Arabic Language Blog

Marhaba (مرحبا)! As promised in an earlier post, today I would like to introduce you all to Zajal (زَجَل), one of the most popular iconic and cultural traditions of many Mediterranean countries. In a nutshell, zajal is a traditional form of oral poetry  (شعر) in colloquial dialect (اللغة العاميّة ) . Most notably this form of oral poetry has roots in a number of Mediterranean cultures (ثقافات البحر المتوسط). In the Levant, it is popular in Lebanon and Palestine. In North Africa, zajal is popular in Morocco and Algeria. Zajal is in part semi-sung and semi-improvised (مُرتَجَل) and in fact reflects a debate between zajjalin (زجّالين). These zajjalin are the poets that improvise the zajal, which is usually accompanied by percussive musical instruments (أدوات موسيقية ايقاعية). In addition, to the different percussive musical instruments, in some places like Lebanon, the ney  (ناي)– type of wind instrument – is also used in zajal. In addition to the zajjalin going back forth among one other, there is usually a group of men that sing parts of the verse or repeat the chorus throughout. In new forms of zajal in Lebanon and Palestine, women have also joined the zajal by repeating parts of different verses or the main improvised chorus.

There is a degree of consensus between historians that zajal goes back to pre-Islamic times. However, many recent accounts have traced zajal back to 10^th century and specifically to Cordoba, Al-Andalus (الأندلس) in Southern Spain. The different conquests between Arab countries, Spain and parts of Europe, and the different historical linkages through wars, invasions and conquests between Western and Eastern cultures has led to the preservation and continuity of zajal in various forms and in different countries. Countries like Greece, Italy and France (parts in the South) still have a form of zajal manifested in semi-improvised and semi-sung colloquial poetic traditions (تقاليد شعريّة).

One of the most recognized and modern forms of zajal is to be found in Lebanon. Lebanese Zajal like other forms of zajal is also semi-sung and semi-improvised in the colloquial Lebanese Arabic dialect. Many claim that its origins in Lebanon began within religious seminaries (مدارس لاهوتية) and orders of Maronite monks (رهبنة مارونية), and was at first sung and improvised in Syriac (سرياني), rather than Arabic.

In most cases in Lebanon, zajal is performed during lunches and dinners. These meals include traditional Lebanese mezze dishes and platters. It is also performed in urban villages between different men that engage in musical debates (حوارات موسيقية) on a variety of topics ranging from love, food, patriotism to married life. In some instances, zajal is performed at wedding parties and could go on for hours and hours. Zajal usually begins with the famous ‘off..off…off…’ marking the beginning of the poetic duel. The Reddadi – the chanting chorus of men – accompany the verbal duel between the zajjalin. The derbake (دربكّة) and other traditional percussion instruments like the Daf  (دَفّ) usually accompany a Lebanese zajal session.

Derbake & Daf

In Lebanon, zajal has evolved and changed over time. Its heyday in Lebanon was before the Civil War which erupted in 1975. However, in the recent years, zajal has made a comeback to the Lebanese cultural scene. Zajjalin in Lebanon are reviewed as top rated poets that are genuine artists with their ability to express pure feelings of love and patriotism. The advent of the internet has popularized older shows and performances of prominent Lebanese zajjalin. It has become a national sensation and has been a great influence and point of convergence for many people. As a matter of fact, several Lebanese TV programs are hosting zajal tournaments (مباريات), where different individuals are invited to improvise and sing on spot in front of thousands of people.

I have added three YouTube videos from three different eras.

The first video features one of the most famous Zajjalin in Lebanon and the world, Joseph el Hashem. He is known as the Nightingale of Damour (زَغلول الدامور) – a coastal Southern village in Lebanon. It is an old film from the government’s national television archives.

The second video features Zajjalin from Mairouba, including the famous Mussa Zgheib.

The third video features the Nightingale of Damour with new young artists which include women performing zajal in a competition on a national Lebanese television. (Listen to how she begins with the ‘off..off…off…’

I hope you enjoy these videos and stay tuned for more upcoming posts.

Have a great day!

نهاركم سعيد

Mlookhiyeh (مُلوخِيَّة) is one of the most popular dishes in the Arab world generally. In essence, it is the leaves of Corchorus species, which are used as a vegetable around the Middle East and North Africa . In Western contexts it is usually referred to as ‘Jew’s Mallow Stew.’ It is thoroughly cooked and cannot be eaten raw.

After being thoroughly cooked, Mlookhiyeh is offered with white rice (أرزّ), toasted pita bread (خبز), onions in vinegar (بصَل بالخَلّ) and could either include lamb shanks or chicken (دجاج). These additional ingredients in principle soothe the bitterness of Mlookhiyeh.  Also, for flavoring, many individuals like to add some lemon juice (عصير الحامض). Some refer to Morocco as the home country of the Mlookhiyeh dish; while others claim that the dish’s origins lie in Egypt. Nevertheless, it is popular dish in many other countries in the Levant including Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.

In this post, I would like to share the recipe that I use in preparing a tasty dish of Mlookhiyeh. Like other recipes, we have kindly borrowed this recipe from Taste of Beirut. It is a great place for getting authentic recipes if you are interested in Arabic cuisine (المطبخ العربي).

