Glossary

no.wikipedia.org

Here's a list of commonly used or important terms that will be helpful while reading my posts.

agal (عقال)  a black “rope” curved into a circle that helps to keep the ghutra on the head 

moderntraditional.com

abaya (عباية)  a term used to describe the black robe that women wear in the Gulf region to cover their clothes. It is separate from but often worn with other garments that cover the face and hair.


Alhamduhlillah (الحمد لله)  Muslims use this word to praise God 

Allah (الله‎)  a word used by Muslims to refer to God

Aramco  officially Saudi Aramco, a Saudi oil and natural gas company.

arayess (عرايس)  pita bread stuffed with spiced ground beef, chopped onion, and parsley

Bahrain (البحرين‎)  a small island kingdom off the east coast of Saudi Arabia.

baklawa (باقلوا)  a pastry made of layers of filo filled with nuts and syrup or honey

corniche  when used in the Middle East, it refers to a road on the seaside

Dammam (الدمام‎)  the capital of the Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia

Dhahran (الظهران)  a city in the Eastern Province where Aramco has its headquarters

doner kebab (döner)  a Turkish dish normally made of roasted lamb roasted on a spit

dukkha  a blend of spices and nuts from Egypt

Eastern Province (الشرقية)  the largest province in Saudi Arabia, also home to most of Saudi's oil production. People from this province are called Sharqiyah.

Eid or 'Id (عيد)  a term that can refer to a number of Islamic holidays, but without its full name generally refers to Eid al-Fitr (عيد الفطر) which occurs at the end of Ramadan
(رمضان‎)

falafel (فلافل)  a fried ball made from ground chickpeas

ful or ful medames (فول مدمس)  a dish made up of cooked fava beans, served with olive oil, cumin, chopped parsley, lemon juice, and onion.

GCC  (Gulf Cooperation Council or Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf) is a political union whose members consist of the countries surrounding the Arab Gulf. These countries are Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.

facinghistory.org

ghutra (غُترَة)  the term applied to a red and white checkered head covering that men wear in Saudi Arabia

halal (حلال)  foods that are permissible for Muslims to eat or drink

hijab (حجاب)  the head covering that some Muslim women choose to wear in public

Iftar (إفطار‎)  this term refers to the evening meal at sunset, when Muslims observing Ramadan break their fast

Insha'Allah (إن شاء الله‎,)  a term for "God willing" or "if Allah wills"

Jeddah or Jiddah (جدّة)  a city on the Western coast of Saudi Arabia
kafta (كفتة) ground seasoned meat
kebab  a dish made from pieces of meat roasted or grilled on a skewer or spit

kebbeh (كبة)  a dish made out of bulgur (cracked wheat), onions, and ground beef, lamb, goat, or camel meat.

khalas (خلاص)  a colloquial term used to indicate that something is over or finished

kushari (كشرى)  an Egyptian dish made of rice, lentils, and macaroni noodles topped with tomato sauce and friend onions

Al-Khobar (الخبر)  a city on the Eastern coast of Saudi Arabia

labnah (لبنة)  strained yogurt

moussaka  grilled eggplant, diced tomatoes, green and red peppers, and chickpeas in tomato sauce

Niqab (نِقاب‎)  a face covering that some Muslim women choose to wear in public 

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)  Filipinos working overseas who are expected to return home to the Philippines after their work contract is finished or when they retire

deviantart.com

oud  the Arabic terms that refers to a perfume oil made from Agarwood.

Ramadan (رمضان‎)  the month of fasting in the Islamic calendar

Riyadh (الرياض‎)  the capital of Saudi Arabia

shawarma (شاورما)  roasted meat that is cooked on a spit and shaved off for sandwiches



shish tawouk (شيش طاووق)  a dish that is made up of cubes of chicken that are skewered then grilled.

shukran (ساجا)  a casual way of saying "thank you"

Suhoor (سحور ) the dawn meal that is consumed before fasting

sumac (سماق) a russet coloured spice used in Arabic cooking, often used for its sour taste


souk or souq (سوق‎)  an open-air market

tablah, also known as the darbuka (دربوكة)  a goblet shaped drum

Third Culture Kid (TCK)  a person who was raised in a culture outside of their parent's culture for a significant period of time

thobe (ثَوب)  a white robe that men wear in the Gulf region

Thuqbah (الثقبة)  a district in the Dammam-Khobar area

yalla (يلا) a common expression meaning "hurry up" in Arabic

yani (يعني)  a colloquial phrase meaning "like" or "you know" in Arabic