour caused the greatest horror in the town, where nothing was heard but cries and lamentations. In one house was a father weeping for the loss of his daughter, in another perhaps a mother trembling for the fate of her child; and instead of the blessings that had formerly been heaped on the Sultan’s head, the air was now full of curses.

The grand-vizir himself was the father of two daughters, of whom the elder was called Scheherazade [sh-har-er-ree-zad], and the younger Dinarzade [dee-na-ra-zad].

Dinarzade had no particular gifts to distinguish her from other girls, but her sister was clever and courageous in the highest degree. Her father had given her the best masters in philosophy, medicine, history and the fine arts, and besides all this, her beauty excelled that of any girl in the kingdom of Persia.





Image taken from: this website 

One day, when the grand-vizir was talking to his eldest daughter, who was his delight and pride, Scheherazade said to him,
“Father, I have a favour to ask of you. Will you grant it to me?”

“I can refuse you nothing,” replied he, “that is just and reasonable.”

“Then listen,” said Scheherazade.
“I am determined to stop this barbarous practice of the Sultan’s, and to deliver the girls and mothers from the awful fate that hangs over them.”

“It would be an excellent thing to do,” returned the grand-vizir,
“but how do you propose to accomplish it?”

“My father,” answered Scheherazade,
“it is you who have to provide the Sultan daily with a fresh wife, and I implore you, by all the affection you bear me, to allow the honour to fall upon me.”

“Have you lost your senses?” cried the grand-vizir, starting back in horror.
“What has put such a thing into your head? You ought to know by this time what it means to be the sultan’s bride!”



Image taken from:  this website 


“Yes, my father, I know it well,” replied she,
“and I am not afraid to think of it. If I fail, my death will be a glorious one, and if I succeed I shall have done a great service to my country.”

“It is of no use,” said the grand-vizir,
“I shall never consent. If the Sultan was to order me to plunge a dagger in your heart, I should have to obey. What a task for a father! Ah, if you do not fear death, fear at any rate the anguish you would cause me.”

“Once again, my father,” said Scheherazade,
“will you grant me what I ask?"

“What, are you still so obstinate?” exclaimed the grand-vizir.
“Why are you so resolved upon your own ruin?”




Image taken from: this website 


But the maiden absolutely refused to attend to her father’s words, and at length, in despair, the grand-vizir was obliged to give way, and went sadly to the palace to tell the Sultan that the following evening he would bring him Scheherazade.

The Sultan received this news with the greatest astonishment.

“How have you made up your mind,” he asked,
“to sacrifice your own daughter to me?”

“Sire,” answered the grand-vizir,
“it is her own wish. Even the sad fate that awaits her could not hold her back.”

“Let there be no mistake, vizir,” said the Sultan.
“Remember you will have to take her life yourself. If you refuse, I swear that your head shall pay forfeit.”

“Sire,” returned the vizir.
“Whatever the cost, I will obey you. Though a father, I am also your subject.”

So the Sultan told the grand-vizir he might bring his daughter as soon as he liked.

The vizir took back this news to Scheherazade, who received it as if it had been the most pleasant thing in the world. She thanked her father warmly for yielding to her wishes, and, seeing him still bowed down with grief, told him that she hoped he would never repent having allowed her to marry the Sultan.

Then she went to prepare herself for the marriage, and begged that her sister Dinarzade should be sent for to speak to her.




Image taken from: this website 



When they were alone, Scheherazade addressed her thus:

“My dear sister; I want your help in a very important affair. My father is going to take me to the palace to celebrate my marriage with the Sultan. When his Highness receives me, I shall beg him, as a last favour, to let you sleep in our chamber, so that I may have your company during the last night I am alive.  If, as I hope, he grants me my wish, be sure that you wake me an hour before the dawn, and speak to me in these words:

“My sister, if you are not asleep, I beg you, before the sun rises, to tell me one of your charming stories.  Then I shall begin, and I hope by this means to deliver the people from the terror that reigns over them.”

Dinarzade replied that she would do with pleasure what her sister wished.

When the usual hour arrived the grand-vizir conducted Scheherazade to the palace, and left her alone with the Sultan, who bade her raise her veil and was amazed at her beauty. But seeing her eyes full of tears, he asked what was the matter.

“Sire,” replied Scheherazade,
“I have a sister who loves me as tenderly as I love her. Grant me the favour of allowing her to sleep this night in the same room, as it is the last we shall be together.”

Schahriar consented to Scheherazade’s petition and Dinarzade was sent for.



