Word of the Day, Issue #032

Arabs = اَلْعَرَبُ

There are two categories of Arabs: اَلْعَرَبُ الْعَارِبَةُ (al-'arab al-'aribah), (literally the Arabic Arabs), which refers to the ancient "genuine" Arabs, which consisted primarily of a number of tribes extinct by the time of the Prophet Muhammad (sws), such as 'Aad and Thamud; it can also be used to refer to the descendents of Qahtan (also called Qahtani Arabs). These latter still exist as the Arabs of Yemen. Then we have اَلْعَرَبُ الْمُسْتَعْرِبَة (al-'arab al-musta'rabah) (literally the Arabicised Arabs), who learnt Arabic from the genuine Arabs, and are the descendents of Adnan, himself a descendent of Ishmael (therefore also called the Adnani Arabs). Adnani tribes still exist mainly on the Arabian peninsula. By extension, nations and even individuals who have learnt Arabic may be referred to by this appellation.