baduw - nomads; beduin; call themselves al'arab
beit shaar - house of hair; goat hair
bismillah - in the name of allah
Caliph - successor to Mohammed
diwa - court of a ruler
fellahin - town dwellers/farmers
ghazu raid - plundering raid to gather renown and wealth; causes feuds
jahiliyya - time of ignorance before mohammed
khan - inn surrounding a large courtyard
kohl - powdered antimony; used for medicine and cosmetics
kuttab - islamic school
lillah - tithing
masallah/'smallah - as allah wills/may allah's name be upon him
rabab - one string instrument
sabr - endurance and patience
shari'a - Koranic law court
Suq - market place
urf - common law or custom
wazir - minister
zakat - almsgiving