kismet 的词源

“命运，宿命”，这个词最早出现在1834年，源自土耳其语qismet，而其根源则是阿拉伯语qismah或qismat，意为“份额，命运”，与qasama（他分配）这个词有关系。

From a nation of enthusiasts and conquerors, the Osmanlis became a nation of sleepers and smokers. They came into Europe with the sword in one hand and the Koran in the other: were they driven out of their encampment, it would be with the Koran in one hand and the pipe in the other, crying: 'Kismet! Kismet! Allah kehrim!' (God hath willed it! God is great!) [Dr. James O. Noyes, "The Ottoman Empire," "The Knickerbocker," October 1858]

从一个热情洋溢、勇于征服的民族，奥斯曼人逐渐变成了一个沉睡和吸烟的民族。他们手握利剑和《可兰经》走进欧洲；如果他们被迫离开营地，那时他们手里会拿着《可兰经》，另一只手则是烟斗，边走边喊：'Kismet! Kismet! Allah kehrim!'（命运如此！真主伟大！）[詹姆斯·O·诺伊斯博士，《奥斯曼帝国》，《尼克博克杂志》，1858年10月]

这个词在1877年被用作一本小说的标题，从而更加流行。