arabic themes in dune

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Arabic and Islamic themes in Frank Herbert's "Dune"

Submitted by Khalid on Thu, 2004/01/22 - 19:59

Culture |

Literature

Those who are familiar with Frank Herbert'sfamous novel Duneknow that he took his analogy from

the oil of the Middle East, and that the novel is symbolic about the dependance of the West on the oil,

and the power struggles to control this valuable resource.

You will really enjoy this article whether you have read the novels, or summaries of them, or just

watched 1984 David Lynch Dune movie, and/or the Dune TV Mini-series, or even played the Dune

games.

In this article, I try to explain in detail where Frank Herbert got his name, concepts, and words from.This article is not meant to be a literary nor an exhaustive topical critique of the novels, which I am

cannot fully do, because simply, I did not read the original novels. I have watched and enjoyed the

movie and the mini-series, and read summaries of the novels. Instead, this article is a linguistic and

etymological study of the major aspects of Dune as they pertain to Middle East, Arabic, and Islam.

I should note here that not everything in Dune is derived from Arabic or is of Islamic origin. There are

other influences for sure. For example, Atreides is directly taken from Homer's Iliad, and is hence of

Greek mythological origin. Vladimir is a Slavic name, and common in Russia, which was the Evil

Empire during the Cold War era. The terms Tleilaxu and Axolotl seem to be from Meso-Americanorigin (Aztec?). The Kwisatz Haderach is a Hebrew term. Also names such as Vladimir and Atreides

are from Slavic and Ancient Greek cultures. Although these and others have different origin, it can be

conceded that Islamic and Arabic themes are the ones that Frank Herbert used the most in his Duneseries.

Also, Dune is not the only example of Islam and Arab culture in Western Sci Fi. Other examples of

Islam in Sci Fi Literature are collected by Muhammad Aurangazeb Ahmed.

Translations of this article

A French translation by Frederic Specht is on the Dune France web site.

A Russian translation by Vitaly Chikharin is on the Russian Spice World web site.

An earlier version of this article has been translated to Korean by a visitor. You have to click on the link

at the end of the article to display the translation, paragraph by paragraph.

PlagiarismThis article has been plagiarised by some person in Utah's Indy Media web site. The URL ishttp://utah.indymedia.org/news/2004/05/8709.php. It was published on Monday May 31, 2004 at

11:23 PM. S/he even did a shameless copy/paste and left the original headings in there, like so:

Islamic themes in Frank Herbert's "Dune"

Submitted by Khalid on Thu, 2004/01/22 - 23:59. Culture | Literature
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Introduction

For those who are unfamiliar with the novels or the movie or the mini-series, here is a quick briefing of

the setting: On the planet Arrakis, there is a very precious commodity, called Melange, or the spice.

This commodity is only found on this desert inhospitable planet. The spice is necessary for intergalacticspace travel. The powerful merchant guild requires it. An emperor controls the mining of the spice

through two warring houses, the Atreides and the Harkonen. The native inhabitants of the planet are the

Fremen, tribal desert nomadic people who know how to survive there. The emperor sides with theHarkonen against the Atreides, and Duke Leto Atreides, Paul's father is assassinated. Paul is exiled,

then works up an alliance with the Fremen, and becomes their leader. He then leads the resistance

movement against the Harkonen and the emperor, reclaiming his family's heritage as just rulers. Thereare many other details that I skimmed over (e.g. the worm, Shai Hulud, ...etc.)

Resources

Those who want to read more on Frank Herbert and/or his Dune novels can peruse the following links:

Frank Herbert's biography on Wikipedia

Dune article on Wikipedia gives you an overview of the plot, characters, and more.

Tim O'Reilly wrote a Sci-Fi bookand has some comments on Dune there. More importantly, hewrote abook about Frank Herbert and how he developed his ideas. Also, in Borders.com he has

more comments on Dune.

Star Wars Origins in Dune. An extensive web page discussing the link, and elaborating on some

themes in Dune.

Lexicon of the Imperium from the Dreamers of Dune web site lists most of the terms used in

Dune.

The Dune Fictional Universe on Explore Reading.

Islamic and Arabic Themes in DuneWhat is not well known are the various Islamic undertones, and Arabic etymologies that Frank Herbertput in Dune. The purpose of this article is to try to list these themes, and trace them back to whatever

Islamic concept there is (if any).

The following list is derived from the above linked Lexicon, with some of my own addition. I try to

explain what the term means in Herbert's novel, and what possible Arabic or Islamic terms it wasderived from, and their original meaning.

As per the request of a visitor, I added the possible Arabic origin, in Arabic text next to each title.

Term

Arabic

Etymology Comments

ABA

Loose robe worn by Fremen women: usually black. The term seems to

be a direct derivation from the modern day term: "Abaya" , which

has been the Muslim female dress for centuries. The original term

oris how it is referred to in the classical Arabic sources.

ADAB The demanding memory that comes upon you of itself. In Arabic, Adab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Herberthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(novel)http://tim.oreilly.com/http://tim.oreilly.com/sci-fi/herbert/http://tim.oreilly.com/herbert/http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/articles/borders.htmlhttp://www.jitterbug.com/origins/dune.htmlhttp://dreamersofdune.com/lexicon/all.phphttp://www.explore-reading.com/literature/dune_fictional_universe.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Herberthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(novel)http://tim.oreilly.com/http://tim.oreilly.com/sci-fi/herbert/http://tim.oreilly.com/herbert/http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/articles/borders.htmlhttp://www.jitterbug.com/origins/dune.htmlhttp://dreamersofdune.com/lexicon/all.phphttp://www.explore-reading.com/literature/dune_fictional_universe.html


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means "manners" and also "literature".

