Learning days name in Arabic language can help you in everyday life understand and express what you want to say. From another perspective, it’s a rewarding endeavor to memorize them due to being related to the Islamic tradition and the rich Arabic culture. In this blog, we will let you know the verses that mention Arabic days, origins behind naming them like that, how to pronounce them, and effective methods that enable you to memorize them by heart.
Appearance of Days of the Week in the Quran
The days of the week are mentioned multiple times in the Holy Quran in different verses, which underscores their significance in Islam. Here they are:
The Verses that Mentions Days
You will undoubtedly be astonished when you know that the days of the week were named after the first five days when Allah created the heavens and the earth. Allah says:
1-“And We did certainly create the heavens and earth and what is between them in six days, and there touched Us no weariness.”
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَیۡنَهُمَا فِی سِتَّةِ أَیَّامࣲ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبࣲ ٣٨
And in another verse:
2-Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He covers the night with the day, [another night] chasing it rapidly; and [He created] the sun, the moon, and the stars subjected by His command. Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds.
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍۢ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ يُغْشِى ٱلَّيْلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُۥ حَثِيثًۭا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ وَٱلنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَٰتٍۭ بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ ۗ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلْخَلْقُ وَٱلْأَمْرُ ۗ تَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ٥٤
We have just 2 days that are mentioned by name in the Quran: Friday and Saturday.
Verses mention Friday الجمعة
Allah says in Jumu’ah:
“يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ”
O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu’ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew. – 62:9
Verses Mentions Saturday السبت
The last day, Saturday, is mentioned five times in the Quran:
1-The Sabt (Sabbath) was only appointed for those who differed over it. And indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ. – 16:124
﴿إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ السَّبْتُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ ۚ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ﴾
[ النحل: 124]
2-And indeed you knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday). We said to them: “Be you monkeys, despised and rejected.”
(وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتُمُ ٱلَّذِینَ ٱعۡتَدَوۡا۟ مِنكُمۡ فِی ٱلسَّبۡتِ فَقُلۡنَا لَهُمۡ كُونُوا۟ قِرَدَةً خَـٰسِـِٔینَ)
[سورة البقرة 65]
3-O you who have been given the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Believe in what We have revealed (to Muhammad SAW) confirming what is (already) with you, before We efface faces (by making them like the back of necks; without nose, mouth, eyes, etc.) and turn them hindwards, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers. And the Commandment of Allah is always executed.
(یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَا نَزَّلۡنَا مُصَدِّقࣰا لِّمَا مَعَكُم مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن نَّطۡمِسَ وُجُوهࣰا فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلَىٰۤ أَدۡبَارِهَاۤ أَوۡ نَلۡعَنَهُمۡ كَمَا لَعَنَّاۤ أَصۡحَـٰبَ ٱلسَّبۡتِۚ وَكَانَ أَمۡرُ ٱللَّهِ مَفۡعُولًا)
[سورة النساء 47]
4-And for their covenant, We raised over them the Mount and (on the other occasion) We said: “Enter the gate prostrating (or bowing) with humility;” and We commanded them: “Transgress not (by doing worldly works on) the Sabbath (Saturday).” And We took from them a firm covenant.
(وَرَفَعۡنَا فَوۡقَهُمُ ٱلطُّورَ بِمِیثَـٰقِهِمۡ وَقُلۡنَا لَهُمُ ٱدۡخُلُوا۟ ٱلۡبَابَ سُجَّدࣰا وَقُلۡنَا لَهُمۡ لَا تَعۡدُوا۟ فِی ٱلسَّبۡتِ وَأَخَذۡنَا مِنۡهُم مِّیثَـٰقًا غَلِیظࣰا)
[سورة النساء 154]
5-And ask them (O Muhammad SAW) about the town that was by the sea, when they transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday): when their fish came to them openly on the Sabbath day, and did not come to them on the day they had no Sabbath. Thus We made a trial of them for they used to rebel.
(وَسۡـَٔلۡهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡقَرۡیَةِ ٱلَّتِی كَانَتۡ حَاضِرَةَ ٱلۡبَحۡرِ إِذۡ یَعۡدُونَ فِی ٱلسَّبۡتِ إِذۡ تَأۡتِیهِمۡ حِیتَانُهُمۡ یَوۡمَ سَبۡتِهِمۡ شُرَّعࣰا وَیَوۡمَ لَا یَسۡبِتُونَ لَا تَأۡتِیهِمۡۚ كَذَ ٰلِكَ نَبۡلُوهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ یَفۡسُقُونَ)
[سورة الأعراف 163]
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Origins Behind the Days’ Names
In the beginning, the ancient Arabs primarily depended on other considerations to determine the times, the concept of the weekdays was absent from the early Arab calendar. Therefore, days name in Arabic language went through several phases in history until they reached the form today. In the past, Arabs didn’t use names for each day. Instead, they were using phrases to point to every three days or nights depending on the moon’s light and how much it was shedding. Hence, they designated specific terms for different periods of time, like saying “Ghorra غٌرة” on the first three nights or days of the month, which means “the beginning.” Following this, they used the days of the week system to segment time, calling them:
- Sunday الأحد
- Monday الاثـنـيـن
- Tuesday الـثُـلاثاء
- Wednesday الأربـعـاء
- Thursday الخميـس
- Friday الجمعة
- Saturday السبت
As you noticed, from Sunday to Thursday they are like the numbers system: الأحد is like واحد, then الاثنين is like اثنين and so on until reaching الجمعة and السبت they have different names from the numbers system, which reflecting their religious value in Islam.
There are many interpretations waiting for you in Learn Quran Tafseer Online that give you detailed explanations about the Quranic text to enrich your Islamic knowledge.
