Writing a letter...

[SGirl]

Hiya,

I've been asked to help a friend draft a letter of condolence to a sheikh, and I've suddenly realised I know nothing about the protocol of addressing a sheikh! So I was wondering if any of you ME PHers would be able to give me some pointers?

I appreciate that the letter mustn't be over-familiar, but should it be very formal? Is there anything she should/shouldn't mention?

Thanks in advance!

[Harris_I]

I'm guessing it's to the Minister of Education on the death of his father (also an ex-minister). That gentleman should be addressed as His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, and then refer to him thereafter as Your Excellency as he is a government minister. He could also be addressed as His/Your Highness as he is a senior royal family member, but Excellency is probably more appropriate in this case.

Edited to spell his name right.

Edited by Harris_I on Friday 26th February 10:19

[Harris_I]

Oh, and to answer your other queries, Sheikh Nahyan is very chilled out and would appreciate the condolences howsoever written. In general, though, any rules you would follow in writing a condolence in the UK would apply in the Middle East - no special protocol to remember except try not to refer to religious ideas unless you yourself are a Muslim (for example a Muslim would write to another Muslim "To Allah we belong, and to Him we return", but it would seem kind of awkward coming from a non-Muslim).

Just be sincere!

[SGirl]

Harris_I said:

Oh, and to answer your other queries, Sheikh Nahyan is very chilled out and would appreciate the condolences howsoever written. In general, though, any rules you would follow in writing a condolence in the UK would apply in the Middle East - no special protocol to remember except try not to refer to religious ideas unless you yourself are a Muslim (for example a Muslim would write to another Muslim "To Allah we belong, and to Him we return", but it would seem kind of awkward coming from a non-Muslim).

Just be sincere!

That's fantastic, exactly what I needed to know! Thanks very much, I appreciate it.

I wasn't sure how formal to make the letter, but I thought I'd be best avoiding references to Allah. Would it be okay to say he's in her prayers, and may God rest his soul in peace? Or is that too religious a reference?

[Harris_I]

SGirl said:

Would it be okay to say he's in her prayers, and may God rest his soul in peace? Or is that too religious a reference?

I would avoid reference to God if she is not Muslim, though in any case Sh Nahyan is not the kind of person to take offence (he is Oxford educated and very familiar with protocol in the West).

[Hitch78]

I popped out after reading the initial post and posted on my return about half an hour later and now stand in awe at the power of PH - a qualified answer for everything!

[SGirl]

Hitch78 said:

I popped out after reading the initial post and posted on my return about half an hour later and now stand in awe at the power of PH - a qualified answer for everything!

Yes indeed, PH is like that! I once asked an obscure question about a part of the steel manufacturing process at 12.30 one night (don't ask...), and I got a qualified answer by an expert exactly 2 minutes later. The Power of PH!!

Thanks for all your help, guys. I really appreciate it. I would post you both a beer smiley, but I don't know if you're allowed one.

[Harris_I]

[Fuzzy Wuzzy]

Harris_I said:

Oh, and to answer your other queries, Sheikh Nahyan is very chilled out and would appreciate the condolences howsoever written. In general, though, any rules you would follow in writing a condolence in the UK would apply in the Middle East - no special protocol to remember except try not to refer to religious ideas unless you yourself are a Muslim (for example a Muslim would write to another Muslim "To Allah we belong, and to Him we return", but it would seem kind of awkward coming from a non-Muslim).

Just be sincere!

As a Muslim myself, I would say that if you mention Allah/God it would be taken in a good way. So to the OP, please do not hesitate to do so.

Also, Allah is just the Arabic for God, so both names refer to the same deity.

HTH

[Fuzzy Wuzzy]

SGirl said:

Harris_I said:

Oh, and to answer your other queries, Sheikh Nahyan is very chilled out and would appreciate the condolences howsoever written. In general, though, any rules you would follow in writing a condolence in the UK would apply in the Middle East - no special protocol to remember except try not to refer to religious ideas unless you yourself are a Muslim (for example a Muslim would write to another Muslim "To Allah we belong, and to Him we return", but it would seem kind of awkward coming from a non-Muslim).

Just be sincere!

That's fantastic, exactly what I needed to know! Thanks very much, I appreciate it.

I wasn't sure how formal to make the letter, but I thought I'd be best avoiding references to Allah. Would it be okay to say he's in her prayers, and may God rest his soul in peace? Or is that too religious a reference?

Mentioning God/Allh as previously mentioned, would be seen as a good thing by a Muslim IMHO.

[Harris_I]

Fuzzy Wuzzy said:

As a Muslim myself, I would say that if you mention Allah/God it would be taken in a good way. So to the OP, please do not hesitate to do so.

Also, Allah is just the Arabic for God, so both names refer to the same deity.

HTH

At the risk of turning this into a very tedious thread, with respect FW, but that would not be correct protocol, however graciously it may be accepted by the recipient.

Irrespective of whether your view comes from a Muslim or not, or whether you personally would mind or not, your acid test is whether a scholar of Shari'a would consider it an acceptable condolence in accordance with the Sunnah, coming from a non-Muslim. PM me offline if you would like a more detailed explanation as it gets into a level of esotericism far removed from a website for car enthusiasts!

[Hitch78]

Harris_I said:

Fuzzy Wuzzy said:

As a Muslim myself, I would say that if you mention Allah/God it would be taken in a good way. So to the OP, please do not hesitate to do so.

Also, Allah is just the Arabic for God, so both names refer to the same deity.

HTH

At the risk of turning this into a very tedious thread, with respect FW, but that would not be correct protocol, however graciously it may be accepted by the recipient.

Irrespective of whether your view comes from a Muslim or not, or whether you personally would mind or not, your acid test is whether a scholar of Shari'a would consider it an acceptable condolence in accordance with the Sunnah, coming from a non-Muslim. PM me offline if you would like a more detailed explanation as it gets into a level of esotericism far removed from a website for car enthusiasts!

Top Islamic bearding!

[VAG1]

As a Muslim I don't think you should refer to God because you don't have the same beliefs.

[Asterix]

Am I right in thinking, that if you refer to someone of Royalty as He or Theirs, is that it should always have a capital letter?