ALIAor

Alia is the name of Paul's little sister. Alia was the name of one of the

many queens of Jordan under King Hussein. The name is the feminine

form of "High above". Note that Tim O'Reilly states that Alia was a

member of the prophet's family. He seems to mean Ali (masculine).Either he is mistaken, or Herbert was confused. Or perhaps Herbert

meant it as word play.

AL-LAT Mankind's original sun; by usage: any planet's primary. Al-Lat was a

principle pre-Islamic goddess, equated with the Greek Venus.

ALAM AL-

MITHAL

The mystical world of similitudes where all physical limitations areremoved. The term seems to be derived from mystic Sufi traditions. In

Arabic it means "World of Similitudes".

AMTAL orAMTAL RULE

A common rule an primitive worlds under which something is tested to

determine its limits or defects. Commonly: testing to destruction. This

could be derived from (Amthal) which in Arabic means

"Proverbs", among other things.

AQL The test of reason. Originally, the 'Seven Mystic Questions' beginning:

'Who is it that thinks ?' The Arabic word means many things, such as

"mind", "logic", "reason".

ARRAKIS -

The planet known as Dune; third planet of Canopus. I have seen some

say that this is derived from the Arabic word for dancing, Raqs

with "the" prepended, making it ar-rakis . However, this is onlytrue in some dialects (e.g. not in Egypt for example). To me, this is onlya remote possibility.

AULIYA In the Zensunni Wanderer's religion, the female at the left hand of God:God's handmaiden. In Arabic, Auliya is the plural for Wali which means 'an ally', and in some Islamic traditions means 'an ally ofgod', roughly translating to 'saint'.

AXOLOTL -

Axolotl tanks are used by the Tleilaxu to breed Gholas. The name is for

a salamanger, and is from the Aztec Nahuatl language, from "atl"meaning water, and "xolotl" meaning dog. It also derives its name from

the Aztec God of Death Xolotl, who - according to myth - assumed the

amphibian's form in an effort to escape exile, and was killed whilesuch. See theAxolotl article in Wikipedia.

AYAT The signs of life. This is the same meaning in Arabic, and used in theQuran often.

BAKKA In fremen legend, the weeper who mourns for all mankind. In Arabic,

this means someone who weeps often, and in early Islam, it referred to

those who cried out of piety, and fear/respect of God.

BAKLAWA Heavy pastry made with date syrup. In the modern Middle East, there isa pastry that is made with syrup, but only with sugar (no datesinvolved). It is made as far north as Turkey, the Levant, Egypt, and the
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolotl_tankhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolotlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolotlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolotl_tankhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolotl


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Arabian peninsula.

BARAKA A living holy man of magical powers. In Arabic, this word means

'blessings'. It can be used as an adjective for people who are pious,

considered blessed, or can bestow blessings on others.

BASHAR

(Often Colonel Bashar): an officer of the Sardaukar a fractional point

above Colonel in the standardized military classification. Rank createdfor military ruler of a planetary sub-district (Bashar of the Corps is atitle reserved strictly for military use.) Also, one character in

Chapterhouse Dune is Bashar Miles Teg. Bashar is an ancient Arab

name that was in use at least since the first Hegira century. It is still inuse today (e.g. Bashar is the first name of the current Syrian President).

BENE

GESSERIT

The witch sisterhood, or class that Paul's mother belonged to are called

Bene Gesserit. The phrase in Arabic means "Sons of theIsland/Peninsula". The Arabian peninsula is often called "Al Jazirah"

(The Peninsula). Also, the term "Beni" can mean descent from, or a

village/town originally inhabited by a tribe/clan. However, an

alternative explanation is possible, that the origin is Latin, and means"he/she will do well", or "it will have been well borne". Perhaps

Herbert was playing with words, and intended dual meaning here,

although I doubt it, since the Bene Tleilaxu share the same prefix"Bene", but seems to be inspired by Central and South American

history.

BI-LA KAIFA

Amen. (Literally: 'Nothing further need be explained.'). In Islamictheological discourse, it refers to an ancient dispute on the attributes of

God (e.g. face, hand, ...etc.), and how different groups interpreted them.

The traditionalists chose to accept them as is, 'without how'. Therationalists (e.g. Mu'tazili) chose to interpret them allegorically. The

phrase Bi-La Kaifa means "without a how". This term is not used often

in modern times, except in theological circles. It is amazing that Frank

Herbert would be exposed to this term, and make use of it.

BLED flat, open desert. Could be derived from (Belad), meaning"countries".

BOURKA

Insulated mantle worn by Fremen in the open desert. In classical

Arabic, Burqu' is any face cover, whether used for males or females, or

even on animals (e.g. in some battles, the Persians used elephants. TheArabs used face covers on the camels so they would not be startled by

them). In modern times it refers to women's dress. In Egypt, the Burqu'

used to refer to a face mask wore by women when they are out in

public. In other countries, such as Afghanistan (spelled Burqa inEnglish), it refers to an all covering dress for women, with a net like

area for sight.


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BURHAN The proofs of life. (Commonly: the ayat and burhan of life.) In Arabic,

Burhan is 'proof', and was used by logicians and philosophers indialectical debates to mean just that.

CAID

Sardaukar officer rank given to a military official whose duties call

mostly for dealings with civilians; a military governorship over a fullplanetary district; above the rank of Bashar but not equal to a Burseg.

The Arabic word means "commander" or "chief".

