Queens University of Charlotte - POLS 304 - Middle East

College of Arts and Sciences

Fall 2004
Dr. Usha Sanyal

GLOSSARY

Alawis an extremist but minority branch of Shii Islam, constitute the political leadership of Syria. Sunni Muslims regard them as heretics.

Ali cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, later considered the founder of Shii Islam; also the fourth Sunni caliph

aliyah lit., "going up" in Hebrew; wave of Jewish immigration to Israel

Allah
God

Ashkenazi Jews
Western Jews; Jews of European origin, specifically those from north-central Europe

ayatollah lit., "sign of God," highest title in the Shii religious hierarchy

Baath Party the Arab Socialist Resurrection Party, a political party dedicated to Arab nationalism and socialism. Founded in Lebanon in the 1940s, the Baath Party controls Syria and controlled Iraq until the ouster of Saddam Hussain's government.

caliph
title of the political successors to the Prophet Muhammad and leaders of the early Muslim community

Copts
Christians of Egypt

Druze mystical, nonorthodox Muslim sect, located in Lebanon and Syria

Fatah the largest group of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), headed by Yasser Arafat

fatwa Islamic legal opinions pronounced by a religious authority, usually religious scholars or ulama

fedayeen Palestinian guerrilla fighters

fellaheen Egyptian peasants, farmers

hadith
saying(s) of the Prophet Muhammad

HAMAS Palestinian nationalist group founded by Shaikh Ahmad Yasin in 1987. has religious basis, unlike Fatah, and is the latter's chief rival

Hidden Imam in Shii Islam, the 12th imam whose return is expected at the end of time

Hizbollah lit., "party of Allah," an Iranian-supported radical Shii group in Lebanon, often associated with terrorist activities. Rival of the more moderate AMAL

ijtihad
interpretation of Islamic law on important matters by religious scholars or ulama

imam prayer leader, has no special sacral status in Sunni Islam, but in Shii Islam refers to successor of Prophet Muhammad, descendant of Ali, who governs as divinely inspired, infallible leader of the Islamic community.

infitah lit., the "opening," refers to Egyptian President Sadat's program of economic liberalization (1974)

intifada Palestinian uprisings of 1987-1993 and 2000-present, against Israeli occupation

jihad striving (mentally, to be a better Muslim, or physically, on behalf of the Muslim community); holy war

jinn a spirit or demon, either harmful or helpful, often mischievous

Khedive Egyptian king

Koran (or Quran) the Muslim sacred scripture which records God's 114 revelations to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel

Maronites Monophysite Christians, found mainly in Lebanon and Syria

millet self-governing religious groups given official status in the Ottoman empire

Muhammad, Prophet recipient of the revelations of the Quran between 610 and 622 C.E., founder of the religion of Islam. Muslims consider him to be the last prophet of God, but unlike Jesus Christ, not divine.

Muslim Brotherhood a political group, strong in Egypt (1930-1952, 1978-) and in several other Arab countries, calling for an Islamic political and social system and opposing Western power and cultural influence

Najd the extremely arid north-central region of the Arabian Peninsula, today in Saudi Arabia

nakba the "catastrophe," Arabic word referring to the Arab-Israeli war of 1948

Palestinian Authority (PA) or Palestinian National Authority (PNA) the first Palestinian self-governing authority or government to be establihed inside historic Palestine. It was the result of the secret negotiations between Israeli and PLO representatives in Oslo, Norway, and the Declaration of Principles (DOP) formally signed by PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in Washington, D.C., on September 13, 1993.

Pasderan lit., "security guard"; in Iran, a paramilitary force created by the Islamic Republic after 1979

Philangist a well-organized, right-wing Lebanese political party founded in 1936 along fascist lines. Has a paramilitary wing dedicated to preserving the Maronite Catholics' control of Lebanon.

protectorate semi-colonial state

Qom center of Shii learning in Iran

Sabras native-born Israelis

SAVAK secret police of the Shah of Iran, started in 1955 to combat antigovernment activities and disbanded by the Islamic revolutionary government of Iran in 1979

sayyid (or sayyed) title of descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. In some countries, they wear black or green turbans to show their honorable heritage

Sephardic Jews
Eastern Jews; Jews of Spanish, African, Asian, or Middle Eastern origin

shah Persian or Iranian king

Sharia
Islamic law

Shia
Muslim followers of Ali, the fourth Sunni caliph and the first Shii imam (NB: Shia is the noun, Shii the adjective)

sultan ruler, military commander in medieval Islamic states

sunna
body of Tradition; known to Muslims through the hadith

ulama (or ulema) the learned class of religious and legal scholars (sing., alim)

wafd, Wafd Party lit., "delegation." Name of chief nationalist party in Egypt between the world wars

Wahhabis followers of 18th c. religious leader Abd al-Wahhab who emphasized the "fundamentals" of Islam; precursor to the current Fundamentalist movement in the Middle East; Wahhabis are today based in Saudi Arabia

wasta
family connections, "pull"

Zionism Jewish nationalist movement advocating the migration of Jews from all over the world to Palestine; was instrumental in establishing the Jewish state of Israel on May 14, 1948.

