Coffee in Arabic and World Litreture

Coffee appears in Arabic literature as a cultural symbol that goes beyond being a daily drink, being closely associated with contemplation, writing, and social rituals. Lisan al-Arab mentions that coffee was named because it “quḥī” (reduces the drinker’s appetite), while its origins trace back to Abyssinia before spreading across the Arab world. In classical Arabic poetry, coffee is often described in verses that detail its color and effects, as seen in the works of Abu Nuwas and Al-‘Idrus. In modern poetry, it became a symbol of calm, self-reflection, and memory for poets such as Mahmoud Darwish. Coffee has also inspired global writers, including Balzac and T. S. Eliot, making it a recurring literary theme throughout the ages.

In Arabic literature, coffee is more than a beverage—it is a cultural symbol linked to reflection and writing. It is mentioned in classical lexicons such as Lisan al-Arab, appears in poetry describing its color and effect, and in modern literature has become a symbol of calm, memory, and creativity, as reflected in the writings of Mahmoud Darwish and others.

Coffee in Lexicons and Heritage

Lisan al-Arab by Ibn Manzur explains that coffee was named because it “quḥī” the drinker from food, meaning it suppresses appetite, the same meaning mentioned in Al-Tahdhib. Coffee was known in Abyssinia as “bunna,” from where it spread to the Arabian Peninsula to become part of daily culture and literary gatherings, a history detailed in articles on the history and origin of coffee.

Verses about Coffee in Classical Arabic Poetry

Poets described coffee as a drink for contemplation and evening gatherings. Notable examples include Al-‘Idrus:

“For God, a coffee carefully prepared for us
In a white porcelain cup, its flavor delights
As if it were a dark eyeball,
Its steam rising like lashes above it.”

Ibrahim Ibn Al-Ballat also wrote:

“Drink happily the coffee that tastes best with friends
Black in the cup… telling the darkness of the eye.”

Coffee in Modern Poetry and Literature

In modern literature, coffee evolved into a symbol of calm mornings and writing, reflecting its growing social and cultural presence, as seen in the evolution of coffee culture in Saudi Arabia, from traditional gahwa to modern cafes. Mahmoud Darwish wrote about it as a companion to beautiful solitude, while Nizar Qabbani and Mourid Barghouti portrayed it as a daily ritual preceding reflection and confession. Coffee thus became a space for self-contemplation rather than just a sensory description.

Mahmoud Darwish Quotes about Coffee

• “I long for my mother’s bread, my mother’s coffee, my mother’s touch… Childhood grows within me on my mother’s chest, and I cherish my life because if I die, I would be ashamed of my mother’s tears.”
• “Coffee is the open reading of the soul… a revealing sorceress of the secrets that the day carries.”
• “Coffee is not drunk in haste; coffee is the sister of time, sipped slowly. Coffee is the voice of taste, the voice of aroma. Coffee is contemplation, penetrating the soul and memories.”
• “Coffee is the early, deliberate, solitary morning silence where you stand alone with water chosen in laziness and isolation, in a peace invented with the self and things.”
• “For those addicted like me, coffee is the key to the day.”
• “Alone I make coffee, alone I drink it, losing part of my life… losing the thrill.”
• “Coffee is like love: too little does not quench, too much does not satisfy.”

Arab Quotes about Coffee

• “One coffee is enough to calm this noisy world.” — Unknown
• “Coffee is a small homeland that grants you asylum every morning.” — Unknown
• “The enjoyment of coffee begins with its preparation, not its sipping.” — Shaimaa Fouad
• “Let’s invent a morning conversation about anything—even if it’s about bitter coffee and your sweet talk.” — Adham Al-Sharqawi
• “When I drink coffee with you, it feels as if the first coffee tree was planted for us.” — Nizar Qabbani
• “Only coffee has the right to arrive late.” — Awatif Abdelaziz
• “For those addicted like me, coffee is the key to the day.” — Mahmoud Darwish
• “A cup of coffee with a friend is the perfect act… A cup of coffee with a book is the safest act… Choose safety.” — Narmeen Nizar
• “On the cafe table: empty coffee cups and conversations we didn’t bother to swallow.” — Nibal Qandis
• “Coffee has colors, flavors, and tastes—blonde, dark, burnt, medium—and its meaning changes depending on who serves it, how it is served, and the situation. Coffee of first acquaintance differs from reconciliation coffee, different from one the guest refuses before meeting the request. Coffee for writing differs from coffee for reading, coffee while traveling differs from coffee at home, coffee from the stove differs from machine coffee. In cafes, it can be cheerful or stern depending on the server.” — Mourid Barghouti

