# Hindi: "Khuda Hafiz" use



## Nina88

Hi everyone!

I would like to know if khuda hafiz is currently used in Hindu community (I've been told that it is a "muslim way" of saying goodbye).

Let me explain: I'm writing a letter to my godson and I'm trying to write it in Hindi (I'm still learning  ). I know that "alvida" can be enough, but I love the meaning of "khuda afiz" (may god be your guardian). As much as I like it, I don't want to use inappropriates expressions!

Thanks a lot!


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## lcfatima

I have only heard Hindus using Khudahafiz when addressing a Muslim, never with another Hindu.


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## meray_paas

I agree with what Fatima is saying. When saying farewell to my Pakistani friends, it would sound rather odd, if not insulting, to say "namaste." As a Hindu, is would also sound weird to me, for obvious reasons, if I were to say _Allah Hafiz_. _Allah Hafiz_ is what my Pakistani friends tell me is the "more correct" Muslim way of saying _Khuda Hafiz_, because _Khuda_ is a Persian word meaning God, not necessarily referring to Allah himself (I may be a little shaky on these finer details, so someone feel free to correct). I have not heard _Khuda Hafiz_ being used among Hindus though.

To be safe I would stick with _Namaste_ or even sign it off at the bottom with _Jai ho!_ if you wanna be creative or even _Khush raho Jeete raho_ (may you live long and remain happy)


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## Nina88

Thank you so much for your answers! 

Can someone tell me how to write: *Khush raho Jeete raho* in Hindi. I could try myself (my alphabet is a little shaky but I'm making progress), but I've never heard this expression before and I wouldn't like to make mistakes!


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## Faylasoof

Nina88, 

Just to clarify a few things!




Nina88 said:


> Hi everyone!





Nina88 said:


> I would like to know if khuda hafiz is currently used in hindu community (I've been told that it is a "muslim way" of saying goodbye).


 
Not generally! But many of our Hindu family friends in Lucknow (from before the Great Divide) still use it. Traditionally, in Lucknow this was NOT an issue!! Admittedly, they belong to the older generation and are a dying breed!! 




			
				Nina88 said:
			
		

> ….I know that "alvida" can be enough, but i love the meaning of "khuda afiz" (may god be your guardian). As much as I like it, I don't want to use inappropriates expressions!...


 Given the polarized culture we are all living in, it is best to even not bother with <alvidaa’ الوداع> either. Unbeknown to the “mob” it is an Arabic word meaning <farewell>. We also use it in Urdu.

.. and meray_paas,

I very well understand your position on all this - you are merely an observer! 




meray_paas said:


> …if I were to say _Allah Hafiz_. _Allah Hafiz_ is what my Pakistani friends tell me is the "more correct" Muslim way of saying _Khuda Hafiz_, because _Khuda_ is a Persian word meaning God, not necessarily referring to Allah himself (I may be a little shaky on these finer details, so someone feel free to correct)…..


 "More correct"? I’ve heard this argument and couldn’t disagree more! _The use of_ _Xuda / Khuda Hafiz __has been in ourculture for hundreds of years. There is nothing wrong with its usage unless one falls for the more, so-called, “fundamentalist’ approach that seems to be gaining ground. In Pakistan the use of Allah Hafiz was propagated by Zia-ul-Haqq’s (fundamentalist) regime, resulting in a politicized form of language. He did much else that was wrong too! I've lived in Pakistan, so I should know!_




meray_paas said:


> …To be safe I would stick with _Namaste_ or even sign it off at the bottom with _Jai ho!_ if you wanna be creative or even _Khush raho Jeete raho_ (may you live long and remain happy)


 I agree with you here. Even in present-day Lucknow we don’t live in what was once an eclectic-syncretic culture. So there too we are careful about these things.

BTW, Urduphones also use these expressions: <_xush raho / jeete raho>__._ Mostly it is our elders who say it to us as a form of blessing.


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## Nina88

I (hink I've been a bit misunderstood: the letter I'm trying so hard to write is meant for a little boy living in a little village in North India (in Uttar Pradesh). He can hardly understand English, so I'm trying to write as much as possible in Hindi. His family is Hindu (in my concern, I'm French) so I wanted to make sure that using khuda hafiz was not inappropriate. I shall confess for my defense that I've heard it in bollywood movies (in Hindi) !

So can I use it, or do you advise me something else (in which case can you write it in hindi please). ???


Thanks a lot to everyone who can help me !


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## Faylasoof

Hi Nin88,

No, you are not misunderstood! As I imply above, these days it is best to use expressions of greetings / farewell appropriate for the cultural-religious background of the audience. Since this boy is from a Hindu background in a small village in UP, I would _not_ use <xuda / khuda hafiz >. Here I would do what meeray paas suggests. 

The rest of what I said is _general info_ not directed towards anyone here! So please, nobody misunderstand _me_! Just my views as to how, regrettably, language can’t be separated from politics.

_Unfortunately the computer I’m using now doesn’t have a Hindi text editor (nor am I allowed to install it!), so you’ll have to wait for someone else to fulfill your request – soon I hope. _


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## Nina88

Oh thank you so I was the one who misunderstood! 

So not khuda hafiz! I guess I'll just wait for an appropriate expresion (does Namaste work for saying goodbye?).

Thanks Faylasoof !!!.


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## meray_paas

Thank you for the clarifications and extra info Faylasoof.

Nina, _namaste_ can work as a greeting in a situation where one is either meeting or departing. Here are your requests in Devnagri:

Khush raho jeete raho: खुश रहो जीते रहो 
namaste: नमस्ते 
Jai ho: जय हो


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## Nina88

Thank you !!!


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## Jianfeng

Many Pakistani people say "Allah Khafiz" instead.


