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. 

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 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.

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.