adab A word of many meanings usually connoting courtesy, etiquette, rules and manners, civilisation, culture and literature....
Aga Khan A title granted by the Shah of Persia to the then Ismaili Imam in 1818 and inherited by each of his successors to the Imamate....
Aga Khan Development Network The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is a contemporary endeavour of the Ismaili Imamat to realise the ethics and social conscience of Islam through institutional…...
ahl al-bayt Lit. 鈥榯he people of the house鈥, meaning the Prophet Muhammad and members of his household including especially his cousin and son鈥搃n鈥搇aw 鈥楢li b. Abi Talib,…...
ahl al-诲补士飞补 Lit. 鈥榯he people of the 诲补士飞补, or summons鈥; a term used by the Ismailis to describe themselves....
ahl al-kit膩b From Arabic, lit. 鈥楶eople of the Book鈥 also referred to as ahl al-dhimma (people under protection) a 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic term used to designate Jews and Christians…...
al-Azhar A major mosque and institution of learning founded in Cairo by the Fatimid Imam-caliph al-Mu士izz (d. 975)....
al-balad al-am墨n A term used in the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 for Mecca, translated as the city of security, serenity or salvation....
al-诲腻士墨 al-ma岣奴d Also al-诲腻士墨 al鈥搈a岣メ梗奴r. A rank in the Fatimid Ismaili 诲补士飞补 for the chief assistant to al-诲腻士墨 al鈥搈u峁璴aq....
al-诲补士飞补 al-h膩diya 鈥楾he rightly guiding mission,鈥 an expression used by the early Shi鈥榓 and earliest Ismailis, who felt that the caliphate had been wrongfully taken from the…...
al-F膩r膩b墨, Ab奴 Na峁 A preeminent Muslim philosopher born in the region known as Turkestan. In Medieval Latin texts, al-F膩r膩b墨 was referred to as Alfarabius or Avennasar. Being an…...
补濒-蹿耻谤辩腻苍 Lit. 鈥楾he Proof鈥 or 鈥楾he Distinguisher between Good and Evil鈥, a name applied to the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 and also the title of its 25th chapter....
al-Ghaz膩l墨, Ab奴 岣つ乵id Mu岣mmad (d. 1111 CE) A noted theologian, jurist and mystic, (1058-1111 CE), whose thoughts and writings had a major influence on the development of Sunni Islam. He was born…...
al-岣ll膩j, 岣sayn b. Man峁Ｅ玶 A Sufi poet and mystic born in Fars (in present-day southern Iran). He is mainly remembered for his proclamation an膩 补濒-岣辩辩 (I am the truth),…...
al-岣san b. 士Al墨 The elder of 士Al墨鈥檚 two sons (d. c. 669) by Fatima, and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad....
补濒-岣つ玶补 A mountain near Mecca where the Prophet Muhammad used to withdraw for prayer and where the first verses of the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 were said to have…...
补濒-尘补示诲丑奴苍 Lit. 鈥榣icentiate,鈥; a rank in the Fatimid Ismaili 诲补士飞补 structure; an assistant to the regional 诲腻士墨; originally divided into two ranks: 补濒-尘补示诲丑奴苍 al-mu峁璴aq and 补濒-尘补示诲丑奴苍…...
al-Ma示m奴n, Ab奴 al-士Abb膩s 士Abd-All膩h (d. 833 CE) The seventh Abbasid caliph (786鈥833 CE), who succeeded his father H膩r奴n al-Rash墨d and ruled from 813 to 833 CE. He is known for his support…...
补濒-尘耻办腻蝉颈谤 Lit. ‘breaker’ a junior rank in the Fatimid Ismaili 诲补士飞补 mainly responsible for attracting prospective converts and ‘breaking’ their attachments to other religions....
补濒-辩颈测腻尘补 Arabic term for the Last Day, the Day of Resurrection. A concept which features prominently in the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍. Belief in the Last Day features as…...
补濒-蝉丑补丑腻诲补 From the Arabic root sh-h-d, lit. the act of bearing witness or the public declaration of belief. It is among the key principles of Islam.…...
al-峁r膩t al-mustaq墨m From Arabic; lit. 鈥榯he straight path鈥; a 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic phrase meaning 鈥榯he straight path鈥. It appears 33 times in the Holy 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍. Conventionally, the phrase has…...
al-士ibadat al-士amaliyya A term in classical Islamic jurisprudence denoting religious practice or acts of worship, i.e., worship performed by bodily actions or good deeds. In most classical…...
Alamut Fortress of the Nizari Ismailis in northern Iran, which fell to the Mongols in 654 AH/1256 CE....
Amazigh A member of the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa. The term ‘Berber’ today is often seen as derogatory and the term by which the group…...
础尘墨谤 (pl. umar膩示) Arabic lit. a prince, a commander, or a leader. In early Muslim history, the word am墨r referred to an army commander. During the…...
am墨r al-mu示min墨n 鈥楥ommander of the Faithful鈥. A title used for 鈥楢li b. Abi Talib and adopted more widely by Sunni caliphs....
补苍峁Ｄ乺 Lit. ‘helpers,’ it refers to the Medinans who supported the Prophet Muhammad and his followers after the hijra (migration) from Mecca to Medina in 622…...
补蝉腻蝉 Lit. ‘foundation’. Early Ismaili authors, like Ibn 岣wshab (d. 914) and his son Ja士far (d. 2nd half of 10th century) divided history into seven eras,…...
础蝉丑士补谤颈蝉尘 A theological school founded in the 10th century CE by the Sunni theologian and heresiographer 士Al墨 b. Ism膩士墨l al-Ash士ar墨 (d. 935-936 CE)....
础蝉丑士补谤颈测测补 A theological school founded in the 10th century CE by the Sunni theologian and heresiographer 士Al墨 b. Ism膩士墨l al-Ash士ar墨 (d. 935-936 CE)....
膧测补 A verse of the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍, (pl. 膩y膩t). It is the smallest semantically independent 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic speech. Cognates of the word 膩ya occur also in Hebrew and…...
Ayatollah From Arabic (膩yat Ull膩h), lit. Sign of God; a title used by the Imami Twelver Shi鈥榠s. The rank of Ayatollah is believed to have been…...