Image taken from:  this blog 


An hour before daybreak Dinarzade awoke, and exclaimed, as she had promised,
“My dear sister, if you are not asleep, tell me I pray you, before the sun rises, one of your charming stories. It is the last time that I shall have the pleasure of hearing you.”

Scheherazade did not answer her sister, but turned to the Sultan.
“Will your highness permit me to do as my sister asks?” said she.

“Willingly,” he answered. So Scheherazade began ...












Thursday, December 17, 2009

Camel Chocolate

Before I ate this stuff I thought it sounded quite revolting. It turns out to be quite delicous.

Traditionally it is said that drinking camel milk increases your sex drive and with two camel dairy farms in the UAE, Al Nassma has launched a range of camel milk chocolate in 5 different flavored bars; Arabia (flavored with local spices) Dates, Macadamia Nut & Orange, 70% Cocoa and Whole Milk.




We've been lucky enough to try all the 5 flavours as well as the camel shaped chocolates:






and the small little squares:






Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Arabic - English Loan Words: T - Z

Today completes the mini-series of words whose roots come from Arabia and which at one stage are said to have been borrowed, or loaned from Arabic.

All words in the list below start with the letters 'T', 'U', 'W' and 'Z'. Previous posts include 'A', 'B and C' 'D-G' 'H-M', 'N-R' and 'S' and all can be found under the subject/label 'English loan words (from Arabic) '

The words have been listed in alphabetical order and are followed by the root word in Arabic [xxx] and the Arabic meaning. On the line below is the meaning in English.

If I did need help with the English definition I used: 'The Oxford English Reference Dictionary' ISBN: 0-19-860046-1


T

Tabbouleh
An Arab vegetable salad made with cracked wheat

Tabby
al attabiya;  the quarter in Baghdad where tabby was made
A kind of watered silk, a plain weave

Tahini
tahana;  crush
The paste made from crushed sesame seeds

Talc
talk;  talcum powder

Taliban
talib;  student
Group of fundamental Muslim rebels subscribing to the Wahibi school of Islam

Tamarind
tamar-hindi;  Indian date
Tropical tree which produced fruit of which the acid pulp is used as food and in making drinks

Tambour
tabour;  a drum

Tambourine
A small tambour, from tabour

Tarboosh
tar-bus;  head cover
A cap like a fez, sometimes worn by Muslim men as part of a turban

Tare
tarha;  that which is rejected
An allowance made for the weight of the packing or wrapping around goods

Tariff
ta’rif;   notify
A table of fixed charges

Tarragon
tarkhun;
a bushy aromatic herb, with leaves used to flavour salads, stuffing, vinegar, etc

Tell (mound)
tall;  hillock
An artificial mound in the Middle East, formed by the accumulated remains of ancient settlements

Typhoon
tuphon;  whirlwind
A tropical cyclone in eastern Asian sea


U

Ujamaa
jama;  family, community
A system of self-help village cooperatives established by President Nyerere in Tanzania in the 1960’s

Ulema
ulima,  plural of alama;  learned
A body of Muslim doctors of sacred law and theology


V

Vega
al nasr al wqi;   the falling vulture
The fifth brightest star in the sky, and the brightest in the constellation Lyra, overhead in summer to observers in the northern hemisphere


W

wazir
minister
A high official in some Muslim countries

Wadi
wadi;  dry river
A rocky watercourse, dry except in the rainy season, many of which can be found in Oman


Z

Zenith
samt;   path overhead
The part of the celestial sphere directly above an observer, the highest point in one’s fortune

Zero
sifr;   zero
The figure nought

Zircon
A mineral from which the metal zirconium is extracted





Monday, December 14, 2009

Employment and Salary Trends in the Gulf 2009 – 2010

A survey on 'Employment and Salary Trends in the Gulf 2009 – 2010' has just been released and can be read in full, here.

So, what can you expect will happen salary-wise, if you're still in work, in the Gulf?

*Around 12% of professionals in Bahrain have been made redundant this year
*Almost two-thirds of professionals in the Gulf did not get a pay rise this year
*Average pay rises in Bahrain dropped to 6.7% in 2009, from 10.5% last year
*Salaries in Bahrain are forecast to rise 6.4% in 2010
*Audit professionals enjoyed the highest average pay rise across the region.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

It's Official; the World's Friendliest Country is Bahrain

Oh my goodness.  Bahrain is officially the world friendliest country according to this article published at the beginning of December 2009 by Forbes magazine.


