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  • GOOGLE TRANSLITERATION

    AUTHOR: // CATEGORY: Arabic, Saudi Arabia

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    Okay, so we know Google Translate has been around since mmmm forever, but sometimes you just want to transliterate – i.e a word directly without translation. Check out

    http://www.google.com/ta3reeb/ or http://www.google.com/intl/ar/inputtools/try/

    Both are Google driven and run English to Arabic direct transliteration – however you can do pretty much any language. Pretty cool huh.

    Happy Transliterating.

  • ARABIC PLEASANTARIES FOR DUMMIES

    AUTHOR: // CATEGORY: Arabic, Saudi Arabia

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    Are you sometimes confused by Islamic pleasantaries? What does Mashaa-Allah or Inshaa-Allah mean? This post will help you brush up on your arabic pleasantaries as well as learn new ones 🙂  Most Arabic pleasantaries are also duas.

    Assalaamu ‘Alaikum

    A greeting made upon meeting a Muslim
    Translation: Peace be upon you

    Wa’alaikum Assalaam
    The response to the greeting above
    Translation: And peace be upon you

    Assalaamu ‘Alaikum wa rahmatullah
    A lengthier formal greeting/supplication to a Muslim
    Translation: May the peace and mercy of Allah be upon you

    Wa’alaikum Assalaam wa rahmatullah
    A response to the formal greeting/supplication above
    Translation: And may the peace and mercy of Allah be upon you

    Assalaamu ‘Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh 
    A formal greeting to a Muslim with additional supplications
    Translation: May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you

    Wa’alaikum Assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh 
    A response to the formal greeting to a Muslim above
    Translation: And may the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you

    Bismillah ar Rahman ar Rahim 
    Before beginning an action [from the Sunnah]
    Translation: In the name of Allah, most Gracious most Merciful

    JazakAllah Khairan
    An expression of thanks or gratitude
    Translation: May Allah reward you with good
    (Reply: Wa iyak(i), wa iyakum; Translation: And you)

    BarakAllahu feekum or Allah baraka feek(i) 
    Responding to someone’s thanks/a way of expressing thanks
    Translation: May Allah bless you
    (Reply: Wa feek(i), Wa feekum; Translation: And you)

    HayakAllah or HayakumAllah
    Translation: May Allah prolong you in life/may Allah preserve you
    (Reply: Allah ye-hayeek(i); Translation: Allah increase you as well)

    Subhanallah 
    For expressing surprise (positive or negative) at something
    Translation: Glory be to Allah

    Inshaa’ Allah 
    Upon expressing a desire to do something
    Translation: If Allah wills/Through Allah’s will

    Bi’ithnillah
    Another means of expressing a desire to do something
    Translation: By the permission of Allah

    Astaghfirullah 
    Seeking forgiveness or repentance for sins before Allah
    Translation: I ask Allah for forgiveness

    Mashaa’ Allah 
    For expressing appreciation of something good
    Translation: As Allah has willed

    Alhamdulillah 
    For showing gratitude to Allah after success or even after completing anything
    Translation: Praise be to Allah

    Ameen 
    To be said at the end of a supplication (du’a in singular form, ad’iyah in plural)
    Translation: O Allaah, accept our invocation

    SallAllahu ‘alayhi wa salaam
    A supplication following the name of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)
    Translation: Peace and blessings be upon him (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)

    ‘Alayhi salaam
    A supplication following the name of a Prophet or Messenger
    Translation: Peace and blessings be upon him (‘alayhis salaam)

    RadhiAllahu ‘Anhu 
    A supplication following the name of male companion [Sahabi] of the Prophet
    Translation: May Allah be pleased with him (radhiAllahu ‘anhu)

    RadhiAllahu ‘Anha 
    A supplication following the name of female companion [Sahabiyah] of the Prophet
    Translation: May Allah be pleased with her (radhiAllahu ‘anhu)

    RadhiAllahu ‘Anhum
    A supplication following the names of the companions [Sahaba] of the Prophet
    Translation: May Allah be pleased with them (radhiAllahu ‘anhu)

    Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon 
    This is uttered as an expression upon hearing the news of some loss or death
    Translation: To Allah we belong and to Him is our return

    La hawla wala quwata illah billah 
    This is said to express reverence at the fact that true power lies with Allah alone
    Translation: There is no strength nor power except with Allah

    Tawakkal-tu-‘ala-Allah – I have put my trust in Allah
    Tawkkalna-‘ala-Allah – We have put our trust in Allah

    Rahimahullah – Allah have mercy on him

    A’udhu-bi-Allah – I seek refuge in Allah

    Fi sabeel illah – For the sake of Allah

    Ittaqillah – Fear Allah

    Credit to: http://muslimahlifestyle.com/arabic-pleasantaries-for-dummies/

  • ARABIC NUMBERS IN OFFICE 2010

    AUTHOR: // CATEGORY: PC, Saudi Arabia

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    Working in Saudi, we need to adapt to using the Saudi keyboard and numerals. When installing MS Office 2010 by default (after installing the Arabic Keyboard in Windows) – Arabic text is displayed correctly, however Arabic numerals are typed in the base language i.e. English. To fix …

    In Word 2010:

    – Go to File > Options > Advanced.

    – Scroll down to the Show document content section – you will find the Numeral option. Set it to Context.

    Screenshot

    – and you done …

    Happy typing …

  • ARAMCO 2014 CALENDAR

    AUTHOR: // CATEGORY: Arabic, Islamic, Marketing, Saudi Arabia

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    A little delayed but just for reference … a 2014 calendar from ARAMCO with English and Arabic dates for KSA.

    ARAMCO Calendar

    Berlitz Al Ahsa Calendar (designed by me)