Glossary of Arab Expressions and Names of Places
Abd
A servant, a slave, much used with an epithet of the Deity in the formation of proper names, as Abdullah, the servant of God; Abdul Cader, the servant of the Powerful, and so forth.
Abu
Father of. A man assumes his son’s name with this prefix as an honourable title, letting his own name be almost forgotten.
Afreet
A devil, a jinni (pl. afaereet).
Ayûb
Job.
Bara
Para. The Arabs have no letter P and cannot pronounce it.
Basha
Pasha.
Bedelíeh askerieh
Tax in lieu of military service, levied on unbelievers.
Cabil
Cain.
Caimmacàm
A local governor, inferior to the provincial governor (Wâly or Mutesarrif) and appointed by him.
Damashc-ush-Shâm (or simply Es-Shâm)
Damascus. Shâm in this name is generally taken to mean “Left” in contrast with “Yemen” meaning “Right.” But it has more likely to do with Shem (Ar. Shâm); Syria is called Es-Shâm or Birr-ush-Shâm.
Daûd
David.
Dejìl
Antichrist.
Dìn
Religion, faith—e.g., dìn Muhammed = El Islâm.
Durzi
A Druze (pl. Drûz).
Ebn
Son—e.g., ebn Ali = the son of Ali.
Effendi
A title of respect given generally to Muhammadans.
El Ajem
Persia.
Eljizar
Algiers or Algeria (often confused with Eljezireh = Mesopotamia).
El Khalìl
An epithet of the patriarch Abraham appropriate to his city of Hebron.
Emìr
Prince, an hereditary and purely Arab title of nobility, having nothing to do with the Turkish gamut of dignities which, like the Russian, are purely official. It is given, for instance, to all the kindred of the Prophet, in addition to the epithet Sherìf ( = honourable, holy).
Fellah
A husbandman, a peasant (pl. fellahìn).
Fulân
An imaginary person (cp. Span. Don Fulano) as we say Mr. So-and-so.
Habil
Abel.
Haleb
Aleppo, surnamed the White (Esh-Shahbah).
Inshallah
(Lit., if God will) I hope.
Isa
Jesus (Muhammadan).
Iskendería
Alexandria.
Istanbûl
Constantinople.
Jebel Târic
Gibraltar.
Jinni
A geni, a fallen angel dwelling on earth and sharing with man the chance of salvation (pl. jin or jân).
Kâfir
Infidel, heathen.
Khawaja
A title of respect given exclusively to unbelievers.
Lûndra
London.
Marûni
A Maronite (pl. Mowarni).
Masr
Egypt.
Mashallah
(What does God wish!) the commonest exclamation of surprise.
Mehkemeh
A court of law presided over by the Qadi.
Miriam
Mary.
Mufti
A religious judge in every city.
Mûsa
Moses.
Muslim
A Muhammadan (pl. Muslimûn).
Mutesarrif
A governor of a province, less than a Wâly in dignity, but, like a Wâly, dependent directly on the Sultàn.
Nabuli
Naples.
Neby
Prophet.
Nûh
Noah.
Oäh
A cry equivalent to “Look out!”
Qibla
The point towards which the face is turned at prayers (for Jews, Jerusalem, for Muhammadans, Mecca).
Rûm
Greece.
Sheykh
An old man; hence (age implying precedence) a chief, the headman of a tribe, a village, or indeed of any community.
Suleyman
Solomon.
Tarabulus
Tripoli (Tarabulus-Esh-Shâm, Tripoli of Syria; not Tarabulus el Gharb, Tripoli in Barbary).
The Chief of Mountains (Jebel-ush-Sheikh)
Mount Hermon.
The City of Peace (Medinat us Salam)
Baghdad.
The Mountain (El Jebel)
Lebanon.
The Sunset-Land (El Maghrib, el Gharb)
The north coast of Africa west or Egypt: The Barbary States.
Wâly
The governor-general of a province, appointed directly by the Sultàn (or at least from Constantinople) and for a period of five years.
Wilayet
The province governed by a Wâly.
Yafez
Japheth.
Y’Allah
(O God) the commonest of all exclamations, meaning whatever you please, oftenest with a sense of “Make haste!” or “Forward!”
Yesua
Jesus (Christian).