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Veil

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A cloth covering, symbolizing separation, mystery, the hiddenness of God, or the illusion that conceals ultimate reality.

Detailed Definition
The veil in the Jerusalem Temple separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the sanctuary, signifying the inaccessibility of God's full presence. In Sufism, the world is a veil hiding the divine beauty. In poetry, the veil is a rich symbol for that which stands between the seeker and the truth—whether it is ignorance, sin, or the very nature of perception. The ultimate goal is often to "rend the veil" for direct experience, making it a powerful image for revelation and the transition from belief to sight.
Example
Example in poetry:
In biblical poetry, Veil separates holy: “Temple Veil—torn, so all may enter”; In Sufi verse, Veil is illusion: “Lift the Veil—Beloved’s face was always here”; In contemporary poetry, Veil is gendered: “Hijab—Veil of faith, not oppression”; Poets use Veil for mystery: “Mist on lake—Veil that hides, yet invites.”
Additional Notes
The Veil appears in multiple contexts: the Temple veil torn at Jesus’ death (Mark 15:38), the hijab in Islam as modesty and devotion, or Maya in Hinduism as the illusion veiling Brahman; it signifies both separation and the potential for revelation; poets use the veil to explore mystery, the hidden face of God, or the gradual unveiling of truth through spiritual discipline or grace.
Other Meanings of “Veil”
Also Known As
Parokhet Curtain of the Temple Hijab (symbolic) wimple Haise shawe shrowd tulle shroud
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