Ingredients: To feed a family of 4 or 6 people

• 2 bunches of fresh mlookhiyeh or one package of frozen (400g)/ Fresh leaves chopped will weigh about 8 oz.
• 1 chicken, cut up in 4 pieces or 2 vegetable bouillon cubes (مَرَقَة), if vegan. You need 2 quarts of bouillon. The chicken can be substituted or added to 3 lamb shanks
• 6 to 10 cloves of garlic (ثوم)
• salt, black pepper (بهار أسوَد) to taste
• 2 Large onions (بصل), one for the chicken broth and one to chop and serve with lemon or vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons of butter (زُبدة) or olive oil or ghee
• 2 pita breads, cut up in small squares and toasted in a 275F oven (فُرن)
• 2 cups of rice of your choice (I use Basmati or Jasmine), cooked according to direction on package
• One cup of vinegar (red) or fresh lemon juice

Method:

• Make the broth the day before. Place a whole chicken, cut up in 4 pieces in a large pot. Fill it up with cold water and bring to a boil. When it starts simmering, skim the froth at the surface and regulate the heat so that it simmers gently for about an hour. Add an onion, cut in quarters. You can also add a cinnamon stick (عود قِرفَة), some salt and black pepper, a few whole allspice grains, but this is strictly optional. If you are vegan, simply dissolve a veggie cube in 2 quarts of water and set aside.
• Cool the broth and remove the chicken pieces. Run the broth through a sieve and put the chicken in a bowl and when cool enough to handle, remove the skin and cut  into  serving pieces. Place the chicken on a platter. One extra step is to place the broth in the fridge overnight and the next day, scrape off all the fat that has congealed on the surface. The broth should measure about 2 quarts.
• Wash the mlookhiyeh and make sure it is perfectly clean. Now dry it in a salad spinner, or if you want to use my grandmother’s technique, cut off the leaves and dry them on a clean bed sheet for a couple of hours, by laying them flat on the sheet, vein side up. Discard the wilted leaves.
• While the leaves are drying, chop the fresh garlic cloves  and run them  through a press into a small skillet. Place 2 tablespoons of butter, or olive oil, or ghee(سمنة) in the skillet. Heat the garlic and fat for a  minute until golden. Remove from the heat. Heat the broth and drop the toasted garlic in it, stirring for a few seconds. Remove from the heat.
• Gather all the leaves and drop them in the food processor without packing them. Process the leaves in batches, pulsing all the while in one-second pulses, until the leaves are chopped very well. Place the chopped leaves in a bowl and heat up the broth. When the broth is simmering, drop the leaves in the broth, stirring with a wooden spoon, until they are well spread out with the broth and turn off the heat. Add some salt and black pepper to taste.
• Present the mlookhiyeh in a soup tureen along some plain rice, pieces of boiled chicken, toasted pita croutons (خبز مُحمَّص), a small bowl of vinegar with chopped onion (can be substituted with lemon juice).

The traditional way to eat mlookhiyeh is with the following:

• A platter of plain rice or rice with vermicelli noodles. Can be done in advance to save some time
• A bowl of toasted pita croutons, also can be done ahead of time.
• A small bowl containing about 1 cup of vinegar (or lemon juice) to which a chopped onion has been added.
• A platter of chicken, cut in small serving pieces.

How you eat it is up to you! You decide the order of ingredients. I usually pile the rice, then the croutons, then the soup, then either the chicken or the lamb shanks and then the onions and vinegar.

It is a great meal to prepare during the Winter (الشتاء) or whenever you feel like having a full and satisfying dish! If you are planning on inviting family and friends for dinner, this is a remarkable and splendid dish that will leave everyone satisfied and full! Be sure to give it a shot!

Sahtein!! (صَحتين)

Let us first start with the signification of the Arabic term هِجـــــــــري (Hijri.)

As explained by Aziza in her post “The New Hijri Year“, “The word Hijri is derived from the word Hijra (emigration of Prophet Mohammed from Mecca to Medina.)”

Therefore “هِجـــــــــري” is an adjective, and its corresponding noun is “هِجـــــــــرة.”

A few days ago, according to an article published in the Dubai-based daily Gulf News, the Saudi government has decreed that the Hijri calendar and Arabic language are now mandatory in all official dealings.

According to the same article, “the decision was taken after the authorities noticed a violation of the royal orders governing the use of the Hijri calendar and Arabic language, and the massive use of English in the receptions of hotels and companies.”

These new steps aim to safeguard the cultural and linguistic heritage of the country.

The use of the Gregorian calendar is not forbidden though. The officials said that it could be used whenever needed, provided that it is associated with the corresponding Hijri date.

Cited by Gulf News, a Saudi blogger, Thamer Bin Mohammad, said that “Saudis have a moral duty to preserve and protect the Arabic language, which should not be replaced by English or any other language.”

Thamer has also expressed الغُـــــــــربة (the feeling of being a foreigner, a stranger) experienced by many Saudis in their own country. This social phenomenon is somewhat comparable to what some psychologists define as “unheimlich“, or the “Uncanny” (“borrowed” by Freud from German romantic author E.T.A. Hoffmann, who famously used Arabic manuscripts as a theme in his “alchemical” novella “The Golden Pot“), which also occurs in all countries that are subject to a massive flow of immigration.

“We have started to feel like strangers in our won land, especially with the tsunami of foreigners who resort to marginalising Arabic in local and foreign companies and in hotels.”

The Saudis are not the only ones concerned about the status of their culture and language. A big wave of ”cultural protectionism” has recently swept the region, and similar steps were taken in the UAE, Qatar, and even Morocco to a certain extent.

Read also the related post: New Global “Center of Excellence” for Arabic Language