Reviving Linguistic Heritage: Dr. Seham Hassan Jawad Publishes an Article on the Term “Saqt Al-Mata’”
Dr. Seham Hassan Jawad, a faculty member at the College of Arts, University of Samarra, has published an article in The Arab Family in the Diaspora magazine, affiliated with Al-Shabaka Mubasher website. The article, titled “Saqt Al-Mata’”, presents a critical analysis aimed at reviving the heritage of linguistic terminology and applying it to modern-day realities.
In her article, Dr. Jawad explains how, in pre-Islamic Arab culture, the value of objects was reflected in what was dropped from caravans. Items that fell were not to be retrieved unless permitted by the leaders, indicating that “saqt” (fallen items) symbolized the loss of value over time, referring to things that could be discarded without regret.
The article references poets such as Qatari ibn al-Fuja’a and Mihyar al-Daylami to highlight the contrast between past values and what has become mere deception in contemporary life.
From a social perspective, Dr. Jawad examines the use of the term saqt to describe morally corrupt individuals. She also critiques the phenomenon of “fashionistas” who promote commercialized values foreign to Arab culture, citing the views of writer Ahmad Al-Sheiba.
The article concludes with a critique of opportunists who seek success at any cost, exploiting social media for self-promotion. Dr. Jawad calls for a reassessment of values and priorities in the digital age.
