The Heritage Society Presents...

First Ismaili Electronic Library and Database

GLOSSARY

The words in this glossary are derived from Arabic (A), Swahili (S), Persian (P) or Kutchi/ Gujarati (K/G) and are denoted as such.

Allah (A):

God

askari (S)

guard

ayat (A)

verses of the Qu'ran

chandraat (K/G)

the night of the new moon

chapatis (K/G)

flat, round Indian wheat bread

dasond (K/G)

tithe

dedhar (P)

spiritual or physical vision or assembly of the Imam

dil (K/G)

heart

doodhpinu (K/G)

literally milk drinking, a Hindu-based ceremony to seal an engagement

du'a (A)

prayer said three times daily

dukan (K/G, S)

small store

firman (P)

advice from the Imam

gadi (K/G)

see takht

ginan (K/G)

devotional song in a South Asian language, similar to a hymn

Hajj (A)

pilgrimage to Mecca

Hazar Imam (A)

Imam of the time

ibadat (A)

worship

Idd-el-Fitr (A)

celebration of the end of Ramadhan

Idd-e-Milad-an-Nabi (A)

birthday of Prophet Muhammed

Imam (A)

religious leader of the Ismailis

Imamate (A)

the Imam's term of office

jamat (A)

congregation

jamati (K/G)

of or relating to the jamat

jamatkhana (P)

place of Ismaili worship, mosque

khane (K/G)

short for jamatkhana

Khojah (K/G)

in this context, an Ismaili of South Asian descent (see pages 13-14, 53 for more detail on the origin of the term)

Khushyali (K/G)

refers to two major Ismaili festivals celebrating the Imam's birthday and ascension to the Imamate

Mowla Bapa (K/G)

Lord Father, refers to the Imam

muhindi (S)

Asian, someone from India

mukhisaheb (K/G)

head of a jamatkhana

murid (A)

follower

nandi (K/G)

a twice daily auction of food brought by Ismailis as offerings to the Imam

namaaz (A)

prayer said by most Muslims, five times daily

Nanima (K/G)

kin term for maternal grandmother

noor (A)

light, in this case light of God

Noorani (K/G)

refers to the Imam, literally to have the noor

nyaz (P)

holy water

paan (K/G)

small, leaf-wrapped snack that often contains the stimulant sopari

pacheddi (K/G)

an Indian outfit with a long tunic and scarf

Padhramni (K/G)

Imam's visit

parorye (K/G)

the morning prayer session during which people do ibadat

pir (P)

missionary

pooja (K/G)

prayer

purdah (P)

veil worn by women

qasida (P)

Afghani and Persian devotional praise poetry

Ramadhan (A)

Holy month for Muslims during which people are required to fast

riyals (A)

Saudi Arabian currency

roza (P)

fasting

salaat (A)

prayer

salvar kameez (K/G)

a matching long tunic and baggy pants worn by women

sari (K/G)

a long piece of fabric worn by women, wrapped around the waist and draped over the shoulder

Shariah (A)

Islamic law

shukravari beej (K/G)

when chandraat falls on a Friday

sujud (A)

prostration, usually during prayer

sopari (K/G)

betelnut, an addictive hard nut that is shredded and chewed like tobacco

Tariqah (A)

religious laws and regulations

tawhid (A)

belief in one God

takht (K/G)

symbolic throne

Uhuru (S)

Independence from Britain

ummah (A)

Muslim brotherhood or community

umrah (A)

the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca

Vedas (K/G)

Hindu scriptures

zakaat (A)

alms

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