World's Friendliest Countries
"The Middle East has long had a reputation for being one of the world's perennial trouble spots. But for expatriates, the tiny Persian Gulf county, Bahrain ranks as one of the most welcoming places to work.

That's the surprising result of a new survey of 3,100 expatriates conducted by HSBC Bank. Bahrain ranked first in one key measure of how easy it is for expatriates to set up a new life for their families. It received high marks from expats who like the country's easy access to modern health care, decent and affordable housing, and network of social groups that expatriates can join.

Canada, which ranked first in a similar survey last year, fell to second place on HSBC's integration score, which measures how easily foreigners and their families can settle into a new country. Australia, Thailand and Malaysia rounded out the top five. Foreign workers in these countries found it easy to make local friends and said they enjoyed a higher quality of life than in their native countries.





Rank
Country
Making Friends
Making Local Friends
Joining Community Groups
Organizing School For My Children
Organizing My Finances
Organizing My Health Care
Finding Somewhere To Live
Setting Up Utilities
1
Bahrain
5
20
1
5
3
1
2
4
2
Canada
11
2
3
6
7
8
5
2
3
Australia
10
6
9
7
1
7
11
5
4
Thailand
1
16
18
4
11
2
1
9
5
Malaysia
4
14
19
1
3
3
4
13
6
South Africa
6
2
8
3
14
6
3
14
7
Hong Kong
3
17
12
17
2
5
8
3
8
Singapore
7
18
24
13
6
4
13
1
9
Spain
12
8
13
18
10
9
7
8
10
United States
15
7
4
12
20
24
10



Behind the Numbers
HSBC's Expat Explorer survey was conducted between February and April 2009. Survey respondents were from the U.S., Europe and elsewhere and lived in more than two dozen countries and on four continents. They ranked their new homes based on 23 factors, including food, entertainment, health care, commute and education. Of those measures, HSBC selected eight to create its so-called "integration score," a snapshot of which countries are most welcoming to expats.

It is possible that Bahrain's first-place finish is a fluke. Only 31 expats working in Bahrain participated in the survey, vs. more than 450 respondents from the United Kingdom. Bahrain ranked as the best country to join local community groups and coordinate health care. Respondents found it less easy to make local friends and learn the languages (Arabic, Farsi and Urdu), but the country ranked in the top five when it came to finding a home, setting up finances, and finding good schools.


And the Winner of the Wooden Spoon is
The United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom received some of the poorest scores on the integration scale. Expats in the Emirates reported finding it difficult to join local community groups; only 39% of respondents made local friends compared to 76% of respondents living in other countries. Foreign workers in England complained about the challenges of finding affordable housing.


Methodology
The Expat Explorer survey was commissioned by HSBC Bank International and conducted by the research company FreshMinds. More than 3,100 expatriates were surveyed between February and April 2009. The respondents were asked to rate 23 factors related to their quality of life, including food, entertainment, transportation, health care, finances, education and their ability to make friends.

Each criterion is equally weighted to arrive at a score. The overall ranking is based on the average score for a country across the criteria. 

Eight measures were also selected to comprise the integration score: organizing school for my children; organizing my finances; organizing my health care; finding somewhere to live; making friends; making local friends; setting up utilities; and joining local community groups. The integration score was used to determine the friendliest countries.






Related Posts with Thumbnails

Monday, December 7, 2009

Two Dualing Ouds

More oud today - somehow it seems to go with the downpours we're having here. For your listening pleasure Iraqi father (deceased) and son, Munir [mon-neer] and Omar [oh-marr] Bashir:






Saturday, December 5, 2009

Some Pretty Good Oud

It's been too long since I posted some Arabic music, so here's Abadi al Jawher [ah-baa-dee al jow-her] playing the oud.

He's a Yemeni-Saudi who was popular throughout the Gulf in the late 70s and early 80s:





Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Desert Rain: Floods in Jeddah

Last week saw lots of rain in the Gulf and floods in Jeddah. Someone was kind enough to send me these photos. Can't quite believe this is what Jeddah looked like after the rain. Here's a full news article

When I was a kid I was fascinated when I was informed most people died in the desert from the rain. Now maybe I now know where or why that happens. This place is usually full of sand and doesn't see rain from one year to the next.


Update, Saturday 5th Dec:
113 people have died in Jeddah, as a direct result of the rains last week. The Saudi media writes about it here





If you are in Jeddah and can help out with home suplies, food, school supplies, clothing, home appliances and/or money please call Miss Rasha Hifzi: 054 163 9486.

They also need people with 4 wheel drives to help deliver the items. If you can help with this please call Miss Sumaya: 050 551 7277.