Hajji

Hajji

Hajji ( _ar. الحجّي unicode|al-ḥağğī, _bs. Hadžija, "pilgrim"), or El-Hajj, is an honorific title given to a Muslim person who has successfully completed the Hajj to Mecca, [cite book|title=Islam: A very short introduction|publisher=Oxford University Press|author=Malise Ruthven|date=1997|isbn=978-0-19-285389-9|pages=147] and is often used to refer to an elder, since it takes time to accumulate the wealth to fund the travel. The title is placed before a person's name (For instance John Smith becomes Hajji John Smith). It is derived from the Arabic al-Hajj, which follows the person's name rather than preceding it. In some areas, the title has been handed down the generations, and has become a family name. Such usage can be seen, for example, in the Bosniak surname "Hadžiosmanović", which originally meant "son of Hajji Osman".

Usage in the Balkan Peninsula

In Christian countries formerly under the rule of the Islamic Ottoman Empire in the Balkans, the title was also sometimes used by Christians despite the initial explicit reference to Islam. In the case of Eastern Orthodox Christians, a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre is almost always meant and in particular the baptism of the pilgrim in the Jordan river. The title is rendered as хаджи ("hadzhi") in Bulgarian Cyrillic, and хаџи ("hadži") in Serbian and Macedonian Cyrillic. In Greek — as the first part in a Greek family name — it is spelled χατζη- ("khatzi-"). It can often be found in family names, whether written together, hyphenated or separate, of people who descend from pilgrims, in Greek χατζής, plural χατζήδες; South Slavic hadžija, plural hadžii (Bulgarian/Macedonian) or hadžije (Serbian), from the times of the Ottoman Empire.

"Hi Jolly"

An interesting corruption of the title occurred during the U.S. Camel Corps experiment of the 1850s when a Syrian (or Greek) Muslim apparently named "Hadji Ali" came to the American Southwest. His name was popularly corrupted to Hi Jolly, although when he became an American citizen he took the name Tedro.

Usage in the Iraq War (2003- )

Hajji has become a catch-all slang used by American service members for any Arab person, and is often meant to be insulting (such as "gook" during the Vietnam War). It can also be used specifically to refer to an enemy combatant instead of a generalization, as well as a descriptive word (such as "Hajji Armor" to describe flack jacket-covered vehicles to provide ballistics protection).

The use of Hajji in this way can be seen throughout the HBO series Generation Kill, where the Marines use the word as an all-encompassing term to describe Iraqis and Arabs in general. Its connotation in this context can be construed as being derogatory. [ [http://www.doubletongued.org/index.php/dictionary/haji/ Definition from Double Tongued dictionary] ]

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • hajji — or haji [haj′ē] n. [Ar ḥajji, adj. < ḥajj, pilgrimage: see HAJJ] a Muslim who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca: a title of honor …   English World dictionary

  • Hajji — Hadji, Hajji Le nom arabe Hâjj ou Hâjjî désigne une personne ayant effectué le pèlerinage de La Mecque (le nom peut cependant s appliquer aussi à des pèlerins chrétiens ou juifs étant allés en Terre sainte) …   Noms de famille

  • hajji — UK [ˈhædʒɪ] / US noun [countable] Word forms hajji : singular hajji plural hajjis a Muslim who has made a hajj …   English dictionary

  • hajji — Hadji Hadj i ( [i^]), n. [Ar. h[=a]jj[imac]. See {Hadj}.] [Also spelled {hajji} and {haji}.] 1. A Mohammedan who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca; used among Orientals as a respectful salutation or a title of honor. G. W. Curtis. [1913 Webster] 2.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hajji — haji haj i, hajji haj ji(h[aum] j[ e]), n. One who has made a journey to Mecca; Same as {hadji}. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hajji — also hadji noun Etymology: Arabic ḥajjī, from ḥajj Date: 1609 one who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca often used as a title …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • hajji — /haj ee/, n., pl. hajjis. 1. a Muslim who has gone on a pilgrimage to Mecca. 2. a Christian from Greece, Armenia, or any country of the Near East, who has visited the Holy Sepulcher at Jerusalem. Also, hadji, haji. [1600 10; < Ar hajji, equiv. to …   Universalium

  • hajji — /ˈhadʒi/ (say hahjee) noun (plural hajjis) 1. a Muslim person who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca. 2. History a Greek or Armenian of the Ottoman empire who has visited the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. Also, hadji, haji. {Arabic hājji pilgrim;… …  

  • hajji — n. (also hadji) (pl. is) a Muslim who has been to Mecca as a pilgrim: also (Hajji) used as a title. Etymology: Pers. haji (partly through Turk. haci) f. Arab. hajj: see HAJJ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Hajji Ahmed — Hajji Ahmed, a Muslim who was captured by Europeans, has been presumably linked to a unique heart shaped map of the world. Ahmed accompanied a text to the map, outlining his life and the reasoning behind why the map had been created. However,… …   Wikipedia

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