Global Coffee Quotes

• “This black drink awakens thought as nothing else does.” — Honoré de Balzac
• “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” — T. S. Eliot
• “Coffee, the first companion of writing.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky
• “Life is too short to drink bad coffee.” — Unknown
• “Coffee is a language in itself.” — Jackie Chan
• “This black drink sparks the brain.” — Honoré de Balzac
• “Coffee stimulates thoughts as armies are stimulated in battle.” — Honoré de Balzac
• “A cup of coffee is the first motivation for work.” — Honoré de Balzac
• “Nothing awakens a writer’s genius like a strong cup of coffee.” — Honoré de Balzac
• “Coffee makes people friendlier and more talkative.” — Johann Wolfgang Goethe
• “He who understands coffee can endure life.” — Johann Wolfgang Goethe
• “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” — T. S. Eliot
• “I want strong coffee… days need something that bites.” — Ernest Hemingway
• “Coffee is part of the writing ritual.” — Ernest Hemingway
• “Coffee helps me write more than people do.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky
• “Morning begins when the coffee cup rings.” — Victor Hugo
• “I need coffee, or I become as cold as the world.” — Franz Kafka
• “Coffee gives me extra time to think.” — Franz Kafka
• “No writing without coffee.” — Virginia Woolf
• “Coffee keeps the spirit alert when the body tires.” — Virginia Woolf
• “The smell of coffee awakens dormant memory.” — Marcel Proust
• “My day does not begin without coffee.” — Haruki Murakami
• “Coffee and running… two ways to organize chaos.” — Haruki Murakami
• “I write with morning coffee as if reconciling with the world.” — Albert Camus
• “When I drink coffee, I feel thoughts moving as if I am observing them from outside.” — Jean-Paul Sartre
• “Coffee makes the world clear enough for me to write.” — Orhan Pamuk
• “Silence with coffee has another taste.” — Milan Kundera
• “Coffee is the companion of long contemplation.” — Hermann Hesse
• “I need strong coffee… investigations do not wait.” — Arthur Conan Doyle
• “Every morning needs something black… like coffee.” — Gabriel García Márquez
• “Coffee is one of the small things that saves an entire day.” — Pablo Neruda
• “No morning without coffee.” — Robert Louis Stevenson
• “Coffee makes the world understandable.” — John Steinbeck
• “In the morning, I need coffee to become human again.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
• “Morning coffee encourages forgiveness.” — Tolstoy
• “A cup of coffee is a small celebration of existence.” — Walt Whitman
• “Civilization advances thanks to tea and coffee.” — Alfred North Whitehead
• “Coffee softens the light.” — Edward Hopper
• “Coffee is a moment between two worlds.” — Rainer Maria Rilke
• “Coffee is a shield against emptiness.” — Joseph Brodsky
• “Coffee makes the morning bearable for a touch of literature.” — Oscar Wilde
• “Evening coffee is better than daytime noise.” — Charles Dickens
• “Coffee is a silent poetic act.” — Emily Dickinson
• “I cannot think clearly without morning coffee.” — Simone de Beauvoir
• “Coffee is the energy of imagination.” — Ray Bradbury

FAQs about Coffee in Literature

Why is coffee linked to Arabic literature?
Because it was part of cultural gatherings and daily rituals, making it present in poetry and writing.

What is the linguistic meaning of coffee?
It was named “quḥī” because it suppresses the drinker’s appetite.

Who are the most famous poets writing about coffee?
Abu Nuwas, Al-‘Idrus, Mahmoud Darwish, and Nizar Qabbani.

Is coffee mentioned in global literature?
Yes, writers such as Balzac, Eliot, Dostoevsky, and others wrote extensively about it.

From classical Arabic coffee poetry to contemporary literary quotes, coffee remains a cultural element in Arabic and global texts—a symbol of reflection, writing, and daily memory, as also seen today in the rise of specialty coffee roasters in Saudi Arabia and their role in shaping modern local coffee culture.