士补诲濒 (Arabic; derived from the root 士a-d-l; 士补诲濒 and 士ad膩la meaning justice, fairness). The word is current in the vocabulary of religion, theology, philosophy, and law.…...
士础箩补谤颈诲补 A branch of the Kharijites (Kharijiyya) founded by Ibn Ajarrad in the 8th century CE, whose adherents lived mainly in eastern Iran....
士补濒补尘 A 鈥榝lag鈥 or 鈥榮ign post鈥. 士Alams are ornate religious standards seen in Shi鈥榠 spaces of worship and during 惭耻岣谤谤补尘 processions. They are often made of…...
士Al墨 b. Ab墨 峁乴ib Cousin of the Prophet Muhammad and his son-in-law by marriage to his daughter Fatima; the first Shi鈥榠 Imam and fourth caliph (d. 661)....
士补辩濒 Reason, intellect, mind. This noun does not appear as such in the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍, although the verb 士aqala is used (as in Q. 2:44, 鈥楧o you…...
士补辩濒-i kull (Ar. al-士补辩濒 al-kull墨) Universal Intellect or Reason. It is the corresponding term to the concept of nous as used in the Greek Neoplatonism of Plotinus (d. 270). It…...
士补辩濒墨 As a noun, it refers to a proponent of 士补辩濒, a rationalist, an intellectual. As an adjective it means related to 士补辩濒, i.e. mental, intellective,…...
士腻谤颈蹿 Lit. 鈥榦ne who knows鈥. Used by Sufi authors like Ab奴 士Abd al-Ra岣膩n al鈥揝ulam墨 (d. 1021), 士腻谤颈蹿 is one of several technical terms meaning gnostic, mystic,…...
士补谤蝉丑 鈥楾hrone鈥. The 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 describes God as the 鈥楲ord of the Throne鈥 (Q. 17:42, etc.), on which 鈥楬e sat himself鈥 (Q. 10:3, etc.) and which is…...
士膧蝉丑奴谤腻示 An event which is commemorated by many Shi鈥榓 Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Imam al-岣sayn b. 士Al墨, the grandson of…...
士A峁弓膩r, Far墨d al-D墨n Mu岣mmad b. Ibr膩h墨m (d. 1220 CE) A Persian Sufi poet and author born in Nishapur (d. 1220 CE). He is well known for many of his works, including Man峁璱q al-峁璦yr (The…...
士补飞补尘尘 A term used in classical philosophical literature for the ‘common folk’ or ‘masses,’ who in this usage were contrasted with the ‘elect’ or ‘elite’ (khaww膩峁)....
士补测测腻谤 Lit. ‘rascal, tramp, vagabond’. A term used for the members of an organisation grouped under the concept of futuwwa (chivalry), especially the highway warriors active…...
产腻产 Lit. 鈥榞ate鈥 or 鈥榙oor鈥. In the vocabulary of Fatimid Ismailism, the term was used for the administrative head of the 诲补士飞补 figures in Islamic history....
产补辩腻示 Lit. ‘subsistence, survival’. Together with the concept of fana, the idea of baqa’ was developed by Sufis such as al-Sarraj (d. 988) and Abu’l Hasan…...
Basmala The standard Islamic invocation, Bismi’ll膩h墨 al-Ra岣膩n al-Ra岣ツ玬 derived from the Qur’an, meaning ‘In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.’...
产腻峁璱苍 The inner or esoteric meaning of a sacred text, ritual or religious prescription, often contrasted with 岷撃乭颈谤. See also 产腻峁璱苍墨 迟补示飞墨濒 and 叠腻峁璱苍颈测测补....
产腻峁璱苍墨 迟补示飞墨濒 Symbolic exegesis of the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 based on the claim that there is an inner (产腻峁璱苍墨) meaning behind the external (岷撃乭颈谤墨) text. By extension, it can…...
叠腻峁璱苍颈测测补 Lit. 鈥榮upporters of the 产腻峁璱苍鈥. A perjorative term used by Sunni authors such as al-Ghaz膩l墨 (d. 1111) to refer to those, especially the Ismailis, who…...
Bayt al-岣kma From Arabic; lit. 鈥榟ouse of wisdom鈥; best characterised as a research and teaching centre with a library and translation facilities. Located in Baghdad, it was…...
产补测士补 (Arabic; derived from b-y-士, meaning 鈥榯o sell鈥 or 鈥榗lasp hands鈥). A practice rooted in Arab tradition and the practice of the Prophet Muhammad. It is…...
Berber A member of the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa. The term ‘Berber’ today is often seen as derogatory and the term the group refers to…...
Bibi A word of East Turkish origin which means old mother or a grandmother. It is also used in Persian and Urdu in the sense of…...
Bohra Indian community of Musta士li Ismailis, now found primarily in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent, Yemen, Egypt and other parts of the world....
Bukhara A city in modern-day Uzbekistan, Central Asia, known for its Islamic artistic and architectural heritage....
Buwayhids Muslim dynasty of Shi’i persuasion that ruled in Baghdad (945-1062), and was succeeded by the Saljuqs....
Byzantine The late medieval Roman Empire which ruled large parts of Southern Europe and the Middle East from its capital Constantinople (present-day Istanbul), conquered by the…...
caliphate The Muslim political institution or state centred around the caliph, which came to an end, historically, in 1924 with the disappearance of the Ottoman Empire....
Crusaders A term applied to Christian invaders who carried out numerous campaigns to capture Jerusalem and Palestine from the Muslims in the 11th and 14th centuries…...
顿补鈥榰诲颈蝉 Adherents of a sub-branch of the Tayyibi Ismailis. The Tayyibis are one of the two branches of the Musta士li Ismailis, the other branch being the…...
D膩r al-岣kma Lit. 鈥楬ouse of wisdom鈥. A scholarly institution founded in Cairo by the Fatimid Caliph-Imam al鈥揌akim in 1005 CE. Its building housed a large library containing…...
D膩r al-Isl膩m The ‘realm of Islam,’ a term used in classical Islamic jurisprudence to denote regions or countries subject to Islamic law. Often contrasted with the d膩r…...
