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Q: What does Abu Mazen mean? ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   2 Comments )
Question  
Subject: What does Abu Mazen mean?
Category: Reference, Education and News > Current Events
Asked by: grfiv-ga
List Price: $25.00
Posted: 11 Jan 2005 07:14 PST
Expires: 10 Feb 2005 07:14 PST
Question ID: 455516
You see it so often that you almost think the newly-elected
Palestinian President's full name is "Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu
Mazen".

"Abu" is Arabic for "Holy Man" or "Father".

What is "Mazen"? And why is he called that?
Answer  
Subject: Re: What does Abu Mazen mean?
Answered By: bobbie7-ga on 11 Jan 2005 07:36 PST
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
Hello Grfiv,

What is "Mazen"? And why is he called that?
 

The formal name of the newly-elected Palestinian President' is Mahmoud
Abbas, yet he is also known as Abu Mazen.   It means 'father of
Mazen,' his oldest son. "Abu Mazen" is  a kunya, or honorific name,
meaning "father of Mazen.

Excerpt:

?Nobody doubts that his formal name is Mahmoud Abbas. Yet almost every
written and spoken reference to that name is followed by "also known
as" Abu Mazen.?

(. . .) 

?Many Arabs have both formal names and familiar names. The prime
minister's formal name is Mahmoud Abbas.

?Abbas also has what is called in Arabic a kunya, a nickname that most
often refers specifically to one's offspring. Abbas' kunya begins with
Abu (which means "father," akin to the Aramaic abba) and ends with
Mazen, which was the name of his eldest son, who died last year.
Mohammed Sawaie, professor of Arabic at the University of Virginia,
tells me that the name suggests muzn, which can mean "white cloud" or
"water," both happy sights in an arid area. It may also call to mind
the name of an ancient Arab tribe known for its bravery, the Banu
Mazin.?

?An Arab male with a son is usually called "father of [name of first
son]," because having a male heir is a matter of great pride. (In the
same way in the West, & Son used to be in the names of family
companies; only in our time did & Daughter surface.)?

Taipei Times
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2003/05/18/211074


"Abu Mazen" is, of course, a kunya, or honorific name, meaning "father
of Mazen." In many Arab communities, the most commonly used name is
the kunya, which can either derive from the name of a man's eldest son
or be traditionally associated with his own given name. Arafat himself
is often known by his kunya, Abu Amar.?
http://headheeb.blogmosis.com/archives/014881.html


?Arabic naming practices fall into seven general categories. Persons
are often named: By a kunya, an honorific name, as the father or
mother of certain persons (usually the eldest son), e.g., abu Da'ud
[the father of David], umm Salim [the mother of Salim]. Married ladies
are, as a general rule, simply called after the name of their first
son, e.g., umm Ahmad [the mother of Ahmad]. ?
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/daud/arabic-naming/


Mahmoud Abbas is also known as Abu Mazen (Father of Mazen), in
accordance with Arab tradition in which parents are referred to as Abu
(?Father of?) or Um (?Mother of?) the first-born son.
Information & Press Library Resource Library
http://www.caabu.org/press/documents/palestinian-cabinet-april2003.html


Abbas is also called Abu Mazen. It means 'father of Mazen,' his oldest son.
http://www.gurunet.com/t1-deid-580239902-dsid-1648-curtab-1648_1-method-5

http://www.who2.com/mahmoudabbas.html



Search criteria:

"Mahmoud Abbas" "Abu Mazen" +father
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=%22Mahmoud+Abbas%22+%22Abu+Mazen%22+%2Bfather&btnG=Search
 
?Abu Mazen? ?father of?
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-23,GGLD:en&q=%E2%80%9CAbu+Mazen%E2%80%9D+%E2%80%9Cfather+of%E2%80%9D

Kunya ?Abu Mazen?
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-23,GGLD:en&q=Kunya+%E2%80%9CAbu+Mazen%E2%80%9D


I hope this is helpful. 

Best regards,
Bobbie7

Request for Answer Clarification by grfiv-ga on 11 Jan 2005 07:39 PST
Does "Mazen" itself have a meaning?

Clarification of Answer by bobbie7-ga on 11 Jan 2005 08:11 PST
Mohammed Sawaie, professor of Arabic at the University of Virginia,
says that the name suggests muzn, which can mean "white cloud" or
"water," both happy sights in an arid area. It may also call to mind
the name of an ancient Arab tribe known for its bravery, the Banu
Mazin.?
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2003/05/18/211074
grfiv-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars

Comments  
Subject: Re: What does Abu Mazen mean?
From: financeeco-ga on 03 Feb 2005 01:43 PST
 
I remember reading that a lot of the PLO leaders adopted code names
during exile. This may have been done to protect familes/identities
during uncertain times.

Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen)
Ahmed Korei (Abu Alaa)
Farouq Qaddumi (Abu Lutf)
Khalil El-Wazir (Abu Jihad)
Yasser Arafat (Abu Ammar)
Subject: Re: What does Abu Mazen mean?
From: kain0o0-ga on 09 Dec 2005 04:43 PST
 
Its true that PLO leaders/operatives often adopted code names. I
personally think that abu-mazen is just another naming scheme 'kunya'
as bobbie pointed out. In the arab world , to this day , many people
are referred to by their kunya rather than their real name. Even years
before they get married or have children , this is often puzzling to
an outsider but a very common practice non the less

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