‘Atiya see Jarir ibn ‘Atiya.
‘aun a powerful jinni.
Avicenna the Western version of the Arab name Ibn Sina (980–1037), a Persian physician and philosopher, the most eminent of his time, whose most famous works include The Book of Healing and The Canon of Medicine.
balila stewed maize or wheat.
ban tree Oriental willow.
banj frequently used as a generic term referring to a narcotic or knock-out drug, but sometimes the word specifically refers to henbane.
banu literally, ‘sons of’, a term used to identify tribes or clans, e.g. the Banu Quraish.
Barmecides see Harun al-Rashid, Ja‘far.
Bilal an Ethiopian contemporary of the Prophet and early convert to Islam. The Prophet appointed him to be the first muezzin.
Bishr al-Hafi al-Hafi meaning ‘the man who walks barefoot’ (767–841), a famous Sufi.
bulbul Eastern song thrush.
Chosroe in Persian ‘Khusraw’, in Arabic ‘Kisra’ – the name of several pre-Islamic Sasanian kings of Persia, including Chosroe Anurshirwan – ‘the blessed’ (r. 531–79).
Dailamis Dailam is a mountainous region to the south of the Caspian Sea whose men were celebrated as warriors.
daniq a medieval Islamic coin equivalent to a sixth of a dirham.
dhikr a religious recitation, particularly a Sufi practice.
dhimmi a non-Muslim subject, usually a Christian or a Jew, living under Muslim rule.
Di‘bil al-Khuza‘i (765–860) a poet and philologist who lived in Iraq and who was famous for his satirical and invective poetry.
dinar a gold coin. It can also be a measure of weight.
dirham a silver coin, approximately a twentieth of a dinar.
diwan council of state, council hall or reception room.
fals plural flus, a low-value copper coin.
faqih a jurisprudent, an expert in Islamic law.
faqir literally, ‘a poor man’, the term also is used to refer to a Sufi or Muslim ascetic.
al-Fath ibn Khaqan (d. 861) the caliph al-Mutawwakil’s adoptive brother, chief scribe and general.
Fatiha literally, the ‘opening’; the first sura (chapter) of the Quran.
Fatima (d. 633) daughter of the Prophet. She married ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib. The Fatimid caliphs of Egypt, whose dynasty lasted from 909 to 1171, claimed descent from her.
fidda silver, a small silver coin.
flus see fals.
ghazi a holy warrior, a slayer of infidels or participant on a raiding expedition.
ghul a cannibalistic monster. A ghula is a female ghul.
Gog and Magog evil tribes dwelling in a distant region. According to legend, Alexander the Great built a wall to keep them from invading the civilized parts of the earth, but in the Last Days they will break through that wall.
hadith a saying concerning the words or deeds of the Prophet or his companions.
Hafsa daughter of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, she married the Prophet in 623 and died in 665.
hajj the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi (c.661–714) a governor of Iraq for the Umaiyad caliph ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, he was notorious for his harshness, but famous for his oratory.
al-Hakim bi-amri-’llah Fatimid caliph in Egypt (r. 996–1021), he was notorious for his eccentricities and capricious cruelty. After his murder, he became a focus of Druze devotion.
al-Hariri (1054–1122) a poet, prose writer and government official. He is chiefly famous for his prose masterpiece, the Maqamat, a series of sketches involving an eloquently plausible rogue.
Harun al-Rashid (766–809) the fifth of the ‘Abbasid caliphs, reigning from 786. In Baghdad, he presided over an efflorescence of literature and science and his court became a magnet for poets, musicians and scholars. Until 803, the administration was largely in the hands of a Persian clan, the Barmecides, but in that year, for reasons that are mysterious, he had them purged. After his death, civil war broke out between his two sons, al-Amin and al-Ma’mun. In retrospect, Harun’s caliphate came to be looked upon as a golden age and in the centuries that followed numerous stories were attached to his name.
Harut a fallen angel who, together with another fallen angel, Marut, instructed men in the occult sciences (Quran 2.102).
Hasan of Basra Hasan ibn Abi’l-Hasan of Basra (642–728), a preacher and early Sufi ascetic to whom many moralizing sayings were attributed.
Hatim of Tayy a pre-Islamic poet of the sixth century, famed for his chivalry and his generosity. Many anecdotes and proverbs have been attributed to him.
hijri calendar the Muslim calendar, dating from the Hijra, or year of Muhammad’s emigration from Mecca to Medina, each year being designated AH – anno Hegirae or ‘in the year of the Hijra’.
