Adab (gesture)
Adab(Hindustani:آداب(Nastaleeq),आदाब(Devanagari)), from the Arabic wordAadaab(آداب), meaning respect and politeness, is a handgestureused in theIndian subcontinent,by theUrdu-speaking whilegreeting.[1][2]It involves raising the right hand in front of the eyes with palm inwards, while the upper torso is bent forward.
The gesture is associated with theGanga-Jamuni cultureofSouth Asia,especially of theUrdu-speakingcommunities of Uttar Pradesh,Hyderabadi Muslims,andMuhajir peopleof Pakistan.[3]
History
[edit]Since the religious greeting of Muslims i.e. "Assalamu Alaikum"was meant for Muslims only,[4]andMuslims in Indialived in a multi-faith and a multi-lingual society, this alternative form of greeting was coined. Its use became so pervasive in the high culture of northern and central India that it was not considered inappropriate to reply to 'salaam' with 'aadaab' and vice versa and it was used frequently in non-Muslim households as well.[1]The use ofAadabis especially popular in theIndiancity ofHyderabad,wherereligious pluralismhas been historically emphasized; theNizamof the region stated: "Hindus and Muslims are like my two eyes... How can I favor one eye over the other?"[5]In some localities of India and Pakistan, the phrase and gesture has decreased in use because it is perceived as insufficiently Islamic compared to other greetings, though it is preferred by many who still use it due to its inclusive nature.[1]
Description
[edit]The gesture involves raising the right hand towards the face with palm inwards such that it is in front of the eyes and the finger tips are almost touching the forehead, as the upper torso is bent forward.[6]It is typical for the person to say "adab arz hai"(Nastaleeq:آداب عرض ہے,Devanagari:आदाब अर्ज़ है), meaning "I offer my respects to you", or simply just "aadab".[5] It is often answered with the same or the word "tasleem"is said as an answer or sometimes it is answered with a facial gesture of acceptance.
In popular culture today, the adab is often associated with the courtly culture of the MuslimNawabs.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abc"Adaab in a Time of Allah Hafiz".Inside Islam.2012-05-01.Retrieved2020-10-08.
- ^Kachru, Yamuna (31 October 2006).Hindi.John Benjamins Publishing. p. 273.ISBN978-90-272-9314-5.
- ^Hasnain, Nadeem (2016).The Other Lucknow.Vani Prakashan.ISBN978-93-5229-420-6.
Lucknow has been famous for its Urdu poets and poetry,tehzeebespeciallyganga-jamuni tehzeeb,adab-o-akhlaq,kathak, muharrum, cousine and handicrafts.
- ^Sahih Muslim, Hadith # 2167 (According to International Numbering)
- ^abBasit, Abdul (2012).The Global Muslim Community at a Crossroads: Understanding Religious Beliefs, Practices, and Infighting to End the Conflict.ABC-CLIO. p. 61.ISBN9780313396977.
- ^Gambhir, Vijay (1996).The Teaching and Acquisition of South Asian Languages.University of Pennsylvania Press.p. 87.ISBN0-8122-3328-X.