The Generalship of Muhammad: Battles and Campaigns of the Prophet of Allah

Glossary of Terms

251 Glossary of Terms ῾Abna: A group of Persians who settled in Yemen. adhan: The Islamic call to prayer, uttered vocally. See mu᾿adhdhin. Ahabish: A group of professional soldiers believed to have come from various tribes and hired to fight for the Quraysh. Allah Akbar: Known as the takbir, the cry that “Allah is Great” or “the Greatest.” amir: A military leader. Ansar: The Muslim “helpers” in Madinah who supported the Muhajirun, or Muslim emigrants from Makkah. See Muhajirun. barid: A distance equivalent to approximately twelve miles. bay῾ah: The oath of allegiance given to a nobleman. Bay῾ah al-Ridwan: Oath of divine pleasure, which was the oath to fight to the death given to the Prophet Muhammad prior to the signing of the Treaty of al-Hudaybiyah. dinar: A weight of currency typically equivalent in value to ten times a dirham. Typically a gold coin 4.4 grams in weight. dirham: A weight of currency, typically a silver coin 3.08 grams in weight. diya: The financial compensation, or bloodwit, provided for murder or injury. fay: Plunder seized without fighting, and thus the personal property of the Prophet Muhammad. al-fitnah: A severe trial. ghazwah: A military expedition led specifically by the Prophet Muhammad.  252 · Glossary of Terms ghazwa al-usra: The expedition of great difficulty, that is, the campaign to Tabuk. hadith: The recorded sayings of the Prophet Muhammad that highlights and explains many Qur᾿anic passages. Initially recited orally until taken down in writing in various collections. See sunnah. hajaru al-aswad: The black stone embedded in the eastern corner of the ka῾bah. Islamic tradition states that this stone fell from heaven at Adam’s feet and was once white but has since turned black due to the sins of mankind. hajj: The annual major pilgrimage to Makkah conducted during the month of Ramadan. haram: Something that is forbidden. hijrah: The migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Madinah. hirabah: Engaging in brigandage or highway robbery against Muslims. howdah: An enclosed cupola mounted on a camel to allow the rider, usually a woman, privacy and protection from the elements during travel. ihram: The state of consecration prior to making the sacrifices during a pilgrimage. jahiliyah: The period of ignorance prior to the coming of the Prophet Muhammad. jihad: To engage in a form of struggle, often equated with physical combat in early Islamic sources. Some weak hadith and later sources also cite an inner struggle against evil. jizyah: The protection tax levied on non-Muslims, typically Jews and Christians, who refused to convert to Islam but who wished to remain within Islamic territory. ka῾bah: Literally “cube.” It is the cube-like structure in Makkah that serves as the focal point of Islamic worship and practice. Islamic tradition states that it predated the Noahic flood and was rebuilt by Abraham and his son Ishmael. The hajaru al-aswad is embedded in its eastern corner. khalifa: A successor, in this case, to the Prophet Muhammad. khalifate: A developed empire under the leadership of a Khalifa. kunyah: The nickname of people in Arabia, typically established on the basis of one’s firstborn son, although some highlighted a significant characteristic of a person. lex talionis: The law of retribution that allowed tribal leaders to deter criminal activity. liwa᾿: A strip of cloth typically attached to the pole arm of an Arab warrior signifying that he had been delegated a position of battlefield command. Glossary of Terms · 253 maghazi: A term denoting military expeditions or campaigns. The term is typically used in Islamic literature that deals mostly with military actions. maktum: Something sealed or hidden, such as a secret letter or philosophical concept. mala᾿: The council in Makkah that handled the day-to-day governance of the city. manjaniq: A small throwing machine similar to a catapult. al-Masjid: A mosque. Mosques predated Muhammad’s arrival as the Prophet of Allah and thus were not exclusively a Muslim place of worship. mawla: A client or servant of another. mithqal: A weight of currency similar to a dinar but possibly of slightly lesser value. mu᾿adhdhin: The one who calls faithful Muslims to prayer. See adhan. Muhajirun: The Muslims of Makkah who migrated to Madinah. They formed the initial core of Muhammad’s fighters. See Ansar. munafiqun: The hypocrites; Muslims who claimed fidelity but were not truly committed to the cause. ῾Abdullah bin Ubayy was considered...