ABAAYA A black, full-length outer garment worn by
Saudi women.
ABU Father.
Al RAS School for
girls in Saudi Arabia.
AL SA'UD
Ruling family of Saudi Arabia.
ARABIC Language
relating to Arabs or Arabia.
ASSIUT Village in
southern Egypt.
BACKGAMMON Board
game popular in Middle East.
BAHRAIN Island
nation in the Arabian Gulf.
BEDOUIN A nomadic
desert people, the original Arabs.
BIN (or IBN)
Following a man's given name and preceding a man's father's or
grandfather's name. Means "son of."
CAIRO Capital of
Egypt.
CHRISTIANITY
Religion derived from the teachings of Jesus Christ.
DHU AL HIJAH The
twelfth month of the hejira calendar.
DHU AL QIDA The
eleventh month of the hejira calendar.
DUBAI A city
located in the federation of the United Arab Emirates
bordering Saudi Arabia.
EGYPT Country in
Africa and on Sinai Peninsula.
EMIRATES United
Arab Emirates, which is a federation of small emirate states
located on the Arabian Peninsula.
FRENCH RIVIERA
Fashionable Mediterranean resort area in southeastern France
famed for its scenery, warm climate, and excellent beaches.
GAMAA AL ISLAMIYA
Islamic extremist group formed in Egypt in the early 1980s.
GREEN BOOK
Qaddafi's Green Book: Philosophy of Colonel Qaddafi of Libya.
HADITHS Sayings
and traditions of Prophet Mohammed that help to formulate
Islamic law.
HAJ Annual
pilgrimage to Makkah made by those of the Islamic faith.
HAJJI Pilgrim who
makes the pilgrimage to Makkah (a title that denotes honor).
HEJIRA Islamic
calendar that started on the date that Prophet Mohammed fled
Makkah and escaped to Madinah (622).
IHRAM Special time
during Haj that all Muslims refrain from normal life and dwell
on nothing but religious matters.
IMAM Person who
leads communal prayers and/or delivers the sermon on Fridays.
INFANTICIDE
Practice of killing an infant. In pre-Islamic times a common
practice in Arabia of ridding the family of unwanted female
children.
ILSAM Religious
faith of Muslims of which Mohammed was the Prophet. Islam is
the last of the three great monotheistic religions to appear.
JEDDAH Saudi
Arabian city located on the Red Sea.
JUDAISM Religion
developed among the ancient Hebrews.
KAABA Islam's
holiest shrine, a sacred sanctuary for all Muslims. The Kaaba
is a small building in the Holy Mosque of Makkah, nearly cubic
in shape, built to enclose the Black Stone, which is the most
venerated Muslim object.
KOHL A black
powder used by Saudi Arabian women that goes on the eyelid of
the eye to enhance the beauty of a woman.
KORAN The Holy
Book of all Muslims that contains the words of God as they
were given to Prophet Mohammed.
KUWAIT Small
sheikhdom that borders Saudi Arabia that has more than 10
percent of the world's oil reserves.
LA Arabian word
meaning "no."
MADINAH Second
holiest city of Islam. The burial place of Prophet Mohammed.
MAHRAM Males to
whom a woman cannot be married, such as her father, brother,
or uncle, who are allowed to be a woman's escort when
traveling. Must be a close relative.
MAKKAH Holiest
city of Islam. Each year, millions of Muslims travel to Makkah
to perform the annual pilgrimage.
MONOTHEISM Belief
that there is only one God.
MORALS POLICE
Religious authorities in Saudi Arabia who have the power to
arrest those they believe commit moral wrongs or crimes
against Islam or go against the teachings of Islam.
MUEZZIN The crier
who calls the faithful to pray five times a day.
MUSLIM Adherent of
the religion founded by Prophet Mohammed in the year 610.
MUT'A Temporary
marriage allowed to those of the Islamic faith.
MUTAWWA The
religious police, also known as the morals police. Men who
seek out, arrest, and punish those who do not abide by Saudi
religious law.
NAJD The
traditional name for central Arabia. The inhabitants of this
area are known for their conservative behavior. The ruling
family of Saudi Arabia are Najdis.
PLO Palestine
Liberation Organization.
POLYGAMY Marriage
to more than one spouse at the same time. Men of the Muslim
faith are legally allowed four wives at one time.
PURDAH A practice
of confining women to their homes. This total seclusion of
females can occur in some Muslim countries.
PURIFICATION The
ritual of cleansing prior to offering prayers to God practiced
by Muslims.
RED SEA The sea
between Arabia and Africa.
RIYADH The capital
city of Saudi Arabia, which is located in the desert.
RIYAL Saudi
Arabian currency. The exchange varies but was recently about
3.75 to the dollar.
RUB AL KHALI An
enormous desert wilderness that occupies the southeast portion
of Arabia. It is often referred to as the "Empty
Quarter."
SAN'A A The
capital city of Yemen.
SAUDI ARABIA
Country in Asia that occupies most of Arabia. Saudi Arabia has
at least one quarter of the world's known oil reserves.
SECULAR Not
religious.
SHAWARMA Popular
sandwich sold in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries made of
lamb, beef, or chicken wrapped in pita bread, mixed with
sauces and tomatoes and peppers.
SHAYLA Black gauzy
scarf worn by women of the Muslim faith in Saudi Arabia.
SHIITE The branch
of Islam that split from the Sunni majority over the issue of
Prophet Mohammed's successor. One of two main sects.
SUNNA Traditions
of the Islamic faith as addressed by Prophet Mohammed.
SUHNI The majority
orthodox branch of Islam. Saudi Arabia is 95 percent populated
by those of the Sunni sect. The word means
"traditionalists." One of two main sects.
TAIF Mountain
resort city in Saudi Arabia that is located close to Makkah.
TEHRAN The capital
city of Iran.
THOBE A long
shirtlike dress that is worn by Saudi men. It is usually made
of white cotton, but can be made of heavier, darker colored
fabric for the winter months.
UMM AL QURRAH
"Mother of Cities" or "The Blessed City"
that is Makkah.
UMRAH A short
pilgrimage (to Makkah) undertaken by those of the Muslim faith
that can be made anytime of the year.
VEIL Black fabric
that is used to cover a Saudi Arabian Muslim woman's face. The
material can be sheer or thick.
WOMAN'S ROOM Room
in a man's house used to confine Saudi Arabian women who go
against the wishes of their husbands, fathers, or brothers.
The punishment can be for a short period or a life sentence.
YEMEN Country
located in the southwest corner of the Arabian peninsula,
neighboring Saudi Arabia.
ZAKAH Obligatory
alms giving required of all Muslims that is the third pillar
of Islam.
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