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Glossary
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A glossary of the Arabic words used in these essays, the Arabic alphabet, a guide to transliteration and Arabic numbering

Arabian Oryx

The Arabian oryx has nothing to do with the glossary, but I felt it would be a nice idea to include a photo of it on this site as it is such a beautiful animal. Its proper name is al maha or, less commonly, al wadthihi and it once roamed the Arabian peninsula. Hunting and urbanisation killed it off in the region but now most of the states have zoos which include specimens. Incidentally, the name al wadthihi relates to the animal’s beautiful eyes.

Now, more prosaically, the glossary set out below was intended to be a vocabulary related mainly to building development in the Gulf. There are, however, a number of words which come into general discussions when dealing with the planning, design and building process, and which are added for interest, if not clarity. Please be aware that there may well be errors and omissions.

You should also be aware that the glossary is set out in Roman alphabetic order. This is different from the way in which an Arabic dictionary or glossary is set out: they are organised with respect to the root word, usually the third person singular of the past tense. Hence kataba is the root verb meaning ‘he wrote’ (something), under which maktab, meaning ‘office’ or ‘desk’, kaatib, meaning clerk or scribe, and maktoub, meaning ‘letter’, would be found.

There are few resources on the Internet but I have found a site that deals with a modern environmental vocabulary which some might find useful. It is off-line at the moment but I hope it will reappear, when I will correct the link. I also recommend the glossary found at the back of An Outline of Islamic Architecture for its vocabulary of classic Islamic architectural elements. Usefully, it also has a list of the sources used in compiling it. However, bear in mind that the vocabulary is not really related to Gulf Arabic.

The reader should also understand that there is constant dissent about the meanings of translations in general and, here, there is likely to be more as I am using both Gulf terms as well as Arabic words from elsewhere in the Arab world.

Transliteration

Arabic is transliterated by a number of different methods, but the various systems all seem to produce arbitrary pronunciations. This is particularly true when looking at pronunciation within the Arabian Gulf. Where I have used transliterated Arabic words I have aimed for an approximation in English of the way in which I have heard it spoken by Gulf Arabs.

For instance, Egyptians pronounce the letter ’jim’ or ’jeem’ – ’j’ – hard as in the word for hill, ’gebel’, whereas Gulf Arabs pronounce it softly as in ‘jabal’, or even ‘jebel’. Bear in mind that it is written in Arabic, ’jabal’.

Some of the words have been given me by Arabs from other areas and it is likely that there may be a number of irregularities because of this. In one area there is a particular difficulty which looks illogical on paper: this is the manner in which the indefinite pronoun 'the' is written and pronounced.

Although the two transliterated letters which make up the Arabic form of ‘the’ are always written in the same way – ‘al’ – their pronunciation differs according to the first letter of the following noun. These initial letters are sometimes called ‘sun and moon’ letters; the ‘sun’ letters causing the ‘l’ of ‘al’ to be dropped and the pronoun elided with the noun. Hence ‘al shams’ is actually pronounced ‘ash-shams’ with no effective break between the two words. This rule applies to the following Arabic letters:

Arabic letter

Arabic

English

d as in ad-doha bay
l al-liwan covered terrace
r ar-raml sand or dust
s as-seqf ceiling
sh ash-shams sun
t at-tabiq storey
th ath-thulaja refrigerator
z az-zulij mosaics

Words are normally written or printed in their consonantal form only. The diacritics – the signs which give the vowelling – are omitted, and it is up to the reader to assume the correct understanding within the given context. This can cause difficulties. For instance a man and a foot are represented by the same three consonants: ’r’,’j’,’l’, – but are pronounced respectively, rajul and rijl. The three vowels are the equivalent of the English ‘a’, ‘i’ and ‘u’. There is also a written device – the shedda – which doubles consonants.

In Arabic there are neither of the English vowels, ’e’ or ’o’, nevertheless you will see that I have transliterated a number of words as having those vowels, as that appears to be how I have heard them spoken.

