Stages of Love in Arabic
By Dejaih Smith
You may only be accustomed to one definition of what love means, but did you know there are many stages of “love” expressed in Arabic?
There are numerous versions of the word "love" that can be found in Arabic literature. According to Arabic, there’s a recognition of love in multiple different stages during the process of being in love. Infatuation and inclination are some of the first steps and the love grows, experiencing many different stages. While some of these phrases connote tenderness, others signify a love that can occasionally be so intense it hurts. This is not a linear route for love that feels like a “love elevator.“ Instead, these stages are descriptions of different forms of love that the language differentiates. While there are many stages of love in Arabic, here are some of our favorite stages. To best understand, we have paired an Arabic love song in this Spotify playlist to explain love in the following stages:
1- الحُب (‘Al Hob): This stage of love holds no negative signs, or red flags. The emotions are overflowing for your loved one. [Song: Kolly melkak by Sherine]
2- الصَّبابةُ: (‘A’ssibaba): This love is a longing or deep faithfulness that spills from one’s heart for the one they love. [Song: 60 dqiqa haiah by Assala]
3- الهَوَى: (‘Al Hawa): When you’re attracted to someone in the initial stage of falling in love. It’s when you are crushing on someone and your attraction is high or quickly growing for someone. [Song: Hekm El Alb by Wael Kfoury]
4- العَلاقَة: (‘Al “Alaaqa) Being attached or clinging to someone you love, essentially being in relationship with them. This love feels like it’s inseparable from your heart. [Song: Enta al saadah by Aseel Hameem]
5- الجَوَى: (‘Al Jawa”) Love that pains the heart with grief and distress that cause the lover to give up on love. [Song: Shedni ghmorni by Adham Nabulsi]
6- الخُلَّة: (‘Al “Khulla) Derived from “Khaleel, this is a love that means unification or soulmates. This love feels like you found the one - a perfect match. [Song: Jamalek ma byekhlas by Hussein Al Deek]
7- الكِْف: (‘Al Kilf): The heart can get overwhelmed and distracted by this love. [Song: Aam Betaal’ Feek by Nancy Ajram]
8- العِشْق: (‘Al “Ishq): At this stage, often called adulation, love is blind and a faint yet strong desire prevents the lover from seeing any flaws in their relationship. [Song: Hob Kol Hayaty by Elissa]
9- الشَّغَف: (‘Ashaghaf) The heart is overtaken by passion at this stage of love. It’s like a burning love for your lover. [Song: Samaany by Elissa]
10- الشَّعَف: (‘Asha”af): Love that consumes the heart that can kill it emotionally. [Song: A'ed Aala Albak by Ziad Bourji]
11- التَّيْم: (‘Attaym): A love that has you chained to your lover and you’re too entangled to see it. It is a love that has you under a spell. [Song: Ya hayat el roh by Fadel Chaker]
12- البَتَل: (‘Al Batal): A love that pushes the lover to defeat. [Song: Elly rah by Tamer Hosny]
13- الوَلَه: (‘Al Walah): Love that feels like you’re losing something or losing your mind. [Song: El bint el awiye by Wael Kfoury]
14- الهِيام: (‘Al Hiyam): A strong love that makes one lose all sense of reason. This love cannot live without the lover. [Song: Nasini el donya by Ragheb Alama]
Here is the link to the Spotify playlist with each of these 14 love songs.
Sources
Obiedat, A. Z.. (2018). The Semantic Field of Love in Classical Arabic: Understanding the Subconscious Meaning Preserved in the Ḥubb Synonyms and Antonyms through Their Etymologies - لحقل الدِلالي لألفاظ الحبِّ في العربية: فهم المعاني اللاواعية المحفوظة في مرادفات الحب وأضداده. 10.5040/9781350988484.ch-013.