Saudi Arabia
Glossary
- Al
- Uppercase connotes family or
belonging to, as in Al Saud (q.v.), or Al Sudairi; lowercase represents
the definite article the, as in Rub al Khali.
- Al Saud
- Literally, the House of Saud;
the patrilineal descendants of Muhammad ibn Saud.
- amir
- Strictly speaking, commander.
In Saudi Arabia, amir often means prince, but can mean governor of a province.
- fatwa
- An authoritative legal interpretation
by a mufti or religious jurist that can provide the basis for court decision or government
action.
- hadith
- Tradition based on the precedent
of the Prophet Muhammad's words and deeds that serves as one of the sources of Islamic
law.
- hijra
- Literally, to migrate, to sever
relations, to leave one's tribe. Throughout the Muslim world, hijra refers
to the migration to Medina of Muhammad and his early followers. In this sense, the
word has come into European languages as hegira.
- hujar
(collective pl.)
- Refers to the agricultural settlements
of the Ikhwan (q.v.), which combined features of religious missions, farming
communities, and army camps. Word from same root as hijra; has sense of
separation from previous affiliation.
- Ikhwan
- The brotherhood of desert warriors,
founded by Abd al Aziz, who were settled in the hujar (q.v.).
- imam
- A word used in several senses.
In general use, it means the leader of congregational prayers; as such it implies
no ordination or special spiritual powers beyond sufficient education to carry out
this function. It is also used figuratively by many Sunni (q.v.) Muslims
to mean the leader of the Islamic community. Among Shia (q.v.) the word
takes on many complex meanings; in general, however, and particularly when capitalized,
it indicates that particular descendant of the House of Ali who is believed to have
been God's designated repository of the spiritual authority inherent in that line.
The identity of this individual and the means of ascertaining his identity have been
major issues causing divisions among Shia.
- majlis
- Tribal council; in some countries
the legislative assembly. Also the audience of the king, amir (q.v.), or
shaykh (q.v.) open to all citizens for the purposes of adjudication.
- mutawwiin
- Literally, those who volunteer
or obey; sometimes known by popular name of Committees for Public Morality, or more
formally, as the Committees for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
- sharia
- Islamic law.
- sharif
(Arabic pl., ashraf)
- Specifically, one who has descent
from Muhammad through his daughter Fatima. Literally, noble, exalted, having descent
from illustrious ancestors. Frequently used as an honorific.
- shaykh
- Leader or chief. Applied either
to political leaders of tribes or towns or learned religious leaders. Also used as
an honorific.
- Shia (from
Shiat Ali, the Party of Ali)
- A member of the smaller of the
two great divisions of Islam. The Shia supported the claims of Ali and his line to
presumptive right to the caliphate and leadership of the Muslim community, and on
this issue they divided from the Sunni (q.v.) in the major schism within
Islam. Later schisms have produced further divisions among the Shia over the identity
and number of imams (q.v.). Most Shia revere Twelve Imams, the last of whom
is believed to be hidden from view.
- Sunni
- The larger of the two great
divisions of Islam. The Sunni, who rejected the claims of Ali's line, believe that
they are the true followers of the sunna, the guide to proper behavior set forth
by Muhammad's personal deeds and utterances.
- Wahhabi
- Name used outside Saudi Arabia
to designate adherents to Wahhabism (q.v.).
- Wahhabism
- Name used outside Saudi Arabia
to designate official interpretation of Islam in Saudi Arabia. The faith is a puritanical
concept of unitarianism (the call to the oneness or unity of God--ad dawa lil
tawhid) that was preached by Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab, whence his Muslim opponents
derived the name.
- waqf
- In Muslim law, a permanent endowment
or trust, usually of real estate, in which the proceeds are spent for purposes designated
by the benefactor. Usually devoted to charitable purposes.
Library of Congress Country Studies
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