afghanistanmehmāndārī formal hospitality accorded to a visitor or ambassador by a host,
or mehmāndār
mēla (a) festival (b) picnic
melamastia Pushtun tradition of hospitality to guests, visitors and strangers
Meshrānō Jirga House of Elders, the Upper House in Afghanistan’s
parliamentary system
millat nation
milli national
minbar the lectern, or pulpit, found in major mosques from which the imam
recites prayers, gives a sermon, or reads out decrees
mīr (a) prince, lord (a) governor (a) chief
mīrāb water bailiff, water master
mīrzā (a) prince or noble (b) writer, scribe
muftī high-ranking Islamic scholar qualified to issue fatwās
muhājir (plural, muhājirīn) (a) Muslims who chose exile rather than live under
a non-Muslim government by undertaking hijra, or emigration;
(b) a refugee
Muharram (a) the first month of the Islamic, Hijra, lunar year (b) the Shi’a
festival held from the 1st to 10th of this month
mujāhid (plural, mujāhidīn) a person who fights, or has fought, in a jihād
mujtahid in Shi’a Islam, the highest authority on Islamic law
mukhlis a term applied to an affiliate of a Sufi pīr whose leader has pledged
devotion on behalf of the clan or tribe. Unlike a murīd, a mukhlis is not
obligated to undergo personal initiation into the Order or practice zikr,
instead he venerates the pir, pays tithes and performs pilgrimage to the
shrines of the Order. In Afghanistan mukhlis is particularly applied to
followers of the Qadiriyya Order
mullah (Persian, mullā) religious teacher, legalist
munshī scribe, clerk, writer
murīd initiate of a Sufi Order
murshid Sufi guide or teacher who instructs the initiate (murīd) in the mystic
path
Mustūfī al-Mulk Auditor General, Chief Financial Officer
mutawallī guardian and administrator of a shrine and its endowments or waqf
nā’ib deputy governor
namāz the formal, ritual prayers performed five times a day
nān flat bread, the staple food of Afghanistan
nanawātai Pushtun tradition of sanctuary even to rebels, foreigners or one’s
enemies who seek protection
nānbāī baker
nang in Pushtun society, proactive defence of honour
nāqel (plural, nāqelīn) settler, colonist
naqīb a senior religious teacher in the Chingizid system
Naurōz Persian New Year, which in Afghanistan commences on 1 Hamal or the
spring equinox (21 March in a non-leap year, 20 March in a leap year)
nawāb (Anglo-English, nabob) – title bestowed by the Mughals on autonomous
Muslim rulers