The First Dynasty of Islam: The Umayyad Caliphate ad 661-750

amir
‘commander’; an army leader and/or governor of
a province
amir al-mu’minin
 ‘Commander of the Believers’; a title of the
caliph
ashraf
leading members of the leading families among
the Arab tribesmen
 
barid
the system of communications between the
provinces and the caliphal court
bay‘a
the pledge of allegiance given to a caliph, heir
apparent, or contender for power
 
dar al-islam
the regions under Muslim government in contrast
to the 
dar al-harb
 (‘house of war’)
da‘wa
‘call’, ‘propaganda’; the movement which
prepared the way for the ‘Abbasid takeover of the
caliphate
dinar
the gold coin
dirham
the silver coin
diwan
the register of individuals entitled to pay or
pension from the government; a government
department