To complicate matters the form of the letters of the Arabic alphabet have rules governing their appearance when connected to letters on each side of them – remember to read from right to left:

the four versions of the letter sheen the four versions of the letter sheen

some letters can be attached to the letter that precedes them but not to the ones in front of them, such as –

and some can be attached both to the letters in front and the letters behind – assuming this is not disallowed by the above rules:

Because of the difficulties of representing Arabic in English I have elected to simplify where possible, assuming that a person using the glossary will have heard the word in Arabic and will be looking for its meaning without knowledge of the letters of the Arabic alphabet, or the structure of its language.

Finally it should be noted that the printed and written forms of Arabic are different as they are, in fact, in English.

Arabic alphabet

The letters of the Arabic alphabet, but with no reference to a base line, are:

Arabic letter

 

 

Comment

English

alif alif a or aa
ba ba b
ta ta t (soft)
tha tha th
jim jim j
ha ha voiceless pharyngeal fricative h (hard)
kha kha voiceless uvular fricative kh
sin shin s (soft)
shin shin sh
dal shin d
dhal shin dh
ain shin glottal stop a’ or ’
ghain shin voiced uvular fricative gh
ta shin t (hard)
dha shin voiced alveolar fricative dh
fa shin f
qaf shin voiceless uvular stop q
rim shin r
zad shin z
sad shin s (hard)
dhad shin voiced alveolar stop dh
kaf shin k
lam shin l
mim shin m
nun shin n
wow shin w
ya shin y

In addition there is the silent Arabic ‘t’ which is the equivalent of the ‘h’ and features as a feminine singular suffix, as does a form of ‘y’ pronounced in the same way as the vowel ‘a’.

Verbs

The Arabic language has a tri-consonantal form and its basic root is the third person singular of the past tense. For instance kataba – he wrote – forms the basis of the vocabulary related to writing. From this are developed kitab, – a book, kutub – books, maktoub – a letter, kaatib – a scribe, and ektoub – the imperative, write!

Definite and indefinite pronouns

The indefinite pronoun ‘a’ or ‘an’ is not translated by Arabic into a specific word, but is assumed within the noun it describes. Thus ‘a book’ in Arabic would be kitab. However, the definite pronoun ‘the’ is translated in Arabic by ‘al’, as in ‘the book’ - al kitab.

Noun plurals

Two of a kind are described in Arabic by the addition of the suffix ‘ain’ to the single noun. Hence ‘kitab’ – a book, but ‘kitabain’ – two books.

A separate form exists for any number from three to ten of a kind but, above that, the noun form returns to the singular. Three books would be ‘thalatha kutub’ and ten books would be ‘ashra kutub’, but eleven would be described as ‘hedashra kitab’, and a thousand books, ‘elf kitab’.

Comparative adjectives

Comparative adjectives are generally described in two forms with the prefix ‘the’ added to the median form to produce the superlative form. Hence big, bigger, biggest is translated as ‘kabir’, ‘akbar’, ‘al akbar’.

There are a number of different standards for the transliteration of Arabic into English. Here I have put the system I have used together with the definition of all the words used in these essays.

Glossary

I should repeat here that the glossary below is set out differently from that of an Arabic dictionary. Not only is the order based on the Roman alphabet, but the initial letters relate to the way in which the Arabic word is heard, this often being different from the actual Arabic letter. For instance the letters ‘c’, ‘e’ and ‘o’ do not exist in Arabic, yet I have shown words beginning with them, as that is how they sound to me.

In addition I am aware that there are other inconsistencies. The main one is in my using ‘ee’ and ‘i’ interchangeably depending, in the main, on how I have heard them spoken.

The main purpose of the glossary is to enable you to learn the meaning of a word spoken in Arabic.

