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Re: LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN!
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 11:33 am
by fran604g
Lah Ca wrote: Sun Sep 04, 2022 6:46 pm
She is pretty certain that it reads:
Laa ghalib illa Allah (
No victorious/no victor but Allah which is a parallel to
No God but Allah).
But there is probably some small slightly sacrilegious joke contained herein. The machine is a
paradox: it is a
Victor Victrola but
Laa ghalib illa Allah--there is no
Victor except Allah.
Is it actually an Arabic machine--slightly risky if yes? Or was it custom work done for someone like a wealthy Spanish Arabic Scholar/Historian with a sly sense of humour?
My friend is pretty sure she is right with her interpretation but she is waiting for responses from other Arabists. More later maybe.
Or was it possibly meant as a rebuke to the name put on the machine? That might've been safer than a joke.
Cheers,
Fran
Re: LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN!
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 3:14 am
by Garret
I had a sense that this machine would head stateside; few people here in Europe would know what it is. Congrats on the purchase!
Garret
Re: LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN!
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 11:39 am
by Lah Ca
fran604g wrote: Mon Sep 05, 2022 11:33 am
Lah Ca wrote: Sun Sep 04, 2022 6:46 pm
But there is probably some small slightly sacrilegious joke contained herein. The machine is a
paradox: it is a
Victor Victrola but
Laa ghalib illa Allah--there is no
Victor except Allah.
Is it actually an Arabic machine--slightly risky if yes? Or was it custom work done for someone like a wealthy Spanish Arabic Scholar/Historian with a sly sense of humour?
Or was it possibly meant as a rebuke to the name put on the machine? That might've been safer than a joke.
Cheers,
Fran
Yes. It is possible.
But it is also possible that we are overthinking it all and that the workman and patron commissioning the custom work were completely oblivious to the unintentional irony they were creating."
Cheers.
Re: LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN!
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 2:49 pm
by phonolady
It doesn't get any more ornate than that. Congratulations!
David & Lerria Rosamond
Re: LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN!
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 5:31 pm
by downsouth
Congrats Larry! I guess this was the upcoming purchase you were referring to. Very nice indeed!
Regards, Wes
Re: LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN!
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 9:30 am
by pianolist
I asked a friend who is from the Middle East. This is his response.
“That is a beautiful piece! The text is a traditional stylization of the Arabic لا اله إلا الله (there is no god but God) which is in the beginning of every Muslim prayer.”
Re: LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN!
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 10:15 am
by edisonplayer
That "cat" has exquisite taste!
edisonplayer.
Re: LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN!
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 12:42 pm
by Lah Ca
pianolist wrote: Wed Sep 07, 2022 9:30 am
I asked a friend who is from the Middle East. This is his response.
“That is a beautiful piece! The text is a traditional stylization of the Arabic لا اله إلا الله (there is no god but God) which is in the beginning of every Muslim prayer.”
Your friend is correct with the meaning of the motto. It is a paraphrase of of the standard beginning to prayer. The standard beginning is not what it literally says, however.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/ ... scriptions
"The elegant Arabic script contains a large amount of sloganeering, with praise for the Nasrid dynasty who ruled Granada for two and half centuries predominant. The Nasrid motto - "There is no victor but Allah" - is the most common inscription found so far."
Re: LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN!
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 2:19 pm
by Skihawx
That makes sense. I've heard "There is no vanquisher but Allah" Same meaning...
edisonplayer.