A glossary of Gulf Arabic words

The Arabian oryx has nothing to do with the glossary or this addendum to it, 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 wadhihi 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 wadhihi relates to the animal’s beautiful eyes.

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.

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, but bear in mind that this is mixture of different kinds of Arabic, ranging from the vernacular to forms brought in by Arabs from other countries.

Arabic	English
A
’abbaasid	relating to ’Abbaas ibn ’Abd al-Muttalib, a paternal uncle of Muhammad, and representing a political dynasty, founded in 750, based in Baghdad and lasting around two hundred years. It was the third of four Islamic caliphates, supplanting the Umayyad caliphate – see fatimid and umayyad
’abd	slave
abreeq	jug
’alam	flag
a’ailah	a children’s game played with stones and a double row of holes, usually scratched in the ground
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
adab	good manners, courtesy, politeness or the proper approach to carrying out a task
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
’areedth	wide
arrish	buildings constructed with pitched roofs of palm fronds
as’aaf	ambulance
a’sal	honey
asfar	yellow
ashiddah	camel tack, the general word for the equipment and harnesses of a camel
askar	military
askari	soldier – see also jundi
asr	prayer in the mid-afternoon
assass	foundations or footings, also has the meaning of the basis
alustrlaab	astrolabe, a scientific instrument used in astronomy, surveying, way-finding, prayer timing and astrology
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 – pl. abwaab	door
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 – pl. bilaad	town or country
baladiya	municipality, also the common term for the municipality building
bannaa – pl. bayaan	land or country
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
barq	lightning
barr	desert, land or country
barra	outside
barzan	a free-standing watchtower
bas	enough!
basjeel	a woven cane mat usually employed in the construction of suspended floors or roofs
bateel	a type of local sailing craft, traditionally used for both fishing and fighting
batin	the inner aspect of self or a thing
batula – pl. bataateel	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 sha’bi	a Public house, given by right to any Qatari that needs housing
bayt sha’r	traditional Bedu tent, literally, a house of hair
beeb – pl. beebaat	pipe
bijanb	beside or next to
bilaad	country
bid’a	not having roots in traditional understanding or sunnah
bidoon	without
bin	son (of)
bint	daughter (of)
il bint il wald amha	the girl is to go to her first cousin in marriage
bina’a – pl. binaaya or mabaani	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
bitaath	hinge
biyaa’	itinerant salesman
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
bunkah	fan, usually centrally located in the ceiling
burj – pl. abraaj	tower
burj al hawwa	wind tower
burj al muraaqiba	watch tower
burj as-sa’a	clock tower
burka – pl. barak	water tank
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
bustaan – pl. basaatin	garden
buwny	brown
buwradaai – baraadi	curtain
buwraah	irregular, strong wind, common in May
C
caravanserai	a combined lodging for travelling merchants and their pack animals as well as a temporary place for their business
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
dahleez	corridor
dahroi	a traditional game for boys
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
darb – pl. daruwb	alleyway or street
daraj	staircase
daraj al haraara	degrees – literally, degrees of heat
darisha – daraaish	window openings
darwaazah	a pair of main doors
dawla	state, as in Dawlat Qatar – State of Qatar
dawwah	a brass tray, raised from the ground, used with charcoal to prepare coffee both in the desert as well as the preparation area adjacent to or inside majaalis
debesh	animals
deek	cock
della	coffee pot – usually the traditional pot
dhafaqat	internal wooden window shutters
dhaif	guest
dhanoun	Cistanche phelypaea – a parasitic desert plant
dhow	general name for traditional, timber Arab boats, see also khashab
dhubab	fog
dhuhr	afternoon
dhul	shade
dibis	date syrup, a staple culinary ingredient used as a drink and as a sweetner, produced by pressing dates
dihliz	narrow passage or entrance hallway to a house
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 – pl. dowaashek	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
duwlaab	cupboard
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
falaa – pl. falawaat	wilderness
fan – pl. funuwn	art or science
fanous – pl. fuwaanis	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
fasl al rabi’a	spring
fasl al saif	summer
fasl al kharif	autumn
fasl al shitaa’	winter
fat’ha – fathaat	opening
fatimid	relating to a Shi’a dynasty founded in 909 by ’Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah who claimed legitimacy tracing his relationship with Muhammad through his daughter, Fatima al-Zahra and her husband, ’Ali ibn Abi-Taalib, the first Shi’a Imaam. The dynasty lasted until 1171 and was based in Cairo, Egypt. It was the fourth and last Islamic caliphate – see abbaasid and umayyad