Himyar a pre-Islamic kingdom in southern Arabia.
Hind India.
Hisham ibn ‘Abd al-Malik the tenth of the Umaiyad caliphs (r. 724–43).
houri a nymph of the Muslim Paradise. Also a great beauty.
Iblis the devil.
Ibn ‘Abbas ‘Abd Allah ibn al-‘Abbas (625–86 or 688), a cousin of the Prophet and transmitter of many traditions concerning him.
Ibn Zubair ‘Abd Allah ibn Zubair (624–92), a grandson of the Prophet and a leading opponent of the Umaiyads. He was besieged by the Umaiyad caliph ‘Abd al-Malik in Mecca (where the Ka‘ba is situated) and he was eventually killed.
Ibrahim Abu Ishaq al-Mausili (742–804) a famous musician and father of the no less famous musician Ishaq al-Mausili. Like his son, he features in a number of Nights stories.
Ibrahim ibn Adham (730–77) a famous Sufi ascetic.
Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi (779–839) the son of the caliph al-Mahdi and brother of Harun al-Rashid. From 817 to 819, Ibrahim set himself up as the rival of his nephew al-Ma’mun for the caliphate. He was famous as a singer, musician and a poet and as such he features in several Nights tales.
‘Id al-Adha the Feast of Immolation, also known as Greater Bairam, is celebrated on the 10th of Dhu’l-Hijja (the month of hajj or pilgrimage). During this festival those Muslims who can afford it are obliged to sacrifice sheep, cattle or camels.
Ifranja Europe; literally, ‘the land of the Franks’.
‘ifrit a kind of jinni, usually evil; an ‘ifrita is a female jinni.
imam the person who leads the prayers in a mosque.
Iram ‘Iram, City of the Columns’ is referred to in the Quran. Shaddad, king of the Arab tribe of ‘Ad, intended Iram to rival Paradise, but God punished him for his pride and ruined his city.
Ishaq ibn Ibrahim al-Mausili (757–850) was the most famous composer and musical performer in the time of Harun al-Rashid. Like his father, Ibrahim al-Mausili, he features in a number of Nights stories.
Ja‘far the Barmecide a member of a great Iranian clan which served the ‘Abbasid caliphs as viziers and other functionaries. In the stories, he features as Harun’s vizier, though in reality it was his father, Yahya, who held this post. For reasons that are mysterious, Ja‘far and other members of his clan were executed in 803.
Jamil Buthaina Jamil ibn Ma‘mar al-‘Udhri (d. 701), a Hijazi poet who specialized in elegiac love poetry, famous for his chastely unhappy passion for Buthaina.
Jarir ibn ‘Atiya (d. 729) a leading poet of the Umaiyad period, famous for his panegyric and invective verse.
Jawarna Zara, a port on the east coast of the Adriatic.
jinni a (male) spirit in Muslim folklore and theology; jinniya is a female spirit. Jinn (the collective term) assumed various forms: some were servants of Satan, while others were good Muslims and therefore benign.
Joseph features in the Quran as well as the Bible. In the Quran, he is celebrated for his beauty.
jubba a long outer garment, open at the front, with wide sleeves.
Ka‘b al-Ahbar (d. c.653) a Jew who converted to Islam and a leading transmitter of religious traditions and an expert on biblical lore.
&nbs
p; Ka‘ba the cube-shaped holy building in Mecca to which Muslims turn when they pray.
kaffiyeh a headdress of cloth folded and held by a cord around the head.
khalanj wood tree heath (Erica arborea), a hard kind of wood.
Khalid ibn Safwan (d. 752) a transmitter of traditions, poems and speeches, famous for his eloquence.
khan an inn, caravanserai or market.
al-Khidr ‘the Green Man’, features in the Quran as a mysterious guide to Moses as well as appearing in many legends and stories. In some tales, this immortal servant of God is guardian of the Spring of Life, which gives eternal life to those who drink from it.
Khurasan in the medieval period, this designated a large territory that included eastern Persia and Afghanistan.
Kuthayir (660–723) a Hijazi poet who specialized in the theme of unfulfilled love, since the object of his passion, ‘Azza, was married to another man.
Luqman a pre-Islamic sage and hero famed for his longevity. Many fables and proverbs were attributed to him.
