صور صلالة

I came back to the states more than a week ago on August 1st. I’ve been delaying writing this final post for a number of reasons. As soon as I got back, I juggled jet lag, reverse culture shock, the Ramadan rumble and the Ramadan routine, and preparation for medical school that started August 6th. Now after a couple weeks of Tampa, Florida and after a week of school, I guess it’s been long enough for me to finally say goodbye. Goodbye to this blog. Goodbye to Salalah, Oman. Goodbye to the CLS program.

I’m not a man of many words. Especially when it comes to expressing my emotions. Especially when it comes to saying goodbye.

These last two months have been one of the most amazing in my entire life, second only to last year’s pilgrimage. The people I met, the friends I made, the language I studied , the things I learned will stay with me for a lifetime, will benefit me as long my memory stays strong. I really cannot express to anybody how much I feel for Salalah and it’s people, the teachers, the students, the language partners, the administrators, the taxi drivers, the restaurant workers, the laundry man, the random people on the streets, in the masajid, even that dude that sells phone cards and nuts—- I miss them all so much.

And it is with obligation and determination, that I seek their forgiveness for any of my transgressions and wrong-doings. I am sorry for anything that I have done. There are many things I could have done more and I sincerely apologize for my shortcomings. Inshallah they may accept my apologies and accept me as their sincere brother. 

And since I cannot truly express my gratitude, I cannot express my appreciation, I cannot express fully how I feel, I will instead turn to prayer and pray for all the people have helped me, that I have met, that have made the experience it was. Everyone played a part in my education and they deserve so much. My words will not suffice and I can only pray and assure that their reward is with God inshallah. May Allah accept my prayers in these last ten days of Ramadan. 

Jazakumullah khairan O amazing people of the beautiful city of Salalah in the wonderful country of Oman.

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله 

مقعد, مقاعد

seat, seats

في فصحى

كان الحكواتي جالسا على مقعده في وسط المقهى و كان الناس جالسين حول يستمعون اليه باهتمام كبير

Storyteller was sitting on his seat in the middle of cafe and people were sitting around listening to him with great interest.

في القران

54:55

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In a seat of honor near a Sovereign, Perfect in Ability.

ذاد, يزيد, الزيادة - زاد عن, يزيد عن, الزيادة عن

To increase (intransitive/transitive)

to become or become more (than), to exceed

في فصحى

من أجل التحضير للامتحان زاد من الطلاب وعدد ساعات الدراسة.

In order to prepare for the exam the students increased the number of hours of study.

في القران

17:82

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And We send down of the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.

دعا إلى, يدعو إلى, الدعوة إلى

to invite to, call for

في فصحى

فدعا الى تعليم البنات والى أخذ العلوم من الغرب و استخدمها في تطوير المجتمعات السلامية.

He called for the education of girls to take subjects from the West and used them in the development of Islamic communities.

في القران

41:33

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And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.”

فكرة, أفكار - الفكر

thought (abstract), to think

في فصحى

يعتبر الامام محمد عبده واحدا من أشهر رجال عصر النهضة في العالم العربي وواحد من أهم المفكرين في تاري الفكر السلامي

Imam Mahmud Abduh is considered one of the famous men in the era of the renaissance in the Arab world and one of the famous scholars in the history of Islamic thought.

في القران

74:18

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Indeed, he thought and deliberated.

It’s always interesting to see how the same words are used differently now then how they were used before. The source of the word is preserved but the semantics can change based on context. 

  حمل, يحمل, الحمل — حامل حاملون حملة 

to carry, carrier, holder (of)

في فصحى

لا يمكنك الحصل على هذه الوظيفة ا إذا كنت من حملة شهادة الماجستير 

You are not able to receive this position unless you carry a master’s degree

في القران

Sahih International

The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. Wretched is the example of the people who deny the signs of Allah . And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

مشى, يمشي, المشي

to walk

في فصحى

كثير من الناس يمشيون كل يوم للرياضة

Many people walk every day for sport.

في القران

67:22

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Then is one who walks fallen on his face better guided or one who walks erect on a straight path?

كفى, يكفي, الكافي- كاف, الكافي

to suffice, to be enough - enough (adjective)

في فصحى

هذا عاء من الحبوب ما يكفي بالنسبة لي

 this bowl of cereal is enough for me

في القران

46:8

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Or do they say, “He has invented it?” Say, “If I have invented it, you will not possess for me [the power of protection] from Allah at all. He is most knowing of that in which you are involved. Sufficient is He as Witness between me and you, and He is the Forgiving the Merciful.”

أنشأ ينشئ الإنشاء

to establish, erect, found

في فضحى

ينوي أهل البلدة القيام بإنشاء مسجد جديدة و قد بدأوا بجمع الاموال للمشروع

The people of the town intends to establish a new mosque and have begun collecting money for the project

في القران

23:78

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Sahih International

And it is He who produced for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful.

Can’t believe I was asked this during our 40 min daily interviews last week, but it employed another important word at least…

سابق

previous, former

في فضحى

كيف شعرت عن الرئيس سابق من ولايات متحد

How did you feel about the former president of the United States?

في القران

36:40

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Sahih International

Of  course my weekly exam decided to take the hardest word and ask us to conjugate it in the most difficult derivatives. But Alhamdulillah, now I won’t forget this word.

اضطرّ إلى اضطررت يضطرّ إلى

To be forced to

في فصحى

بحلول مساء، اضطررت لإكمال واجباتي المنزلية

By evening, I was forced to complete my homework

في القران

2:173

Sahih International

He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah . But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

تقدّم يتقدّم التّقدّم

to advance, to progress, to put forward

في فصحى

إذا تقدّمت كثيرا في دراستي هذه السنة فمن الممكن أن أحصل لى منحة

If I progress a lot in my studies this year, it is possible to get me a grant.

في القران

48:2

Sahih International

That Allah may forgive for you what preceded of your sin and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight path