Ni'ma

To the best of my knowledge, ni'ma is the closest Arabic representation of Grace. It's defined as: benefit, blessing, boon, benefaction, favor, grace, kindness; and ni'mat Allah is 'by the grace of G-d.' My English version of the Qur'an does not list it in the index. Never once in my four years of studying Islam did we discuss the concept of grace in class. There is no such concept under Allah.

This was made clear to me as I traveled in Cairo. In the mornings, on our way about the city, we would travel by train, often (and preferably) riding in the women-only cars. Watching Egyptian women at ease, all eager to talk with us Americans, practicing their English (which was far better than my Arabic!)

We were encouraged to adopt Arabic names (easier to pronounce) as conversation starters. I wanted to find the word for Grace and use that as my name. But no one knew it. Every women I asked on the train looked puzzled. "Grace? What is that? I don't understand." This could be attributed to language and cultural barriers. So, I gave my best description of G-d's favor and blessings in our lives, experiences through knowing Him intimately and personally.
Blank faces were my only response. Really? I wondered if His Love was as foreign as His Grace.

I continued to enquire everywhere. No one knew the word for Grace in Arabic. One man thought I said Greece. Finally, a Lebanese Christian told me the word. I made him write it in Arabic. I engraved it on a ring. I've shown it to a few of my Arabic speaking friends. "What's that? Oh, yes, blessings. G-d's blessings." No. Grace, people, Grace. "Well, yes, it means Grace, too, but no one uses it like that." Well, what do they use? (Silence).

How sad. To worship a god with no grace. It is empty and incomplete. Not because we then get nothing out of faith, for we have nothing to do with the gift of Grace but to humbly receive. Not because He has to give grace, for it is by His choice and wisdom alone. Simply because there is no glory in a graceless god.