Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0374/03748.txt

Text File | 1991-06-25 | 10KB | 217 lines

$Unique_ID{COW03748}
$Pretitle{289}
$Title{Tunisia
Glossary}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Frederick Ehrenreich}
$Affiliation{HQ, Department of the Army}
$Subject{islamic
countries
international
ibrd
literally
africa
derived
developing
law
loans}
$Date{1986}
$Log{}
Country:     Tunisia
Book:        Tunisia, A Country Study
Author:      Frederick Ehrenreich
Affiliation: HQ, Department of the Army
Date:        1986

Glossary

     al-Arabic definite article "the"; connotes family or belonging to. Also
seen as el.

     alim-See ulama.

     bakshish-Gratuity or tip offered in exchange for a favor or service in
many countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Derived from the old
Persian word bakhshidan (to give), the term is often translated by foreigners
as bribe; indigenous people of areas where the practice is common, however,
do not regard it in this connotation.

     baraka-The quality of special blessedness or grace characterizing
marabouts (q.v.) or other divinely favored individuals in North African Islam;
also, the charisma that endows the blessed with a special capacity to rule.

     ben-Literally, "son of"; used before or as part of a proper name to
indicate patrilineal descent. Also seen as ibn. Bani (also banu or beni) is
literally "sons of" and is used to mean "tribe of" or "family of."

     Bourguibism-Term used to describe the pragmatic methodology, humanistic
philosophy, and political ethics advocated by Habib Bourguiba.

     casbah-The native (Arab) quarter of a city, usually surrounding the
fortress or stronghold. Also seen as kasbah and qasbah.

     colons-French colonists; term grands colons (great colonists) refers to
large European landholders.

     Destourian socialism-Tunisia's official political ideology, which, in
its synthesis of Bourguibism (q.v.) and the concept of centralized state
economic planning and intervention, closely resembles British Fabian
socialism.

     evolue-Literally, "evolved one"; a gallicized Muslim educated in French
schools.

     fiscal year (FY)-Same as calendar year.

     gross domestic product (GDP)-The total value of goods and services
produced within a country's borders during a fixed period, usually one year.
Obtained by adding the value contributed by each sector of the economy in the
form of compensation of employees, profits, and depreciation (consumption of
capital). Subsistence production is included and consists of the imputed value
of production by the farm family for its own use and the imputed rental value
of owner-occupied dwellings.

     gross national product (GNP)-GDP (q.v.) plus the income received from
abroad by residents, less payments remitted abroad to nonresidents.

     Group of 77-A grouping of developing countries that functions as a
caucus on economic matters in the United Nations and other international
forums; membership has increased to well over 100 countries since its
organization in 1964.

     habus-Islamic religious endowment. Occurs also in Islamic countries as
waqf. Sometimes seen as habous.

     hadith-Literally, the right path; tradition based on the precedent of the
words and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad that serve as one of the sources of
Islamic law.

     hajj-Pilgrim; title of honor conferred on a Muslim who has made the
pilgrimage to Mecca.

     imam-In general, a Muslim leader who is a recognized authority on
Islamic theology and law; also the prayer leader of a mosque.

     International Monetary Fund (IMF)-Established along with the World Bank
(q.v.) in 1945, the IMF is a specialized agency affiliated with the United
Nations and is responsible for stabilizing international exchange rates and
payments. The main business of the IMF is the provision of loans to its
members (including both industrialized and developing countries) when they
experience balance of payments difficulties. These loans frequently carry
conditions that require substantial internal economic adjustments by the
recipients, most of which are developing countries.

     Islamist-Proponent of Islamic religious renewal and integration of
Islamic values into all aspects of national life; popularly referred to
in many Western publications as Islamic fundamentalist.

     jihad-According to Islamic doctrine, the permanent struggle for the
triumph of the word of God on earth. This additional general duty of all
Muslims has often been translated simply as holy war, but modern Muslims
see it in a broader context of civic and personal action.

     Maghrib-The western Islamic world (northwest Africa); distinguished from
the Mashriq (q.v.). Literally, "the time and place of the sunset-the west."
For its Arab conquerors the region was the "island of the west" (jazirat
al maghrib), the land between the "sea of sand" (the Sahara) and the
Mediterranean Sea. Traditionally includes Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and
Tripolitania (q.v.); more recently some sources have treated Mauritania as
part of the region. Also transliterated as Maghreb.

     marabout (pl., al murabitun)-In North Africa an Islamic holy man and
teacher thought to be touched by a special divine blessing; usually not a
member of the ulama (q.v.) Transliteration of Arabic murabit; literally, a
person of the ribat, a fortified camp occupied in some instances by a
religious community. Understood figuratively as one who has made a religious
conversion at a ribat.

     Mashriq-Eastern Islamic world (the Middle East) in contrast to the
Maghrib (q.v.).

     Mauretania-Classical name for the ancient Berber kingdom in northwest
Africa and Roman provinces that succeeded it. Cited in some sources as
Mauritania but not to be confused with the modern Islamic Republic of
Mauritania.

     Nonaligned Movement-A grouping of countries that have deliberately chosen
not to be associated politically or militarily with either the West or the
communist states. Member countries are expected to pursue independent foreign
policies, support national liberation movements, and refrain from
participating in multilateral or bilateral military alliances with the major
powers. The movement's seventh summit meeting, held in New Delhi in March
1983, was attended by 97 nations.

     Punic-From the Latin punicus, generally describing any people speaking a
Semitic language; more specifically applied to Carthage and Carthaginians.

     qadi-Religious judge who interprets and administers sharia (q.v.). Also
seen as cadi.

     qaid-In modern Tunisia, the official who heads the local government
structure in a district; formerly a tribal chief and representative of the bey
and having broader judicial powers than the postindependence qaid. Primary
historical function was that of collecting taxes. Also seen as caid.

     Quran-Islamic scriptures believed by Muslims to be God's (Allah's)
revelation to Muhammad. Derived from the Arabic verb qaraa, "to read."
Commonly written as Koran.

     Sahil-Region in eastern Tunisia. Literally, the shore or coast.

     shahadah-Islamic statement of belief: "There is no god but God (Allah),
and Muhammad is his Prophet."

     sharia-The traditional code of Islamic law, both civil and criminal,
based in part of the Quran (q.v.). Also drawn from the hadith (q.v.),
consensus of Islamic belief (ijma, i.e., the faith as it is believed by the
faithful at any given time), and qiyas (analogy, an elaboration on the intent
of law).

     Shia-The smaller of the two great divisions of Islam (literally,
"party"). Adherents are referred to as Shias (also seen as Shiites).
According to Shias, the Quran (q.v.) is not a closed body of revelation but is
open to further elaboration by inspired imams (q.v.).

     souk-A traditional market; also seen as suq.

     the Sudan-Historical geographic region stretching across Africa and Cape
Verde on the Atlantic coast to the Red Sea between 80 degrees and 16 degrees
north latitude; characterized by savanna and semiarid steppe. Term derived
from Arabic bilad al sudan (literally, country of the blacks). Not to be
con