Arabic

English

A
’alam flag
a’amoud column
a’oud incense used to perfume, particularly, in the majlis
abaya – pl. abayaat black cloak worn by women
abyadh white
’ada – pl. ’adat a habit, or something carried out habitually
adhaan the call to prayers, usually made through a loud speaker attached to the minaret of a mosque
adl justice
ahmar red
’ain the twelfth letter of the Arabic alphabet, containing a glottal stop
akhbar news
akhdar green
alair on
alatool straight ahead – coll.
alif the first letter of the Arabic alphabet
al ikhwan as-safa’ the Brotherhood of Purity
al khatt al mansub a classic calligraphic style designed by the calligrapher Abu Ali ibn Muqlah
al haadhr the present
al madhi the past
al mustaqbil the future
Alhambra an Islamic development in Andalucian Spain that came to an end with the Christian reconquista in 1492, and is a very commonly perceived Western model of Islamic design
amaan safety
amir prince
amira princess, or a woman’s head scarf, similar to a hijab, but used with an underscarf
’amm public
’amuwd the poles used to hold up a black tent
’aqd – pl. ’uquwd contract
ardha a traditional dance for two groups of men characterised by their chanting to each other while moving slowly with guns and swords to the accompaniment of drummers – see razeef to which it is similar
ardth earth or land
arnab desert hare
arrish buildings constructed with pitched roofs of palm fronds
as’aaf ambulance
a’sal honey
asfar yellow
asr prayer in the mid-afternoon
assass foundations or footings, also has the meaning of the basis
aswad black
ataba the threshold of a door
’atar perfume
atiq old
atnab the guy ropes on traditional tents, usually made of hemp
awamid columns
awasij the plant, Lycium shawii
ayah – pl. ayaat the verses that make up a sura of the Quran
’ayn – pl. ’ayyuwn eye
’ayyin small defensive holes in the wall of buildings through which rifles could be sighted
B
ba’ath meaning, literally, re-birth, and the name of a political nationalistic, secular party established in Syria
baarid cold
baazur wrought iron, dome-headed nails used in the construction of heavy doors, face-fixed from the outside of the door through horizontal ledges and turned over to fix them
bab door – pl. abwab
badawi – pl. badu commonly, bedouin, meaning people who live in the desert
badgheer natural ventilation system
ba’eed far or far away
bahr sea – note that the name, Bahrein, means ‘two seas’ and comes from the belief that the island and the surrounding salt water floated on a bed of sweet water – the Persian/Arabian Gulf – it being possible to find sweet water both under the land and the sea
bakra hoist used over a well
balaat tiles or paving
balad town or country
baladiya municipality
baraha a majlis, or sitting area, outside the house and its compound
barasti construction of palm fronds but, more commonly nowadays, temporary housing constructed of flattened out oil drums
bareed post office
barnaamaj – pl. baraamij programme or schedule
barr land or country
barra outside
bas enough!
basjeel a woven cane mat usually employed in the construction of suspended floors or roofs
bateel a type of local sailing craft
batin the inner aspect of self or a thing
batula the mask worn by Gulf Arab women to preserve their privacy
bawabat al hawwa wooden shutters used to close off the circulation of wind towers
bay’ah an obligation upon, as well as a right for, every Muslim, man or woman; an oath of allegiance under Islam
bayt – pl. byoot house
bayt khiaas canvas tent, literally, a house of canvas
bayt shaabi a Public house, given by right to any Qatari that needs housing
bayt sha’r traditional Bedu tent, literally, a house of hair
beeb pipe
bijanb beside or next to
bilaad country
benna master builder
bidoon without
bin son (of)
bint daughter (of)
bina’a building
bi’r well
bisht loose robe worn by men, usually black or brown with embroidered gold trimming, heavier in winter. Sometimes known as a mishlah
boom – pl. abwam large wooden, traditional boat with raking stem and stern, usually with a single, forward-raked mast
booma owl – a symbol of bad luck
bukhur generic word for incense
bukra tomorrow – bad bukra – the day after tomrrow
burj – pl. abraaj tower
