Marafi
Encyclopedia
Marafi Behbahani also written as Ma'arafi, Marafie, or Ma'arafie. He was Mohammad-Rafie (Marafie) Mohammad-Zaman Behbahani, the founder of the currently known Marafi/Marafie Family of Kuwait. He was born in the Iranian
city of Behbahan
. He migrated from Behbahan to Kuwait
due to many reasons; the one reason that many agreed on is he migrated due to trading. It is widely believed that he was one of the first Iranian Kuwaitis
to arrive to the current Kuwait
.
He and his sons were traders who have imported the first telephone
, first refrigerator
, and many household items into Kuwait. This is because, back then they owned one of the largest trading fleets of dhows (Wooden Ships) in the region.
), when pronouncing the two names so quickly together, one would unintentionally pronounce the name as "Ma-Rafie"; this is due to the effect of the Iranian
accent and dialect over the name.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
city of Behbahan
Behbahan
Behbahan is a city in and the capital of Behbahan County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 99,204, in 24,204 families....
. He migrated from Behbahan to Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
due to many reasons; the one reason that many agreed on is he migrated due to trading. It is widely believed that he was one of the first Iranian Kuwaitis
Iranian Kuwaitis
Iranian Kuwaitis or Persian Kuwaitis are part of the continuous and rapid rise in Iranian immigration to the Arabian Peninsula....
to arrive to the current Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
.
He and his sons were traders who have imported the first telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
, first refrigerator
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
, and many household items into Kuwait. This is because, back then they owned one of the largest trading fleets of dhows (Wooden Ships) in the region.
Etymology
The name, Marafi, was derived from a combination of two names, Mohammad and Rafie . Since the combined-name is widely used in Persia(IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
), when pronouncing the two names so quickly together, one would unintentionally pronounce the name as "Ma-Rafie"; this is due to the effect of the Iranian
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
accent and dialect over the name.