# Shilajit in Arabic: Mumiya, Mumiyan and What Gulf Shoppers Call It **By Minerals Pitch** · 2026-10-30 The short answer In Arabic, shilajit is written **شيلاجيت** (shilajit), but in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf most people know it by its older name, **المومياء** or **الموميان** (al-mumiya, al-mumiyan), often called **عشبة المومياء**, "the mumiya herb". It is also described as **القار المعدني**, "mineral pitch". All of these mean the same mountain resin. Despite the name, it isn't a herb at all. If you live in Saudi Arabia, the UAE or anywhere else in the Gulf, you'll have noticed that shilajit goes by several names. A traditional herb seller will offer you "mumiyan", an online shop will sell you "shilajit", and a relative might call it "the mumiya herb". This short guide explains the Arabic names, where they come from, and what to check if you're buying shilajit in the region. ## The Arabic names for shilajit **شيلاجيت / الشيلاجيت (shilajit, al-shilajit).** The Sanskrit name written in Arabic letters. It's the name most modern brands and international shops use, and you'll also see the spellings سلاجيت and سيلاجيت, which follow the Urdu pronunciation "salajeet". **المومياء / الموميان / الموميا (al-mumiya, al-mumiyan).** The traditional name in Arabic and Persian. It comes from the Persian word for dark, resinous substances, and the spelling varies a lot. It's the same word family as "mumijo" and "mumiyo", the names used in Russia, Central Asia and Germany. **عشبة المومياء (ushbat al-mumiya).** Literally "the mumiya herb". It's the most common everyday phrase in Saudi Arabia, probably because the resin is sold by herbalists alongside dried herbs. **القار المعدني (al-qar al-ma'dini).** "Mineral pitch", a description of its dark, sticky look and rocky origin. It has nothing to do with petroleum tar. ## Why "herb" is the wrong word Shilajit forms from plant material that was trapped between layers of rock and broke down over a very long time, so its origin is plant-based. But what you buy is a mineral-rich resin that seeps out of rock in the warm months, not a plant that is grown and harvested. The distinction matters: raw resin contains stone, soil and possibly heavy metals, so unlike a dried herb it needs proper purification and lab testing before it's safe to eat. Our guide [What Is Shilajit? How It Forms and What It's Made Of](/blogs/posts/what-is-shilajit-and-how-is-it-formed-naturally) explains the whole process. ## Mumiya and the Egyptian mummies The link between "mumiya" and "mummy" is real, but it runs the opposite way to what most people assume. Genuine mumiya resin was rare and expensive in medieval times, so some European traders started selling ground-up embalmed bodies from Egypt as a substitute, because they looked similar. Over time the name moved from the resin to the bodies. Egyptian mummies were named after mumiya, and genuine mumiya has nothing to do with human remains. ## Mumiya in Persian and Arabic tradition Physicians in the Persian and Arabic traditions wrote about mumiya and used it especially for fractures and bruises. Two small clinical trials from Iran have looked at this traditional use. In a 2020 trial of 160 adults recovering from tibia fracture surgery, the group taking mumiya capsules for 28 days had an average healing time of 129 days against 153 days with placebo. A smaller trial of 44 people with wrist fractures reported better movement and grip strength, with no difference on X-ray. These results are interesting, but they're small, they come from a single country, and mumiya was used alongside normal medical care, not instead of it. They aren't enough to support any health claim, and we don't make one. If you have a fracture, follow your doctor's advice. For an honest overview of the wider research, read [Shilajit Benefits: What the Research Actually Shows](/blogs/posts/shilajit-benefits-explained). ## Buying shilajit in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Whatever name is on the label, the same rules apply. Look for a clear origin, a short ingredient list and, above all, an independent lab report covering heavy metals and microbes. Be wary of unlabelled pieces sold loose, of prices that look too good to be true, and of anyone promising cures, which Gulf regulators don't allow. Our guide to [authentic vs fake shilajit](/blogs/posts/authentic-shilajit-vs-fake-shilajit) covers the home tests and the warning signs, and [Is Shilajit Halal?](/blogs/posts/is-shilajit-halal) covers what to check on that front. For customers in Saudi Arabia, our [Black Gold Shilajit liquid](/products/black-gold-shilajit) is registered with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA, registration P-3-N-010424-70781) and ships from inside the Kingdom, usually within 1–3 days, or 5–10 days to other Gulf countries. Our [Himalayan Shilajit Resin (30g)](/products/shilajit-resin-30gram) and [Shilajit Drops (30ml)](/products/shilajit-drops-30ml) come from Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan, are purified with water, filtration and sun drying, and are tested batch by batch. The results are on our [lab reports](/pages/lab-reports) page. Shilajit isn't suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding or for under-18s, and anyone with a kidney condition, high iron, gout, or who takes regular medication should speak to their doctor first. See [Who Should Not Take Shilajit?](/blogs/posts/who-should-not-take-shilajit) ## Frequently asked questions ### What is shilajit called in Arabic? شيلاجيت (shilajit) is the modern name. The traditional names are المومياء or الموميان (al-mumiya, al-mumiyan), often as عشبة المومياء ("the mumiya herb"), and القار المعدني ("mineral pitch"). ### Is mumiyan the same as shilajit? Yes. Mumiyan, mumiya, mumijo and shilajit are all names for the same mountain resin. Differences between products come from the region, the purification and the format, not the name. ### Is the "mumiya herb" really a herb? No. It forms from ancient plant material inside rock, but it's a mineral-rich resin, not a plant, and it needs purification before use. ### How do you say salajeet in Arabic? "Salajeet" is the Urdu pronunciation of shilajit. In Arabic it's usually written سلاجيت or شيلاجيت, and Gulf shoppers often search for الموميان instead. This article is for general information only and isn't a substitute for advice from your doctor. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the recommended daily amount. **Tags:** mumiya, saudi-arabia, shilajit-buying-guide, shilajit-in-arabic --- > Source: [Natural Himalayan Shilajit | MineralsPitch](https://mineralspitch.com/blogs/posts/shilajit-in-arabic)