Ghuraba
/ɣuˈrɑːbɑː/noun
An Arabic plural meaning strangers, outsiders, or people living away from their homeland, often used in Islamic and Sufi contexts.
Did you know?In a famous Islamic tradition, the ghuraba—the strangers—are portrayed as people who remain faithful when religious practice becomes unfamiliar or unpopular.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ġ-r-b
“A root associated with going away, being distant, setting, and the west”
Ancient Arabic
Arabic
غَرَبَ (gharaba)
“To go away, depart, disappear, or set—as the sun does”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
غَرِيب (gharīb)
“A stranger, foreigner, or someone far from home”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
غُرَبَاء (ghurabāʾ)
“Strangers, outsiders, or people living in separation from their community”
Medieval Islamic usage
Arabic
al-ghurabāʾ
“The strangers, especially spiritually distinctive believers or outsiders”
Modern English
English
ghuraba
“An English transliteration of the Arabic plural, used in Islamic, Sufi, academic, and cultural writing”