Insha'Allah or jihad?
April 24, 2009 10:25 AM

Can anyone translate this Arabic calligraphy?

I'm looking to pick up a Muslimgauze shirt with this design, but I'd like to know what it says beforehand. I know Muslimgauze, and so I'm aware the message may be rather... confrontational, if not downright violent. Any ideas?
posted by FatherDagon to Writing & Language (2 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
Thankfully, nothing confrontational or violent!

It is the text of the 112th Chapter of the Quran, called Al-Ikhlas. It is a short chapter of 4 verses and describes God (Allah).

This is the translation from Wikipedia:

"He is Allah, The One and Only. Allah. the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him."

and here is the link: Al-Ikhlas

In the design you linked to, the first verse starts at roughly 5 O' Clock and goes round clockwise. (Does that make sense?) To read it, it alternates between the inner and outer circles of text and in the center is written 'Allah'.

If you plan to buy and wear the shirt, some may be find offense in wearing something that has the name of God on it.
posted by soroush at 10:54 AM on April 24, 2009


Fantastic! Man, I love AskMefi.
posted by FatherDagon at 10:58 AM on April 24, 2009


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