fatwa – pl. fataawaa	edict or decision in Islamic law
feriq – pl. furuwq	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 fat’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
furshat	paint brush
fustaan	a woman’s dress
G
garmoush	male saqr falcon
ghaim	cloud
ghalat	mistake
ghali	expensive
ghaltan	wrong
ghanem	sheep
gharb	west
ghazaal	gazelle
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-jaluws	sitting room for the family
ghurfat al-nome – pl. ghurf 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
haashiya – pl. haashiyaat	frame or edge
haatif	telephone
habl – pl. hibaal	rope
hadam	demolition
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
hadeed ash shubeck	iron window bars
hadiqa – pl. hadaa’aq	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
hafriyaat	excavation
haikal – pl. haiaakal	structure
hail	the spice cardamon, used in preparation of Arabic coffee
hajj	the pilgrimage made by muslims to Mecca
hajar – pl. hajaraat	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
haluwsah	a children’s game played with stones and a double row of holes, usually scratched in the ground
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
haraara	heat
haramlik	the private area of a house
harf	a letter of the alphabet
hariq	fire
hasa	stones from the desert
hasa bahri	literally, sea stones – see faroush
hassira	cane or rush matting
hashish	garden or grass
hawaala	transfer or remit (of money)
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
hawdh	pool
hawsh	local name for a courtyard
hawta	boundary
hayt	wall
hazm	high ground separating two depressions
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 – pl. hameer	donkey, and a mild term of abuse
hisaan	horse
hibl – pl. hibaal	rope
hibb	large earthenware water vessel
hibr	ink
hiyala	a majlis, or sitting area, outside the house and its compound
hizam as suwr / burj	the strengthened construction of the foot or corner of a building / tower
housh	the garden, yard or area around the house
hubara	the hubara or bustard is a relatively slow bird, commonly the quarry of hawks
hujra	a room or the lowest floor of a house
huli – pl. hawwalah	hawwalah are Sunni Arabs from southern Persia who link themselves genealogically to one of the tribes of Arabia
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
ifreez	carved timber or plaster frieze
iftah	open!
ihsaan	perfection or excellence, related to the carrying out of prayer and, by extension, to all activities
ijaaza	permit or licence
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
iswarah	A bracelet, usually gold and worn on the wrist
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
jawaaz	permit
jawaaz as-safr	passport
jaww	a flat, wide open area, or weather
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 the weekly, Friday prayers
jundi	soldier – see also askari
juss	lime mortar – usually referring to the traditional use of plaster, or stucco
juwti	shoes or sandals, the name being Punjabi
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
kafaala	sponsorship, or the requirement to have a National take responsibility for an expatriate worker
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
kalba	a small cross beam at the prow of a boat used to hang an anchor out of the water
kanaar	the edible fruit of the ziziphus mauritiana tree
kapucipasi	Turkish title meaning ‘Head of the Palace Doorkeepers’
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.
kashara	rubbish
kashtil is-sidr	forecastle of a boat
katheef	thick or dense
katheer	much or many
khaarij	outside
khaas	private or special
khail	horse
khaima – pl. khayaam	tent
khalas	enough, sufficient or stop
khalij	gulf, as in khalij al arabi – Arabian Gulf
khalil	little
khalyat nahl	bee hive
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
kharita – pl. kharaayat	drawing
kharuwj	exit
khashab	wood or timber, also a colloquial name for traditional, wooden craft, or dhow
khatt	calligraphy, handwriting or a drawn line
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
khurays	a wide depression covered by a thin layer of water
khuraytiyaat	an area characterised by depressions
khursa’ah	the first stage of a dahl characterised by a hole with the roof still standing
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
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
kunatb	a traditional game for girls
kufic	said to be the earliest form of Islamic calligraphic script
kumbar	hemp rope used to wrap and strengthen beams
kuwra	sphere or ball – also football
kursee	chair
kuttab	school, attached to a masjid, providing an elementary Quranic education
L
laqfah	a traditional game for girls
lajna	committee
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
lubbaan	frankincense
lu’lu’	colour
M
maa	not – see mush and mab below
maajil	private water system
ma’	with
ma’aaljat al miyah	water treatment
maail	diagonal
mab	not, as in ‘mab zain’ – not good – coll.
