Awlaadberry
Member
Arabic
In the Arab World, does the term "white" have a meaning other than the known light complexion that the term is used for today throughout the world? The word ‘white’ used to have a different meaning in the Arab World. Today when someone reads someone describe a person as ‘white’, he/she believes that what is meant by ‘white’ is the light complexion that is known today. However, the Arabs meant something else when they described a person as ‘white’. Proof of this is found in the words of Al Hafidh Al Dhahabi in his book Siyar A’laam Al Nubalaa where he says, “When the Arabs say that a person is ‘white’, they mean that he/she has a hinti (wheatish) complexion with a black general appearance”. This is why you might find a person described sometimes as ‘white’ and sometimes as adam and described sometimes as ‘white’ and sometimes as asmar (dark-skinned) – because the Arabs meant by ‘white’ a hinti (wheatish) complexion with a black general appearance. That’s why you will find that it is reported that the Prophet Mohamed (SAWS) was ‘white’ and it is also reported that he was asmar. Abu Umaama Al Baahali said, “The Prophet (SAWS) was a ‘white-skinned’ man with some red in his complexion”. Said Ibn Mansour and Khalf Ibn Al Walid said, “Khalid Ibn Abdella iformed us on the authority of Humaid on the authority of Anas Ibn Maalik that he said: ‘the Prophet (SAWS) was asmar and I have never smelled musk or amber with a better smell than the smell of the Prophet (SAWS)’”. There is also the hadith that is found in the Al Jaami’ Al Sahih by Al Tirmidhi which says, “Humaid Ibn Mas’ada informed us on the authority of Abdel Wahhaab Al Thaqafi on the authority of Humaid on the authority of Anas Ibn Maalik that he said: ‘The Prophet (SAWS) was average height – not tall and not short, well-built, asmar, and his hair wasn’t very kinky and wasn’t straight’”. The ‘white’ complexion mentioned in the above-mentioned hadith is not the white complexion that we mean today. Al-Shaikh Mohamed ibn Ahmed ibn Ali ibn Abdel Khaaliq Shams Al-Din Al-Minhaaji Al-Asyouti describes "white" as a complexion near arbad أربد and arbad is a black complexion. Does the term "white" have it's original meaning in any parts of the Arab World? If not, does anyone know when it lost its true meaning?