CRYSKNIFE -

The sacred knife of the Fremen on Arrakis. It is manufactured in two

forms from teeth taken from dead sandwolms. The two forms am 'fixed'

and 'unfixed.' An unfixed knife requires proximity to a human body'selectrical field to prevent disintegration. Fixed knives are treated for

storage. All are about 20 centimetres long. In Malaysia, there is a

ceremonial dagger called Krys with a wavy blade.

DAR AL-

HIKMAN

School of religious translation or interpretation. In the 9th century, the

Abbasid Caliph, al-Mamun established an academy for translation, and

teaching and called it Dar al-Hikma, meaning House of Wisdom.

EL-SAYAL

The 'rain of sand.' A fall of dust which has been carried to medium

altitude (around 2,000 metres) by a coriolis storm. El-sayals frequently

bring moisture to ground level. The preposition "El" in Arabic means"The". Sayal is derived from the root, "to flow"

ERG

An extensive dune area, a sea of sand. In the Arab peninsula dialects,

the letter is pronounced as a G (like in Game). The meaning is the

same, and the plural is .

FAI The water tribute, a kind of tax. In Muslim law, means landrevenue from agriculture.

FEDAYKIN

Fremen death commandos: historically: a group formed and pledged togive their lives to right a wrong. Theyare special strike forces of the

Fremen under the command of Paul Atrides. They are kind of kamikaze

like force who know they can sacrifice themselves in their mission. Ithink this term is taken from the Arabic "Feda'yin", which in the 1960s

was used for the Palestinian guerillas. The same term was used for

Saddam Hussein's special guerilla type forces.

Note that the "k" is not the correct sound here, but rather the Arabic

"hamza". Certain cultures do transform the hamza to a "k", at least

when written, for example, in Indonesia, Mu'min (believer, faithful) canbe written as Mukmin. Could this be another clue of where FrankHerbert got his terms from?

FIQH Knowledge, religious law; one of the half-legendary origins of the

Zensunni Wanderers' religion. The term is a purely Islamic one. It

originated from "understanding".

FREMEN - The Fremen were modeled by Herbert after desert nomad warriors.


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This is evident in their tribalism, knowledge of the desert, code of

honor, and more.

GHAFLA Giving oneself up to gadfly distractions. Thus: a changeable person,

one not to be trusted. In Arabic, it means lack of alertness.

GHANIMA

something acquired in battle or single combat. Commonly, a memento

of combat kept only to stir the memory. Ghanima in Arabic comes fromthe root GH-N-M, which means "to win", "to gain". Many Arabicproper names use this root, as in "Ghanem", "Ghannaam". If

pronounced with a long "i" vowel, Ghanima could mean war booty.

With a short "i" sound, it would mean "one who gained".

GHOLA These are manufactured clones of other people using genetic

engineering techniques by the Bene Tleilaxu. The word seems to be

derived from the Arabic mythical creature "ghoul" .

GOM JABBAR

The high-handed enemy; that specific poison needle tipped with meta-

cyanide used by Bene Gesserit Proctors in the death-alternative test of

human awareness. The Bene Gesserit witch threatens Paul with, whenhe is put to the test. Also, Alia uses a Gom Jabbar to kill her

grandfather, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. "Jabar" could be a variation of

"Jabbar"7, which in Arabic means "mighty" or "powerful", and inthe form "Al Jabbar" is a name of God.

GHUFRAN

In the Tleilaxu culture members must be "cleansed" of all

communicable sins and ideas after contact with non-believers

(powindah). Ghufran designates a rite of purification. Ghufran is

definitely Arabic. It means "forgivness" or "absolution". If a Muslimcommits a sin, he asks for forgiveness from God, which can be called

Ghufran (there are other terms, such as Tawbah , ...etc.) One ofGod's name in Islam is "Al Ghafur" (The Forgiver). It is

interesting that the term Sukuk Al Ghufran is the Arabicname for the Papal Indulgences in the 1500s whereby the pope "sold"absolution certificates for money to the rich.

HAJJ

Holy journey. In Islam, this exact term refers to a religious obligation

on every Muslim who is physically and financially able to visit Meccaonce in his lifetime, and participate in the rituals with millions of other

Muslims.

HAJRA Journey of seeking. In Arabic, Hijra it means immigration. In Islam, itrefers specifically to the incident when prophet Muhammad immigrated

from Mecca north to Madina. It marks the beginning of the Islamic

calendar.

HAL YAWM 'Now! At last!' A Fremen exclamation. This term is used in many Arab

countries today to mean "today".

HARJ Desert journey, migration. In Arabic, this term means "confusion",

referring to people running around aimlessly when a disaster strikes.


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IBAD, EYES

OF

Characteristic effect of a diet high in melange wherein the whites and

pupils of the eyes turn a deep blue (indicative of deep melange

addiction). Ibad could be derived from the Arabic word which is

plural formeaning slave, or just person.

IBN QIRTAIBA

"Thus go the holy words..." Formal beginning to Fremen religious

incantation (derived from panoplia propheticus). Ibn means "son of", sothis could refer to a person who is the son of another person called

Qirtaiba, author of these texts. Qirtaiba could derive from a

known author, orreferring to Cordova. Many authors in Arabic

and Islamic matters hailed from this city, and had the title orQurtubi.

ICHWAN

BEDWINE

The brotherhood of all Fremen on Arrakis. Ikhwan means brotherhood,

and has been used in ancient times, such as Ikhwan al-Safa and in modern times as well, such as the Muslim Brotherhood political

organization . Bedwine could be derived from

Bedouin ormeaning just that.

IJAZ Prophecy that by its very nature cannot be denied; immutable prophecy.

The Arabic term refers to a miraclous thing that cannot be immitated bya non-prophet.

