glossary
āb (colloquially au) water, river, stream
‘ā d a t (a) customary law; (b) tradition
afghānī a unit of currency introduced by ’Aman Allah Khan in 1925. Originally
100 pūls = 1 afghānī; 20 afghānīs = 1 ’amānī. After 2002 a new afghānī was
introduced without any smaller value coins
‘a h d treaty, covenant, agreement
akālī The Immortals, an elite Sikh regiment
ākhūnd, ākhūndzāda a religious leader or theologian
amīr (a) (military) head of a Muslim state (b) a Chingizid provincial governor
(c) head of a militia
Amīr al-Mu’minīn Commander of the Faithful. The title of the Four Rightly
Guided Caliphs who Sunnis recognized as the successors of Muhammad.
Subsequently the title was assumed by the Ottoman Sultans, the Manghit
Khans of Bukhara and Amir Dost Muhammad Khan
arg fortress, citadel
‘Āshūrā the Shi’a festival held on 10th Muharram that commemorates the
martyrdom of Imam Husain
atālīq literally, father-like: a title given to the tutors of Chinggisid princes and
rulers of provinces; an adviser to a prince or governor
bābā (a) father (b) a term of respect used by a younger to an older man
(c) head of a Sufi Order
badal exchange, or reciprocity, especially in relation to revenge and the pursuit
of vendetta
ba‘it oath of loyalty, submission or allegiance
baniya (Anglo-Indian, banyan) a trader, moneylender or banker, usually Hindu
or Sikh
baqa’ wa fana’ negation and subsisting: the goal of Sufism in which the self is
negated by sensing the unity of the Divine essence
baraka charisma; the spiritual power believed to pervade relics, shrines and
spiritual leaders
bātin in Sufism the inner or esoteric meaning of Islamic teaching and
reality
bēg (a) lord, or high-ranking individual (b) any wealthy individual
bēglar bēgī a rank equivalent to provincial governor
bēgum the title of women of the royal household