Nasib

Nasib is a term used in Arabic to denote a portion or share, and by extension destiny or fate allotted to a person. The noun nasīb (نَصِيب) conveys the idea of what is due or allotted, whether by fortune, circumstance, or divine arrangement. In Persian, Urdu, Turkish and other languages influenced by Arabic, nasib retains this sense of fate or luck and is commonly used to refer to one’s lot in life.

Cultural usage of nasib is widespread in South Asian and Middle Eastern contexts. It functions as a common given name for men in several languages, with variants such as nasip in Turkish and various South Asian transliterations. In literature and popular music, nasib appears as a motif describing love’s fate, the turns of life, and the notion that some outcomes are beyond immediate human control.

Etymology and related concepts center on the idea of a share or portion allotted to someone, linking nasib to broader notions of destiny and fortune found across Arabic, Persian and Turkic linguistic contexts. In many works, nasib is contrasted with individual effort, highlighting the tension between fate and agency.

See also: fate, destiny, fortune, qadar.