Glossary
A Storyteller’s Guide to the Language of Arab Folktales (English spellings vary)
- afreet:
- A cunning demon or spirit from the djinn world
- Allah:
- The name of the one God
- bazaar:
- Marketplace
- cadi (qadi):
- Judge of an Islamic court of justice
- caliph:
- A spiritual and religious leader, a successor of Muhammed
- dervish:
- An ascetic Muslim monk; a member of an order noted for devotional exercises involving bodily movements
- djinn, jinn, genie:
- Powerful and magical invisible beings created by God out of smokeless fire. They can use their power for good or evil. Djinns live in a parallel world to "ins," or mortals, and often appear to ins in disguise.
- ghoul, She-ghoul:
- A desert monster that devours human flesh. Often chants a warning, like Jack’s giant’s "fe fi fo fum."
- hakawadi:
- A coffeehouse storyteller
- hammam:
- A public bath
- imam:
- A prayer leader and elder of a mosque
- hodja, djuha (and other spellings):
- a provincial imam; a country preacher
- khan:
- An inn with a courtyard for animals so that caravans can be accommodated; a caravanserai
- mullah:
- A title of respect for one learned in the sacred law
- saluki:
- Breed of sporting dog, tall and slender with a smooth, silky coat; the "dog" of the bible
- scimitar:
- A short curved saber with its edge on the convex side of the blade
- sheikh:
- A venerable patriarch; may be used to indicate family tribal status or religious learning
- sultan:
- An absolute ruler; a civil title
- vizier, wazir:
- Minister or chief courtier; a civil office, not a religious one
- wadi:
- Riverbed or ravine