burj al hawwa wind tower
burj as-sa’a clock tower
burq’a the hood used to calm a hawk, an enveloping dress commonly worn by women in Afghanistan, and an alternative name for a batula
burtuqal orange – fruit and colour
busa – pl. busat inch – measurement
bustan garden
C
chadur a woman’s outer dress common to Iran, covering the body from head to foot
cubit a measure of approximately half a metre – see the note at the foot of References .
D
daa’ira ring, as in ring road
dafnah an alternative name of the New District of Doha, deriving from the colloquial name for dug or made ground, more classically relating to graves
dahl – pl. duhul geological feature – a hole in the ground where underground water has eroded the limestone causing the surface to fall in
dakhil inside
dalalah – dalalaat women who sold clothes and the like from door to door to the women of the household
dalu bucket
danjal timber beams
daqiqa – pl. daqa’q minute (of time)
dar house or home
darjat staircase
darjat al haraara degrees – literally, degrees of heat
darwaazah a pair of main doors
dawla state, as in Dawlat Qatar – State of Qatar
debesh animals
deek cock
della coffee pot – usually the traditional pot
dhafaqat internal wooden window shutters
dhanoun Cistanche phelypaea – a parasitic desert plant
dhow general name for traditional, timber Arab boats
dhubab fog
dhuhr afternoon
dibis date syrup, a staple culinary ingredient used as a drink and as a sweetner, produced by pressing dates
dikka a raised bench or seat, usually built along an external wall and forming a side or sides of a baraha – pr. ‘ditcher’
dirah an area of land over which groups of people had grazing rights
diwan entrance space to a large house or the office of a government institution or head of state
djin devils or evil spirits
doha marine bay
dowshek low mattress with relatively hard stuffing on which people site or recline
dthabit officer
dtha’eef weak
dtha’eeq narrow
dthahab gold
dthabab mist or fog
dthayf guest
dthuhr prayer at noon
dujarj chicken
dukaan – pl. dukaakeen shop
dukhan smoke
du’un timber window shutters
duwah a low brazier on which charcoal is burned and kettles heated
duwnya world
duwwar defensive wall
dwar roundabout
E
ems yesterday
’enf nose, or the vertical post on a double door
’eid holiday, the most important being Eid Al Adtha
’eid mubarak the exhortation congratulating a Muslim on the ’eid holiday
ezrak blue
F
faas axe
fajr prayer at sunrise
fakh – pl. afkhakh a bird trap made from goat or sheep horns
fan – pl. funuwn art or science
fanous lamp or lantern
fara carpenter’s plane
farash servant
fard salat compulsory prayers, avoidance of which places the individual concerned outside Islam
farkhat al bab the small door that is set into a larger door – usually a pair of doors – known as darwaazah
faroush dead coral which comes in striated slabs
fasht marine reef
fasl – pl. fusuwl season – of the year
feriq district of a town or city, usually associated with a particular family
fhamah ” faham charcoal
fidha silver
filla – pl. fillat villa – an obvious loan word
filli strips of woven goat hair which, sewn together, form the covering of a black tent
finjaan – pl. finajil traditional Arabic coffee cup
finaa’ courtyard and the space immediately adjacent to the outside of a property wall
fiqh Islamic jurisprudence which has a number of schools distinguished by geographical area: hanafi – the Indian sub-continent, West Africa and Egypt; maliki – north and west Africa; shafi – Malaysia and Indonesia; hanbali – the Arabian peninsula; and jaferi – Iran and Iraq.
firdaws the highest level of paradise
fowk above
fraym fet’ha al badgheer a shutter which closes over a ventilation system to keep the rain from entering
funduq hotel or guest house
fuqa truffles, of which there are two main types: khalasi, which are black with a light pink flesh and zubaidi, dark cream with a cream coloured flesh
fuqaha Islamic jurists
furkha a wicket gate in an external door to a compound
furshat paint brush
fustaan a woman’s dress
G
garmoush male saqr falcon
ghalat mistake
ghali expensive
ghaltan wrong
ghanem sheep
gharb west
ghubar dust
ghurbaal a collection of twenty-five pearl sieves, each known as a tasah
