272 Glossary
Wahhabism Puritanical sect of Islam founded by Muhammad ibn Abd
al-Wahhab in Arabia
wali The executor of God’s divine message
zahir The explicit message of the Quran
zakat Mandatory alms given to the Muslim community and dis-
tributed to the poor
zakir Shi‘ite religious specialists who recite stories of the mar-
tyrs during the Muharram ceremonies
Zamzam The well situated near the Ka‘ba