GLOSSARY
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ABBREVIATIONS AND NAME-RELATED TERMS
Aba means father. According to Arabic grammatical rules, this word changes
to Abi when governed by a preceding word. While, therefore, Aba Tdib
would mean mib's father, when the word Ibn, son, is prefixed to the name,
the form changes to Abi, and so Ibn Abi Telib, would mean 'the son of
Tdib's father'. To avoid confusion in this text, however, the term is left here
universally as Abii.
The letters 'al-' before a noun represent in Arabic the definite article, 'the'.
The letter b. when pan of a name represents a shortened form of the word
'Ibn', 'son'. Thus, the name 'Ya'qab b. 'Utba' means 'Yaklab, son of 'Utba'.
In a composite name, as are often given in this text, such as 'Ya'qtib b. 'Utba
b. al-Mugh-m b. al-Akhnas' the names of YaCqab's father, grandfather, and
great grand-father are given.
The letters bt. a shortened form of the Arabic bint, indicates 'girl' or
'daughter'. Thus the name CA'isha bt. Abn Bakr refers to 'A'isha, daughter of
Aha Bakr.
The letters SAAS are inserted after mention of the Prophet Muhammad.
These letters stand for the Arabic words ~alla Allahu hlayhi ma sallam; this
invocation, recited by Muslims after every reference to the Prophet, whether
by name or inference, is normally translated as 'May God's peace and blessings
be upon hi'.
GLOSSARY ITEMSWords defined in footnotes associated with the text are not generally included
in this glossary.
afkhrldh: plural of fakhdh (q.v.).
ahadith: plural of hadsth (q.v.)
agnatic: related through descent on the father's side.
'slim (pl. %lama'): scholars or theologians of Islam.
anjar: the plural of nasir, helper, or victor. Most commonly met, in this text,
in the plural form, it refers to the early Medinan allies of the Prophet who