Lexicon

A structure in Mecca to which Muslims from around the world make their pilgrimage. They believe it to be the house of God on earth, built by the angels themselves before the beginning of time and later restored by the prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. Muslims consider the Kaaba to be the holiest place on Earth. 

On the ‘umra (lesser) or hajj (major) pilgrimage performed in Islam, Muslims are required to circumambulate the Kaaba counterclockwise seven times. 

Even in pre-Islamic Arabia, however, people flocked to the Kaaba for religious worship, making Mecca an important center for religion and trade. During that time, it housed statues of local deities, and parchments containing Arabic poetry, known as the mu‘allaqat, were hung on its doors. In 630 AD, when the Muslims conquered Mecca, the Prophet Muhammad cleared the Kaaba of statues and once again dedicated it to the one God. 

The Kaaba is also primarily significant in that it marks the qibla for Muslims. The cube-shaped building, which is now roughly 15 meters high and approximately 10 x 12 meters at its base, has undergone several phases of restoration since the seventh century AD. 

The Kaaba is made of gray stone and marble, with its interior containing three pillars supporting the roof. It is almost always covered in a black cloth known as the kiswa, which was historically made in different countries, such as Egypt, and transported in a caravan procession all the way to Mecca. The kiswa is changed annually. 

Traditional bowed string instrument played across the Middle East and Central Asia, including historic Palestine. It features a small, rounded resonating bowl, a long fretless neck, and typically two to four strings. The kamanjah produces a warm, expressive tone ideal for taqsim and classical Arab music. While similar to the violin, which shows up in 20th-century Arabic music, the kamanjah usually has fewer strings and produces a warm, nasal, highly expressive tone suited for the microtonal melodies of Arabic maqam music. It is typically played vertically, resting on the knee or a spike, while the violin is played horizontally on the shoulder. Today, the kamanjah is experiencing a revival as Palestinian musicians reconnect with older folk sounds and incorporate the instrument into both traditional and contemporary compositions. 

Also known as Amendment 116, the Kaminitz Law gives executive authorities the power to issue penalties—such as demolition and stop-work orders, the confiscation of building equipment and vehicles, and arrests—all without referring to the judicial system. Passed in 2017, it is included in the “oversight, enforcement, and penalties” section of the Israeli Planning and Building Law. Prior to its passage, Israeli authorities had to submit a request to a court in order to issue a demolition order, providing for a series of appeals and hearings that lengthened the process and meant the plaintiff could be heard.

A wooden flute traditionally used in Middle Eastern music. The kawal is typically made from wood, but sometimes from bone or metal. It has a cylindrical body with eight holes—seven in the front and one in the back—allowing a range of notes. The kawal is famous for its soft and breathy tone, making it well-suited for folk melodies and musical improvisations. 

A fee paid to a landlord or a tenant to secure a lease on a residential rental property. In Israel, key money has a history of being linked to illegal real estate transactions—including Palestinian properties appropriated by Israeli settlement organizations—due to rent control laws that give renters inordinate power. Thus, to leave the property, a renter can require a large sum to turn over the “key” to the new resident, providing an opening for wealthy settler organizations to apply financial leverage or falsify a key money transaction and thereby acquire Palestinian properties.

A roadside inn where travelers could rest and recuperate from their journey. Also known as a caravanserai. 

These inns were crucial components of the vast trade network, especially along the Silk Road, and played a significant role in the exchange of goods, culture, and ideas. 

Strategically located at intervals of about a day’s journey, khans provided safe havens for merchants, pilgrims, and other travelers. 

Typically, a khan was a large, rectangular building with a single entrance leading to a central courtyard. Surrounding the courtyard were rooms or stalls for lodging and storage, along with stables for animals. 

Khans also offered various services, such as providing food and water, and sometimes contained repair facilities for goods and animals. They served as hubs for traders to meet, conduct business, and engage in social and cultural exchanges. Travelers from diverse backgrounds would gather, share news, and exchange stories, fostering the spread of knowledge and cultural practices across regions. 

A space where Sufi Muslims gather for spiritual devotion, learning, worship, and communal living. In Jerusalem, one famous khanqah is the Khanqah al-Salahiyya Mosque, located in the Old City, north of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This khanqah complex was named for Salah al-Din, who maintained a small room in it for spiritual retreat. The word khanqah has Persian and Turkish origins; the terms zawiya or ribat are more commonly used in Arabic. 

See also Zawiya.

A historic marketplace in Jerusalem’s Old City whose name literally means “Olive Oil Market.” Also called Khan al-Zaytun (Olive Market). This market is one of the main streets in the northeastern section of the Old City, commonly referred to as the Muslim Quarter. It is one of the busiest commercial thoroughfares in the Old City. The shops there sell food, spices, clothes, textiles, and more.  

While the market’s current form dates to the 12th to 16th centuries AD, evidence suggests that the thoroughfare dates as far back as the Roman period (which ended in the fifth century AD), built on the ruins of an ancient road. It was during the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods, however, that the market incorporated Islamic architecture, which is still visible in arched stone ceilings, stone streets, and historic storefronts. It was refurbished under the Ottomans, who maintained its infrastructure. 

A commission of inquiry led by the United States in 1919 to survey public opinion in Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Anatolia following the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire one year earlier. The commission was formally known as the 1919 Inter-Allied Commission on Mandates in Turkey, but France, Britain, and Italy withdrew from it out of concern that the findings of the commission would conflict with their goals in the region. France and Britain had already signed the Sykes–Picot Agreement in 1916, and the Balfour Declaration had been announced in 1917—among other inter-European deals to divide up the territories. The commission’s recommendations, which were submitted to the Paris Peace Conference in August 1919 and warned against the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine, were inconsequential, since the Allied Forces had already decided the region’s fate.

The Hebrew term for the small, rounded skullcap traditionally worn by Jewish men, starting from the age of three or even younger. It serves as a sign of respect and reverence for God, a marker of Jewish identity, and a reminder of humility and spiritual awareness. Wearing the kippah is a custom, not a religious requirement. Some Jewish individuals wear kippot (pl.) all the time, especially in Orthodox communities, while others wear them mainly during prayer, Torah study, holidays, or when attending synagogue. Some women also opt to wear them. Originally, kippot were small black skullcaps worn on the top of the head, but today they come in many different colors, sizes, and materials, with some styles being favored by particular groups as a sign of identification with that group. Kippah means “dome” and is also the word used for the domed rooftops in Jerusalem and the Dome of the Rock. Referred to as a yarmulke in Yiddish. 

A traditional primary school in the Muslim world that mainly teaches Arabic and the Quran. Kuttabs are attested to since the 10th century AD. The kuttab’s curriculum also sometimes included science and arithmetic. These schools were housed in a mosque, an open area, or standalone building. Children attending the kuttab were typically aged 5 to 12. 

Kuttabs were the main educational institution in the Muslim world before the advent of modern, Western schools in the 20th century. They still exist today, with students attending them mainly to memorize the Quran.