Dr. Usha Sanyal
206 Withers House

sanyalu@queens.edu
704 337-2838

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Queens University of Charlotte
1900 Selwyn Ave.
Charlotte, NC 28274
Phone: 704 337-2200
Fax: 704 337-2403
Thrive.

GLOSSARY
Alawis	an extremist but minority branch of Shii Islam, constitute the political leadership of Syria. Sunni Muslims regard them as heretics.
Ali	cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, later considered the founder of Shii Islam; also the fourth Sunni caliph
aliyah	lit., "going up" in Hebrew; wave of Jewish immigration to Israel
Allah	God
Ashkenazi Jews	Western Jews; Jews of European origin, specifically those from north-central Europe
ayatollah	lit., "sign of God," highest title in the Shii religious hierarchy
Baath Party	the Arab Socialist Resurrection Party, a political party dedicated to Arab nationalism and socialism. Founded in Lebanon in the 1940s, the Baath Party controls Syria and controlled Iraq until the ouster of Saddam Hussain's government.
caliph	title of the political successors to the Prophet Muhammad and leaders of the early Muslim community
Copts	Christians of Egypt
Druze	mystical, nonorthodox Muslim sect, located in Lebanon and Syria
Fatah	the largest group of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), headed by Yasser Arafat
fatwa	Islamic legal opinions pronounced by a religious authority, usually religious scholars or ulama
fedayeen	Palestinian guerrilla fighters
fellaheen	Egyptian peasants, farmers
hadith	saying(s) of the Prophet Muhammad
HAMAS	Palestinian nationalist group founded by Shaikh Ahmad Yasin in 1987. has religious basis, unlike Fatah, and is the latter's chief rival
Hidden Imam	in Shii Islam, the 12th imam whose return is expected at the end of time
Hizbollah	lit., "party of Allah," an Iranian-supported radical Shii group in Lebanon, often associated with terrorist activities. Rival of the more moderate AMAL
ijtihad	interpretation of Islamic law on important matters by religious scholars or ulama
imam	prayer leader, has no special sacral status in Sunni Islam, but in Shii Islam refers to successor of Prophet Muhammad, descendant of Ali, who governs as divinely inspired, infallible leader of the Islamic community.
infitah	lit., the "opening," refers to Egyptian President Sadat's program of economic liberalization (1974)
intifada	Palestinian uprisings of 1987-1993 and 2000-present, against Israeli occupation
jihad	striving (mentally, to be a better Muslim, or physically, on behalf of the Muslim community); holy war
jinn	a spirit or demon, either harmful or helpful, often mischievous
Khedive	Egyptian king
Koran (or Quran)	the Muslim sacred scripture which records God's 114 revelations to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel
Maronites	Monophysite Christians, found mainly in Lebanon and Syria
millet	self-governing religious groups given official status in the Ottoman empire
Muhammad, Prophet	recipient of the revelations of the Quran between 610 and 622 C.E., founder of the religion of Islam. Muslims consider him to be the last prophet of God, but unlike Jesus Christ, not divine.
Muslim Brotherhood	a political group, strong in Egypt (1930-1952, 1978-) and in several other Arab countries, calling for an Islamic political and social system and opposing Western power and cultural influence
Najd	the extremely arid north-central region of the Arabian Peninsula, today in Saudi Arabia
nakba	the "catastrophe," Arabic word referring to the Arab-Israeli war of 1948
Palestinian Authority (PA) or Palestinian National Authority (PNA)	the first Palestinian self-governing authority or government to be establihed inside historic Palestine. It was the result of the secret negotiations between Israeli and PLO representatives in Oslo, Norway, and the Declaration of Principles (DOP) formally signed by PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in Washington, D.C., on September 13, 1993.
Pasderan	lit., "security guard"; in Iran, a paramilitary force created by the Islamic Republic after 1979
Philangist	a well-organized, right-wing Lebanese political party founded in 1936 along fascist lines. Has a paramilitary wing dedicated to preserving the Maronite Catholics' control of Lebanon.
protectorate	semi-colonial state
Qom	center of Shii learning in Iran
Sabras	native-born Israelis
SAVAK	secret police of the Shah of Iran, started in 1955 to combat antigovernment activities and disbanded by the Islamic revolutionary government of Iran in 1979
sayyid (or sayyed)	title of descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. In some countries, they wear black or green turbans to show their honorable heritage
Sephardic Jews	Eastern Jews; Jews of Spanish, African, Asian, or Middle Eastern origin
shah	Persian or Iranian king
Sharia	Islamic law
Shia	Muslim followers of Ali, the fourth Sunni caliph and the first Shii imam (NB: Shia is the noun, Shii the adjective)
sultan	ruler, military commander in medieval Islamic states
sunna	body of Tradition; known to Muslims through the hadith
ulama (or ulema)	the learned class of religious and legal scholars (sing., alim)
wafd, Wafd Party	lit., "delegation." Name of chief nationalist party in Egypt between the world wars
Wahhabis	followers of 18th c. religious leader Abd al-Wahhab who emphasized the "fundamentals" of Islam; precursor to the current Fundamentalist movement in the Middle East; Wahhabis are today based in Saudi Arabia
wasta	family connections, "pull"
Zionism	Jewish nationalist movement advocating the migration of Jews from all over the world to Palestine; was instrumental in establishing the Jewish state of Israel on May 14, 1948.