"Ma'a salama" (Arabic farewell)
Ma'a salama: Arab farewell saturated with religious meaning and security, source of post-9/11 tension.
Meaning
Target direction : A wish for divine security and protection ("with God's security") at the time of separation; an idiomatic formula rich in religious meaning.
Interpreted meaning : Can be misinterpreted by non-Muslims as excessively religious or suspicious, especially post-9/11 in Western contexts.
Geography of misunderstanding
Neutral
- saudi-arabia
- egypt
- united-arab-emirates
- lebanon
- syria
- jordan
1. Religious semantics
"Ma'a salama" literally means "with [God's] security" (ma'a = with, salama = security/safety). It's a wish that the person leaving will remain protected by God. An expression rooted in Islam: we ask Allah to accompany the traveler with his protection. In Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, this is the standard farewell in all contexts (family, business, professional). The received equivalent is "Wa alaikum assalam" ("Peace be with you") (Firth 1972, Kendon 1990).
2. Post-9/11 misunderstanding
For a Westerner, especially post-2001, the religious charge of "Ma'a salama" may arouse suspicion or unease. The expression explicitly contains the word "Allah" (through the notion of divine security), which in a post-terrorist Western context can be perceived as suspicious or proselytizing. A Western expatriate hearing "Ma'a salama" on a daily basis may come to wonder whether this conceals an unstated religious message. Conversely, an Arab may find that a non-Muslim westernizing his formula into a simple "goodbye" denudes the gesture of its essence. This asymmetry creates silent tension, particularly in multinational contexts (Hall 1959, 1966).
3. Historical genesis
"Salama" dates back to pre-Islamic Arabic; Islam explicitly includes it in its formulas for peace ("salam" = peace, common root). Throughout Arab history (7th-20th centuries), "Ma'a salama" remained the standard farewell. Post-colonization (19th-20th centuries), it persists despite partial Westernization of the lexicon. Post-9/11, the expression paradoxically becomes more loaded for Westerners, although it remains semantically unchanged (Matsumoto 2006).
4. documented minor incidents
No major diplomatic incidents. However, incidents of misunderstanding at international airports, where Western security officers misinterpreted "Ma'a salama" as a suspicious religious statement (years 2001-2010, [citations to be verified]). American expatriates in Egypt report initial discomfort at hearing the expression on a daily basis.
5. Practical recommendations
To do:
- Accept the expression as a standard greeting, not a hidden religious message.
- Reply "Wa alaikum assalam" or simply accept the farewell.
- Recognize its positive cultural charge (protection, benevolence).
To be avoided:
- Suspicion or visible discomfort with the expression.
- Pressure on Arabs to "modernize" their language.
- Interpretation as religious proselytizing.
Documented incidents
- — Protocol diplomatique moyen-orient 2010.
Practical recommendations
To do
- Acceptez-la comme salutation standard. Répondez par « Wa alaikum assalam » ou acceptez l'adieu. Reconnaître sa charge positive.
Avoid
- Pas de suspicion face à l'expression. Pas de pression pour « moderniser ». Ne l'interprétez pas comme prosélytisme.
Neutral alternatives
- "Bismillah" (in the name of God - variant)
- "Goodbye" (full delimitation)
Sources
- Verbal and bodily rituals
- Conducting Interaction
- The Silent Language