Uplifting Urdu

Images, poetry, and stories highlighting the beauty of Urdu (اردو)

Admin: @abidlabs

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

Let's conclude by listening to a remarkable Naat written by Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (born. 1856) called "Lam Yati Nazeeru Kafi Nazarin"

Remarkable because it is in 4 languages at once: Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, & Farsi! A tribute to the entire history of Naats

https://t.co/SfbVV9uqfS

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

A thread about the history of #Naats, a spiritual tradition cherished by Urdu-speaking communities worldwide.

Naats are poetic hymns sung in the praise of Prophet Muhammad, infusing profound love and reverence for the Prophet in the hearts of listeners. 🎵

Where did they start?

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

In modern times, Pakistani poets such Ahmad Faraz (born. 1931) have continued the tradition of writing Naats, while infusing them with contemporary reflections, eloquent metaphors and vivid images.

Here's Ahmad Faraz reciting a Naat himself: https://t.co/FEYeMFkDuz

[M Hassan Maqsood @mhassanmaqsood]

@UpliftingUrdu "ہمدم"
It literally translates to "companion" but a break down of the word would translate to "One you share a breath with"

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

@concaption @abidlabs Thanks!

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

@mhassanmaqsood @abidlabs That's a great idea -- will work on that if I have more bandwidth

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

@Ibrahim93049230 @abidlabs Thanks! Spread the word :)

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

@adilsheraz_ More people need to know about the gems in Urdu!

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

The Urdu language is spoken by more than 200 million people. Ironically, the name of the language (Urdu) is itself a 𝑇𝑢𝑟𝑘𝑖𝑠ℎ word (Ordu) -- meaning army

How did Urdu get this name? The answer stretches back 800 years to not one army, but TWO 🧵

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

What other words are there that share this beautiful etymology?

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

The popular 2011 Pakistani drama Humsafar (ہمسفر) was named after an Urdu word meaning: "companion"

But the simple translation hides a beautiful etymology:
- someone you travel (safar - سفر)
- together with (hum - ہم)

Below are some more words with the same prefix:

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

Humnawa (ہمنوا), meaning "like-minded" is derived from:

- (hum - ہم) - "together"
- (nawa - نوا) - "tune" or "sound"

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

More about the differences between Urdu and Hindi in a future thread!

If you liked this, please give @UpliftingUrdu a follow! 😎

[Uplifting Urdu @UpliftingUrdu]

Under the Mughals, Urdu flourished as a literary language. As a court language, it became a status symbol to speak Urdu, and two ways to write it developed:

- Urdu (written right-to-left in Persian/Arabic script)
- Hindi (written left-to-right in the Devanagari script)