ghurfa room or a suspended floor in a building
ghurfat al-nome bedroom or room for sleeping in
ghurfat al-sufra dining room or room for eating in
ghutra cotton square, folded diagonally, which men wear over their head – usually white in summer, heavier and checked in winter
girih [not a word used in the Gulf] tiles which consist of sets of five contiguous polygons – a decagon, pentagon, diamond, bowtie, and hexagon – each with a unique decorative line pattern which, when joined together produce complex geometrical patterns
H
haatif telephone
habl – pl. hibaal rope
hadhar people who have settled in a particular area, as opposed to badu q.v. who are transient
hadeed iron, traditionally, wrought iron but now also used for steel
hadid ash shubeck iron window bars
hadiqa garden
hadith – pl. ahaadith sayings or traditions – based on what he witnessed and approved – of the Prophet
hadith qudsi hadiths in which the Prophet put in his own words what Allah said to him – not to be confused with the words of the Quran which are literal quotes of Allah
hajj the pilgrimage made by muslims to Mecca
hajar stone
hakuwma government
halaal anything that is permitted, in English usually relating to diet, but in Islam also relating to dress, speech and behaviour
halib milk
halwa beautiful, or a sweet
hamaam washroom
hamam pigeon
hanafi the school of fiqh covering the Indian sub-continent, West Africa and Egypt
hanbali the school of fiqh covering the Arabian peninsula.
haqq – pl. huquwq truth or right
har hot
haraam forbidden – the opposite of halaal
harara heat
haramlik the private area of a house
harf a letter of the alphabet
hariq fire
hasa stones
hasa bahri literally, sea stones – see faroush
hassira cane or rush matting
hashish garden or grass
hawa’ air or weather
hawlaani a badu riding saddle
hawan wa yad al-hawan pestle and mortar used for the crushing of coffee beans
hawaya the tall, vertical openings which form the entrances for the wind in a wind tower
hawdaj a covered, tent-like camel saddle, generally used by women
hawsh local name for a courtyard
hawaala transfer or remit (of money)
henna or hiyna a plant used to decorate the skin
hijab a Muslim woman’s common head covering
hijrah the name given to the exile, flight or move the Prophet made from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD, the result of his increasing disaffection with polytheism and the resultant merchants’ anger with his opposition and its effect on the pilgrims
hilaal a crescent or new moon
hima pre-Islamic protected reserve of land
himaar – hameer donkey, and a mild term of abuse
hisaan horse
hizam as suwr the strengthened construction of the corner of a building
hayt wall
hiyala a majlis, or sitting area, outside the house and its compound
housh the garden, yard or area around the house
hujra a room or the lowest floor of a house
hurr female saqr falcon
I
idhat the waiting period of four months and ten days during which a woman may remain in her house to effect a reconciliation
ibriq kettle
ifsah yield! – traffic sign
iftah open!
ihsan perfection or excellence, related to the carrying out of prayer
ijma’ an aspect of Islamic law based on consensus
ijtihad reasoning aimed at comprehending an issue of shari’a
ijtima’a meeting
ilm knowledge
imaam a religious leader or teacher, and one who leads the salah
iqal – pl. uqul a thick, doubled, black cord which sits on top of the qutra, holding it onto the head, and comes with or without a tail hanging down the back of the wearer
isha the prayer at night
Islam the religion of Muslims, literally – submission to God – from the root meaning ‘to surrender’
istihsan a method of exercising personal opinion in order to avoid unfairness that might result from a literal application of law
istislah a method of resolving complex problems whose answer can not be found in religious texts
iwan a rectangular room, often vaulted, open on one side to a hall or, more often, an open forecourt
izmeel chisel
J
jaama’a university
jabal – pl. jibaal hill
jadeed new
jaferi the school of fiqh covering Iran and Iraq
jaliboot – pl. jalabit boat with vertical stem and transom stern
jamal camel
jameel beautiful
