Islamic lexicon

Please consider your audience when posting on the forum. OzPolitic is predominantly targeted at mainstream Australians with an interest in politics. Please minimise the use of words, phrases and acronyms which are likely to be unfamiliar to this audience. If it can be substituted for a common English term, please do so. If it can't, please qualify it occasionally as per common writing standards for the use of unfamiliar acronyms. That is, explain the term the first time you use it [eg Dhimmi (Jew/Christian)], and occasionally thereafter in case people forget. Remember that there is a constant stream of new members and unregistered viewers at OzPolitic, and even the regulars will only read a few of the posts made.

Note that this common courtesy is reversed on the Islam board. There you are required to use the Islamicly correct or Arabic term, even if it prevents most members of OzPolitic from being able to understand you. Any use of descriptive explanations are like to be considered offensive and result in the deletion of your entire post.

Please add a term to this list if it is not here, but do not try to make the list exhaustive. It should only refer to terms actually used on the forum. Please keep the list alphabetical.

Adab - use manners instead

Burka - The traditional/mainstream Islamic scarf that hides the hair, ears, neck etc from public view.

Dhimmi - A non-Muslim 'protected' person who is expected to follow special rules, traditionally a Jew or Christian

Dhimmitude - The inferior position and 'protection' of Jews and Christians under Islamic rule. Some societies have extended this 'protection' to other religious groups, like Hindus.

Jizyah - a special tax on Dhimmis.

Niqab - The 'letterbox' outfit that is forced upon women in places like Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, the UAE, Palestine and parts of India and Pakistan. There is disagreement among Muslims scholars as to whether this is obligatory or merely 'highly recommended', so Muslim men often take it upon themselves to enforce this dress standard, for example by throwing acid in the face of women who dress immodestly by uncovering their face. Presumably the horrific scaring will shame them into covering up and scare other women into following suit. [1] See also burka.

pbuh - peace be upon him - usually uttered after reference to prophets recognised by Islam