The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (8 page)

Abbess
.

Feminine form of
abbot
, dating back to 6th cent. An abbess is elected by a community of
nuns
as its superior.

 
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Abbey
.

Building or buildings used (or once used) by a religious order of
monks
or
nuns
.

 
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(Aram., Syr.,
abba
, ‘father’). The head of a Christian monastic community, especially in the
Benedictine
or
Cistercian
traditions. The term is used in translation for the head of communities in other religions: e.g.
roshi
, the Tibetan
mkhan-po
(also, following the pronunciation,
khenpo
).

 
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(Arab., ‘servant’ (pl.
‘ib
d
) or ‘slave’ (pl.
‘ab
d
). In the religious sense, a ‘servant’ or ‘worshipper’ of
All
h
. In the secular sense, the
Qur‘
n
speaks of
slaves
, of ‘a slave possessed (by a master)’ (
‘abd maml
k
, 16. 75). The Qur’
n accepts slavery as a fact, but encourages kind treatment of slaves, and to free them is an act of piety (2. 177). Women slaves could be taken as concubines, but could also become legal wives.

 
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