Character Help: name for female powerd-armor Muslim heroine

[FenrisUlf]

Bet that's not a combo you see every day.

But, having decided to do a character in the current campaign (based in Millenium City, which does have a large population of Arab-Americans and Muslims living in or nearby), I would like to ask if anyone out there has any ideas for the heroic name for the character. She's a Muslim (though not of the NOI or fundamentalist branches), and of Arabic descent, and I was wondering what sort of name she might use that draws on Arabic tradition/history/folklore.

I should add that her armor is built to hide her gender; her family isn't the Taliban, but there'd still be some trouble (and she's shy enough to enjoy the extra level of privacy). Right now I was thinking of something like 'the Saracen', but it sounds kind of lame. Any ideas from our more Arabophile posters would be appreciated.

[freakboy6117]

well i couldnt find much on google best one i could come up with was

sledge hammer shakoosh kabir

once word gets out thats shes female i imagine the press calling her
The babe in the bullet proof burka
or maybe just bullerproof-burka-babe
of course they will probably get a bunch of complaints if they do

[Witch Doctor]

Unless I'm mistaken there are no female special forces or police in any Muslim country.
That suggests to me that you are asking for something which ties her to a culture which doesn't recognize her position as legitimate.

[Peregrine]

At the very least she's violating the tenets of her religion (Islam being simultaneously a religion, a culture, and a theocratic sociopolitical movement). She would be "Muslim in name only", and probably be widely reviled by the local Islamic clergy in their Friday sermons should they discover her gender.

[Hermit]

If she sees the consturction of power armor like crafting a good tale, perhaps she'd go by Scherizade...

Okay, it is a stretch I admit but it's all that came to mind at first.

EDIT: Excuse me, failed my perception roll, she wouldn't call herself that if trying to hide her gender.

[Witch Doctor]

Maybe its a high-tech veil?
Or maybe its the world's smallest mobile home. She beats up villains without ever stepping out of her home into public.

[freakboy6117]

oh just remembered a good one

Janissary (http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Janissary)
a freakboys word of the week from last year.
The encycolepdia link has a bunch of other related terms that could work.

[Hermit]

Maybe she'd call herself Crescent?

[Beetle]

It's obvious and probably way overused, but what about The Arabian Knight?

[Beetle]

Maybe she'd call herself Crescent?As long as you realize that the first time she takes knockback, the "crescent roll" jokes will start flying. :D

[Doug McCrae]

I don't think she'd have a Muslim/Arabian oriented name at all. I mean do the Italian-American superheroes have Catholic/Roman names? Have any of Kitty Pryde's superhero names made references to Judaism?

Call her something like Tank, Armorguard, Hardpoint or D-Fence

[Lord Liaden]

I once created a cyborg character of Middle-Eastern background called Shamshir. That's the curved sword historically used in the region, from which English derives the word "scimitar."

[Greatwyrm]

How about Iron Djinn? If she's quick and agile, maybe Dancing Scimitar.

[caris]

At the very least she's violating the tenets of her religion (Islam being simultaneously a religion, a culture, and a theocratic sociopolitical movement). She would be "Muslim in name only", and probably be widely reviled by the local Islamic clergy in their Friday sermons should they discover her gender.
Peregrine, I think you and Witch Doctor are ignoring the fact that progressive sects in Islam do exist. While this woman's family are on the conservative side, that does not encompass all of Islam. I might point out that America didn't have women in special forces until relatively recently either.

[Dog Soldier]

Progressive Muslim clerics are not that common and you can be sure that the rest would be condemning her.

[Whitewings]

Progressive Muslim clerics are not that common and you can be sure that the rest would be condemning her.

Locally, (meaning the Vancouver, BC area) it's not all that unusual to see Moslem women walking around outside the home. The Koran does require that women in a certain age range be escorted by a male relative or an older female relative, but a powered armour heroine whose armour appears to be male isn't likely to catch trouble for this unless her cover's blown, and even then you could argue that the armour's *far* better protection than any escort. And please, remember that the "black body-bag" outfit is *not* a Koranic requirement, only the covering of the hair, the body from neck to ankles, and the arms down to the wrists.

