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GLOSSARY
`Abá: Cloak or mantle.
Adhan: Muslim call to prayer.
A.H.: "After Hijirah. "Date of Muhammad's migration from Mecca to
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Medina, and basis of Muhammadan chronology.
Akbar: "Greater."
Amír: "Lord," "prince," "commander," "governor."
Áqá: Title given by Bahá'u'lláh to `Abdu'l-Bahá.
A'zam: "The greatest."
Báb: "Gate." Title assumed by Mírzá `Alí-Muhammad after the
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declaration of His Mission in Shíráz in May, 1844, A.D.
Bahá: "Glory," "splendour," "light." Title by which Bahá'u'lláh
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(Mírzá Husayn-`Alí) is designated.
Baqíyyatu'lláh: "Remnant of God." Title applied both to the Báb and to
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Bahá'u'lláh.
Bayán: "Utterance," "explanation." Title given by the Báb to His
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Revelation, particularly to His Books.
Big: Honorary title; lower title than Khán
Caravanserai: An inn for caravans.
Darughih: "High constable."
Dawlih: "State," "government."
Farmán: "Order," "command," "royal decree."
Farrash: "Footman," "lictor," "attendant."
Farrash-Bashi: The head farrásh.
Farsakh: Unit of measurement. Its length differs in different parts
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of the country according to the nature of the ground, the local
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interpretation of the term being the distance which a laden mule will
walk in the hour, which varies from three to four miles. Arabicised
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from the old Persian "parsang," and supposed to be derived from pieces
of stone (sang) placed on the roadside.
Hájí: A Muhammadan who has performed the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Howdah: A litter carried by a camel, mule, horse, or elephant for
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travelling purposes.
Il: "Clan."
Imám: Title of the twelve shí'ah successors of Muhammad. Also applied
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to Muslim religious leaders.
Imám-Jum'ih: The leading imám in a town or city; chief of the mullás.
Imám-Zádih: Descendant of an imám, or his shrine.
Jubbih: An upper coat.
Ka'bih: Ancient shrine at Mecca. Now recognised as the most holy
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shrine of Islám.
Kad-Khuda: Chief of a ward or parish in a town; headman of a village.
Kalantar: "Mayor."
Kalím: "One who discourses."
Kárbilá'í: A Muhammadan who has performed the pilgrimage to Kárbilá.
Khán: "Prince," "lord," "nobleman," "chieftain."
Kulah: The Persian lambskin hat worn by government employees
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and civilians.
Madrisih: Religious college.
Man-Yuzhiruh'llah: "He whom God will make manifest." Title given by the
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Báb to the promised One.
Mashhadí: A Muhammadan who has performed the pilgrimage to Mashhad.
Masjid: Mosque, temple, place of worship.
Maydan: A subdivision of a farsakh. A square or open place.
Mihdí: Title of the Manifestation expected by Islám.
Mihrab: The principal place in a mosque, where the imám prays with
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his face turned towards Mecca.
Mi'ráj: "Ascent"; used with reference to Muhammad's ascension to
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heaven.
Mírzá: A contraction of Amir-Zadih, meaning son of Amír. When affixed
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to a name, it signifies prince; when prefixed, simply Mr.
Mu'adhdhin: The one who sounds the Adhan, the Muhammadan call to
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prayer.
Mujtahid: Muhammadan doctor of law. Most of the mujtahids of Persia
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have received their diplomas from the most eminent jurists of
Kárbilá and Najaf. Mullá: Muhammadan priest.
Mustagháth: "He who is invoked"; the numerical value of which has been
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assigned by the Báb as the limit of the time fixed for the advent
of the promised Manifestation. Nabíl: "Learned," "noble."
Naw-Rúz: "New Day." Name applied to the Bahá'í New Year's Day;
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according to the Persian calendar, the day on which the sun
enters Aries. Nuqtih: "Point."
Pahlaván: "Athlete," "champion." Term applied to brave and muscular
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men.
Qádí: Judge: civil, criminal, and ecclesiastical
Qá'im: "He who shall arise." Title designating the promised One of
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Islám.
Qalyan: A pipe for smoking through water.
Qiblih: The direction to which people turn in prayer; especially Mecca,
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the Qiblih of all Muhammadans.
Qurban: "Sacrifice."
Sáhibu'z-Zamán: "Lord of the Age." One of the titles of the promised Qá'im.
Shahid: "Martyr." The plural of martyr is "Shuhada."
Shaykhu'l-Islám: Head of religious court, appointed to every large city by
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the Sháh.
Siyyid: Descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.
Súrih: Name of the chapters of the Qur'án.
Túman: A sum of money equivalent to a dollar.
Valí-`Ahd: "Heir to the throne."
Zadih: "Son."
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