Annotated Vocabulary: Arabian Peninsula

General Terms

• Five Precepts of Islam
  • Hajj
  • Salah
  • Sawmm
  • Shahadah
  • Zakat
• Hadith: a formal elaboration of the Qu’ran (Koran); based on spoken reports from the time of Mohammed. Hadith means "report" in Arabic.
• Islam: One of the three primary monotheistic religions. The term means "submission to God" in Arabic. Allah is the Arabic word for God.
• Jihad
• khamsa (kamsa, khamsah): The Arabic word for the number five (5); khamsa also refers to an amulet with a stylized hand.
• Mohammed: The prophet of Islam (the name means "praised" in Arabic). c. 570-632 CE
• Muslim: meaning in Arabic is "one who submits"
• Purdah: Persian (Farsi) word for separation. Often used concerning genders but with word has layers of meaning
• Qu’ran (Koran): The core of Islam, written in Arabic.
• Shia (Sh'ia; Shi'ah)
• Suffism
• Sunna: The record of Mohammed's deeds and sayings; followed carefully by Sunni Muslims.

Arabia

• abbayah: a long black outer cloak which is worn over the women's clothes when they are on the street or in public places specifically in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This plain black cloak is worn draped from the center crown of the head. It is often worn over colorful clothes. It does not reveal anything about status or character, but under the abbayah anything from jeans to the latest French fashions are worn. Black is common, but other colors occur. The abbayah is held closely to the body to cover gowns. Occasionally when it is necessary to use the hands to reach something, the front closure will be held in place with the help of the teeth. Abbayah also can refer to a garment like a thobe but worn by women.
• bantalōn: long loose fitting trousers held at the waist with a drawstring. Similar to pajama bottoms. Male or female.
• bisht: one of many varieties of outer garments. It is a long rectangular flowing robe which worn over the thawb tp be more formally dressed. Made of cotton or wool in cooler weather.   Opens in the front and has a tie over the chest that can be used to hold it in place. It does not have pockets but there are often slits (fitchets) in the sides that provide access inside.
• bugsha: See ihram
• burga: face covering. It is often a stiff mask, the burga, which totally covers the face but leaves slits for the eyes. The burga are tied on in three places, at the forehead, the eyes and below the ears. The center protrusion is made from a pleat which is stitched down.
• burnoose: Thobe with a hood attached
• burqa: A full body covering worn by the most observent followers of Islam. Includes face covering and often gloves covering the hands. Called nekab in Eqyptian.
• caftan: See thobe
• chador: Persian (Farsi) term for modestry dress that generally encompasses the whole body but leaves the face open.
• dishdashah: see thobe
• ghoutra (ghutra): A head cloth which protects the head from the sun and sand. It is a square of cloth which is folded diagonally to form a triangle.  It often has a peak pinched together at the center of the forehead and can vary in quality and fabric.  The sides usually fall equally onto the shoulders and it is common to see men wearing the ghoutra with one or both ends tossed back over the head.  The Bedouin and their descendants prefer a checked ghoutra (called a shmagh), while townsmen usually choose a plain white one.  Shmagh come in many colors, but red and white is common.  
• hejab (higab): term for modesty dress used in Egypt. Includes a headscarf but no face covering.
• igaal (agal): The ghoutra is held in place by a cord or coil called an igaal (agal, aigal, iqal).  Usually the igaal is a double coil sometimes having two small tassels which are worn at the back of the head.  Only the ruling family wears a gold igaal and then primarily for special occasions .  Usually made of wool or goat's hair, simple pieces of rope can be used, as well as leather, solid silver circlets or straw for the igaal. In the 21st century often made of polyester.
• ihram: The men wear the ihram for the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, which is required for each Muslim at least once during his lifetime. Those Muslims who live near Mecca, go more often, generally during Ramadan, the 12th month of the Islam calendar.  The two seamless pieces of cloth are wrapped on the body, one skirt-fashion around the lower half of the body (izar), while the other is draped loosely about the upper half of the body (rida).  A sash of seamless white cloth, the bugsha can also be worn to secure the lower section of the it.
• izar: See ihram
• kalpak (calpac): Tall cap worn by Sufists in particular during meditation in which they twirl in place for an extended period -- referred to in the West as Whirling Dervishes. These followers of Rumi also wear full skirted thobes.
• khimar (khimara): headscarf.
• kiffiyah (kutiyah)
• milfa: a soft thin veil used to cover the hair under the abbayah. It also can be used to cover the face
• nekab (niqab): Egyptian term for full body covering worn by the most observent followers of Islam. Includes face covering and often gloves covering the hands.
• rida: See ihram
• saaya: short outer garment worn my men, often covered with elaborate embroidery. Opens in the front.
• shmagh: see ghoutra
• sirwaaal: very full long pants worn by men and women. They either taper down the legs or have cuffs, sometimes embroidered, around the ankles. They have much material between the legs.
• suf: heavy wool (or fur) cloak worn by the followers of Suffism, so named for the cloak
• thawb: see thobe
• thobe: A loose-fitting garment that allows air to circulate while shielding the skin from the hot sun of dersert climates. It is ankle-length, long-sleeved tunic with a round neck that pulls on over the head. It does not have any shaping darts or zippers or a collar (in its purest form). It often has gores (triangle shaped inserts) on each side to give it a tapered shape that is fuller at the bottom edge. Buttons are used to close it up the front. There are as many as 5 layers for the very wealthy and 2 for the poorest people. Generally made from cotton; occasionally made from linen and lightweight wool.

Last updated: 12/19//2019