[freakboy6117]

I find my self-picturing the Armour as really pretty

Helmet echoing the a Saracen helmet (round and with a pointed bullet like shape and a chain/scale mail curtain protecting the back of the head) with a face mask showing only and eye slit like a bhurka then the body which is fairly standard in black and green (green being a holy color) but on top of all the surface an intricate raised layer of silver (adamantium or questionite perhaps or just a titanium/steel alloy) inscribing appropriate passages from the Koran.

As for why our heroine might choose an Arabic name and suit design. Firstly she comes from a conservative Islamic family so her religion and the language she shares with her family probably means a lot to her.

Secondly with so much anti Arab/Islamic sentiment in the world she may think it would be good to have a positive example to show the world that not all Muslims are terrorists and that the Koran has more to it than just the Jihad.

Finally she could want to represent a role model for the Islamic community its self because really they aren't represented in super heroics.

[Teflon Billy]

Crescent = Hilal(m) Hilala(f)

Iron Man = Rajul Hadeedi(m)

Arabian Knight = Faris Arabi

Arabian Night = Layl Arabi(m) Layla Arabia(f)

Also,

"Shakoosh Kabir" literally means "Big Hammer"

For a closer definition:
Sledge-hammer = "Mirzaba" or "Mitraqa Thaqila"

Both of these would be nice as they are both feminine words.

I'll look around a bit and see if I can find some better arabic names.

TB

[Bunyip]

A character motivated to uphold justice ought to have a name to match. If your character wants to indicate her religious affiliations (and I agree that it shouldn't be an essential in the great melting pot that is the US of A) then surely it should be Sharia, after the Islamic code of justice?

[TheQuestionMan]

"Big Burka"

<smirking>

QM

[Beetle]

I don't think she'd have a Muslim/Arabian oriented name at all. I mean do the Italian-American superheroes have Catholic/Roman names? Have any of Kitty Pryde's superhero names made references to Judaism? Maybe it's a 60s/70s type campaign. Remember Black Lightning, Black Panther, Black Goliath and Black Talon?

[freakboy6117]

yeah new minorities with few heros like to proclaim themselves, especial at times when they are considered a threat by the majority.

[FenrisUlf]

I find my self-picturing the Armour as really pretty

Helmet echoing the a Saracen helmet (round and with a pointed bullet like shape and a chain/scale mail curtain protecting the back of the head) with a face mask showing only and eye slit like a bhurka then the body which is fairly standard in black and green (green being a holy color) but on top of all the surface an intricate raised layer of silver (adamantium or questionite perhaps or just a titanium/steel alloy) inscribing appropriate passages from the Koran.

As for why our heroine might choose an Arabic name and suit design. Firstly she comes from a conservative Islamic family so her religion and the language she shares with her family probably means a lot to her.

Secondly with so much anti Arab/Islamic sentiment in the world she may think it would be good to have a positive example to show the world that not all Muslims are terrorists and that the Koran has more to it than just the Jihad.

Finally she could want to represent a role model for the Islamic community its self because really they aren't represented in super heroics.

Yes, it was pictures of Islamic armor that started me on a 'Muslim powered armor character' in the first place. Islamic armorers made some real works of art. That, and reading some Leila Ahmed and Fatima Mernissi (Muslim feminists) gave me the idea of a woman. Don't know about the Qu'ranic verses, though it sure sounds like a good idea.

As far as her being a superheroine, she kind of bungled into that; she was educated as an engineer (she wanted to show dad she could contribute to his business by making an all-environment suit for his workers), and the first time she wore the suit on a trial flight she ran across some VIPER agents robbing the company. She dealt with them, the press ran with a 'Muslim hero', VIPER publically swore nasty revenge, and the local (Millenium City/Dearborn) Islamic community were ecstatic over 'one of our own as a superhero'. Add in a sense of noblesse oblige to her faith and her community, and this young lady finds herself acting as a superhero even when she's not sure she wants to.

