Glossary 


afghani:
Afghanistan's monetary unit. In 1985 the official rate was Af50.6 to US$1; the bazaar rate exceeded Af100 to US$1. 

amir:
Former title of ruler (king). 


buzkashi:
Popular game in which horsemen seek to obtain the carcass of an animal and drop it in a designated area. 


fiscal year (FY):
March 21 to March 20. 


GDP (gross domestic product):
A value measure of the flow of domestic goods and services produced by an economy over a period of time, such as a year. Only output values of goods for final consumption and intermediate production are assumed to be included in final prices. GDP is sometimes aggregated and shown at market prices, meaning that indirect taxes and subsidies are included; when these have been eliminated, the result is GDP at factor cost. The word gross indicates that deductions for depreciation of physical assets have not been made. See also GNP. 


GNP (gross national product):
GDP (q.v) plus the net income or loss stemming from transactions with foreign countries. For Afghanistan the GNP in the 1970s was larger than the GDP. GNP is the broadest measurement of the output of goods and services by an economy. It can be calculated at market prices, which include indirect taxes and subsidies. Because indirect taxes and subsidies are only transfer payments, GNP is often calculated at factor cost by removing indirect taxes and subsidies. 


imam:
A word used in several senses. In general it means the leader of congregational prayers; as such it implies no ordination or special spiritual powers beyond sufficient education to carry out this function. It is also used figuratively by many Sunni ( q.v.) Muslims to mean the leader of the Islamic community. Among Shia ( q.v.) Muslims the word takes on many complex and controversial meanings; in general, however, and particularly when capitalized, it indicates that particular descendant of the House of Ali who is believed to have been God's designated repository of the spiritual authority inherent in that line. The identity of this individual and the means of ascertaining his identity have been the major issues causing divisions among Shia. 


International Monetary Fund (IMF):
Established along with the World Bank ( q.v.) in 1945, the IMF is a specialized agency affiliated with the United Nations and is responsible for stabilizing international exchange rates and payments. The main business of the IMF is the provision of loans to its members (including industrialized and developing countries) when they experience balance of payments difficulties. These loans frequently carry conditions that require substantial internal economic adjustments by the recipients, most of which are developing countries. 


jihad:
The struggle to establish the law of God on earth, not only in relation to others but also within oneself. It is often interpreted to mean holy war, and it is often cited as the sixth pillar of Islam. 


jirgah:
A council . It usually refers to a council of the elders, tribal leaders, lineage leaders, or the heads of families. The Loya (or Loye) Jirgah refers to a great assembly formerly called by the king and since called by the president. 


mujahidiin (sing., mujahid):
Derived from the word jihad (q.v.), the term means holy warriors and is used by and applied to the Afghan resistance or freedom fighters. 


Pashtuns:
Speakers of Pashtu and members of the largest ethnolinguistic group in Afghanistan. Pashtuns and Pakhtuns (speakers of Pakhtu, a related dialect) form the dominant majority in the neighboring North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan. Popular anglicized term for the group is Pathans. 


Shia (from Shiat Ali, the Party of Ali):
A member of the smaller of the two great divisions of Islam. The Shia supported the claims of Ali and his line to presumptive right to the caliphate and leadership of the Muslim community, and on this issue they divided from the Sunni (q.v.) in the major schism within Islam. Later schisms have produced further divisions among the Shia over the identity and number of Imams (q.v.). Sometimes given as Shiite. 


Sufi:
Term derived from Arabic tasawwuf, denoting the "practice of wearing the woolen robe" and adherence to a mystical and emotional search for union with God. 


Sufism: 
See Sufi. 

Sunni (from sunna, orthodox):
A member of the larger of the two great divisions of Islam. The Sunni supported the traditional method of election to the caliphate and accepted the Umayyad line. On this issue they divided from the Shia (q.v.) in the first great schism within Islam. 

Ulama (English pl., ulama; Arabic sing., alim):
Man trained in Islamic theology. 


umma:
The community of believers in Islam. 


World Bank:
Informal name used to designate a group of three affiliated international institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The IBRD, established in 1945, has the primary purpose of providing loans to developing countries for productive projects. The IDA, a legally separate loan fund but administered by the staff of the IBRD, was set up in 1960 to furnish credits to the poorest developing countries on much easier terms than those of conventional IBRD loans. The IFC, founded in 1956, supplements the activities of the IBRD through loans and assistance specifically designed to encourage the growth of productive private enterprises in the less developed countries. The president and certain senior officers of the IBRD hold the same positions in the IFC. The three institutions are owned by the governments of the countries that subscribe their capital. To participate in the World Bank group, member states must first belong to the International Monetary Fund (IMF- q.v.). 

This page maintained by Luke Griffin and last updated on 01/14/2002 .