mabkhar, mabakhir or madkhaan	incense burner – but midkhan more usual
mabna – pl. mabaani	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
mi’dhana – pl. almaadhan	minaret. See also See also manara
madina – pl. mudun	city
madkhul	entrance or entrance hall
madrassa – madaaris	school, traditionally associated with a mosque
mafaasid	social evils – see masaalih
maghrab	prayer at sunset
maghsala	laundry or washing area
maha	common name for the Arabian oryx
mahal	place or location, also a collection of tents or an encampment
mahram – pl. mahaarim	those members of the family whom a man or woman is not permitted to marry – for a man these are his mother, daughters, sisters, his father’s sisters, mother’s sisters, brother’s daughters, sister’s daughters, his foster mother who gave him suck, his foster milk suckling sisters, his wives’ mothers, his step-daughters under his guardianship, and two sisters in wedlock at the same time
maidaan	open place, market place, square
maajari	drains
majaani	free
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. It also describes the general system by which information is passed and decisions made
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, study or desk
malah – pl. mlaal	bowl
maliki	the school of fiqh covering north and west Africa
ma’maari	architecture
mamnoo’a	forbidden
mamnoo’a dakhuwl	entrance forbidden
mamnoo’a al tadkheen	smoking forbidden
mandthuwr	perspective
manara – pl. manaaraat	the tower of a mosque from which the word ‘minaret’ is thought to be derived. See also mi’dhana
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.
manqalah	the wrist cuff used by falconers to protect their arm
manqrur	woven palm matting used in the construction of suspended floors
mantaqa – manaataq	district
manzil	house, or a place to stay
maqataab	the ridge pole or beam used in some types of black tent
maqbadth	handle
maqbara – pl. maqbarat	graveyard
maqta	section
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
masaa’	evening
masaalih	social good – see mafaasid
masaleeb	a wooden dowel used to hold two flat paddles together creating the base for holding a camel saddle – see thuluwf
mashghuwl	busy or occupied
mashru’a	project
masjid – pl. masaajid	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
masuwl	person in charge
mastalki	the upwards facing side of a calligraphic stroke
mat’am	restaurant
mataar	airport
matar	rain
matbakh – pl. mataabach	kitchen
matbakh al ra’yyis	main kitchen
mat’haf	museum
mawaasafaat	specification
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 – pl. mafaatiyh	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 – pl. maraazim	a projecting roof water spout, usually made from timber, or the central point of the qutra above the eyes
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
mishtakhata – pl. mishtakhtaat	chest
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’, covered with broken rock
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 mi’dhana
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
mudaaris	teacher
mudabab	pointed arch
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
mudir	director of a government department or a private organisation
mudhakarat	memorandum
mufak baraghi	screwdriver
mufasl – pl. mufsalaat	hinge
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
mujtamah	society
mukhtalif	different or mixed
mukab	the downwards facing side of a calligraphic stroke
mukayif	air-conditioner
mulk – pl. amlaak	ownership
munshar	saw
muntaqah – pl. manaataq	area, zone or neighbourhood
muntaqah mazruwa’	cultivated area
muqarnas	decoration in a stalactite or honeycomb form, usually in the area between the foot of a dome and its supporting walls
muqawwal	contractor
fat’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
mushrafaat	decorative top to wall or building
mushkil	difficult
mushrabiya – pl. mushrabiyaat	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
muthaad	a bangle, usually of gold and worn on the wrist
muwadhin	the official or chosen person who makes the call to prayers
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
nahaas	brass
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
nakhl – nakheel	cultivated area
nakhuda	ship’s captain
namawzaj	shape, form or design
naqoush mefat’ha	carved plaster panels or plasterwork allowing air to circulate
naqaa	barkan sand dunes
naqoush suwr al bab	carved plaster panels or plasterwork around a door
naql	transportation
naqsh	carved plaster panels or plasterwork
nat a habl	a traditional rope game for girls
natuwr	watchman
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
nuhaas	copper
nusf	half – fraction
nuqta	point or place
nuwr	light or lamp
nuwra	lime wash
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
qaim maqam	a Turkish title given to the person who administers a kaza, or district
qalam	pen