And a big THANK YOU to all the ideas here. You've been very helpful.

[steriaca]

If you still need a name, how's about The Shield Of Alah? Think about it...in religion (even if your not a fanatic), evey thing you acomplish is through the higher power, and your just the instrment. So, she is the "shield" which Alah has provided to protect her people.

[Dauntless]

First, about Islam...

Not all muslims are as restrictive towards women as you may think. Many muslim women (especially Sunnis) don't have to wear veils, and can even wear makeup. In the Koran, a woman can not be forced to marry someone she doesn't wish to (her parents can't force arrange a marriage) moreover, by Islamic law, a woman is allowed to keep her last name.

So why don't you see this more in the Islamic world? Because there's a difference between religion and culture. Many arabic nations don't uphold these laws because it goes against their customs (remember, Islam is a relatively new religion).

Of all the muslim sects, the least repressive (and IMHO) the most interesting are the Sufis. They are a mystical branch of Islam that has many many similarities between Christian Gnosticism and Jewish Kabbalism (and even Hinduism). Indeed, many muslims (predominately Shias) feel that Sufi's are barely muslim at all, despite the fact that all 4 Caliphs (a Caliph is the "head" of Islam, akin to Pope and king...though there hasn't been one since the 13th century) proclaimed them to uphold the highest ideals of Islam.

If you ever watched the movie, "Jewel of the Nile" (the sequel to "Romancing the Stone"), then you will at least have been exposed in a Hollywoodish way to the Sufis.

The Sufi's also believe that the most important Jihad is the inner Jihad (jihad means struggle, not holy war). Here's a quote from an important Sufi in the middle ages:

The Prophet said: "Shall I tell you something that is the best of all deeds, constitutes the best act of piety in the eyes of your Lord, elevates your rank in the hereafter, and carries more virtue than the spending of gold and silver in the service of Allah, or taking part in jihad and slaying or being slain in the path of Allah?" They said: "Yes!" He said: "Remembrance of Allah."

As for a good name, how about:
Kashf al-mahjub which means, "uncovering the veiled"

It has a double entendre, meaning unveiling of a woman, as well as it's implied meaning, to discover truth by uncovering the veils that hide truth(Allah).

[Teflon Billy]

The Sufi's also believe that the most important Jihad is the inner Jihad (jihad means struggle, not holy war).I found this entire post to be quite informative, except for this one line. I must assume that you are either muslim yourself or have studied a bit. But this statement that jihad does not mean holy war is just straight up false. While it is true that the Measure I, II, III, and IV verb forms (AWZAN Fa'ala, Fa''ala,FA'ala, and AF'ala ) do mean "he endeavored, strove, labored, took pains, etc...". Measure VIII (WaZN AFt'ala) means "He put out, worked hard, (Isl. Law) formulated an independent judgment in a legal or theological question". However, the noun JihaD means "fight, battle, holy war (against the infidels, as a religious duty)".

So while yes, jihad does mean struggle, it also quite clearly means holy war.

TB

[Teflon Billy]

Anyways.

I spoke to one of my arabic professors (he is a native) and I asked him if he knew what, from an arab cultural context, a good name for an armored comic book hero of arab descent would be and he told me the first thing that came to his mind would be the pre-Islamic folk hero, Antarah bin Shidad and that his story was as follows:

Antarah was a slave, and as a slave he was not permitted to fight (if attacked his proper response would be to accept it and die). However, when he and his master were attacked, he fought so courageously and with so much valor to protect his master that he was granted his freedom by his master. He later fell in love with a girl and she with him. However, because he was a former slave he was not permitted to marry her. He then fought another great battle and again, do to his courage and heroism, he was granted freedoms that he didn't previously have and was permitted to marry her.

