
The word ‘ishq also is a loanword in other languages that have Arabic influence, like Persian ( عشق) or Turkish (aşk). Baashaak بعشقكis a conjugated form of ishq عشق and is an expression of love that’s commonly used between lovers. While the word may seem intense, Arabic speakers are not hesitant to use it. The word ‘ishq encapsulates the meaning of regular love ( حب) and passion ( شغف).

The Arabic word ‘ishq عشق expresses a deep level of love for which there is no direct equivalent in English, though it may be equated to “passion” or “desire”. Try listening to an Arabic romantic song or reading an Arabic love poem, and you’ll come across phrases like nour aieny نور عيني (the light of my eyes) and nour ‘alby نور قلبي (the light of my heart). The word nour in Arabic also tends to be liberally used in the romantic context. Noreen نورين essentially means two “nours”, which amplifies that they’re abundant in light. You can commonly find girls named Nouran نوران and Noreen نورين. On top of being a word, it’s a charming unisex name with a lot of variations.

The word nour means “light”, but also “radiance” and “vibrance”. So according to the Arabs, truth and trustworthiness are the cornerstones of friendship. So it’s impossible to call someone your friend without calling them truthful, as someone in whom you have wholehearted faith. While the word Sadeeq means “friend”, it also originates from the word sidq صدق, which means truth.