qal’at	fort
qal’at al askar	military 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 – pl. qawaaneen	laws
qanuwn al binaa’	building regulations
qareeb	near
qaraar – pl. qaraaraat	decision
laqum al qaraar	television programme – The Decision is Yours
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 filli of tent roofs and protects the material from tension stresses
qaws – aaqwaas	moon or arch
qawi	strong
qayis	good
qibla	the direction of Mecca, usually understood to be the wall of a mosque on that side facing Mecca
qif	stop! or stand! – traffic sign
qifl – aqfaal	door lock
qism	section
qiyas	an aspect of Islamic law which is reasoned by analogy
qleena wa al-maatuwa’	tipstick, a traditional Qatari game played with a stick and a bat or paddle to strike it with
qubba – pl. qubab or qubaab	dome or cupola
qubqub	crab
quran	the sacred text of Islam, understood by Muslims to comprise the revelations of God to Muhammad through the angel, Gabriel. Its text is valid for religious purposes only in its original Arabic. Translations are interpretations only
qutb	pivot, pole or axis
qutra	headscarf square, folded on the diagonal and worn on the head over a kaffiyah and held down with a black iqal. The qutra is white in summer and usually check in winter – most commonly white and black, red or green. Although both white and coloured are commonly referred to as a qutra, the embroidered, heavy qutra is more properly known as a shumagh
R
ra’ad	thunder
rabaaba	the single stringed violin used by Badu
rabadth	suburb in the immediate vicinity of the older, central part of a medina
rabi’	spring – pl. season
raff – pl. rafuwf	shelf
raha – pl. rahaat	a pintel hinge, most commonly found on doors, or a grain mill
rahma	compassion
rakhis	cheap
rajul – pl. rijaal	man
Ramadhan	the holy month – ninth in the Muslim calendar, the month in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet, and marked by fasting through the hours of daylight
ramaadi	grey or ash-like
raml – pl. ramaal	sand
raas	head of a body or a geographical cape
rabi’a	spring (season)
ra’ees	head of a group or chief of a tribe
rakaab	pack camels – camels used for transporting
raqam – pl. aarqaam	number
rawdha – pl. riyadh	private garden or cultivatable land – also the colloquial name given to soil which can be used for planting
rashash	rifle
razeef	Badu dance for men performing in two facing lines, singing eight-bar verses at each other, backed by two kinds of drum, the tubal and the tara
rijl	foot
risaala	letter or transmission
riwaq	porch, originally of palm fronds before simple rooms
ruaq	the walls of tent, fixed to the tent roof with wooden pins
ruba’a	a quarter – fraction
ruba’a al khali	the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia
rukhaam	marble
rukhsa	a permit
rukn	corner
rushanih – pl. ruwshaanaat	the internal part of a wall between structural columns, or a niche
ruttub	a half-ripe date which has contrasting tastes and textures
rutuba	humidity, damp or moisture
S
sa’a	clock, watch or hour
s’af	date palm fronds
saala	sitting room for the family
sa’b	difficult
sabaah	morning
sabbah	a traditional game played by boys
sabil	a fountain used as a water source for washing in a wudhuw’
sabkha	an area of sea which has been covered by wind-driven sand to form land of varying solidity and safety to travellers
sabr	wait, as in ‘be patient’
sabr shway	wait a little
sadu	a badu simple weaving loom, fixed to the ground
safaqa	timber window shutters
safarat	embassy
safir	ambassador
safina	ship
sagheer	small
saha	healthy
sahab	cloud
sahan – pl. suhoon	plate, or alternatively, a courtyard
saharaa’	desert
sahat	cul-de-sac
sa’id	happy
saidaliya	pharmacy
saif	summer
saif	sword or a curved sand-dune
salaam	peace
salah	ritual prayers
salama	safety
salat	prayer
salat al-fajr	early morning prayer
salat al-dthur	mid-day prayer
salat al-asr	mid-afternoon prayer
salat al-maghrib	sunset prayer
salat al-isha	evening prayer
saj	teak timber
sajada – pl. sajjad	prayer mat
salaamlik	the public area of a house
salam	ladder
salsabil	water spout usually associated with a shadirwan or carved marble slab. The name comes from one of the wells, fountains or rivers in paradise from which the faithful may drink according to the Holy Quran
saluqi – pl. sulqan or salaq	a hunting dog
samak	fish
sambooq	a boat traditionally used for pearling
samr	the plant, Acacia tortillis
sanduq – pl. sanaadiq	box
sanduq al bareed	post office box
sanna	year
saqf – pl. suquwf	ceiling
saqr	the most popular hawk for hunting – hurr is the female, garmoush the male
saraaj – pl. saraajaat	bed
sareer – pl. saraaeer	bed
sat’h – pl. satuwh	roof
sawm	the practice of fasting
sawma’a – pl. sawaami’	an early ventilation tower
sawr	to make a picture or take a photograph
sayaana	maintenance
sayyara	motor car
sbuwq	the jesses used to tether a hawk’s feet
seeda	straight ahead – coll.