D膩r al-士Ilm Lit. 鈥楬ouse of Knowledge,鈥 an institution of learning established in Cairo by the Fatimid Imam-Caliph al-岣つ乲im (d. 1021). See also Dar al-岣kma....
dawr (pl. 补诲飞腻谤) Cycle, revolution, period. Together with kawr 鈥 a great age or aeon. It is a division of the cyclical religious history developed by some early…...
dawr al-satr Lit. 鈥榩eriod of concealment鈥. Al-Q膩岣嵞 al-Nu士m膩n (d. 974) uses the term dawr al-satr to refer to the period of around 150 years in which the…...
诲腻士墨 Lit. ‘summoner,’ a term for missionary amongst various Muslim communities, especially used among the Ismailis before and during the Fatimid period as well as in…...
诲补士飞补 Lit. ‘summons’, ‘mission’ or invitation to Islam. Amongst Shi’i Muslims, it was the invitation to adopt the cause of the Imamat. It also refers more…...
诲补士飞补t 补濒-岣辩辩 The true mission’ or ‘the true summons.’ A term used by the Ismailis of the pre-Fatimid and Fatimid periods to refer to their 诲补士飞补 activities....
dhikr Lit. 鈥榯he act of reminding鈥; 鈥榬emembrance鈥. The 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 exhorts individuals to remember God: 鈥極h ye who believe! Remember (udhkur奴) God with much remembrance (dhikran kath墨ran)鈥…...
din In the Qur’an it means a) retribution, judgment (as in yawm al-d墨n, the day of judgement); b) religion in a broad sense. The pair d墨n-诲耻苍测腻…...
Druze A religious community that arose as an offshoot of the Fatimid Ismailis around 408 AH/1017 CE....
fal膩sifa (sing. faylas奴f) Practitioners of falsafa (Arabic word derived from the Greek philosophia). Falsafa was sometimes identified with the Arabic 岣办尘补 (wisdom), a term found in the Qur’an.…...
蹿补辩墨丑 (pl. fuqah膩示, from Arabic root f-q-h meaning to have a correct understanding of matters). A 蹿补辩墨丑 is an expert in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). Early in…...
Farman From Persian lit. command, authority, will, permission. At the time of the Ottomans, the word 鈥榝arm膩n鈥 was used in Ottoman Turkish to denote any order…...
Fatima Daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and his first wife, Khad墨ja bint Khuwaylid. Also wife of 士Al墨 b. Ab墨 峁乴ib and mother of al-岣san and al-岣sayn....
Fatimids Major Muslim dynasty of Ismaili caliphs in North Africa (from 909) and later in Egypt (973鈥1171), who claimed descent from the Prophet Muhammad through 鈥楢li…...
蹿颈诲腻示墨 Also fid膩w墨. Young devotee who volunteers to sacrifice his life for a cause. Between the 11th and the 13th centuries, 蹿颈诲腻示墨s are known to have…...
骋补产谤颈别濒/闯颈产谤腻士颈濒 The name of the angel that appears in the Bible as sent by God to Daniel and in the Qur’an as bringing the message down…...
Ghad墨r Khumm (Arabic; lit.: 鈥榯he pond of Khumm鈥): Name of a pool (or marsh) located in an area called Khumm between Mecca and Medina, in present-day Saudi…...
Ghaznavids/Ghaznawids Muslim dynasty which ruled lands from Khurasan in Persia to Northern India (977-1186)....
驳丑耻濒腻迟 Exaggerators’ or ‘extremists.’ A term of disapproval in classical Muslim sources against what they regarded as ‘heretical’ exaggeration in matters of doctrine....
驳颈苍腻苍 A Sanskrit word meaning knowledge. In particular, a poetic composition in an Indian language (Sindhi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi or Multani), ascribed to one of the…...
Gospels The Gospel (Ar. al-Inj墨l) is the message transmitted by Jesus. The word literally means 鈥榞ood news鈥 of Christ鈥檚 appearance in history. In the plural, it…...
岣诲诲 Lit. ‘edge,’ ‘boundary,’ ‘limit,’; a technical term in Islamic law denoting God’s ‘limits’ or punishments for various crimes mentioned in the Qur’an. Also a technical…...
岣诲墨迟丑 Lit. 鈥榬eport鈥 or 鈥榥arrative,鈥 used for the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad and in Shi鈥榠 Islam also for those of the Imams....
Hafizis A branch of Musta士li Ismailis. Upon the death of the 20th Imam of the Musta士li Ismailis, the Fatimid Caliph al-膧mir bi-A岣膩m All膩h, the official Musta士li…...
Hafiziyya A branch of Musta鈥榣i Ismailis. Upon the death of the twentieth Imam of the Musta鈥榣i Ismailis, Fatimid Caliph al-鈥楢mir bi-Ahkam Allah, the official Musta鈥榣i da鈥榳a…...
Hajj (Arabic; derived from the root 岣-j-j), meaning 鈥榯o betake oneself to鈥, also, occurs in other Semitic languages. The word Hajj usually refers to the annual…...
岣辩腻示颈辩 Pl. of 岣q墨qa. A system originating in 9th-century Ismaili texts, and later modified and developed in a Neoplatonic framework by al-Nasaf墨 (d. 943), Ab奴 岣つ乼im…...
岣q墨qa (Persian: 岣q墨qat) The reality. In the writing of philosophers such as Ibn Sina (d. 1037), it means the true nature of something, its essential reality; for Sufis…...
Hashimiyya A Shi’i revolutionary group which emerged in the 8th century CE; also used generally to designate the Abbasids and others who claimed descent from H膩shim,…...
haykal n奴r膩n墨 Lit. 鈥榯emple of light.鈥 According to the Tayyibi author Ibrahim al-岣つ乵id墨 (d. 1162), it is the spiritual body formed by the gathering of the individual…...
丑补测奴濒腻 A technical term in philosophy derived from the Greek hyle (matter), opposed to 峁Ｅ玶a (form). Usually used in the sense of prime matter, being the…...
Hijaz (Arabic; lit. 鈥榯he barrier鈥). A region in the west of present-day Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea which includes some of the holiest sites and…...
Hijra (Arabic; derived from the root h-j-r, meaning to emigrate ). Technically, the term hijra designates the migration of Prophet Muhammad and his early Muslim community…...