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## Faylasoof

Welcome to the forum Jianfeng!

Yes, many Pakistanis say Allah Hafiz but many still use Xuda / Khuda Hafiz! 

The term <Allah Hafiz > is a recent invention! Please see my post #5.


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## Jianfeng

Hi Faylasoof:
Regarding the Allah hafiz/Khuda hafiz, my question is, most Pakistani people are not Shi'a, and I was taught that Khuda is mainly spoken in Iran and among the Shi'a people in other countries. I don't know whether Pakistani people speak Khuda hafiz because Urdu originated from Farsi. I guess you are muslim living in South Asia. So can you tell me if there were not fundamentalism affecting the muslim community, would there be such difference between Allah hafiz or Khuda hafiz?
One more question: I have ever read that مسلمان (musalmaan) is an insulting word for muslim people. Is that true?


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## arsham

Jianfeng said:


> Hi Faylasoof:
> 
> One more question: I have ever read that مسلمان (musalmaan) is an insulting word for muslim people. Is that true?



 that's the Persian word for muslim, I think it's also used in Arabic (though not sure)!


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## Faylasoof

Dear Jianfeng,




Jianfeng said:


> Hi Faylasoof:





Jianfeng said:


> Regarding the Allah hafiz/Khuda hafiz, my question is, most Pakistani people are not Shi'a, and I was taught that Khuda is mainly spoken in Iran and among the Shi'a people in other countries. I don't know whether Pakistani people speak Khuda hafiz because Urdu originated from Farsi.


I'm afraid you have been misled. I hear this pseudo-argument a lot, amongst much else that is equally nonsensical! The use of <_xuda / khuda hafiz_ > _has traditionally nothing to do with Shia-Sunni doctrimal differences_! Those who say this are plainly ignorant and have fallen for an idea propagated by a divisive regime. I'm afraid all this is nothing but a red herring! 

As I iterate in my posts above, there are plenty of people in Pakistan who still use <_ xuda / khuda hafiz_ > ,as did their ancestors, regardless of which sect they belong to! If this were a true sectarian difference then much of our Urdu and Indo-Pak Farsi literature would have reflected this. It just doesn't. If people are now trying to convince you of this, then they are sadly deluded. Moreover, if we were to follow this argument then we should promptly dump all our literature as the use of the word <_xuda / khuda = God = Allah_> is rampant! Whether you read the works of our Sunni or Shia clerics or those of our poets and writers, past and present, the word <_xuda / khuda = God_ > is _used unequivocally to mean_ _Allah /God_, - _regardless of the sect they belong to. _

Incidentally, Urdu is a sister language of Hindi and both are related to Prakrit and in turn to Sanskrit. Once the colloquial form of the two was referred to as Hindustani. They share a large common vocabulary and grammatically are identical.

Yes, Farsi has had a huge influence on Urdu, spoken and written. Arabic also has influenced our language either by direct word-borrowing from it or Arabic words caming in via Persian. Also, Urdu prosody is essentially Arabic prosody.

One more point. _Allah is just an Arabic word for God and Arab Christians use it too! This is not a sole preserve of Muslims! Here is a quote from the Arabic Bible (Genesis (takwiin _تكوين_)– first book of the Old Testament. You’ll find the same usage of Allah in the New Testament, here.):_
تكوين 1​ 

فِي الْبَدْءِ خَلَقَ اللهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارْضَ. وَكَانَتِ الارْضُ خَرِبَةً وَخَالِيَةً وَعَلَى وَجْهِ الْغَمْرِ ظُلْمَةٌ وَرُوحُ اللهِ يَرِفُّ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْمِيَاهِ. وَقَالَ اللهُ: «لِيَكُنْ نُورٌ» فَكَانَ نُورٌ. وَرَاى اللهُ النُّورَ انَّهُ حَسَنٌ. وَفَصَلَ اللهُ بَيْنَ النُّورِ وَالظُّلْمَةِ. وَدَعَا اللهُ النُّورَ نَهَارا وَالظُّلْمَةُ دَعَاهَا لَيْلا. وَكَانَ مَسَاءٌ وَكَانَ صَبَاحٌ يَوْما وَاحِدا. وَقَالَ اللهُ: «لِيَكُنْ جَلَدٌ فِي وَسَطِ الْمِيَاهِ. وَلْيَكُنْ فَاصِلا بَيْنَ مِيَاهٍ وَمِيَاهٍ». فَعَمِلَ اللهُ الْجَلَدَ وَفَصَلَ بَيْنَ الْمِيَاهِ الَّتِي تَحْتَ الْجَلَدِ وَالْمِيَاهِ الَّتِي فَوْقَ الْجَلَدِ ... ​ 




> I guess you are muslim living in South Asia. So can you tell me if there were not fundamentalism affecting the muslim community, would there be such difference between Allah hafiz or Khuda hafiz?


Yes I’m A Muslim though I may not be living in South Asia now but grew up there and go there regularly. The other point I think I’ve answered above. 



> One more question: I have ever read that





> مسلمان (musalmaan) is an insulting word for muslim people. Is that true?


 No! This is the first time I'm hearing this! On the other hand <Mohammadenism for Islam> and <Mohammaden for a Muslim> would be unacceptable. They are both products of British colonial era and attitudes then prevalent. Now they are not used unless of course referring to certain nomenclature fixed and determined by the British, e.g. Mohammaden Family Law in India, meaning Muslim family law (shari’a pertaining to family and inheritance). 

Besides, as Arsham says, we got this,like the word <xuda / khuda>, and numerous other words, from Persian.

*I hope this clarifies the situation. If not, then please let us continue by PM unless you have more to ask about <xuda / khuda and its combinations esp. xuda hafiz>*


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