The Future For Islam

GLOSSARY 373

fasila (pl. fasa'il): an agnatic group consisting of the nearest members of one's
'ashira (q.v.).

ghazwa (pl. ghazawat): armed engagements in which the Prophet Muhammad

participated personally. Those he initiated but without his own direct participa-

tion are known as saraya (pl. of sariyya).

hadrth (pl. ahadith): a saying, reported action or anecdote relating the words

or deeds of the Prophet Muhammad. An isnad (q.v.) precedes the hadith and

lists the persons by whom the reported material was transmitted.

hadith marfac: a hadith related by one of the Companions of the Prophet (see

sahib) and quoted directly from the latter.

(pl. hnfas): a person who has memorized the entire &+an. Also one of

the sacred attributes - the Guardian, the Protector - by which God is known.

hajj: the pilgrimage to the holy places of Mecca set annually to take place in

the first half of the month of Dha al-Hiia.

ban$ 1) a devout pre-Islamic monotheist. 2) a person sincerely searching for

the ancient religion practised by Abraham, with whom the word is particularly

associated.

hanrjiyya: the religion of Abraham and the hanrfs.

baram (or haram): a term denoting what is sacred, forbidden or inviolable.

hijaba: the office of the custodian of the kacba; he is known as the hajib.

hijra (or hegira): the emigration of the Prophet Muhammad and his supporters

from Mecca into exile in Medina. The date of this event was later adopted as

the commencement of the Muslim era, calculated as 622 AD.

ijasza: 1) rendering something legal or permissible. 2) the act of transmitting

a hadrth and attributing the same to an authority without actually having heard

that person recite it.

@da: the movement or departure of pilgrims from 'Arafzt following their

performance of the mu& 'the standing'.

ihram: 1) the rendering sacred or inviolate. 2) the name given to the clothing

donned by Muslims entering the ihram state prior to their participation in the

pilgrimage.