jannah – pl. jannaat paradise – an abbreviation of jannaat ’adn – the Garden of Eden – the English word, paradise, from the Persian, pairi-daeza, meaning an enclosed space. The highest level of jannah is firdaws
janoob south
jayb pocket
jayyid excellent or very good
jareeda magazine or newspaper
jazeera island
jibin – pl. ajbaan cheese
jibs lime, plaster, gypsum – usually used about modern internal plaster
jilaabah – pl. jilbaab a woman’s loose fitting coat covering from the neck to the ground, usually closed with buttons or a zip
jiri – pl. jiryan low lying depressions around which there is little planting but in which water collects during rainy seasons
jisr a beam in trabeated construction, or a bridge
juma’a Friday, or a mosque particularly used for Friday prayers
juss lime mortar – usually referring to the traditional use of plaster, or stucco
juti shoes
K
Ka’ba a rectangular stone structure within the masjid al Haram in Mecca. It is the holiest place in Islam.
kaatib scribe or clerk
kabeer large
kaff wrist decoration comprising a bracelet joined to finger rings – in Qatari dialect, pronounced chaff
kaffiyah small cotton skull cap which sits directly on the head, ensuring the qutra won’t slip
kahf cave
kahraba electricty
kalb dog
kanaar the edible fruit of the ziziphus mauritiana tree
kandiri merchants and water sellers who came with a donkey and water tank on a small cart – also kerosene sellers who sold the same way.
katheef thick or dense
katheer much or many
khaarij outside
khaas private or special
khail horse
khaima tent
khalas enough, sufficient or stop
khalij gulf, as in khalij al arabi – Arabian Gulf
khalil little
khan a resting place, inn or hotel, similar to a Persian ‘caravansarai’
khanjar curved knife, worn in the belt in front of the stomach
khareef autumn
kharuwj exit
khashab wood or timber
khat handwriting or a drawn line
khateeb the speaker at a mosque who delivers the khutbah on the Friday dhuhr prayers which may also be given by the imaam
khatr danger
khazan al moi water tank
khazana cupboard
khazuwq a pile, or can be used in impolite remarks
khazzan public water storage facility
khilaal the steel or wooden pins used to fix ruaq to the covering material of a black tent
khilafah stewardship of the world
khimaar a woman’s cape covering from the top of the head to the waist, fastened under the chin
khor a sea inlet
khubz bread
khudar vegetables
khuff a leather sock
khurj – pl. akhraaj saddlebag
khula’a divorce initiated by a woman
khutbah sermon delivered at the Friday dhuhr prayers
kilim flat woven rugs, mostly used from Persia or Iran, but also woven in many other areas
kitab – pl. kutub book
Kitab fi ma yahtaj ilayh al-sani min al-amal al handasiyya written by Abu al-Wafa (940-998) in Baghdad, this was a treatise on the use of straight edge and compass for artisans to create geometric patterns in buildings. Alternatively it might be an essay on their work, created for the enjoyment of intellectuals.
kohl from kuh’ala – a black material used to line and beautify the eyes
kitr – pl. kitrat? a small, double-ended boat used mainly for access between dhows and the shore
kufic said to be the earliest form of Islamic calligraphic script
kumbar hemp rope
kuwra sphere or ball – also football
kursee chair
L
lahm meat, usually mutton
lakh general term for guy ropes on a black tent
lughat language
layl night
laysh why?
layt light
lanj launch (boat)
libbin straw used as an admixture to mud bricks
lilbiy’a for sale
liwan covered terrace or hall
lowh board – as in a board on a wall
lown colour
lu’lu’ pearl
M
maa not – see mush and mab below
maajil private water system
ma’ with
mab not, as in ‘mab zain’ – not good – coll.
mabkhar, mabakhir or madkhaan incense burner – but midkhan more usual
mabna building
machboos a form of cooking whereby meat, anything from chicken to young camels, and including fish, is cooked with vegetables and spices in large pots
madhna minaret. See also See also manara
madina – pl. mudun city
madkhul entrance
madrassa – madaaris school, traditionally associated with a mosque
maghrab prayer at sunset
maghsala laundry
maha common name for the Arabian oryx
mahal place or location, also a collection of tents or an encampment
majari drains
