Wanting Mor (Large Print 16pt)
Page 14
Kulfi — A creamy frozen treat.
Kurtha — A tailored type of tunic.
Maghrib — Prayer performed right after sunset. Medina — A city north of Mecca that contains the second most sacred site in Islam, the Prophet’s Mosque (peace be upon him).
Mehr — The gift that a man gives to his bride on marriage. Mehrem — A member of the opposite sex who is closely related and whom you cannot marry, i.e., father, brother, nephew, mother’s brother, father’s brother. They often act as chaperone.
Mor — Pushto word for mother.
Mullaa — Like a Muslim priest.
Naan — Flat bread.
Nafil — Extra “bonus” prayers one can perform. Nikah — Wedding ceremony, where the bride offers her hand in marriage and the groom accepts by giving her a gift of the mehr. Noor — Arabic word for light; the glow that brides get before marriage.
Porani — Pushto name for a shawl type of head covering. Punjabi clothes — The Pushto name for Pakistani salwar kameez, dress consisting of a tunic and baggy pants. Pushto — A language spoken in Afghanistan.
Qadr of Allah — The plan of God; one of the articles of Muslim belief, that everything happens within God’s plan. Quran — Muslim holy book.
Rakat— One unit of Muslim prayer.
Ruku — A position of prayer, when one bows with one’s back parallel to the ground.
Salams — Greetings; short for Assalaamu alaikum. Salwar — Baggy pants.
Shaitan — Satan; the devil.
Sheer payra — An Afghan sweet.
Subhanallah — An Arabic phrase meaning “Glory be to God,” often said at times of shock/distress and at times of joy. Sujud — Position of prostration in the Muslim prayers, where hands and knees are on the floor and the forehead and nose are touching the floor.
Sunnah — Extra prayers (not obligatory).
Surah Fatiha — The first chapter in the Quran. Literally “the opening.” For Muslims this is similar in stature to the Lord’s Prayer. Tafseer — A detailed commentary and explanation, often in another language, of the Arabic text of the Quran.
Taliban — The name of an ultra-conservative section of Afghan society that took control of Afghanistan shortly after Russian withdrawal.
Tashakur — Pushto for thank you.
Ulema — Islamic scholars.
Walee — A woman’s male guardian (father, brother, uncle, son) who looks out for her interests, especially during marriage ceremonies.
Wudu — Ritual washing performed before prayers. Zuhr — Prayer performed right after high noon until just before mid-afternoon.
About the Author
RUKHSANA KHAN is an award-winning author and storyteller. Born in Lahore, Pakistan, she is an expert on books with international and Muslim themes. She has presented at schools and communities across Canada and the US, as well as at the 2006 ALA Conference in New Orleans and the 2008 IBBY Congress in Denmark. Her books often feature Pakistan and the Middle East and include The Roses in My Carpets, Many Windows, Silly Chicken and A New Life. She has been shortlisted for the Ruth Schwartz Award and several readers’ choice awards.
Rukhsana lives in Toronto with her family.