Magian a Zoroastrian, a fire worshipper. In the Nights, the Magians invariably feature as sinister figures.
al-Mahdi (b. c.743) the ‘Abbasid caliph who reigned from 775 to 785.
mahmal the richly decorated empty litter sent by a Muslim ruler to Mecca during the hajj (pilgrimage).
maidan an exercise yard or parade ground; an open space near or in a town.
maisir a pre-Islamic game of chance involving arrows and in which the stakes were designated parts of slaughtered camels.
Majnun Qais ibn Mulawwah al-Majnun (‘the mad’), a (probably) legendary Arabian poet of the seventh century, famous for his doomed love for Laila. After she was married to another man, Majnun retired into the wilderness to live among wild beasts.
Malik the angel who is the guardian of hell.
Malik ibn Dinar an eighth-century Basran preacher and moralist.
mamluk slave soldier. Most mamluks were of Turkish origin.
al-Ma’mun (786–833) son of Harun al-Rashid and the ‘Abbasid caliph from 813 until his death. He was famous for his patronage of learning and his sponsorship of the translation of Greek and Syriac texts into Arabic.
Ma‘n ibn Za’ida (d. 769) a soldier, administrator and patron of poets under the late Umaiyads and early ‘Abbasids.
mann a measure of weight.
al-Mansur (r. 754–75) ‘Abbasid caliph.
marid a type of jinni.
Maslama ibn ‘Abd al-Malik (d. 738) son of the Umaiyad caliph ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan and a leading general who headed a series of campaigns against the Byzantines.
Masrur the eunuch who was sword-bearer and executioner to Harun al-Rashid.
al-Mausili see Ibrahim Abu Ishaq al-Mausili and Ishaq ibn Ibrahim al-Mausili.
mithqal a measure of weight.
months of the Muslim year from the first to the twelfth month, these are: (1) al-Muharram, (2) Safar, (3) Rabi‘ al-awwal, (4) Rabi‘ al-akhir, (5) Jumada al-ula, (6) Jumada al-akhira, (7) Rajab, (8) Sha‘ban, (9) Ramadan, (10) Shawwal, (11) Dhu’l-Qa‘da, (12) Dhu’l-Hijja.
Mu‘awiya Mu‘awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, first of the Umaiyad caliphs (r. 661–80). He came to power after the assassination of ‘Ali.
al-Mubarrad Abu al-‘Abbas al-Mubarrad (c.815–98), a famous Basran grammarian and philologist.
muezzin the man who gives the call to prayer, usually from the minaret or roof of the mosque.
muhtasib market inspector with duties to enforce trading standards and public morals.
Munkar and Nakir two angels who examine the dead in their tombs and, if necessary, punish them.
al-Muntasir ‘Abbasid caliph (r. 861–2).
al-Musta‘in ‘Abbasid caliph (r. 862–6).
al-Mustansir bi’llah ‘Abbasid caliph (r. 1226–42).
al-Mutalammis sixth-century pre-Islamic poet and sage.
al-Mu‘tatid bi’llah ‘Abbasid caliph (r. 892–902).
al-Mutawakkil (822–61) ‘Abbasid caliph, and great cultural patron, who reigned from 847 until he was assassinated by murderers probably hired by his son, who became the caliph al-Muntasir.
muwashshahat strophic poetry, usually recited to a musical accompaniment. This form of verse originated in Spain, but spread throughout the Islamic world.
nadd a type of incense consisting of a mixture of aloes wood with ambergris, musk and frankincense.
Nakir see Munkar and Nakir.
naqib an official whose duties varied according to time and place. The term was often used to refer to the chief representative of the ashraf, i.e. the descendants of ‘Ali.
Al-Nu‘man ibn al-Mundhir a fifth-century Arab ruler of the pre-Islamic Christian kingdom of Hira in Iraq.
nusf literally, ‘a half’; a small coin.
parasang an old Persian measure of length, somewhere between three and four miles.
qadi a Muslim judge.
Qaf Mount Qaf was a legendary mountain located at the end of the world, or in some versions one that encircles the earth.
qintar a measure of weight, variable from region to region, equivalent to 100 ratls.
qirat a dry measure, but the term could also be used of a certain weight; also a coin, equivalent to a twenty-fourth of a dinar.
Quraish the dominant Arab clan in Mecca at the time of the Prophet.
rafidi literally, ‘a refuser’, a term applied to members of various Shi‘i sects.
rajaz term for a poetical metre.
rak‘a in the Muslim prayer ritual, a bowing of the body followed by two prostrations.