岣办尘补 A term which in the Qur’an means ‘wisdom’, and later acquired various technical meanings referring to religious, gnostic or esoteric philosophy....
His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV The 49th imam of the Nizari Ismailis, Shah Karim al-Husayni, who succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III, in 1957.聽 He led…...
岣jja (Persian: 岣jjat) A 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic term meaning both 鈥榩roof鈥 and 鈥榩resentation of proof.鈥 In Shi鈥榠 Islam it designates Prophets and Imams as 鈥榩roofs鈥 of God鈥檚 presence on earth.…...
岣q奴q al-膩damiyy墨n (sing. 岣qq 膩dam or 岣qq 膩dam墨) Rights of humans, i.e. private, essentially civil, legal rights or claims. A translation of the modern concept of ‘human rights’....
Hurufis/Hurufiyya A religious order founded by Fa岣峫 All膩h Astarab膩d墨 in the second half of the 14th century CE in Persia and Anatolia....
岣sayn b. 士Al墨 The younger of the two sons of 士Al墨 b. Ab墨 峁乴ib (d. 680) by Fatima, and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad....
Ibadis/Ibadiyya Adherents of a branch of the Kharijis , named after their leader ‘Abd Allah b. Ibad in the 7th century CE....
颈产诲腻士 Lit. ‘origination’. Since the Qur’an describes God as ‘Originator’ (bad墨士, see Q. 2:117), Ismaili Neoplatonists such as al-Nasaf墨 (d. 661/1262-1263), al-Sijist膩n墨 (d. after 971) and…...
滨产濒墨蝉 The name given in the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 to the Devil, mostly when he is said to have refused to bow down before Adam (Q. 2:34, etc,).…...
Ifriqiya Mediaeval Muslim name for modern-day Tunisia; also the area where the Fatimids founded their state in the early tenth century....
颈箩迟颈丑腻诲 (derived from the Arabic root j-h-d, meaning 鈥榯o make an effort鈥, 鈥榚xertion鈥, or 鈥榚ndeavour鈥.) In Muslim law, the term 颈箩迟颈丑腻诲 refers to an independent mode…...
Ikhw膩n al-峁f膩示 From Arabic, lit. 鈥楤rethren of Purity鈥, a group of learned scholars who were based in Basra and Baghdad around the last quarter of the t10th…...
颈濒岣ツ乨 Arabic word found in polemical Muslim sources, meaning ‘deviation from the straight path,’ but may connote ‘apostasy’ or ‘heresy’. (See 尘耻濒岣诲.)...
imam In general usage, a leader of prayers or religious leader. The Shi’i restrict the term to their spiritual leaders descended from 士Al墨 b. Ab墨 峁乴ib…...
Imama/Imamat/Imamate An noun derived from the term Imam, referring to the institution of hereditary spiritual leadership in Shi’i Islam....
Imamis/Imamiyya Adherents of a branch of early Shi’ism which followed the Husaynid line of Imams, which later divided into the Ismailis and Ithna’asharis ....
Ismailis Adherents of a branch of Shi’i Islam that considers Ismail, the eldest son of the Shi’i Imam Ja士far al-峁⒛乨iq (d. 765), as his successor....
Ispahbadiyya Refers to the Bawanids (1074-1210 CE), a local dynasty in Tabaristan and Gilan, who used the title of Ispahbadh墨, meaning ‘army chief.’...
Ithna’asharis Lit. 鈥楾welvers,鈥 the majority branch of the Shi鈥榠 Muslims who acknowledge twelve Imams in lineal succession from 士Al墨 b. Ab墨 峁乴ib, after the Prophet Muhammad.…...
士颈濒尘 Knowledge, science, learning; also, more specifically religious knowledge. In 厂丑颈鈥榠蝉尘 this term also refers to the special knowledge of the Imams....
士颈谤蹿腻苍 Cognition, knowledge, gnosis. In one strand of modern Islamic discourse, the term is used for an amalgamated category which includes the mystical experience, sufism, esoteric…...
Jabal Bahr膩示 A mountainous region in central Syria between Hama and the mediterranean coastline southwest of Jabal al-Summ膩q....
Jabriya Name applied to those alleged to hold the doctrine of jabr (compulsion), according to which it is not man who actually acts, but only God.…...
Jalayrids A Muslim dynasty which ruled Iraq, Kurdistan and Azerbaijan (1336-1432 CE), and were succeeded by the Qara Qoyunlu....
闯补尘补鈥榓迟 Assembly or religious congregation; also a term used by the Nizari Ismailis for their individual communities....
闯补尘补鈥榓迟 Khana Jam膩士a is from Arabic which means group or community, and kh膩na is from Persian meaning house, lit., 鈥榯he house of the community鈥. It means a…...
Jamat Assembly or religious congregation; also a term used by the Nizari Ismailis for their individual communities....
Janahiyya Adherents of an early Shi鈥榠 group which recognised Ibn Mu士膩wiya, a descendant of Ja士far b. Ab墨 峁乴ib, the brother of 士Al墨 b. Ab墨 峁乴ib ,…...
jaz膩示ir al-ar岣 Lit. 鈥榠slands of the earth,鈥 this phrase was used by the Fatimid Ismaili 诲补士飞补 for the twelve geographical regions in which its mission was active....
箩补锄墨谤补 Lit. 鈥榠sland,鈥 peninsula or a territory situated between large rivers. Applied to each of the 12 territories in which the pre-Fatimid Ismaili organisation is reported…...
箩颈丑腻诲 Mostly used in Muslim writing to denote ‘holy war.’ However, in mystical literature, this term was interpreted in its root sense of ‘exertion’ and came…...
Justanid A local Muslim dynasty of Daylam in northern Persia which ruled over Rudbar, Daylam and other surrounding regions at the turn of the 8th/9th century…...
Kairouan A Tunisian city, often transliterated in English as Kairouan, which became the capital city of the Aghlabids and later of the Fatimids ....
办补濒腻尘 From Arabic, lit. 鈥楽peech, discussion, argument鈥, translated as philosophical theology, refers to theological reflection using rational philosophical argumentation to study and express the content of…...
kalima Lit. ‘word.’ Used in the Qur’an with several meanings, chief among which is the ‘Divine Word’. It also refers to the formula for the declaration…...