majdah – pl. majadih bow drill
majdthaaf – pl. majaadthif oar
majlis – pl. majaalis sitting room, either internal or external, generally understood to be the room in which men of a household entertain their male friends – also the informal institution where family problems are aired and decisions made at a variety of scales within the society ranging from individual families through that of the qabila, to that of the Ruler
majlis al shura literally, a consultative majlis or council
majmu’a group or collection
makaan – pl. ’amaakin a place
makhraj the exit point from the throat or essential articulation of a letter
makhzan shop or store
maksuwr broken
maktab office or desk
malah – pl. mlaal bowl
maliki the school of fiqh covering north and west Africa
mamnoo’a forbidden
mamnoo’a dakhuwl entrance forbidden
mamnoo’a al tadkheen smoking forbidden
manara the tower of a mosque from which the word ‘minaret’ is thought to be derived. See also madhna
manjur percussion instrument used in tambouras, consisting of a skirt-like material to which is attached dried goats feet, and activated by shaking the hips rhythmically
manqa’ land within an area of jiri in which water settles
manqala a board game consisting of two parallel rows of holes along which markers are moved – from the verb naqala – he moved. Also the name of the wrist cuff used by falconers to protect their arm.
manqalah the wrist cuff used by falconers to protect their arm
manqrur woven palm matting used in the construction of suspended floors
manzil house, or a place to stay
maqataab the ridge pole or beam used in some types of black tent
maqbara – pl. maqbarat graveyard
marash container from which rose water is sprinkled
maridh ill or sick
markab generic term for a ship or boat
markaz a headquarters, centre or place devoted to a specific activity
markaz ashurta police station
marub’a square
maruwr traffic
mashghuwl busy or occupied
mashru’a project
masjid – pl. musaajid mosque – masjid al Qubaa’, the house the Prophet built in Medina in 622AD; musjid al Haram, Mecca, the holiest mosque in Islam; musjid al Nabawi, Medina, the second most holy mosque in Islam; musjid al Aqsa, Jerusalem, the third most holy mosque in Islam
maslaha considerations which produce benefit or interest, or prevent harm
mastaba bench or table
mastalki the upwards facing side of a calligraphic stroke
mat’am restaurant
mataar airport
matar rain
matbakh kitchen
mat’haf museum
mawjood present, in the sense of it existing
mawqif – pl. mawaqif – sayaraat car park
mawthafeen staff
mazdm the rear tent pole of a black tent
mazlaaj a traditional wooden bolt used in securing wooden doors from the outside
mazra’a – pl. mazaar’a farm
Mecca or Makkah, the holiest city in Islam, containing the ka’ba towards which all Muslims turn in prayer
meen who?
midkhan – pl. midakhn incense burner
miftah key
mighzal drop spindle used for working goat and other hair into yarn
mihma a long-handled spoon on which coffee is roasted in the preparation of traditional Arabic coffee
mihrab feature in the wall or qibla of a mosque – usually a niche , arch or, in earlier times, a marker – indicating the direction of Mecca for prayer
mikhir the front tent pole of a black tent
miknasa sweeping brush
milaqat spoon
milh salt
min from
min seen from a long way away – literally, from China
min’a jetty, port or harbour
minb’a sharb – pl. sanaabir myaa’ al-sharb drinking fountain
minbar pulpit in a mosque
minfakh – manafeekh bellows used to blow air on a fire
mirzam a projecting roof water spout, usually made from timber
mirzam a’amoudi exposed vertical rainwater channel constructed in the body of the wall to lead water down a wall
misbah prayer beads
mishat – mshoot comb
mishlah loose robe worn by men, usually black or brown with gold trimming, heavier in winter. More usually known as a bisht
mismaar – pl. misaamir nail or a tent peg
mismaar hadeed iron or steel nail
misnad – pl. masaanid hard cushions used on the ground or upon a raised dikka for people to lean against
misnad al majdthaaf rowlock – arranged in pairs they act as fulcrums for oars to power a rowing craft
mistah an area of hard pan ground surrounding manqa’
