Abdul

Abdul is the anglicized shortening of the Arabic abd al-, meaning servant of the — always followed, in proper form, by one of the ninety-nine names of God. On its own the word is grammatically incomplete, a suspended phrase waiting for its second half, which is why traditional Arabic usage keeps the pair whole: Abdul Rahman, Abdul Aziz, Abdul Malik. In diasporic communities from Lagos to London the standalone Abdul has become a name in its own right, carried with pride. Two syllables, a firm opening, a settled close. Abdul is grounded and devotional, a name pointing always toward something larger than itself.