碍补谤产补濒腻鈥 A city southeast of Baghdad, it is the site of the martyrdom of Imam al-岣sayn b. 士Al墨, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in 61 AH/…...
KaysanisKaysaniyya Adherents of an early Shi鈥榠 group originally led by al-Mukht膩r (d. 687) who recognised Mu岣mmad b. al-岣nafiyya (d. 322/934) as their Imam and 尘补丑诲墨....
碍补士产补 In pre-Islamic times, a temple for the worship of traditional gods. After the conquest of and re-entry into Mecca by the Prophet Muhammad, he re-dedicated…...
Khalafiyya A sub-sect of the Ibadiyya branch of the Kharijis, founded at the beginning of 9th century CE....
Khaniqa/khaniqah (pl. Khaniqahh膩) from Persian, lit. 鈥榬esidence鈥. Khaniqa is a term for a Sufi meetinghouse which serves as a residential teaching centre for Sufi disciples. It…...
办丑补谤腻箩 Land tax established by Caliph 士mar II to be paid by the dhimm墨s on the earliest conquered lands by the Muslims. As more and more…...
Kharijis/Khawarij An early Muslim community, meaning ‘seceders’, who withdrew their allegiance from 士Al墨 b. Ab墨 峁乴ib....
khawass The intellectual 鈥榚lite鈥 or 鈥榚lect,鈥 often contrasted in classical philosophical literature with the 鈥榤asses鈥 (awamm)....
办丑颈濒腻蹿补/办丑颈濒腻蹿补迟 The Muslim political institution or state centred around the caliph, which came to an end, historically, in 1924 with the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire....
Khojas A term probably derived from the Persian khw膩ja (lord, master). The Khojas are one of the Ismaili communities originating from the Indian subcontinent and now…...
Khojki A script historically developed among the Khojas of the Indian subcontinent to record their literature....
Khorasan The northeastern region of early Islamic Persia, immediately south of Transoxania and west of Badakhshan....
khud膩vand-i qiy膩mat Lord of the resurrection. Epithet of the Nizari Imam 岣san (d. 1166), after whose name his followers added the formula 士al膩 dhikrihi鈥檒-蝉补濒腻尘 (on his mention…...
Khurasan The northeastern region of early Islamic Persia, immediately south of Transoxania and west of Badakhshan....
Khurramiyya A collective term for several early Shi鈥榠 groups in Persia and Transoxania, also known as the Khurramdiniyya....
Khuzistan A province in southwestern mediaeval Persia and Iraq bordering the Persian Gulf in the south....
kun In the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍, the divine imperative (amr), meaning 鈥楤e,鈥 (as in Q. 2:117: 鈥榳hen He decrees a thing, He but says to it: 鈥榖e鈥 and…...
kuni-qadar Key terms in early Ismaili cosmology derived from the Qur’anic creative imperative ‘ kun ‘ meaning ‘Be’, and ‘qadar’, which means ‘determinations’....
Kutama A Berber tribe in North Africa who became key supporters of the Fatimids in the 10th century....
madhhab Arabic word with a range of meanings including ‘doctrine’, ‘movement’ and ‘creed’; a system or school of religious law in Islam....
Maghreb/Maghrib Lit. ‘the place of sunset.’ In mediaeval Muslim geography it referred to the western part of North Africa (present-day Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia)....
Magian Adjective from Magi (sing. magus) referring to a member of the Zoroastrian priestly caste in Ancient Persia....
尘补丑诲墨 Lit., the ‘rightly guided one,’ a name applied in Muslim eschatology to the restorer of true religion and justice expected at the end of time.…...
尘补箩腻濒颈蝉 Pl. of majlis; a term which literally means ‘a place to sit’ and refers to any formal gathering or assembly of peoples....
Mamluks (1250-1517 CE), the word Mamluk is derived from Arabic, and literally means 鈥榦wned鈥 or 鈥榩ossessed鈥. The Mamluks were slave soldiers, mostly of Turkish origin, who…...
marja士/marja士-i taql墨d (Arabic and Persian; lit. 鈥榮ource to follow鈥 or 鈥榬eligious reference鈥). It is a term usually used for a Shi鈥榠 Ithna’ashari religious scholar, also called 膧测补tull膩h…...
masjid (mosque; pl. masajid) Arabic derived from the root s-j-d, meaning 鈥榯o prostrate鈥. In the early Islamic era, the word masjid meant a place of prayer…...
尘补迟丑苍补飞墨 Persian term for poems differing greatly in genre and length, normally composed in rhyming couplets....
尘补飞濒腻 Lord’ or ‘master,’; often used as an honorary epithet, though in early Islam it also meant ‘client’....
Mawlana Hazar Imam (Ar. Mawl膩n膩 al-Im膩m al-岣つ佱笉ir) Lit. 鈥榦ur lord/master the present Imam.鈥 Designation used by Nizari Ismailis for their contemporary Imam, who is His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan....
尘补士峁Ｅ玬 Arabic word meaning ‘infallible’ and ‘immaculate’; these qualities are attributed to the Prophet Muhammad by many Muslims and by the Shi’a to their Imams....
Mina A small town three miles from Mecca, which is the site of special ceremonies performed by Muslim pilgrims to the 碍补士产补 ....
尘墨迟丑腻辩 A covenant, promise or oath. The notion of such a pledge is rooted in the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 and was first given to the Prophet Muhammad. In…...
尘颈士谤腻箩 (Arabic; derived from the root 鈥榓-ra-ja, meaning 鈥榯o ascend鈥 or 鈥榯o mount鈥). The term Mi鈥榬aj has been associated with the Isra鈥. In some sources, they…...
mo士allem-e 峁Ｄ乨eq (Ar. al-mu士allim al-峁Ｄ乨iq) The truthful teacher. A concept based on the Shi鈥榠 idea that the Imams are the only authoritative teachers after the Prophet. In the reformulation of…...
Mubarakiyya Adherents of an early Shi鈥榠 group who upheld the Imamate of Mu岣mmad b. Ism膩士墨l after the death of Ism膩士墨l b. Ja士far al-峁⒛乨iq, representing the nascent…...