miswaak a piece of fibrous wood from the root of the arak tree – Salvadora persica L. – used to clean teeth and which is associated with prayer
mitraqa hammer
mithkab drill
mitr measure or tape measure
mntharah – pl. manathr mirror
mnya well, all right
moi water
moi warid rose water – literally flower water
mu’allim teacher
muadthin – pl. muadthneen person who calls Muslims to pray at a masjid, traditionally from a madhna
mub coll. not, as in mub zain – not good, i.e. bad. See also: mush
mubarrad a shallow, wooden box into which roasted coffee beans are placed for them to cool down prior to their being crushed and added to water in the process of making coffee
mudabissa a specialised room in some houses set aside for the storage of dates and production of date syrup, dibis. It is characterised by the channels for liquids to drain away to a collection pot
mudaaris teacher
mudir director of a government department or a private organisation
mufak baraghi screwdriver
Mugharib generally understood to be the Mediterranean littoral Arabic states of Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco
muhandess general name for an engineer
muhandess ma’mari architect
muhandess takhtiyt planner
muharrik fire engine
muhim important
mukhtalif different or mixed
mukab the downwards facing side of a calligraphic stroke
munshar saw
muntaqah area, zone or neighbourhood
muqarnas decoration in a stalactite or honeycomb form, usually in the area between the foot of a dome and its supporting walls
muqawwal contractor
fet’ha al murakaba defensive viewing holes in the walls of a building
murmar marble
musalla prayer hall, open prayer area or place to pray
musalla saidaat Ladies prayer area
mush coll. not, as in mush jayyid – not good, i.e. bad. See also mub which is the more Qatari of the two words
mushkil difficult
mushrabiya lattice screen, usually of turned or carved wood – also a house type in some parts of the Arab world having mushrabiya to the street and open windows on the other side giving light and ventilation to the house
muslim – pl. muslimeen a follower of Islam
must’ajil urgent
mustaqbil the future
mustashar an expert or advisor
mustashfa hospital
mutawain religious police of Saudi Arabia with broad powers for policing the shari’a
muwadhin often transliterated as ‘muezzin’ – a servant of the masjid who calls the faithful to prayer
N
na’al traditional open sandal
naady club
naar fire
nabq the edible fruit of the zizphus spina-christi tree
nadhif clean
nafl salat voluntary prayers which may be offered in addition to fard, but not at sunrise, true noon or sunset
nahaar daytime
nahlah – nahal bee
nahr river
na’in a particular kind of Persian carpet, predominantly beige and of high quality
najjar carpenter
najm – pl. najuwm star
nakheel palm tree
nakhuda ship’s captain
namawzaj shape, form or design
naqoush mefet’ha carved plaster panels or plasterwork
naqoush suwr al bab carved plaster panels or plasterwork around a door
naqsh carved plaster panels or plasterwork
neel the material used to give the distinctive finish to a batula
niqaab a double- or triple-layered black veil worn by some women to mask their faces
niswan women
nuwra lime wash
nuhaas copper
nusf half – fraction
nuwr light
Q
qa’a a house type in some parts of the Arab world having a qa’a, or small covered central courtyard, and surrounding rooms
qabila – pl. qabaa’l family group characterised by a common family name
qadeem old
qadm – pl. aqdaam foot – measurement
qahwa coffee, traditionally made with coffee beans and cardamon, and served in small cups, poured from a della
qalam pen
qal’at fort
qalb heart or centre
qalm pen
qamees shirt
qamr moon, arch or crescent-shaped
qanas falconry
qanat underground channel for water with periodic vertical ventilation shafts, more commonly used in Iran
qanuwn laws
qanuwn al binaa’ building regulations
qareeb near
qaraar – pl. qaraaraat decision
qasbah fortified quarters or citadel of rulers – mostly in reference to Mugharib buildings
qasr castle, fort or fortified structure
qata an internal tent dividing wall constructed from woven strips sewn together
qataf Limonium axillare – a desert plant
qatiya low, head-height dividing wall
qatuba a reinforcing strip that links the