Ramadan the ninth month of the Muslim year, in which fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset. See also months of the Muslim year.
ratl a measure of weight, varying from region to region.
Ridwan the angel who is the guardian of the gates of Paradise.
Rudaini spear see Samhari spear.
rukh a legendary bird of enormous size, strong enough to carry an elephant (in English ‘roc’).
Rum/Ruman theoretically designates Constantinople and the Byzantine lands more generally, but in some stories the name is merely intended to designate a strange and usually Christian foreign land.
Rumi of Byzantine Greek origin.
Safar see months of the Muslim year.
Said ibn Jubair a pious Muslim and Quran reader of the Umaiyad period.
Sakhr an evil jinni whose story is related by commentators on the Quran.
Saladin (1138–93), Muslim political and military leader, famed for his chivalry and piety and for opposing the Crusaders. He took over Egypt and abolished the Fatimid caliphate in 1171;in 1174 he also became sultan of most of Syria. In 1187 he invaded the kingdom of Jerusalem, occupying the city and many other places. Thereafter he had to defend his gains from the armies of the Third Crusade.
salam meaning ‘peace’, the final word at the end of a prayer, similar to the Christian ‘amen’.
Samhari spear opinions varied as to whether Samhar was the name of a manufacturer of spears, or whether it was the place where they used to be made. A ‘Samhari spear’ was a common metaphor for slenderness; likewise ‘Rudaini spear’, said to be related to Rudaina, the supposed wife of Samhar.
Sasanian the Sasanians were the Persian dynasty who ruled in Persia and Iraq from 224 until 637, when Muslim armies overran their empire.
Serendib the old Arab name for Ceylon or Sri Lanka.
Sha‘ban see months of the Muslim year.
Shaddad ibn ‘Ad legendary king of the tribe of ‘Ad who attempted to build the city of Iram as a rival to Paradise and was punished by God for his presumption.
al-Shafi‘i Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi‘i (767–820), jurist and founder of the Shafi‘i school of Sunni religious law, whose adherents are know as Shafi‘ites.
shaikh a tribal leader, the term also commonly used to refer to an old man or a master of one of the traditional religious sciences or a leader of a dervish order. Similarly, a shaikha is an old woman or a woman in autho
rity.
Shaikhs of the Fire Zoroastrian priests or elders.
shari‘a shari‘a law is the body of Islamic religious law.
sharif meaning ‘noble’, often used with specific reference to a descendant of the Prophet.
Shi‘i an adherent of that branch of Islam that recognizes ‘Ali and his descendants as the leaders of the Muslim community after the Prophet.
Sufi a Muslim mystic or ascetic.
Sufyan al-Thauri (716–78) born in Kufa, theologian, ascetic and transmitter of hadiths (sayings of the Prophet). He wrote on law and was a leading spokesman of strict Sunnism.
sunna the corpus of practices and teachings of the Prophet as collected and transmitted by later generations of Muslims, the sunna served as the guide to the practice of the Sunni Muslims and as one of the pillars of their religious law, supplementing the prescriptions of the Quran.
sura a chapter of the Quran.
sycamore a type of fig; also known as the Egyptian fig.
taghut a term designating pagan idols or idolatry. By extension, the word was used to refer to soothsayers, sorcerers and infidels.
tailasan a shawl-like garment worn over head and shoulders. It was commonly worn by judges and religious high functionaries.
Thamud an impious tribe in pre-Islamic Arabia whom Allah destroyed when they refused to pay heed to his prophet Salih.
‘Udhri love this refers to the Banu ‘Udhra. Several famous ‘Udhri poets were supposed to have died from unconsummated love.
Umaiyads a dynasty of Sunni Muslim caliphs who ruled the Islamic lands from 661 until 750. The Umaiyads descended from the powerful Meccan tribe of the Quraish. In 750, they were overthrown by a revolution in favour of the ‘Abbasids. One member of the family succeeded in escaping to Spain, where he set up an Umaiyad empire.
‘Umar ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, eighth Umaiyad caliph (r. 717–20), famed for his piety.
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (581–644) the second of the caliphs to succeed the Prophet (r. 634–44).
‘umra the minor pilgrimage to Mecca, which, unlike the hajj, can be performed at any time of the year.
al-‘Utbi (d. 1022) famous author of prose and poetry, worked in the service of the Ghaznavid court. (The Ghaznavids were a Turkish dynasty who ruled in Afghanistan, Khurasan and north-western India from the late tenth till the late twelfth century.)
The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1,001 Nights Page 110