by Amelie Sarn
hana: Arabic for “grandmother.”
hijab: A head scarf worn by Muslim women when in the presence of men unrelated to them. It typically covers the forehead, hair, and neck, though many variations exist. Sometimes the entire face is hidden, with only the eyes visible.
imam: The prayer leader in a mosque, always a man.
inshallah: Arabic for “God willing.”
Islam: A monotheistic religion that follows the teachings of the Koran.
jadi: Arabic for “grandfather.”
Koran: The main religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be the actual word of Allah.
Mecca: Located in the Middle East country of Saudi Arabia, Mecca is considered the holiest city in the Islamic religion. It is the birthplace of Mohammed, the prophet to whom the Koran was revealed. Muslims try to make at least one pilgrimage (known as the Hajj) to Mecca in their lifetime.
Mohammed: Considered the last prophet of Allah in the Islamic religion.
muezzin: The person who leads the call to prayer in a mosque.
Muslim: A person whose religious faith is Islam.
Ramadan: The ninth month of the Islamic calendar is observed worldwide as a month of fasting. From dawn to sunset, Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking, and sexual relations, and, in some interpretations of the Koran, from swearing.
Salaam alaikum: An Arabic greeting used by Muslims worldwide. Roughly translated, it means “Peace be with you”—used as the equivalent of “hello” or “good day” in English.
surah: A chapter of the Koran, of which there are 114.
tagine: A traditional dish of North Africa—a stew of meat and vegetables—slow-cooked in a special dome-shaped earthen pot from which the dish takes its name.
youyou: A cadenced, piercing cry emitted by Muslim women during special ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amélie Sarn has written numerous novels and comic books in her native France, as well as the picture-book adaptation of Sylvain Chomet’s animated film The Triplets of Belleville.