Days Name in Arabic Language
Days name in Arabic language is easier than in English, as they follow numerical designations for most days, from Sunday to Thursday, and just two days that are different, which are Friday and Saturday. So, if you know the Arabic numbers, you have memorized them already.
You may find the grammar of using Arabic numbers beneficial!
You may wonder why Friday doesn’t follow the numerical system like the rest of the week. Actually, it was a unique position in Islam. Its name means “to gather” which indicates gathering Muslims to Salat Al-Jumaa. In addition to the blessings of this day, as it has time, before Al-Maghrib, any prayer will be accepted.
Saturday is likewise, it’s different from the rest of the week. It means resting or taking a break, as these two days, Friday and Saturday, are considered the weekends for Arabs.
Meaning of Words of Days of the Week in Arabic
The first five days are linked to numbers, which makes them easy to learn:
- Sunday means Al-Ahed, the first day of the week, which is derived from the number one, Wahed, the first number in counting. In addition to referring to a name of the 99 attributes of Allah means “The One الاحـد.”
- Monday means Al-Ethneen, the second day of the week, and it’s mostly like the number two, ethneen.
- Tuesday means Athulasaa, which is like number three “Thalatha.”
- Wednesday means Al-Arbeaa, it’s like the number four “Arbaa.”
- Thursday means Al-Khamees, it’s the fifth day of the week, which is derived from number five “Khamsa.”
- Friday means Al-Jumaa which means gathering, referring to gathering Muslims for Salah Al-Jumaa. It’s the weekend holiday, which is considered also Eid in Islam. There is a Surah in the Holy Quran named Al-Jumaa.
- Sunday means Al-Sabt, which derives from the root verb “to hibernate السبات” which means a moment in time or the rest. Both Friday and Saturday are the weekend holidays for Muslims.
May Is Arabic A Hard Language To Learn Interests You.
How to Pronounce the Days of the Week
If you are a beginner you may find it a little bit challenging, specifically, they contain many sounds that don’t exist in the English phonic system, such as Al-Arbeaa and Al-Jumaa. You can simply follow these steps to pronounce them, preferably listen to them multiple times, from a song or every day listen to the name of today until you familiarize with them:
- Sunday has a glottal stop called Hamzah in Arabic, so you pronounce it like /Al-`Ahad/ and the letter ح can be challenging as it doesn’t exist in English, it’s a common fricative voiceless guttural sound in Arabic, you can make up for it by pronouncing the sound of /h/ because it’s the closest sound to it.
- Monday is easy to pronounce: /al-ithneen/ the “th” here makes an unvoiced sound like the word “thanks.”
- Tuesday is also easy to pronounce in Arabic: /athulāthā’/ with an unvoiced “th” as well.
- We’ve reached the most difficult day for non-native Arabic speakers, Wednesday. It’s pronounced as /al-arbiaā/, including two glottal stops, and the letter ع also doesn’t exist in English and can be replaced with “a” because it’s close to this sound.
- Thursday can be pronounced as /al-khamees/ with a hard “kh” sound.
- Friday is not hard to pronounce, you can say /al-ĵumuʿah/.
- Saturday is pronounced as /as-sabt/.
Maybe like to read: How To Learn Arabic Effectively
How to Tell Days of the Week in Arabic in Future Tense
You can simply add the word “القادم alqadem” after the day, which means “next”. Therefore, if you want to say:
For instance, if you want to say next Saturday in Arabic, you add “القادم” after the day “Al-Sabt” to be “السبت القادم” that can be pronounced in English by: Al-Sabt alqadem and so on with the rest days of the week. Notably, in Arabic, the noun ‘Friday’ is grammatically feminine. Thus, it is typically preceded by the word ‘القادم alqadem’, which is conjugated to match with the feminine gender, as indicated by the feminine ending, which is “ـة” so you put after Friday this word “alqadma القادمة” to be الجمعة القادمة.
Likewise, if you want to tell Arabic days in the past, you just add the word “الماضي almaady” after the day, which means last. For instance, if you want to say last Monday in Arabic, you can say “Al-Ethneen almaadey.” You can use these two words, القادم، الماضي, to express the days whether in the future or in the past. Just add any of them after the day.
Read about: Best Online Course To Learn Arabic
Tips for Learning and Memorizing the Days
You can learn it effortlessly if you just use the engaging ways that we will tell you about, keep in mind anything you can master memorizing by practicing and repeating, so, don’t feel bored from the first try when you memorize them and forget again. Any learning process requires patience and consistency.
- Read the calendar in Arabic every day to familiarize your brain to mention them in Arabic.
- Start learning them from a song as repeating with melody will effectively speed up memorization. There are several songs you can find to learn
- days name in Arabic language, specifically for kids’ ones.
- In the beginning, to master the writing of them, you can use flashcards, they significantly improve learning outcomes and emphasize writing them correctly.
- Integrate them in your daily life, when it comes to something related to the days of the week, try your best to recall them in Arabic. If you are reciting the Holy Quran and come across any day of them, stop and try to recall it all. This way ensures a quality learning process that you will never forget them after that.
- Practice your language with Arabic native speakers, which will not just help you memorize the days of the week in Arabic, but it also can strongly enhance your speaking and speed up reaching fluency in Arabic. There are different groups on the social media platforms for language exchange. You can pick up a partner from them and commit to practicing on a regular basis.
For best performance, if you are seeking to speak and understand Arabic in everyday conversations you can join Online Arabic Conversation Classes to master Arabic speaking in an engaging learning process.
Conclusion
Seeking days name in Arabic language is no longer difficult, it won’t take more than a few hours to memorize them, giving you the ability to express your routine activities, schedule appointments and meetings, and most importantly to understand why these days are significant and blessed in Islam.