ILM Theology; science of religious tradition, one of the halflegendaryorigins of the Zensunni Wanderers' faith. The Arabic word means

"science" and "knowledge".

ISTISLAH A rule for the general welfare; usually a preface to brutal necessity. Theword is used in modern Arabic (specifically Egypt) to mean land

reclamation. It could also mean reform.

JIHAD

In Dune, Jihad is described as Holy War. The contemporary stereotype

of Jihad in Western media conjures images of planes crashing in

buildings, or young men in suicide bombing missions. However, in

Dune, Jihad is given more of a realistic meaning: struggle for justiceagainst oppression, a fight against evil by the masses, even by rebellion

or armed resistance. The Harkonen and the Emperor's Sardukar are

seen as oppressors, and the Fremen (especially the Fedaykin), usearmed resistance against them. This is labelled by Frank Herbert as

Jihad, and is very close to the real meaning ofthe concept.

JUBBA CLOAK

The all-purpose cloak (it can he set to reflect or admit radiant heat,converts to a hammock or shelter) commonly worn over a stillsuit on

Arrakis. In Arabic it refers to a flowing robe type of clothing, worn in

many countries, such as Egypt, specially by graduates of Al Azhar

university.


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KARAMA A miracle; an action initiated by the spirit world. In Islam, it refers to a

semi-miraclous act performed by a pious person who is not a prophet.If a prophet is involved, then it is a miracle.

KHALA Traditional invocation to still the angry spirits of a place whose name

you mention. In Arabic, this word refers to empty spaces, void, ...etc.

KINDJAL Double-bladed short sword (or long knife) with about 20 centimetres ofslightly curved blade. The term in Arabic means dagger, but spelled asKhinjar. The Kindjal spelling is used in the Indian subcontinent to refer

to some types of short swords.

KHASADAR

Quote : "The khasadars who policed all Tleilaxu frontiers and guardedthe selamliks of the women". Khasadar seems like derived from

Turkish. The suffix -dar means "in charge of ..." or "of the

occupation ...". For example Selahdarmeans in charge of

arms, khazendarmeans in charge of treasury, ....etc. Khasa

means "private" in Arabic, so Khasdar means "in charge ofprivacy", alluding to "in charge of women in the family".

Selamlik is actually the men's quarters in Turkish/Ottoman cutlure and

those affected by it. Selam is Turkish for Salam (Peace, which isthe Islamic greeting and Arabic word), and -lik is a suffix in Turkishmeaning "of ...". The women's quarters would be called Haramlik, were

the word Harem in Western languages were derived.

There are palaces in Egypt that still have the name Salamlek andHaramlek derived from the ex-Royal family (who were of Turkish

culture, but Albanian ancestry).

KISWA

Any figure or design from Fremen mythology. The Arabic word could

refer to (kiswa) meaning "cover", referring to clothing forchildren, or covering for a religious building. It could also be derived

from .(qissa) meaning story

KITAB AL-

IBAR

The combined survival handbook-religious manual developed by the

Fremen on Arrakis. Kitab means book. Ibar means stories with a moral

meaning.

KULL WAHAD!

"I am profoundly stirred!" A sincere exclamation of surprise commonin the Imperium. Strict interpretation depends on context. (It is said of

Muad'Dib that once he watched a desert hawk chick emerge from itsshell and whispered: 'Kull wahad!'). The literal Arabic meaning means

"every one".

KWISATZHADERACH

'Shortening of the Way.' This is the label applied by the Bene Gesseritto the unknown for which they sought a genetic solution: a male Bene

Gesserit whose organic mental powers would bridge space and time.

Paul Atrides says that he is the Kwisatz Haderach, a super being.


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Several visitors to this site indicated that this term means "shortening of

the way" in Hebrew, with possibly Kabbalistic roots, from "Kfitsat or

Kfitzat Haderch". Kfitz means "jump", as in the Arabic root Q-F-Z.

So it would be in Arabic.

LA, LA, LA

Fremen cry of grief. (La translates as ultimate denial, a 'no' from which

you cannot appeal.) The Arabic word (La) means 'no'.

LASHKAR

From Heretics of Dune : "Every time he left the inner worlds of the

Bene Tleilax, Waff felt himself to be on lashkar, a war party seeking

that ultimate revenge which his people named secretly as Bodal".

Lashkar is a corruption of an Arabic word "Al 'Askar" meaning"the soldiers" or "a group of soldiers", and came to mean "army". It iscorrupted in Hindi/Urdu to Lashkar. Here is a dictionary entry on

etymology of Lashkar. Also compare to Laskhar-e-Toiba that came to

media attention in Kashmir in recent years.

LIBAN Fremen liban is spice water infused with yucca flour. Originally a sourmilk drink. In Arabic, Liban is a gum from a certain tree that hasaromatic and medicinal qualities.

LISAN AL-

GAIB

"The Voice from the Outer World." In Fremen messianic legends, an

off-world prophet. The term in Arabic is composed of two words. Lisan

means literally "Tongue", and means "speaker". Ghaib (a morephonetic version of Gaib) means "Unknown" or "that which is not

revealed", or "things that will come in the future, unknown to us

know". One of the basic tenets of the Muslim faith, is the belief thatGod alone knows what is hidden in the future.

MAHDI

in the Fremen messianic legend, 'The One Who Will Lead Us to

Paradise.' Paul Atreides, the central figure in the Dune novel is the sonof the murdered Duke, he is exiled with his mother, manages to escape,

and after a confrontation with the Fremen, gains their respect, and

becomes their leader in their struggle against the evil Harkonen. He iscalled the Mahdi. In Islam, the Mahdi ("The Rightly Guided One") is

an all human Messianic figure, who comes to "fill the world with

justice" after much of the opposite. The views of Sunni Islam differquite a bit from Shia Islam on this, but they both at least agree on this

part. Mahdi si a much more central figure in Shia Islam than it is in

Sunni Islam, where the concept is often denied and attributed tolegends and myths.