尘耻蹿迟墨 (pl. 尘耻蹿迟墨n) An Arabic word derived from the root f-t-y; a jurisconsult who is authorized to give a fatwa. The mufti should have a sound…...
Mughals An Indo-Muslim dynasty (1526鈥1858 CE), founded by the Timurid Prince B膩bur, a descendent of Genghis Khan and Timur Lang. At their peak, the Mughals ruled…...
惭耻岣谤谤补尘 First month of the Islamic lunar calendar, often referred to as the ‘month of mourning’ because of the death of Imam Husayn b. ‘Ali at…...
mujtahid From Arabic; derived from the root j-h-d, 鈥榯o make an effort鈥. Mujtahid literally means one who strives for a higher position, usually in scholarship and…...
尘耻濒岣诲 In Muslim heresiographical literature, a term of abuse for individuals regarded as religious deviants or heretics (pl. mal膩岣da)....
Multan A major city in the province of Sind (today in Pakistan) where the seat of a Fatimid principality was founded in around 958....
尘耻苍腻蹿颈辩奴苍 (derived from the Arabic root n-f-q, meaning 鈥榯o dissent, disagree or oppose鈥). The term is used in the Holy 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 for those professing Islam outwardly…...
尘耻谤墨诲 Lit. 鈥榦ne who seeks鈥. Sufi 峁璦r墨qas developed around the relationship between the 尘耻谤墨诲s and a spiritual master (called murshid, pir, shaykh or 辩耻峁璪). The first…...
murshid Lit. 鈥榞uide.鈥 Spiritual master (see 尘耻谤墨诲). It is the word used for Imam in the Pandiy膩t-i Jaw膩nmard墨, authored by Imam Mustan峁r bi鈥檒l膩h II (d. 1480)....
Musafirids A Muslim dynasty which ruled Daylam, Azerbaijan, Arran and Armenia in the 10th and 11th centuries CE, succeeded in Daylam by the Ismailis....
惭耻蝉丑补士补丑补示 A local Shi’i Arab dynasty which ruled the town of Hawiza or Huwayza in Khuzistan, Persia, in the 15th century CE....
尘耻蝉迟补箩墨产 Lit. ‘respondent’; a term denoting an initiate to the lowest rank in the Fatimid religious hierarchy....
惭耻蝉迟补士濒颈蝉/惭耻蝉迟补士濒颈测测补 Adherents of a branch of the Ismailis who supported al-Musta士l墨, the younger son of the Fatimid Imam-Caliph al-Mustan峁r (d. 1094) as his successor....
惭耻士迟补锄颈濒补 A term referring to diverse scholars in early Islam who belonged to a rationally orientated school of thought that emphasized precepts such as Divine Unity…...
惭耻士迟补锄颈濒补/Mu鈥榯aziliyya A term referring to diverse scholars in early Islam who belonged to a rationally orientated school of thought that emphasized precepts such as Divine Unity…...
nafs Used in the Quran more than 300 times, where its primary meaning is the human self or person. In post-Qur’anic religious literature it came to…...
nafs-i kull A term used in medieval Ismaili and other cosmological doctrines for the Universal Soul. See 士补辩濒-i kull....
Nahj al-Bal膩gha Lit. 鈥榯he way of eloquence鈥. A well-known collection of letters, sermons and sayings attributed to Imam 士Al墨 b. Ab墨 峁乴ib (d. 661 CE), compiled in…...
najwa A 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic term referring to a voluntary contribution to the Prophet Muhammad. Among Ismailis, it was a due offered by converts to Ismailism to the…...
naq墨b (pl. nuqab膩示) Lit. chief, leader. In the Fatimid Ismaili 诲补士飞补, the person in charge of each jazra. Also called 岣jja, 濒腻岣辩 or yad....
苍补峁ａ梗 Lit. 鈥榯ext.鈥 In 厂丑颈鈥榠蝉尘 , it refers to Muhammad鈥檚 declaration of 鈥楢li as his successor, and by extension, to the requirement that each imam should…...
nisba Arabic word for ‘adjective,’ which can also mean link, relationship, ancestry, lineage or origin....
Nizam al-Mulk (d. 1092 CE) Persian vizier (r. 1064-1092 CE) of the Seljuk Empire who served under sultans Alp Arsalan and Malik Shah I. After the assassination of Alp Arsalan…...
Nizaris Adherents of a branch of the Ismailis who gave allegiance to Nizar, the eldest son of the Fatimid Imam-caliph al-Mustansir (d. 1094) as his successor....
Nizariyya Adherents of a branch of the Ismailis who gave allegiance to Nizar, the eldest son of the Fatimid Imam-caliph al-Mustan峁r (d. 1094) as his successor....
狈颈士尘补迟耻鈥檒濒腻丑颈测测补 A Sufi order named after its founder Sh膩h Ni士matull膩h Wal墨 (d. 1431 CE), which gained popularity in Iran and India....
nubuwwa (Arabic, derived from the root n-b-示 meaning 鈥榯o utter鈥 or 鈥榯o inform鈥), also in the fifth form as tanabba示a, to claim for oneself the gift…...
苍奴谤/苍辞辞谤 Lit. 鈥榣ight,鈥 a term used for God, defined as light in the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 in the so-called ‘verse of light’ (膩yat al-n奴r) Q. 24:35: 鈥楪od is…...
occultation/ghayba (Arabic; means absence); this term is associated with the Ithna鈥榓shari Shi鈥榠 Muslim tradition in reference to the 鈥榟idden state鈥 of their twelfth Imam, Mu岣mmad al-Mahd墨.…...
Ottomans/Osmanlis The name of a Turkish dynasty (from late 13th century until 1924 CE). At the height of its power in the 16th century, the empire…...
pir Lit. 鈥榚lder.鈥 (like the Arabic shaykh). Spiritual director (=murshid), who may be the founder of a Sufi 峁璦r墨qa. The earliest Qasim Shahi Imams were referred…...
qadar Derived from Q. 33:38, etc and often translated as ‘destiny,’ ‘fate,’ or predestination. See 辩补岣嵞伿....
Qadarites/Qadariyya Followers of a theological school in early Islam who advocated the doctrine of free will; also the name of a Sufi order founded by 士Abd…...
