All posts tagged: Arabic

Anne Hathaway’s inshallah moment: What the Arabic phrase means and why it went viral

Anne Hathaway’s inshallah moment: What the Arabic phrase means and why it went viral

Published by Daniella Wilson

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Three days ago, People magazine posted a clip from an interview with actor Anne Hathaway, who is currently on a global press tour. One of the questions concerned Hathaway’s feelings about ageing. In her response she – a non-Muslim – casually threw the word “inshallah” in mid-sentence. The reaction was big. The clip quickly went viral, with the incident reported on Al Jazeera, Grazia, and HuffPost, among others. Why has this moment struck such a chord with Muslims and Arabs worldwide? So what does it mean? Inshallah (also transliterated as “insha’Allah” and “inshaallah”) is an Arabic term that means “if God wills” or “God willing”. The reaction to Anne Hathaway’s comment has been overwhelmingly positive (PA) The term is most commonly associated with Muslims, …

Atlantic Trivia, March 10, 2026: It’s All Greek to Me (Unless It’s Arabic)

Atlantic Trivia, March 10, 2026: It’s All Greek to Me (Unless It’s Arabic)

Published by Daniella Wilson

Debut week for interactive Atlantic Trivia continues. I’ll keep the below instructions here until Friday: To play, type your response into the field below the question. If you need a hint, click to reveal. Next, click “Submit” to have your response checked. You’ll see the answer, a bit about the corresponding article, and the button to proceed. Atlantic Trivia From a story by Rhian Sasseen Among the novels by Naguib Mahfouz—the first writer in Arabic to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature—is Adrift on what 4,100-mile river? Show Hint Previous QuestionNext Question And by the way, did you know that the ionosphere thickens and thins on a daily basis? The ionization of the atmosphere’s gases is caused by solar radiation, so naturally, once it’s night (no sun!), the particles lose all that electromagnetic excitement and regroup to return to their un-ionized state. That results in a much thinner, less dense ionosphere, at least until the next dawn. Speaking of—until tomorrow! Find previous questions here, and to get Atlantic Trivia in your inbox every day, sign …

A language course is reviving Moroccan Jewish culture and bridging Middle East divides

A language course is reviving Moroccan Jewish culture and bridging Middle East divides

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — Growing up in Fez, Morocco, Yona Elfassi was always aware of the history of the city, which has been a center of culture, learning and spirituality since the ninth century. Home to great minds such as the 12th-century philosopher and jurist Ibn Rushd and his contemporary, the physician and codifier of Jewish law Maimonides, the city was shaped by Jewish, Arab, Amazigh, Spanish and French cultures. These influences left a deep imprint on Elfassi, 37. “In my family there were (many) different languages — Moroccan Arabic, French, Hebrew at the synagogue, and my dad also speaks Amazigh, Berber,” said Elfassi. Music, too, was a constant presence — from Andalusian to Flamenco, to Moroccan classic, to Moroccan chaabi popular, to Berber music,” he said. “We weren’t a family of professional musicians, but we were a family that lived with music.” As a Jewish resident of Morocco, Elfassi belongs to a tiny demographic, as 99% of Jews of Moroccan heritage today live elsewhere. After major emigrations in the 20th century, only around 2,500 Jews remain …

Toni Geitani: Wahj review – radiant new frontiers in Arabic electronic experimentalism | Music

Toni Geitani: Wahj review – radiant new frontiers in Arabic electronic experimentalism | Music

Published by Sam Flores

Arabic electronic experimentalism is thriving. In recent years, diaspora artists such as Egyptian producer Abdullah Miniawy, singer Nadah El Shazly and Lebanese singer-songwriter Mayssa Jallad have each released records that combine the Arabic musical tradition of maqam and its slippery melodies with granular electronic sound design, rumbling bass and metallic drum programming to create a dramatic new proposition. The artwork for Wahj Beirut-born and Amsterdam-based composer Toni Geitani is the latest to contribute to this growing scene with his masterfully produced second album Wahj (“radiance” in Arabic). Working as a visual artist and sound designer, Geitani is well versed in creating imaginative soundscapes for films such as 2024 sci-fi Radius Collapse, as well as referencing the shadowy nocturnal hiss of producers such as Burial on his dabke-sampling 2018 debut album Al Roujoou Ilal Qamar. On Wahj, he harnesses soaring layali vocalisations, reverb-laden drums and analogue synths to leave a cinematic impression. Opener Hal sets a plaintive tone with a yearning cello solo from Nia Ralinova and Geitani’s melismatic vocals meandering over the slow, thrumming notes …