MAULA Slave.

MIHNA The season for testing Fremen youths who wish admittance tomanhood. In Arabic it means "test" or "ordeal".

MISH-MISH Apricots.

MISR The historical Zensunni (Fremen) term for themselves: 'The People.'The Arabic word means "Egypt", as well as "country", "land".
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry.php?id=l0055700http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry.php?id=l0055700


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MU ZEIN

WALLAH!

In this traditional opening for a Fremen curse against an enemy, Wallah

turns the emphasis back upon the words Mu zein, producing themeaning: 'Nothing good, never good, good for nothing.' In Arabic, Mu

zein literally means 'not good,' and wallah is a reflexive terminal

exclamation, meaning "I swear by Allah". This term is used in slangmodern day Arabic in some countries (Arabia and the Levant).

MUAD'DIB

The nickname that Paul chooses in the story is Muad'dib, and is said tobe the name of the desert mouse who comes at night in the moon light.Although the English pronounciation of this word calls for a long "i",

there is an almost exact word in Arabic like it (Mu'adib), which means

"private tutor" or "teacher". It used to be that the Caliphs, the rulers ofthe Muslim world, would hire a Mu'adib to teach their children. The

practice seemed to be common for other strata of society as well.

MUDIR

NAHYA

The Fremen name for Beast Rabban. The name is often translated as'Demon Ruler.' The term Mudir in modern Arabic means "manager",

and is possibly derived from Turkish, and Nahya means district or

place. The term is still in use verbatim in modern Iraq.

MUSHTAMAL A small garden annex or garden courtyard. The Arabic terms means

complex or compound.

NAIB

Paul meets with representatives of Fremen tribes. They are called

Naibs. They are ones who have sworn never to be taken alive by the

enemy; making that the traditional oath of a Fremen leader. This is an

Arabic word meaning deputy. The word is used today formembers of parliament in Arab countries.

NAYLA

Nayla is the name of one of the female Fish Speakers body guard of theGod Emperor Leto II. The name is an ancient Arab female name, and

also the name of a pre-Islamic Goddess in Arabia. In contemporary

Arabic societies, both the masculine and the feminine names

are used, with the sound made into a sound, and hence identicalto the Nayla name.

OTHEYM This is the name of one of the Naibs. His name is derived from an

ancient Arabic name, , a companion and third successor toprophet Muhammad, in its diminutive form.

PADISHAH Emperor Shaddam IV has the title of Padishah. Both the OttomanSultan of Turkey, and the Shah of Iran used to have the Persian title

Padishah, which means : "Chief ruler; monarch; sovereign".

PORTYGULS Oranges. In Arabic, oranges are known as "bortoqal". The name isderived from the ancient name of the country of Portugal which was

Roman for Porto Callis.

POWINDAH -The Tleilax culture calls strangers Powindah. The name is derived from

what Afghan unsettled nomads are called

QANAT In Children of Dune, Qanat is an open canal for carrying irrigation


11/20

water under controlled conditions through the desert. The is the same as

the Arabic word meaning "Canal", e.g. as in Suez Canal .The origin of the word Qanat in Arabic is the straight shaft of a spear.

QUIZARA

TAFWID

Fremen priests (after Muad'Dib). The Arabic term Tafwid means "to

delegate".

RABBAN The word Rabban is contemporary Arabic for a ship's pilot.

RAMADHAN

Ancient religious period marked by fasting and prayer; traditionally, the

ninth month of the solar-lunar calendar. Fremen mark the observanceaccording to the ninth meridian-crossing cycle of the first moon. In the

Muslim Lunar calendar, the ninth month is the month of fasting by the

name Ramadan.

RAZZIA

A semipiratical guerrilla raid. I have seen that term used to refer to the

early Muslim battles in modern discourse. The word is said to have

Arabic roots, from Ghazwa meaning a small scale military

campaign or battle. In modern Italian, the meaning is "warriorexpedition in strange territory for plunder" (thanks to Marco Calvani).

RUH-SPIRIT In Fremen belief, that part of the individual which is always rooted in

(and capable of sensing) the metaphysical world. The word Ruh meanssoul or spirit in Arabic.

SARFA The act of turning away from God. The term is Arabic for "leaving" or"abandoning".

SAYYADINA

Feminine acolyte in the Fremen religious hierarchy. The title given to

Paul's mother among the Fremen is "Sayyedina". It is said to mean "the

friend of God". This is clearly derived from "Sayyed ", meaning"master" in Arabic, and a title bestowed on various classes of people,from noble descent, to religious clerics, to the so-called saints and holy

men. The term as used in the novel is more masculine though!

SELAMLIK Imperial audience chamber. The term was used for the part in a palace

that can be frequented by visitors. It was used in Turkey and Egypt. The

word seems to be Turkish in origin.

SHAH-NAMA The half-legendary First Book of the Zensunni Wanderers. There are

real chronicle books by that name about the lives and deeds of Persian

kings, most famously, that of al-Firdawsi.

