Sunday, April 10, 2011

Arabic Tattoos – The Latest Celebrity Must-Have

Arabic tattoos are definitively in fashion in the world of the rich and the famous. And I don’t mean temporary tattoos done with henna. This is perhaps surprising, because there are hardly any tattoos to be seen in the Arab World. In the West, however, tattoos have come a long way from the time when they were essentially associated with sailors and soldiers. Nowadays, having a permanent inking on your skin is no longer a sign of low class.

Recently, celebrities like actress Angelina Jolie, football player Zlatan Ibrahimović, and pop star Rihanna have been getting Arabic phrases and words tattooed on their bodies. But, do they really know the meaning of the words they are eternalizing on their skin? Let’s take a look at the tattoos and their meanings:

Angelina Jolie: the firm will

First off is Angelina Jolie who it seems has already filled every inch of her skin with some writing or other. Her latest addition is this Arabic tattoo:

Angelina Jolie's Arabic Tattoo

Angelina Jolie's Arabic Tattoo

Taking a closer look we can make out the Arabic word العزيمة (al-‘azeema), meaning “the determination” or “the firm will” on her right forearm. Jolie certainly strikes me as a woman who knows what she wants – so it seems that this tattoo is quite fitting. However, the word can also mean “the incantation” or “the spell”.

"determination" in Arabic While the Arabic script chosen for the tattoo is pretty plain, Angelina (or one of her assistants) has at least done enough research to ensure that the word is spelled correctly – no slipups here
More here
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Wrong! Neither Angelina nor any of her assistants have done a good job at asking the right person because putting the definite article "al/el" to Azeemah translates to 'the determination'! That is as ridiculous as writing ' the freedom'!

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