seekh	a steel or brass bolt used to secure a door, usually on the outside of the door. It is the replacement of the mazlaaj
shaab – pl. shabaab	a youth
shaar	hair
shadakha – pl. shadakhat	bird trap
shadirwan	a carved marble slab onto which a salsabil pours water
shafi	the school of fiqh covering Indonesia and Malaysia
shahada	the expression of faith, and one of the five basic practical tenets of Islam
shaheen	hawk
shaikh – pl. shyuwkh	leader of a tribe or qabila, or a term of respect
shaitaan	Satan or the Devil
shajjar	trees
shamal	north or the local name for the strong north north-west wind, often sand-laden. Also the colloquial name for ‘left’
shams	sun
shandal	timber roof joists, usually of round sectioned mangrove poles
shaqiqa	sister state or body, a familiar reference to states or groups with which there are close ties of one sort or another, particularly religious
sha’r	hair
shahr – pl. shahuwr	month
shara’	road
sharika	(commercial) company
shari’a	Islamic legal tradition based on regulations, traditions and principles
sharq	east
shawkat	fork
sharq alawsat	Middle East
shayba or shaybi	an old man
shayla	a loosely worn headscarf for women
sherbala	the carved wooden architraves around a door
shi’a	a branch of Islam representing between 10-15% of Muslims.
shibreet – shibareet	match
shi’ite	derived from shi’at Ali – the followers of Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad who, his followers believe, was designated by Muhammad to succeed him
shitaa’	winter
shnaan	Arthrocnemum glaucum – a desert plant
shubak – pl. shubabik	window
shumagh	a heavy headscarf square, folded on the diagonal and worn on the head over a kaffiyah and held down with a black iqal. Usually worn in winter it commonly has a white and black, red or green check pattern. It is often referred to as a qutra
shurfa	verandah or balcony
shuw’i – pl. shwa’i	typical, small fishing boat with raked stem and transom stern, also used for general cargo movement
shuf	look!
shura	consultation
shurfa	merlon or crenellation – the articulated top of a wall
shurta	police
shurti – pl. shurta	policeman
shway-shway	gently or quietly
shy	tea
shy ahmar	tea, literally red tea, served with sugar but without milk
shy na’na	mint tea
sidr or sidra	the plant, Zizyphus nummularia
sifaat	the attributes and characteristics of the letters of the Arabic alphabet
sifr	nought, zero or nothing
sijaad	carpet
sijn	prison
sikka – pl. sikkat	narrow urban alleyway
sikkin	knife
sim	poison
sinn – pl. alasnaan	tooth
sirwal	loose trousers worn by both men and women below their outer garment
sirwal qamees	woman’s clothing comprising loose trousers and a long shirt
sitara	raised parapet walls at roof level for privacy
subagh	paint
suban	shell sand
subh	morning
sufra	woven mat, usually circular, from which meals are eaten
sufun	generic term for a ship or boat
suna’	land within an area of jiri where there is no vegetation
sunnah	source of law second only to the Quran, essentially deeds and recorded sayings of the Prophet
sunnah salat	optional prayers which may be offered on a regular basis and are of two forms: one which, if abandoned would be a sin, and one which, if abandoned, would not
sunna	a branch of Islam founded on acceptance of the legitimacy of the first four caliphs – Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali – who succeeded Muhammad, and representing 85-90% of Muslims
sunni	a follower of the sunna traditions of Islam, and the majority religion of Qataris
suq – pl. aswaaq	market or bazaar
sura – pl. suwar	any of the 114 chapters of the Holy Quran. surat al baqara – the chapter of the cow
suwf	wool
suwr	wall
suwra – pl. suwar	a picture
T
taajir	merchant
taalib	student
tabakh	gas oven or cook
tabeeb	doctor
tabeeb asnaan	dentist
tabiq	a storey of a building
tabl	a double-ended drum which is carried at waist level, suspended by a rope around the neck of the drummer
tadiem	the strengthened corner of a rectangular building
tafteesh	inspection
taht	under or below
tahuwiyah	ventilation
tajweed	recitation of the Quran, the root word meaning doing something well
takhzeen	storage
takhtiyt	planning
tal	hill
talaq	divorce initiated by a man
tamam	good
tambura	pre-Islamic dance performed by women and associated with the pre-Islamic god, Zar, and a drum used in that dance?