辩补岣嵞伿 Divine decree. In the Qur’an, it does not appear as a noun, but as a verb meaning ‘to decree, determine.’ Together with qadar this concept…...
qalam Reed-pen. The first verse of Q. 68 says: ‘By the pen and what they write’ and Q. 96:4 states that God taught man ‘by the…...
Qarmatis/Qarmatiyya A number of revolutionary movements in early Islam which, while adhering with the Ismailis to the Imamate of Ism膩士墨l b. Ja士far, were generally opposed to…...
qasida A polythematic poem originating in pre-Islamic Arabia. It has come to refer to any poem of a certain length in Arabic, Persian and Turkish literatures,…...
Qasim Shahis Adherents of one of the main branches of Nizari Ismailis who followed Q膩sim Sh膩h as the successor to the Imam Shams al-D墨n Mu岣mmad (d. 1310…...
辩腻示颈尘 Lit. 鈥榬iser鈥 or 鈥榬esurrector.鈥 Used in early Shi鈥榠 thought for a member of the family of the Prophet Muhammad who was expected to restore justice…...
qibla The direction of Muslim prayer towards the 碍补士产补, indicated in a mosque by a niche called a mi岣膩b....
qila士 al-诲补士飞补 The collective name for several Nizari fortresses in Syria鈥檚 Jabal Bahr膩示 after their capture around 535/1140鈥1, including al-Khwabi, Rusafa, Maniqa and Qulay士a....
Qizilbash Lit. ‘Red-heads,’ name of Turkish tribesmen and followers of the Safawiyya Sufi order who founded the the Safawid dynasty in Persia in 1501 CE....
Qum A historic city in Iran to the south of Tehran. It is considered by many Shi鈥榠 Muslims as Iran鈥檚 second holiest city after Mashhad. Qum…...
蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 (also Koran. Arabic term meaning, 鈥榬ecitation鈥 or 鈥榮cripture鈥): Muslims believe that the Holy 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 contains divine revelations to the Prophet Muhammed received in Mecca and…...
辩耻峁璪 Lit. ‘pole’ or ‘pivot’. In mystical literature, such as the writings of al-Tirmidh墨, 士Abd al-Razz膩q and Ibn 士Arab墨 (d. 1240), it refers to the most…...
谤补蝉奴濒 Lit. ‘messenger.’ A term used in the Qur’an for the apostles of God, including the Prophet Muhammad who is called Ras奴l All膩h, the Messenger of…...
谤颈产腻峁 (pl. rubu峁) An Arabic word derived from the root r-b-峁 meaning 鈥榯o attach鈥 or 鈥榯o link鈥; and for in certain Sufi traditions it means strengthening…...
谤奴岣ツ乶墨/谤奴岣ツ乶颈测测补 As an adjective (r奴岣ツ乶墨), it means spiritual. As a noun (r奴岣ツ乶iyya, pl. r奴岣ツ乶iyy膩t or r奴岣ツ乶iyy奴n), it means spiritual beings. In texts such as the Epistles…...
谤耻办奴士 A posture in the Muslim ritual prayer, involving an inclination of the head with the hands resting upon the knees....
R奴m墨, Jal膩l al-D墨n One of the greatest mystical poets of all time, known by the sobriquet Mawl膩n膩 (1207-1273 CE). He was born in Balkh, Afghanistan, and died in…...
sabab (pl. as产腻产) Lit. ‘rope.’ It can also denote anything that binds or connects, ‘anything by means of which one gains an end or an object sought.’...
厂补产士颈测测补 A term used in modern scholarship to designate proto-Ismaili groups, especially the so-called Qarmatis, who restricted the number of imams to seven (ending with Mu岣mmad…...
Safavids A major Shi’i dynasty which ruled Persia (1501-1732 CE), and was succeeded by the Afsharids. (See also Qizilbash, Safawiyya.)...
Safaviyya A Sufi order founded by Shaykh Sayf al-Dn in 1252-53 CE, which later became the Safawid dynasty. (See Safawid, Qizilbash.)...
蝉补濒腻尘 A term derived from the same root as that in ‘Islam,’ which conveys several meanings such as peace, safety and salvation. It is a standard…...
Salamiyya A city in central Syria, which was the residence of several early Ismaili imams in the pre-Fatimid period....
峁l膩t (pl. 峁law膩t) A Qur’anic term referring to prayer in general, which later came to be used more specifically for the daily ritual prayer....
Saljuq Major Muslim dynasty of Turkish origin in Persia and Iraq (1040鈥1194) and Syria (1078鈥1178)....
Sanhaja A confederation of Berber tribes in North Africa who supported the Fatimids in the tenth century....
Sasanians/Sasanids A Persian dynasty (224鈥651 CE) which ruled over territories that included, at various times, present-day Iran, Iraq, Armenia, Afghanistan, eastern parts of Turkey and parts…...
Sayyid (pl. s膩da/asy膩d) Arabic term for 鈥榣ord鈥 or 鈥榤aster鈥. It is a pre-Islamic term and refers to a person who possesses dignity or enjoys an exalted…...
厂丑腻蹿颈士墨 Followers of one of the legal schools of Islam founded by Ab奴 士Abd All膩h Mu岣mmad al-厂丑腻蹿颈士墨 (d. 974 CE)....
蝉丑腻丑补苍蝉丑腻丑 Lit. ‘king of kings,’ one of the royal titles in Persia and Mughal India. Also the name of a fortress near Nih, a town in…...
Shamiran A castle in Tarum in Persia ruled by the Musafirids during the 10th and 11th centuries CE....
蝉丑补谤墨蹿 (pl. ashr膩f, shuraf膩示) Arabic term meaning 鈥榥oble鈥 or 鈥榟onourable鈥. Shar墨f is a pre-Islamic title that was used to denote a free man who would maintain…...
蝉丑补谤墨士补 Lit. ‘the path to be followed’; the standard term used for Muslim law; the totality of the Islamic way of life....
shaykh/sheikh Arabic term for old man, elder or tribal chief; also used as an honorific title for any religious dignitary; in particular a Sufi master or…...