The other reason my Prof recomended him was because he also was famously known for his armored suit as well for his heroic exploits.

This story works quite well, depending on your characters motivation. You could have that do to her heroism as someone who isn't, culturally, supposed to fight but does, she could do to here actions gain women greater freedom, by showing that they are capable of great valor and courage.

Antarah (pronounced: An ta ra, all of the 'a's are pronounced as the 'a' in the sun god Ra)

Otherwise, he said arab children associate Sampson (Shimsham) and Heracles (I forgot the arab name, but it sounds very different than the greek. I can get it tomorrow if you want it) for any generic superhero type character, well, these and Superman (straight cognate, they say Superman, well, in arabic Suberman, just like they drink Bebsi Cola:D)

TB

[Dauntless]

While I'm not muslim, my grandmother was. I'm actually Buddhist myself. My knowledge of Islam comes mostly from my own dabbling in the research of various religions. I firmly believe in the Japanese saying; "if you know only one religion, you know none". My mother who grew up in the Islamic region of the Phillipines (on the very island that unfortunately most of the Abu Sayyaf hide out on) has also told me about some Sunni muslim customs in the Phillipines.

As for the meaning of jihad, a word can have different meanings depending on how it is used. Look at the english word conflict. Correctly, America was involved in the Vietnam Conflict, not the Vietnam War (no war was ever declared). But was it a war? It sure was to all those poor guys that had to be in it. And conflict can also mean a battle on a personal level.

To see jihad simply as "war" is akin to seeing the word conflict only to mean war. So in the Koran, you have to look at the context of how it is being used to understand what the connotation is. It can indeed mean war, but as the quote pointed out, there is a greater and lesser Jihad. The lesser Jihad is war, the greater Jihad is personal struggle against naf(self).

Unfortunately in Islam, there are various levels of closeness to Allah. Those who wage the lesser Jihad (war) against oppressors are deemed to be close to God. But in Sufi thought (it was a Sufi who declared the hadith in the quote I gave), those closest to Allah are those who wage the greater Jihad, or the abandonment of naf in order to accept the love of Allah. As I read more about Sufism, it really reminds me a lot of the Buddhist and Hindu ideas of abandoning the self. It's because of this metaphysical and esoteric teachings that many muslims don't see Sufis as "real" muslims.

Here's another Hadith from another Sufi:


The Prophet came back from one of his campaigns saying: "You have come forth in the best way of coming forth: you have come from the smaller jihad to the geater jihad." They said: "And what is the greater jihad?" He replied: "The striving (mujahadat) of Allah's servants against their idle desires."

and also


Al-Junayd said: "Those who have striven against their desires and repented for our sake, we shall guide them to the ways of sincerity, and one cannot struggle against his enemy outwardly (i.e. with the sword) except he who struggles against these enemies inwardly. Then whoever is given victory over them will be victorious over his enemy. and whoever is defeated by them, his enemy defeats him

The assertation here is that one can not truly wage the lesser jihad (the external war) until one has waged the greater jihad (the internal struggle).

[Teflon Billy]

I didn't disagree with you that jihad means struggle. I'm just tired of people who keep saying that it doesn't mean holy war, regardless of the context. Or always in the context that when it appears in the Quran that it does not mean holy war, only struggle. Which is not true.

I know that in the context in which you said it you were meaning a long drawn out struggle with oneself.

I, however, am cognisant that they're are many muslims in front of the media who are trying to whitewash the less savory aspects of there religion by saying that people "mistranslate" or "misunderstand" what things mean. I will not support this falsehood that they are spreading to the non-muslim world. When it is quite clear that a great many muslims, not just the lunatics like Osama bin Laden, who take the meaning of jihad when they use it to be a holy war waged directly against the infidel.

I would not have had a quibble with you if you had said
The Sufi's also believe that the most important Jihad is the inner Jihad (which in this case means struggle, not holy war).
TB