tambara	a tall, stringed, lyre-like instrument used in Tamburas?
tamr	date
tanuwr	clay bread oven
taq taq taqiyyah	a traditional game for boys
taqiyyah	the practice of dissimulation, permitted under certain conditions
taqlidyah	traditional
taqs	weather
taqwa	the attitude of care, and reverence for all things
tara	a single-sided drum used at a razeef or ardha
taraaz – pl. taraazaat	pattern
tarath	heritage
tarfa	name given to the wooden construction of a camel saddle, the name deriving from the tamarisk tree from which the y-shaped structure is usually taken
tariq	street
tarmeem	repair of buildings
tasah	a pearl sieve – see ghurbaal
tasmeem	design
taswiq	marketing or shopping – see dukaan
taswir	a picture
tatwir	development
taweel	tall
tawel umrak	m. term of respect – literally long your life
tawela	table
tawheed	the belief of faith in God
tawjeed	the art and science of recitation
tawwash	a pearl dealer
tayyara	aeroplane
tayyib	good or strong
teen – soft ‘t’	figs
teen – hard ‘t’	mud used for building
thab	desert lizard
thalaja	refrigerator
thalith	third – ordinal
thalj	snow or ice or hail
thaqaafa	culture or education
thaqeel	heavy
thub or thawb – pl. thiyaab	ankle-length traditional Arabic male dress, white and light in summer, darker and heavier in winter
thulth	third – fraction
thuluwf	a pair of flat hard wood paddles forming a part of a traditional camel saddle – see masaleeb
tubal	drum used in razeefs
tistaahleen	congratulations
tufah	apple
turath	heritage
turaab	earth used for building
U
ubuw	father
ufuqi	horizontal
ulema	Muslim scholars who are responsible for interpreting the shari’a
umayyad	relating to the dynasty founded by Umayya ibn ’abd Shams, the great grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Based in Damascus, it moved to al-Andalus. It was the second of the Islamic caliphates – see abbaasid and fatimid
umm	mother
umm salal	a hard, rocky area
ummah	community or nation. In the context of Islam it refers to the whole of the Islamic world
’urf – pl. a’raf	local or tribal rules and customary practice
usbuwa’	week
ustad	master builder
W
waasut	the central pole of a black tent
wadi – pl. widyan	dry river bed or valley
wadhihi	the Arabian oryx, one of the antelope family
wahabi	a movement, originating with Muhammad ibn ’abd al-Wahab (c.1703–1791) in Saudi Arabia, holding among other things, that the veneration of saints, ostentation in worship and luxurious living are evils
waha	oasis
waalid	father
wajib salat	compulsory prayers, avoidance of which make the individual a sinner
waajiha	elevation
wakaala – pl. wakaalaat	open area serving a number of private houses
wakr	the mushroom-shaped seat on which a hawk sits, with a spiked base for fixing in the sand
walad	boy
waqf – pl. awqaf.	a charitable endowment usually established for the advantage of a religious, educational or hospital establishment
waqt	time
waraqa	piece of paper or the leaf of a tree
warid	flower
warra	behind
warrish	high wall constructed for privacy
wasit	middle
wasta	influence
wasakh	dirt or dirty – coll.
wasm	tribal property symbol branded onto animals and carved near wells to express ownership
watad – pl. awtad	turned and painted wooden peg, let into the wall of a majlis or other room, and from which cloaks are hung, or a tent peg
wayn	where?
wazarat	ministry
wazir	minister
wudhuw’	ablution, or the Muslim act of washing parts of the body before prayer, or the ablution area
Y
yameen	right – as opposed to left
yasaar	left – as opposed to right
yad	hand
yawm	day
Z
zaar	dance with a pre-Islamic African origin
zahir	the external expression of self or a thing
zain	good
zait	oil
zakaat	a tax and the name given to one of the five pillars of Islam – the giving of alms to the poor
zanjabil	ginger, particularly tea served in winter with ginger and condensed milk
zariba – pl. zaribaat	open area for animals
za’tar	thyme, and a tea made with thyme which is considered to have beneficial medicinal properties
zawiya	corner
zift	black tar or an impolite expression
ziyada	outer enclosure or extension of a mosque common to congregational mosques in the early Islamic period
ziyr	water jug
zujaj	glass
zuli	partially enclosed toilet fixed to the side of a boat
zulia – pl. zuwali	carpet or rug – coll.
zulij	mosaics or glazed tiles