between heaven and earth

"Qaf" - ق

Qaf, is the Arabic version of the Semitic letter "Qoph" also found in other Semitic languages from Phoenician to Hebrew. It is one of the oldest letters in this language group, some say its hieroglyph was a monkey, others say it was a neck, its history isn't well known...

Visually it strikes one with its power; its bold curves and "double" strikes it contains atop emphasise the letter. Phonetically it is voiceless uvular plosive - it has a strong pronunciation.

These are simple clues to its significance in the language with respect to the concepts related to "power" or "strength". Qaf-Waw-Ya, Qaf-Dal-Ra, Qaf-hae-Ra, Qaf-Mim-Ayn... and many other roots all related with power, strength start their existence with the letter Qaf.

It's the name of the mountain that features heavily in Middle-Eastern, specially Arabic, folklore: Qaf mountain that is not reachable by sea or land, the mountain above the earth, the mountain whose peak pierces the sky and reaches into heaven... Qaf, the first letter of "Qutb" - "the Pole" and it embodies the whole word and concept in itself; thus it is al-Qutb al-Ghaws - the supreme seat between heaven and earth...

And it is purple... for power has been purple... for nobility is purple... for the Phoenicians, who first tried to scribe, illustrate qaf into a letter, were passionate about purple...

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