Faten: An Arabic name with playful and profound meanings
Faten has many faces. A word rooted in classical Arabic and featured prominently in scripture and poetry, faten touches on both the spiritual and the physical. Today, it is commonly used as an adjective to describe someone with irresistible allure. It can mean charming, captivating, enchanting, spellbinding, and even seductive. Like many Arabic words, these meanings stem from three root letters: fa, ta, and noon, from which numerous derivatives emerge. Fatan and its associated verb fatana are charged with tension. Often translated as 'temptation' or 'trial,' – the verb means 'to tempt' or 'to test' – the words are frequently invoked as warnings to avoid situations that might lead one astray. Meanwhile, fitnah and its related forms also mean civil strife or chaos. It appears nearly 60 times in the Quran, according to Islamic scholars, underscoring the gravity of actions that sow social discord or trigger crises of faith. Though often reserved for hefty situations or conversations, Faten has also long been a popular name for women, tracing back to the early 20th century. The most well-known bearer is undoubtedly Faten Hamama, the revered Egyptian actress from the golden age of Arabic cinema, whose beauty and vulnerable performances earned her the enduring nickname 'Lady of the Arabic Screen.' Meanwhile, Faten Helw, also from Egypt, is a prominent female lion tamer working in the region. Considering faten's heady meanings, it's perhaps no surprise that related words appear in dramatic romantic ballads. In 1956 song Fatoony by Egyptian crooner Abdel Halim Hafez, the title suggests the kind of debilitating bewitchment that leads to heartbreak. Hafez bares it all in the opening declaration: 'They left me to keep my promise, and left me alone in despair.' In 2021 song Al Fateena by popular Iraqi singer Majd Al Mohandis, the title refers to 'an enchantress who is dear to my heart. She is my good morning, and goodness itself.' Playful and profound, faten is an Arabic word to keep you on your toes.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
FACT
14 hours ago
- FACT
Egyptian Singer Bayou will perform in Saudi Arabia this July
The concert will also be held in Amsterdam, Berlin and London. The Egyptian Singer Bayou has announced that he is performing in Saudi Arabia. The concerts will take place on 17 July in Jeddah and 18 July in Riyadh. If you'd like to get your hands on tickets, here's what you need to know. The Jeddah show takes place at Onyx Arena, while the Riyadh show takes place at MDLBeast Festival. Plus, he will perform in London on & July at Village Underground, Amsterdam on 8 July in Tolhuistuin, and Berlin on 9 July at Hole44. Bayou, real name Adham Bayoumi, grew up between the United Kingdom and the Middle East. Born to Egyptian parents in Jeddah, he later moved to Dubai. After hearing the British rock band Coldplay's song Yellow, he became interested in singing and songwriting. His artistic name is an abbreviation of his father's name, Bayoumi. In Bayou's music, he blends the Arabic and English languages, as well as various musical influences. His songs often explore ideas of identity, love and cultural connection. In 2019, he released his breakout hit, Moonlight, which notched up more than 1.5 million streams. One song is called Dodi and Diana, in which he explores the idea of forbidden love. The lyrics include: 'When I'm with you, it feels like we're Dodi and Diana; I'm lucky that I have ya, cuz they don't wanna see us together'. Plus, over his career, he has collaborated with Djmubarak, Hady Moamer, Motif Alumni and Saint Levant Tickets are available now to see Bayou. Check in with FACT for the best things to do. GO: Follow @bayousworld on Instagram for more information.
Broadcast Pro
16 hours ago
- Broadcast Pro
RFC – Jordan extends submission deadline for 20th Rawi Screenwriters Lab
Rawi works with a diverse group of Creative Advisors and selection committee members from the Arab region and beyond. The Royal Film Commission – Jordan (RFC) has extended the submission deadline for the 20th edition of its Rawi Screenwriters Lab. Arab screenwriters now have until midnight on Saturday, June 14, 2025 (Jordan Time) to submit their entries for this milestone edition of the Lab, which will be held from November 20 to 26, 2025, in Wadi Feynan, Jordan. Launched in 2005 in collaboration with the Sundance Institute, the Rawi Screenwriters Lab has evolved into one of the Arab world's most respected script development programmes. The name 'Rawi,' meaning both 'storyteller' and 'water bearer' in Arabic, encapsulates the Lab's mission to cultivate and nourish Arab voices in cinema. Over the past two decades, the Lab has supported more than 150 emerging screenwriters, many of whom have become influential voices in contemporary Arab film. Held annually in a retreat-style setting, the Lab provides eight selected Fellows with an immersive creative environment. Each participant is paired with four acclaimed Creative Advisors—renowned Arab or international screenwriters and editors—for intensive one-on-one sessions. The experience also includes informal discussions and group exchanges, fostering a strong sense of community and artistic collaboration. For the 20th edition, the Lab draws inspiration from Daucus Carota, a resilient wild Jordanian plant, symbolising strength and creative growth. In this spirit, Rawi continues to provide space, guidance and mentorship to screenwriters who are ready to evolve their craft and share their stories with the world. The programme is open to Arab screenwriters working on their first or second feature-length narrative screenplay. Eligible applicants may apply as independent screenwriters, writer-directors, or co-writers. Submissions must include a completed screenplay (minimum 60 pages), a logline, a synopsis, a filmmaker's statement, a biography, and links to previous work. While screenplays may initially be submitted in Arabic, selected projects must later provide an English translation. All other application materials must be submitted in English to ensure equal evaluation by an international committee. Applications must be submitted through the official online form. Results will be announced by August 1, 2025.
Emirates Woman
a day ago
- Emirates Woman
When's the next long weekend in the UAE?
Now that we're back from four-day break for Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha, you might be wondering when are your next holidays coming. Let's take a look at what's left in this year's public holiday calendar. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DIANA SHEKHANY (@dianashex) The holiday period started with Arafat Day on Thursday, June 5, followed by Eid Al Adha celebrations from Friday, June 6 through Sunday, June 8. Since these dates lined up perfectly with the weekend, it was a nice long break for everyone. These dates were all part of the official 2025 public holiday schedule that the government announced earlier this year. So what's next? There are still three more public holidays to look forward to before the year ends. The next one up is Islamic New Year, which is expected to fall on Thursday, June 26. This one-day holiday marks the beginning of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. UAE Public Holidays 2025: How to plan your long weekends and extended breaks? Later in the year, we'll have the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) birthday, currently expected to be on Friday, September 5. The exact date will be confirmed closer to the time since it depends on the moon sighting. This is always a special day with various religious and community events happening across the country. Then to wrap up the year, we've got UAE National Day on Tuesday and Wednesday, December 2-3. This two-day break is always full of excitement with fireworks, concerts, and all kinds of patriotic celebrations across the Emirates. Since it falls mid-week, some people might choose to take a couple extra days off to make it a longer break. Eid Al Adha Escape Plan: 7 unusual getaways less than 4 hours from Dubai The government can sometimes move holidays to the start or end of the week to create longer weekends, but this doesn't apply to Eid holidays. If a holiday happens to fall on a weekend, we don't get an extra day to make up for it. Also, local governments can sometimes announce additional holidays for special occasions in their emirate. So there you have it – three more chances to relax and enjoy some time off before we ring in 2026. Whether you're planning a quick getaway, a staycation, or just some quality downtime, these upcoming holidays give you something to look forward to in the second half of the year. – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram Images: Instagram & Feature Image: @dianashex
