Majlis (also spelled Majalis, Arabic: مجلس) is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting" used to describe various types of formal legislative assemblies in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to Islamic countries. Also it is the equivalent of the term legislature in some Islamic-culture states. Majlis is also a common term used for a special gathering in remembrance of Husayn ibn Ali, the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
Legislatures
- Azerbaijan - Milli Məclis
- Turkey - Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi
- Iran - Majlis of Iran
- Maldives - Majlis of the Maldives
- Oman - Majlis of Oman
- Saudi Arabia - Majlis of Saudi Arabia
- Turkmenistan - Halk Maslahaty and Majlis
- Uzbekistan - The Oliy Majlis
- The People's Consultative Assembly of Indonesia is known as Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat
- The National Assembly of Kuwait is the Majlis-al-Umma
- The Parliament of Pakistan is known as the Majlis-e-Shoora
- Kazakhstan - Majilis
Other uses
Also, Majlis is an Arabic term for a room in a private home used to entertain family and guests. In some homes there is a women's Majlis and a men's Majlis. It shares its grammatical root with the verb meaning 'to sit' (cf. British English 'sitting room').
The same term is used to describe parties, perhaps most famously musical parties in the Abbasid era, and in this sense the concept has been widely adopted throughout the Islamic world and beyond. This sense is sometimes now distinguished as an "adabi majlis" ("artistic majlis") and resembles a European salon as a forum for artistic expression, appreciation, and discussion.
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Last updated on Tuesday June 03, 2008 at 12:38:07 PDT (GMT -0700)
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