厂丑颈鈥榓/厂丑颈’颈迟别 Adherents of 厂丑颈鈥榠蝉尘, the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunnism; those who, in addition to following the sunna of Prophet Muhammad, believe in the…...
silsila Lit. 鈥榗hain.鈥 A line of spiritual descent linking masters of a Sufi group, going back to the founder of the order and eventually to Prophet…...
Sind/Sindh A province in present鈥揹ay Pakistan. In mediaeval times, part of the Indus Valley where, in 958, a Fatimid Ismaili principality was established with its seat…...
Sira From Arabic, lit. way of life, way of acting, conduct; as a literary genre, sira means a biography and times of an individual. In the…...
sitr Lit. 鈥榲eil鈥 or 鈥榗urtain.鈥 The ceremonial curtain behind which the Fatimid imam-caliphs were seated at the opening of an audience and which was then unveiled....
sitr/satr (Arabic; derived from the root s-t-r, meaning 鈥榯o veil鈥, 鈥榗onceal鈥 or 鈥榟ide鈥). In Shi鈥榠, particularly Ismaili history, the word is used in the phrase dawr…...
sufism From ‘sufi,’; an exponent of sufism (in Arabic 迟补峁飞飞耻蹿); the most common term used for the mystical approach to Islam....
sultanate (sal峁璦na, pl. sal峁璦n膩t) An Arabic word derived from the root s-l-峁; it is a political office created by the Seljuk dynasty (1038鈥1194 CE), somewhat parallel…...
Sumras An Ismaili dynasty in Sind based in the city of Thatta that ruled from 1051 for about three centuries....
sunna Custom or practice; particularly that associated with the exemplary life of the Prophet Muhammad, comprising his deeds and utterances as recorded in the 岣诲墨迟丑....
Sunnis Adherents of the majority branch of Islam, Sunnism; from the term sunn墨 which means a follower of the sunna of the Prophet Muhammad....
Sura (Ar. s奴ra) A chapter of the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍, (pl. suwar). Etymologically it is difficult to trace the term s奴ra, but is probably derived from the Arabic root s-w-r,…...
tadhkira A memoir; a genre of Arabic and Persian literature pertaining to the lives of poets, saints and learned people....
Tahirids A Muslim dynasty which ruled Yemen (145401501517); the same name is also applied to unrelated minor dynasties of rulers in Spain, Khurasan and Iraq....
迟补办产墨谤 Praise or glorification of God (as in Q. 74:3, etc.). The declaration of the formula All膩hu Akbar (God is Most Great)....
迟补苍锄墨濒 Lit. ‘sending down.’ A Qur’anic term (Q. 3:22, etc.). It refers to the revelation of ‘the Book’ as transmitted by the Prophets....
taqiyya Precautionary dissimulation of one’s religious beliefs, especially in time of persecution or danger, a practice especially adopted by the Shi’i Muslims....
峁璦谤墨辩补/峁璦谤墨辩补迟/峁璦谤颈辩补丑 Way or path; the path followed by mystical schools of interpretation in Islam....
Tarum A region of Persia along the middle course of the river Safidrud before its confluence with the river Shahrud....
tashahhud Lit. ‘testimony.’ The recitation of the shah膩da, a formal declaration of the Muslim faith, normally recited during the ritual prayers....
迟补蝉丑产墨丑 Lit. ‘comparison,’ hence, anthropomorphism. A term used by classical theologians to accuse those who described God by analogy with man’s physical existence, and who understood…...
迟补示飞墨濒 The elucidation of the inner or esoteric meaning, 产腻峁璱苍 , from the literal wording or apparent meaning of a text, ritual or religious prescription....
迟补示飞墨濒-i 产腻峁璱苍 The esoteric interpretation of a religious text, ritual or prescription. See 产腻峁璱苍墨 迟补示飞墨濒....
迟补士峁玪 Lit. ‘stripping’ or ‘denudation.’ A term used mainly by Ash士ari theologians from the 9th century onwards in criticism, especially, of the Mu’tazila and also the…...
The Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Boards (ITREBs) More precisely the Shia Imami Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Boards. A contemporary term for local and international boards within the Ismaili community, ultimately accountable…...
Timurids A Muslim dynasty founded by Timur Lang (Tamerlane) which ruled Persia and Transoxiana (1370鈥1507 CE)....
Transoxania The region between the Oxus and the Jaxartes Rivers situated in the present-day Republic of Uzbekistan....
ummah Community; people who are followers of a particular religion or prophet. It refers in particular to the Muslims as a religious community....
飞补濒腻测补 Friendship or assistance. In Sufism the term is used for qualities that can be translated roughly as 鈥榮ainthood鈥; in Islam, it is used specifically for…...
飞补濒墨 Saint, friend of God, or patron. In a political context the terms can also mean administrator or ruler (pl. awliy膩示)....
飞颈濒腻测补 Authority. In Shi鈥榠 Islam, this refers to the authority that the Imam has over his believers....
飞耻箩奴诲 A metaphysical term meaning ‘existence’, employed by philosophically-inclined thinkers such as al-F膩r膩b墨 (d. ca. 950), Ibn Rushd (d. 1198), al-Suhraward墨 and Mull膩 峁dr膩 (d. 1050/1640).…...
岷撃乭颈谤 The outward, apparent or exoteric meaning of a sacred text, ritual or religious prescriptions, from which the 产腻峁璱苍 is educed....
Zanata A confederation of Berber tribes in North Africa who were, in general, opposed to the Fatimids....
Zands A local Iranian dynasty (1751鈥1794 CE), founded by Kar墨m Kh膩n Zand who ruled over Isfahan in 1751 CE, and briefly had Shiraz (in present-day Iran)…...
Zanj African slaves who carried out a series of revolts against the Abbasids in Iraq in the second half of the 9th century CE....
锄腻飞颈测补/锄腻飞颈测补丑 (pl. zaw膩y膩) from Arabic, lit. 鈥榓 corner鈥. It is a Sufi place of worship which might also coincide with a mausoleum of a saint or…...
Zaydis/Zaydiyya Third major branch of Shi’i Islam, after the Ithna’ashari and the Ismailis. The Zaydis are named after Zayd, a grandson of Imam usayn b. 士Al墨…...
岷摇丑奴谤 Manifestation. In Shi鈥榠 Islam, the term can refer to the manifestation of the Imam after a period of concealment....
