Encyclopedia of Islam

Introduction

  

xxxv  J

In order to make the Encyclopedia of Islam

more accessible to the nonspecialist, no diacriti-

cal markings have been used for foreign words. 

Transliterations for ayn (`) and hamza (') have also 

been omitted, as has the terminal h, sometimes 

used for the ta marbuta. Thus, shari`ah is rendered 

as sharia, sunnah is rendered as sunna, and ummah

as  umma. In cases where an ayn occurs in the 

middle or end of a word, preceded or followed by 

the vowel a, I have transliterated the word with a 

double aa; thus, Ka`ba is rendered as Kaaba, da`wa

as daawa, and bid`a as bidaa.

Dates and Statistical Data

All dates given are according to the Western cal-

endar. Where clarity is required, the abbreviation 

b

.

c

.

e

. is used for dates before the common era and 

c

.

e

. is used for common era dates. These temporal 

demarcations are considered more suitable than 

the older ones used for dates in the Western cal-

endar: 

b

.

c

. (Before Christ) and 

a

.

d

. (anno domini; 

the year of Our Lord).

Statistical data given in entries for individual 

countries (for example, Afghanistan, Iraq, Saudi 

Arabia) are based on the latest 2007–2008 esti-

mates provided by the Central Intelligence Agency 

of the United States in its World Fact Book (www.

cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html). 

Other statistics have been obtained from a variety 

of other sources. Although every effort has been 

made to provide the most current and accurate 

statistical information, the reader should be aware 

that often statistical data is either dated or affected 

by political, social, or religious biases and circum-

stances. Care should be taken before making hard 

comparisons based on statistical data.

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