Gideon's Spies: The Secret History of the Mossad

BRIEF ARABIC GLOSSARY

Ayatollah Title in the hierarchy of the Shite clergy

Dawa Propagation of the faith; also a call to Islam

Deobandi School of doctors of Islamic law founded in 1867 to preach against British domination in India

Fatwa Legal opinion based on the holy texts of Islam; usually ratified by senior clerics

Fedayeen Men ready to sacrifice themselves for a sacred cause; most recently applied to suicide bombers

Fiqh Unchallengeable Muslim law

Haj Pilgrimage to Mecca to be attained by every devout Muslim once in a lifetime

Harb War, especially when waged in the land of infidels

Hezbollah Party of God, prominent in Israel and Lebanon

Hegira Flight of the Prophet in September 622 from Mecca to Medina, signifying the establishing of Islam

Hudud Punishments in religious law, sharia, such as the stoning of a woman guilty of adultery, beheading for a crime, etc.

Imam A mosque’s director of prayer and the authority on all matters of religious regulation

Intifada Uprisings; usually applied to the two Palestinian uprisings of 1987 and 2000

Jihad Holy war to propagate Islamic faith and overthrow infidels

Madrassa Religious school where Islamic law is taught

Mujahideen (singular: mujahed) Jihad fighters.

Pasdaran Members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards

Shebab Arab youth

Takir Excommunication from the Islamic faith

Taliban Graduates of a religious school

Ulema Doctors of Islamic law

Wahhabism Founded by Ibn Abu al-Wahhab (1703–92); Puritan doctrine still dominating Saudi Arabia