SHAI-HULUD

Sandworm of Arrakis, the 'Old Man of the Desert','Old Father Eternity'

and 'Grandfather of the Desert.' Significantly, this name, when referredto in a certain tone or written with capital letters, designates the earth

deity of Fremen hearth superstitions. Sandworms grow to enormous

size (specimens longer than 400 metres have been seen in the deep

desert) and live to great age unless slain by one of their fellows ordrowned in water, which is poisonous to them. Most of the sand on

Arrakis is credited to sandworm action. In Arabic, the name can be split

into "Shai" ("thing") and "Hulud" ("eternal" or "eternity").
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=razziahttp://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=razzia


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SHAITAN In Heretics of Dune, Sheeana insists on calling the sandworms Shaitan.

This is the Arabic word for "Satan" or "The Devil". It is also borrowedby Hindi for the same meaning.

SHARIA That part of the panoplia propheticus which sets forth the superstitious

ritual. In Islam, this refers to religious laws.

SIETCH

Fremen:'Place of assembly in time of danger.' Because the Fremenlived so long in peril, the term came by general usage to designate anycave warreninhabited by one of their tribal communities. It is worth

noting the similarity between Sietch and "Seeq", which is one of the

Arabic names of the ancient desert town of Petra, accessible only via anarrow passage. Notice the similarities in the structure, and the name.

SIHAYA-

Fremen: the desert springtime with religious overtones implying the

time of fruitfulness and 'the paradise to come.' The term seems to be

Arabic in origin, although it is had to say. It could be siyaha

(wandering, tourism), or(health)

SIRAT

The passage in the O.C. Bible that describes human life as a journeyacross a narrow bridge (the Sirat) with 'Paradise on my right, Hell on

my left, and the Angel of Death behind.' The term Sirat in Islam refersto a passage between Hell and Paradise that people would have to pass

on the day of Judgement. The concept is not exclusive to Islam, it is

found in Zoroaster's teaching as well.

SOO-SOOSOOK!

Water-seller's cry on Arrakis. Although the Arabic word for

marketplace is "Suk" or "Sook", the origin of this phrase is most

probably Turkish. Street vendors there will shout "Su, souk su",meaning "Water! Cold water". Others will shout 'Suyu', meaning drink

or juice. Thanks forSven Holmstrom from Sweden for his blog entry,and message on this.

SUBAKH UL

KUHAR

'Are you well?' a Fremen greeting. In modern Egypt, this is the

morning greeting, meaning: "Morning of good things". Its correctspelling should be "Sabah El Kheir".

SUBAKH UN

NAR

'I am well. And you?' traditional reply. In modern Egypt, this is the

reply to a greeting, meaning: "Morning of light". Its correct spellingshould be : "Sabah El Nour"

TAHADDI AL-BURHAN

An ultimate test from which there can be no appeal (usually because it

brings death or destruction). In Arabic this means: "Challenge of the

Proof".TAHADDICHALLENGE

Fremen challenge to mortal combat, usually to test some primal issue.The word Tahaddi is Arabic for challenge.

TAQWA Literally: 'The price of freedom.'.Something of great value. That which

a diety demands of a mortal (and the fear provoked by the demand). InArabic and Islam it means : piety.

THUFIR

HAWAT The name could have Arabic roots. Thufaris a place in Yemen. It
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could be fromThafir which means "victorious". Hawat can be

or of similar etymology.

ULEMA A Zensunni doctor of theology. The Arabic word is plural meaning"scientists", as well as knowledgable people, in both matters of religion

and in worldly affairs. Singular is ALEM.

UMMA 7One of the brotherhood of prophets. (A term of scorn in the imperium,meaning any 'wild' person given to fanatical prediction.) In Arabic, this

term means "nation" or "peoples".

USUL

Fremen: 'The base of the pillar.' This is the name given to Paul by the

Fremem Chieftain Stilgar. The Arabic root A-S-L means "base".Usul is the plural, and is used for "basis", "principles", "methods" as

well, like in Usul Al Fiqh which is the science of principlesof jurisprudence.

WALI An untried Fremen youth. In Arabic this is the singular for Auliya (seeabove).

YA HYA

CHOUHADA

'Long live the Fighters!' The Fedaykin battle cry. Ya (now) in this cry isaugmented by the hya form (the ever-extended now). Chouhada

(fighters) carries this added meaning of fighters against injustice. There

is adistinction in this word that specifies the fighters are notstrugglingfor anything, but consecrated against a specific thing -- that

alone. In Arabic, Chouhada (or Shuhada) means martyrs.

YA! YA!

YAWM!

Fremen chanting cadence used in time of deep ritual significance. Yacarries the root meaning of 'Now pay attention!' The yawm form is a

modifiedterm calling for urgent immediacy. The chant is usually

translated as'Now, hear this!' In Arabic, Ya is a preposition beforecalling someone, like "Hey John" in English. Yawm is "day". Ya Yawm

can mean "Oh, what a day!"

ZENSUNNI

Combination of two concepts, Zen, and Sunni , which is thelarger sect in Islam (about 90%). In Dune, followers of a schismaticsect that broke away from the teachings of Maometh (the so-called

'Third Muhammed') about 1381 B.G. The Zensunni religion is noted

chiefly for its emphasis on The mystical and a reversion to'the ways of

the fathers.' Most scholars name Ah Ben Ohashi as leader of theoriginal schism but there is some evidence that Ohashi may have been

merely the male spokesman for his second wife, Nisai.

Concubines and Polygamy

The ancient Semitic practice of concubines is used in the novel. Duke Leito Atrides has Jessica as a

concubine, and Paul also has Shani as a concubine. Moreover, Paul marries Princess Irulan in addition

to Shani as well.


14/20

Costumes

Alia, Paul's younger sister is dressed in a head cover that is almost identical to the modern Hijab/Head

scarf worn by Muslim women. In one scene, Shani wears an all covering veil reminiscent of what some

Islamic societies usage to this day (e.g. Arabia).

