List of Christian terms in Arabic

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The following list consists of concepts that are derived from both Christianity and Arab tradition, which are expressed as words and phrases in the Arabic language. These terms are included as transliterations, often accompanied by the original Arabic-alphabet orthography. Although Islam is the dominant religion among Arabs, there are a significant number of Arab Christians in regions that were formerly Christian, such as much of the Byzantine empire's lands in the Middle East, so that there are nearly fourteen million Arab Christians living around the world. Christianity has existed in the Arab world since the 1st century. Readers should also note that Arabic is written with the Arabic alphabet, and that different individuals and Christian groups may transliterate certain Arabic words into the Latin alphabet in various ways.


A

al-Ab (الآب)
God the Father

B

Baba Nuwail (بابا نويل)
Santa Claus (A partial translation and partial borrowing of French "Père Noël")
Bism-il-Ab wa'l-Ibn wa'r-Ruh-il-Qudus (باسم الآب والابن والروح القدس)
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Brutistanti (بروتستانتي)
Protestant

I

`Id kull-il-Qiddisin (عيد كل القديسين)
All Saints' Day
`Id-ul-`Ansara (عيد العنصرة)
Pentecost
`Id-ul-Fish (عيد الفصح) or `Id-ul-Qiyama (عيد القيامة)
Easter
`Id-ul-jasad (عيد الجسد)
The Catholic feast of Corpus Christi
`Id-ul-milad (عيد الميلاد)
Christmas
`Id-us-Su`udi l-masih (عيد الصعود)
The feast of Ascension
`Id-ul-mawta
All Soul's Day
Injil (إنجيل)
One of the four gospels (from Greek Ευαγγελιον, "good news"); Muslims use it to refer to the entire New Testament
Iquna (إيقونة)
Icon

J

Jaras (جرس)
Church bell

K

Kanisa (كنيسة)
Church
Kathuliki (كاثوليكي)
Catholic
Katidra'iyya كاتدرائية)
Cathedral

M

al-Masihiyya (المسيحية)
Christianity
Masihi (مسيحي)
Christian
Mubashshir (مبشر)
Christian missionary

N

Nasrani (نصراني)
Literally "Nazarene"; a traditional Islamic term for Christians
Nasiri (ناصري)
Person from Nazareth; also a Nasserite

Q

Qibti (قبطي)
Coptic

R

ar-Ruh-ul-Qudus (الروح القدس)
The Holy Spirit

T

Tabshir (تبشير)
literally "the spreading of good news"; Christian missionary work
Thaluth (ثالوث)
Trinity

Y

Yasu` (يسوع)
Christian Arabic version of the name of Jesus (as opposed to the Islamic Arabic term `Isa عيسى)
Yawm-ul-jumu'ati l-hazina (الجمعة الحزينة)
Good Friday

See also