This week’s word of the week is fitna. According to the Dictionary of Loanwords in the Cape Muslim Vernacular, written by Mogamat Alexander, fitna means gossip.

Fitna is an Arabic word and is used throughout the Cape Muslim culture. 

Example scenarios:

You and your neighbour are sitting outside, and you both see someone you know. “Oh Jenny, I don’t wanna fitna, but did you hear Cheryl’s daughter is pregnant again?!”

“I’m not one to fitna, but just look at Muneib’s new car. Must have cost him a fortune. I wonder where he got the money?” one friend says to the other.

“Oh my goodness, B; I have some fitna to share with you,” an excited friend says on a video call.

I hope you won’t gossip too much wink, wink. But if you do, why not add the word fitna into the mix to try something different?

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Tell us: Have you ever gossiped with a friend or used the word “fitna”?

Read more here on Bismillah.