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{{Short description|Greeting gesture traditionally used by Muslims of South Asia}}
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|caption1= Posture of Adab by [[Iman Ali]] (cente), a [[Pakistan]]i Actress, is in the title poster of [[Pakistan]]i film [[Mah e Mir]]
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'''Adab''' ([[Hindustani language|Hindustani]]: آداب <small>([[Nastaleeq]])</small>, आदाब <small>([[Devanagari]])</small>), from the Arabic word '''{{Lang|ar-Latn|Aadaab}}''' ({{Lang|ar|آداب}}), meaning respect and politeness, is a hand [[gesture]] used in the [[Indian subcontinent]], by the [[Urdu Speaking|Urdu-speaking]] while [[greeting]].<ref name=":0"/><ref name="Kachru2006">{{cite book |last1=Kachru |first1=Yamuna |title=Hindi |date=31 October 2006 |publisher=John Benjamins Publishing |isbn=978-90-272-9314-5 |page=273 |language=English}}</ref> It involves raising the right hand in front of the eyes with palm inwards, while the upper torso is bent forward.

The gesture is associated with the [[Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb|Ganga-Jamuni culture]] of [[Culture of India|South Asia]], especially of the [[Urdu]]-speaking [[Islam in Uttar Pradesh|communities of Uttar Pradesh]], [[Hyderabadi Muslims]], and [[Muhajir (Urdu-speaking people)|Muhajir people]] of Pakistan.<ref name="Hasnain2016">{{cite book |last1=Hasnain |first1=Nadeem |title=The Other Lucknow |date=2016 |publisher=Vani Prakashan |isbn=978-93-5229-420-6 |language=English |quote=Lucknow has been famous for its Urdu poets and poetry, ''tehzeeb'' especially ''ganga-jamuni tehzeeb'', ''adab-o-akhlaq'', kathak, muharrum, cousine and handicrafts.}}</ref>

== History ==
Since the religious greeting of Muslims i.e. "[[Assalamu Alaikum]]" was interpreted by some in India to be for Muslims only{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}, and [[Muslims in India]] lived in a multi-faith and a multi-lingual society, this alternative form of greeting was coined. Its use became so pervasive in the high culture of northern and central India that it was not considered inappropriate to reply to 'salaam' with 'aadaab' and vice versa and it was used frequently in non-Muslim households as well.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2012-05-01|title=Adaab in a Time of Allah Hafiz|url=https://insideislam.wisc.edu/2012/05/adaab-in-a-time-of-allah-hafiz/|access-date=2020-10-08|website=Inside Islam|language=en-US}}</ref> The use of ''Aadab'' is especially popular in the [[India]]n city of [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]], where [[religious pluralism]] has been historically emphasized; the [[Nizam]] of the region stated: "Hindus and Muslims are like my two eyes ... How can I favor one eye over the other?"<ref name="Basit2012">{{cite book|last=Basit|first=Abdul|title=The Global Muslim Community at a Crossroads: Understanding Religious Beliefs, Practices, and Infighting to End the Conflict|year=2012|publisher=ABC-CLIO|language=English|isbn=9780313396977|page=61}}</ref> In some localities of India and Pakistan, the phrase and gesture has decreased in use because it is perceived as insufficiently Islamic compared to other greetings, though it is preferred by many who still use it due to its inclusive nature.<ref name=":0" />

== Description ==
The gesture involves raising the right hand towards the face with palm inwards such that it is in front of the eyes and the finger tips are almost touching the forehead, as the upper torso is bent forward.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gambhir|first=Vijay|title=The Teaching and Acquisition of South Asian Languages|year=1996|publisher=[[University of Pennsylvania Press]]|isbn=0-8122-3328-X|pages=87|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mB7TQc_OpdcC&pg=PA87}}</ref> It is typical for the person to say "''adab arz hai''" ([[Nastaleeq]]: آداب عرض ہے, [[Devanagari]]: आदाब अर्ज़ है), meaning "I offer my respects to you", or simply just "''aadab''".<ref name="Basit2012"/>
It is often answered with the same or the word "''tasleem''" is said as an answer or sometimes it is answered with a facial gesture of acceptance.

In popular culture today, the adab is often associated with the courtly culture of the Muslim [[Nawab]]s.

==See also==
*[[Salute#Civilian salutes|Civilian salutes]]
*[[Salute#Greetings|Greetings]]
*[[Hindu–Muslim unity]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Gestures}}

[[Category:Hand gestures]]
[[Category:Islamic culture]]
[[Category:Islam in South Asia]]
[[Category:Greeting words and phrases of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Greeting words and phrases of India]]
[[Category:Greeting words and phrases of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Gestures of respect]]

[[ar:أدب]]

Adab (gesture) - Revision history

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