zaman99
16-10-07, 09:39 AM
Obviously both are Arabic words. Islam has transported them into various other languges. For the Arabic speakers, however, each word has different meaning and of course different social context where to use either of them.
In the very past, Arabs, like all mankind, were more uprupt in their selection of words. Now adays expressions and of course selection of words became more refined and specfic. This highlighted the difference betwen the two, where zawaj became more palatable, more sociable and modest. Nikkah is only used in accademic historical fatwa context rather than social.
If One enters any Arabic discussion board where marriage is the topic, you can only see the word zawaj used. Nikkah is very inpolite and in fact embarassing.:zzz:
Zawaj literally means: pairing, where each zawj 'pair' is the zawj for the other. Zawj 'pair' does not have gender, both male and female are zawj for each other, hence it is called zawaj!
Nikkah is more a physical word. literally it means physical friction:o.
We can say a stone nakah stone meaning: hit it, crushed it etc..although not often used in such context, just to clarify the meaning.
In marriage context, Arabs used to view marriage only as sexual relationship. Not underestimating the whole relationship of marriage, but because marriage is the only legal frame for physical interaction 'Nikkah'.
In the very past An Arab used to say: I have Nakahto' a woman from so and so tribe, meaning: married her. That was ok in the harsh desert enviroment. Today, no sane man would use this expression because it is to sexually explicit. Hence the word zawaj became the common term used for marriage among Arabs, while Nikkah 'innocently' is widely used by other Muslims who are not aware of this complexity of expression.
If you are talking with an Arab about the marriage of his daughter or sister, it would be more polite to say: attending zawaj of your daughter. When I hear somebody using the word Nikkah instead, no matter how I appreaciate their innocence, it makes my hair stands:(
Just thought to open discussion over the sensitivity of certain terms when they are used by people who are not fully aware of roots of the languge where the term come from.
In the very past, Arabs, like all mankind, were more uprupt in their selection of words. Now adays expressions and of course selection of words became more refined and specfic. This highlighted the difference betwen the two, where zawaj became more palatable, more sociable and modest. Nikkah is only used in accademic historical fatwa context rather than social.
If One enters any Arabic discussion board where marriage is the topic, you can only see the word zawaj used. Nikkah is very inpolite and in fact embarassing.:zzz:
Zawaj literally means: pairing, where each zawj 'pair' is the zawj for the other. Zawj 'pair' does not have gender, both male and female are zawj for each other, hence it is called zawaj!
Nikkah is more a physical word. literally it means physical friction:o.
We can say a stone nakah stone meaning: hit it, crushed it etc..although not often used in such context, just to clarify the meaning.
In marriage context, Arabs used to view marriage only as sexual relationship. Not underestimating the whole relationship of marriage, but because marriage is the only legal frame for physical interaction 'Nikkah'.
In the very past An Arab used to say: I have Nakahto' a woman from so and so tribe, meaning: married her. That was ok in the harsh desert enviroment. Today, no sane man would use this expression because it is to sexually explicit. Hence the word zawaj became the common term used for marriage among Arabs, while Nikkah 'innocently' is widely used by other Muslims who are not aware of this complexity of expression.
If you are talking with an Arab about the marriage of his daughter or sister, it would be more polite to say: attending zawaj of your daughter. When I hear somebody using the word Nikkah instead, no matter how I appreaciate their innocence, it makes my hair stands:(
Just thought to open discussion over the sensitivity of certain terms when they are used by people who are not fully aware of roots of the languge where the term come from.