In the old days, there was a popular genre of stories called هواتف القبور (the callers/the calls of the graves (of the cemetery)) of which هواتِف (calls/callers) is the plural noun for هاتِف (a caller or a call).. and this genre of stories is meant to think about death, and to think about preparing oneself for death, and for the afterlife..

These stories follow a similar formula: first, "while I was in the cemetery" or "While walking next to a grave".. Second, "I heard this clear voice speaking" or "I heard this poem being recited", and then "when I turned around, I did not see anyone"..

There is this story of Thaabet ibn Al-Bunan, who was walking between the graves when he heard someone in a clear voice calling him "O' Thaabet, do not be deceived by the APPARENT stillness of the graves; for which many are filled with sorrow (of regret)", and Thaabet looks around, and he sees no-one..

The lesson?.. Make sure that you do not die with regrets!!

The more complex version, is when someone hears a short poem WHILE next to a grave.. and after he hears the entire poem filled with lessons and advice, he looks around and he sees no-one..

These stories (sometimes poem) are said to come from beyond the grave, or from an unknown supernatural entity.. and the most famous books of that nature, is a book called "الهواتف" by ابن أبي الدنيا written in the 15th century AD -- long before the invention of the modern telephone..

The term هاتِف in the old days (before the invention of the telephone), is an Agent Noun from the masculine verb هَتَفَ (he/it-called-using-a-loud-voice).. and the Agent Noun اسم فاعل (aka. the Doer Noun or the Subject Noun) هاتِف is: (1) a person/something who speaks things out loud (not necessarily shouting) or (2) a call that is heard clearly (even if the source is not seen)..

and after the invention of the telephone:

3) Formal for a device called the telephone, ( informal: تليفون ) or

4) A person who uses a telephone to communicate; and it is the least used meaning..

The masculine noun هاتِف in the old days can be a caller (any caller) who is loud enough to be herd..

[Poem].. .. and the-earth (is) opening-its-ears for-the-sound in-her-praise.. from a-loud-caller (that) the-(entire)-country listens to his-calls.. والأرض آذنة لصوت ثنائها من هاتف تصغي البلاد لهتفه -- a poem by ابن الدراج القسطلي..

Here, هاتِف is an anonymous person who speaks out loud in praises.. A caller or any caller who is loud enough that everyone in the country hears his praises..

Suddenly, a-loud-caller called-out (with) her-name "Where-is Sarah?", she-said "that's me" إِذْ هَتَفَ هَاتِفٌ بِاسْمِهَا أَيْنَ سارَة قَالَتْ أَنَا هِيَ -- So this هاتِف is a person who called her name out loud; and the above sentence suggests that she either does not see her caller, or she does not recognize the person who is calling her..

A caller هاتف or any person who calls out loud..

That person can be lost in the crowd, or can be downstairs or in the next room where she cannot see him.. or could be an invisible ghost, a demon, an angel, or the voice of the inner self..

Such things are understood from the context of what is being said..

PS.. A telephone is تَليفون (less formal) or هاتِف (more formal)..

A cell-phone (American-English) or a mobile-phone (British-English) are commonly and informally known as موبايل (in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Libya) or جَوّال (Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states)..

but in MSA and in a more formal speech: A portable phone هاتِف مَحْمول , a cellular phone هاتِف خَلَوِيّ and a roaming phone هاتِف جَوّال ..

3 points Navigliogrande

This is the type of interesting etymology facts that make learning language awesome

3 points iium2000

In the old days, there was a popular genre of stories called هواتف القبور (the callers/the calls of the graves (of the cemetery)) of which هواتِف (calls/callers) is the plural noun for هاتِف (a caller or a call).. and this genre of stories is meant to think about death, and to think about preparing oneself for death, and for the afterlife..

These stories follow a similar formula: first, "while I was in the cemetery" or "While walking next to a grave".. Second, "I heard this clear voice speaking" or "I heard this poem being recited", and then "when I turned around, I did not see anyone"..

There is this story of Thaabet ibn Al-Bunan, who was walking between the graves when he heard someone in a clear voice calling him "O' Thaabet, do not be deceived by the APPARENT stillness of the graves; for which many are filled with sorrow (of regret)", and Thaabet looks around, and he sees no-one..

The lesson?.. Make sure that you do not die with regrets!!

The more complex version, is when someone hears a short poem WHILE next to a grave.. and after he hears the entire poem filled with lessons and advice, he looks around and he sees no-one..

These stories (sometimes poem) are said to come from beyond the grave, or from an unknown supernatural entity.. and the most famous books of that nature, is a book called "الهواتف" by ابن أبي الدنيا written in the 15th century AD -- long before the invention of the modern telephone..

.

The term هاتِف in the old days (before the invention of the telephone), is an Agent Noun from the masculine verb هَتَفَ (he/it-called-using-a-loud-voice).. and the Agent Noun اسم فاعل (aka. the Doer Noun or the Subject Noun) هاتِف is: (1) a person/something who speaks things out loud (not necessarily shouting) or (2) a call that is heard clearly (even if the source is not seen)..

and after the invention of the telephone:

3) Formal for a device called the telephone, ( informal: تليفون ) or

4) A person who uses a telephone to communicate; and it is the least used meaning..

'

The masculine noun هاتِف in the old days can be a caller (any caller) who is loud enough to be herd..

[Poem].. .. and the-earth (is) opening-its-ears for-the-sound in-her-praise.. from a-loud-caller (that) the-(entire)-country listens to his-calls.. والأرض آذنة لصوت ثنائها من هاتف تصغي البلاد لهتفه -- a poem by ابن الدراج القسطلي..

Here, هاتِف is an anonymous person who speaks out loud in praises.. A caller or any caller who is loud enough that everyone in the country hears his praises..

`

Suddenly, a-loud-caller called-out (with) her-name "Where-is Sarah?", she-said "that's me" إِذْ هَتَفَ هَاتِفٌ بِاسْمِهَا أَيْنَ سارَة قَالَتْ أَنَا هِيَ -- So this هاتِف is a person who called her name out loud; and the above sentence suggests that she either does not see her caller, or she does not recognize the person who is calling her..

A caller هاتف or any person who calls out loud..

That person can be lost in the crowd, or can be downstairs or in the next room where she cannot see him.. or could be an invisible ghost, a demon, an angel, or the voice of the inner self..

Such things are understood from the context of what is being said..

`

PS.. A telephone is تَليفون (less formal) or هاتِف (more formal)..

A cell-phone (American-English) or a mobile-phone (British-English) are commonly and informally known as موبايل (in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Libya) or جَوّال (Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states)..

but in MSA and in a more formal speech: A portable phone هاتِف مَحْمول , a cellular phone هاتِف خَلَوِيّ and a roaming phone هاتِف جَوّال ..


1 points Haniel52

Cool stuff, thanks!

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