CaladanHeath Sias, a visitor to this page, pointed out that Caladan, the original planet where the Atreides arefrom, may be taken from Kaledan, the legendary island where the Grimm brothers put Omar and

Sheherazade in.

Heath further says:

It is interesting to note the similarities between the planet Caladan and the island Kaledan.

Both are the names of their respective water-bound 'worlds', yet both stories take place inan unnamed castle within that 'world', located near a shoreline. There are also striking

similarities between the characters of Paul Atreides and Prince Omar. Both are princes in

their own right, coming of age, intelligent, and questioning. Both grow up in very similarenvironments and both then leave their homeland for a far-off world where they find true

love (and a bit more in Paul's case).

I find myself intrigued. Was Frank Herbert's liberal use of historical, religious, and

mythological reference purely intentional or the natural result of a well-culturedsubconscious and a Shakespearean sense of plot device? I suppose, as you put it, "The final

say is with Frank Herbert himself."

The inspiration of the Grimm brothers is clearly from the Arabian Nights, but this particular tale andthis place is not mentioned in the Arabian Nights, and therefore, I cannot tell what the Arabic origin is.

Perhaps Frank Herbert was exposed to this tale as a youngster, and this is where he got the Caladan

metaphor from.

Discussions on the web of this article

This page got on Google shortly after it was published here. Soon after, people started reading it anddiscussing it. Some have translated it too, as above. Here are some pages around the web that discussed

this article:

Dreamers of Dune Forums - View Topic.

Les noms arabes dans Dune (French).

Dune, critical analyses - www.ezboard.com.

penny-arcade.com - Ameristan (Iraq and Afghanistan).

clubs.dir.bg (Bulgarian).

The Middle East Forum - Dune discussion.

LokaNova & Freelang - traduction de l'arabe ghanima (French) ?.

ORT Israel (in Hebrew).

amygdala_inc: maud-dib.
http://childhoodreading.com/Edmund_Dulac_and_Gus/Omar_and_Sheherazade.htmlhttp://childhoodreading.com/Edmund_Dulac_and_Gus/Omar_and_Sheherazade.htmlhttp://www.dreamersofdune.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=3927&forum=1&7http://forum.aceboard.net/34342-692-9605-0-noms-arabes-dans-Dune.htmhttp://p072.ezboard.com/fmessageboardofthedamnedfrm2.showMessage?topicID=3541.topichttp://www.penny-arcade.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=60395&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=1600http://www.penny-arcade.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=60395&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=1600http://clubs.dir.bg/showthreaded.php?Cat=17&Board=fantasy&Number=1942142238&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=TheMiddleEastFo&ft=1&ctx=0&cacheTag=x31-40&ld=&gfc=1&msg=367.18http://forum.lokanova.net/viewtopic.php?t=5018http://forums.ort.org.il/scripts/showsm.asp?which_forum=168&mess=2065072http://www.livejournal.com/community/amygdala_inc/17455.html?view=33839#t33839http://childhoodreading.com/Edmund_Dulac_and_Gus/Omar_and_Sheherazade.htmlhttp://childhoodreading.com/Edmund_Dulac_and_Gus/Omar_and_Sheherazade.htmlhttp://www.dreamersofdune.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=3927&forum=1&7http://forum.aceboard.net/34342-692-9605-0-noms-arabes-dans-Dune.htmhttp://p072.ezboard.com/fmessageboardofthedamnedfrm2.showMessage?topicID=3541.topichttp://www.penny-arcade.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=60395&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=1600http://clubs.dir.bg/showthreaded.php?Cat=17&Board=fantasy&Number=1942142238&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=TheMiddleEastFo&ft=1&ctx=0&cacheTag=x31-40&ld=&gfc=1&msg=367.18http://forum.lokanova.net/viewtopic.php?t=5018http://forums.ort.org.il/scripts/showsm.asp?which_forum=168&mess=2065072http://www.livejournal.com/community/amygdala_inc/17455.html?view=33839#t33839


15/20

A Usenet alt.fan.dune discussion on this article.

Sven from Sweden blogged on this in Cries of water in ficition and reality, and More on

linguistics of water salesmanship.

Waiting for Dorothy.

Upyernoz.

Conclusion

Dune is the most prominent example of how Islam and Arab cultures are used in Western Sci-Fi books.

As a closing note, it seems that Frank Herbert was familiar with the Middle Eastern cultures, and the

religion of Islam. Most of the terminology he used is not in its proper place. This may be due to himnot being thoroughly familiar with it, or due to poetic license and adaptation to suit his novel. I would

also guess that he was exposed to Shia Islam, where the term Mahdi has much more weight than in

Sunni Islam. One cannot rule out Sufi influence as well. Arabic terms are used in many places as well.

Please note that some of the above is not conclusive. It is mostly based on etymological analysis, andword/root similarities. The final say is with Frank Herbert himself, and since he is dead, we cannot

know for sure what every word meant in his mind.

Is this based off of just

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2006/12/03 - 21:37.

Is this based off of just the first book, or the entire series?

Much thanks to you, for doing this.

reply

Rightly so, but,,,,

Submitted by StoneCutter (not verified) on Wed, 2007/01/03 - 14:42.

Frank Herbert has definitely used a desert theme as a basis for his books. He saw the desert as a major

evolutionary medium for a race to evolve. It is one of the principles of evolution, barren, desolate and

isolated regions are a possible nexus of evolution.At the time the only known cultures that were living in the desert were the Arabs therefore he most

likely considered them as a normal starting point, but it is my opinion that he actually researched the

Bedouin culture. Also considering the mystery that has surrounded the Arab culture in the 60s and 70s

helped to the original commercial success.

