mos7ef مصحف
Tunisian Derja · noun
“mos7ef” (مصحف) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning copy of the Quran.
Meanings
- copy of the Quran
Usage
Mos7ef refers to a physical copy of the Quran, the book one holds and reads. The name of the sacred text itself is el 9or'an. One says chedd mos7ef, "take a Quran (to read)". It is also given as a gift, and one can swear on it. The plural is msa7ef. The object is treated with respect: people avoid putting it on the floor. In online debates, the image of the "mos7ef and the prayer beads" is sometimes used ironically to refer to showy piety.
Example
شدّ مصحف واقرا شوية قبل ما ترقد.
chedd mos7ef w e9ra chwaya 9bal ma tor9od.
“Take a Quran and read a little before you go to sleep.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mos7ef” but also “mous7ef”, “mus7af”, “mos7af” and “moshef”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.