The Future For Islam

GLOSSARY 375

nadwa: the act of presiding over assemblies of pilgrims at the ka'ba.

parasang: a Persian term for a unit of length, also known as a farsakh. One
parasang equals approximately one league, some three miles, that is.

qabila (pl. qaba'il): a large agnatic group whose members trace descent from a

single ancestor. Often translated as tribe. A qabrla is larger than an 'ashrra

(q.v.) hut smaller than a sha'b (q.v.).

qad: a judge appointed by a Muslim community to administer and adjudicate

issues of Islamic law.

qibla: the direction to which a Muslim faces when praying. Initially towards
Jerusalem but later changed by the Prophet Mubmad so that Muslims
would face Mecca and the ka'ba there.

rak'a (pl. rakcat): a unit of prayer consisting of a variety of gestures and

postures. These rak'at total 17 each day, divided between the five canonical

prayer periods.

al-rahrm: The All-Compassionate; one of the sublime epithets applied to God.

al-rah~n: the All-Merciful; one of the sublime epithets applied to God.

Rama&n: the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar. The month of

fasting, it was during Rama& that divine revelation first came to the Prophet

Muhammad, and it is therefore particularly venerated.

r&2: a length of unsewn cloth that is draped over the left shoulder and

around the torso of the pilgrim. This garb is donned by the pilgrim when he

enters the ikram state.

rz@da: the provision of pilgrims with wheat and raisins by certain members
of Quraysh of Mecca.

al-say: the ritual rapid walk or jog performed during the pilgrimage between
al-Safz and al-Marwa.

saba': the community and kingdom ruling South-West Arabia for centuries
prior to the mission of the Prophet Mubmmad.

sahib (pl. &ab, sahaba): companion; that community of men who knew and
supported the Prophet Muhammad during his mission.