I believe that he started with Bedouins and built upon that. Some things bear striking resemblance withBedouins culture and language. But considering that he wanted to create a complete universe he took

from almost every culture that he knew about.For example:

Leto is a Greek name with the mythic role of delivering Apollo and Artemis, the twin children of Zeus.

This theme is developed in Children of Dune.Yueh is an ancient tribe in South China who are considered to be ancestors of Vietnam people. They

were worshiping water spirits and considered to have healing powers,

Gurney Halleck could be a play on words on Henry Halleck and gurney. Henry Halleck was an
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16/20

American civil war general who was considered good for nothing.

Corrin is a place on the Isle of Man (between England and Ireland). Seemed to have had a role in the

Ireland secession from United Kingdom in the 1920s.

Harkonen is Finnish.Lansrad is Danish.

WALLACH is an old name for an inhabitant of a part of Romania. Also the empire language seems

to be evolved from this. Another word PROCES VERBAL seems to be from Romanian.There are a lot of themes that he tried to build upon the Bedouin/desert is one of them.

reply

In Children of Dune, when

Submitted by Rozniy (not verified) on Wed, 2007/01/24 - 03:17.

In Children of Dune, when Jessica first confronted Alia as Abomination, and tries to escape, Jessica

calls out "Ansar akhaka zaliman aw maslumen!" to appeal to the loyal Fedaykin in the crowd.

This is taken from a hadith, and taken out of context.

I forget the exact wording of the hadith, but roughly it goes:

The Prophet said, "Ansar akhaka zaliman aw mazlumen." (help your brother when he is oppressed, orbeing an oppressor).

The Companions with him were surprised, and said, "We will certainly help if he is being oppressed!

But how/why shall we help if he is being an oppressor?"

"Restrain his hand from oppressing, help him this way."

reply

Arrakis

Submitted by James Berry (not verified) on Mon, 2007/01/29 - 13:39.

HI there!

I have another explanation for the etymology of 'Arrakis'. It seems to me to be derived from the Arabic

'al-rakhis', meaning 'the cheap' or 'that of little worth', which would have been a fittingdescription of the planet before the value of the spice melange was understood.

Just my pet theory, anyway!

Salaam,

James

reply
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Jessica and Mapes

Submitted by Reverend Mother Atrophina (not verified) on Thu, 2007/02/01 - 14:24.

I have a question. What is the meaning of Jessicas shakobsa speech to Mapes. I mean:

Miceses Prejia. Andral Tre peral Trada cik buscakri, miceses perakri

I am not sure whether that is the correct trancription, because I did not read the english version of

Dune.I have but one clue- "Trada" reminds me of "Traditore" or "Tredimenta" Italian words, meaning

"Traitor" and "Treason". Could that be a reaction to Mapess talk of a Traitor in the house? Or is it

possible, that Jessica knew of Yuehs betrayal before it even occured?Please reply to my mail. Thank you,

Reverend Mother Atrophina

reply

Found another hadith reference, I think

Submitted by rozniy (not verified) on Wed, 2007/02/07 - 06:15.

From "Dune" (it's hard to quote properly since it doesn't number or name its chapters), when Paul is

about to ride a sandworm for the first time:

He began tightening his stillsuit. "You told me once the words of the Kitab al-Ibar," he said.

"You told me: 'Woman is thy field; go then to thy field and till it.'

I seem to recall a hadith like that, but my memory isn't very good... I think it was Umar, asking theProphet about sex, and the Prophet replied something like that.

reply

Absolutely ...

Submitted by Khalid on Fri, 2006/07/28 - 22:23.

You are absolutely right, but that is not the only obscure concept that he got right.

Look at "Bi La Kayfa" ( "Without a how"). This is an obscure term from theological debates

from the early centuries of Islam between the Ash'ari school of thought and the Mu'tazili

one.

There is also the Bakka which means "those who cry regularly", which was first used in the Quran9:92, but not mentioned as a term in it, but rather later in Sirah books.

There is also Burhan ("proof") which is a philosophical term for the Kalam school in earlycenturies, having to do with logical proof for or against something.

Fiqh which is best translated as jurisprudence. A term that would be uncommon to a novel writerin San Francisco.
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There is also the concept of Mahdi, and Jihad (in the sense of armed resistance against

occupation/oppression, not suicide bombing of civilians).

There are many others, but the point is: how did he got exposed to all this?

--Khalid Baheyeldin

reply

No

Submitted by Khalid on Sun, 2006/08/06 - 20:58.

No.

Your are confusing 'Alia with 'Aisha .

Ali is the cousin, and son in law of the prophet, and Alia can be the feminine form of Ali , a

female name used today in some Arab countries. However Alia can also be , another commonname today as well, which is different although etymologically related (they all derive from the semitic

root of "high").

--

Khalid Baheyeldin

reply

Thanks to you ...

Submitted by Khalid on Sat, 2006/09/02 - 23:39.

Thanks to you ...

The spelling mistakes are quite understandable. Arabic has certain sounds that are present only in

Semitic languages (Hebrew, Amharic, ...etc.), with no English equivalents.

So, transliteration of those sounds is always problematic and merely an approximation.

--Khalid Baheyeldin

reply

Unlikely

Submitted by Khalid on Sun, 2006/09/24 - 16:26.

Although it is phonetically possible, I doubt that Iraq featured prominently in world news when Herbert

was writing his books (1960s) like it is today.

We have to interpret things in their historical settings, not in light of today.

--
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19/20

Khalid Baheyeldin

reply

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