Kohl is also a Hindi rooted name. Noun. A cosmetic preparation usually made by grinding up galena (lead sulphide) or stibnite (antimony sulphide) – both poisons – but it could also made from carbon black or iron oxide – which are harmless. Used by women in Egypt and Arabia to darken the edges of their eyelids. Late 18th century: from Arabic كحل Kuhl and the Biblical Hebrew כחל kaḥal In addition, mothers would apply Kohl to their infants' eyes soon after birth. Some did this to "strengthen the child's eyes", and others believed it could prevent the child from being cursed by the evil eye. The English word alcohol is a loan of the Arabic word.The Persian word for Kohl is سرمه sormeh, from Turkish sürme "drawing along", which has led to Bengali and Urdu surma ( সুর্মা, سرمہ) as well as Russian сурьма. In some South Asian languages, the term kājal or kajol is used. This last term may originally have a Dravidian root. The Greek and Latin terms for antimony, stibium, στίβι, στίμμι, were borrowed from the Egyptian name sdm. In Hausa, it is also known as tozali and kwalli. In Islam, Muhammad used Kohl and recommended others to use it because he believed that it was beneficial for the eyes based on the following saying by him: "One of the best kinds of Kohl that you use is Ithmid (antimony); it brightens the vision and makes the hair (eye-lashes) grow" and he "used to apply Kohl to his right eye three times, and to his left eye twice." It is used by many Muslim men today during Ramadan as a sign of devotion.
The Greek and Latin terms for antimony, stibium, στίβι, στίμμι, were borrowed from the Egyptian name sdm.
In Hausa, it is also known as tozali and kwalli.
In Islam, Muhammad used Kohl and recommended others to use it because he believed that it was beneficial for the eyes based on the following saying by him: "One of the best kinds of Kohl that you use is Ithmid (antimony); it brightens the vision and makes the hair (eye-lashes) grow" and he "used to apply Kohl to his right eye three times, and to his left eye twice." It is used by many Muslim men today during Ramadan as a sign of devotion.