Encyclopedia of Islam

Introduction xxxv J

In order to make the Encyclopedia of Islam
more accessible to the nonspecialist, no diacriti-
cal markings have been used for foreign words.
Transliterations for ayn () and hamza (') have also been omitted, as has the terminal h, sometimes used for the ta marbuta. Thus, shariah is rendered
as sharia, sunnah is rendered as sunna, and ummah
as umma. In cases where an ayn occurs in the
middle or end of a word, preceded or followed by
the vowel a, I have transliterated the word with a
double aa; thus, Kaba is rendered as Kaaba, dawa
as daawa, and bid`a as bidaa.

Dates and Statistical Data

All dates given are according to the Western cal-
endar. Where clarity is required, the abbreviation
b.c.e. is used for dates before the common era and

c.e. is used for common era dates. These temporal

demarcations are considered more suitable than

the older ones used for dates in the Western cal-

endar: b.c. (Before Christ) and a.d. (anno domini;

the year of Our Lord).

Statistical data given in entries for individual

countries (for example, Afghanistan, Iraq, Saudi

Arabia) are based on the latest 2007–2008 esti-

mates provided by the Central Intelligence Agency

of the United States in its World Fact Book (www.

cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html).

Other statistics have been obtained from a variety

of other sources. Although every effort has been

made to provide the most current and accurate

statistical information, the reader should be aware

that often statistical data is either dated or affected

by political, social, or religious biases and circum-

stances. Care should be taken before making hard

comparisons based on statistical data.