As illustation only some African servants-slaves in the Muslim world

 

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Ibn Durayd (837-933) Jam Harat al Lughah (The Collection)
from Basra lived in Baghdad.
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Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Duraid al-Azdi al-Baṣri ad-Dawsi Al-Zahrani, or Ibn Duraid (c. 837-933 CE), a leading grammarian of Baṣrah. He wrote the dictionary, the Jamhara fi 'l-lugha. When Basra was attacked by the Zanj and Ar-Riashi (his teacher) murdered in 871 he fled to Oman. Later he became director of the government office in Fars Province. In 920 he moved to Baghdad. The dictionary entries connected with East Africa bring nothing new.

 

 

Taken from: Alwaraq

P216

O Lord Khod (1) of the daughters of Zinj - Withstand severe glare enlightened

(meaning: they are very pretty)

p234

The Zanj are a well-known people; as for the pronunciation Zinj, it is incorrect.

P282

Al anbuly: which means al-Zinjy (a negro)

P337

Alddakr; The game plays out as toys Zinj and Habash.

P383

The giraffe, with the addition of letter Zai:

I do not know if it is true Arabic or not,

I think it is more Arab because the people of Yemen know it from the point of view of Habasha.

Abu Malik said:   Giraffes: they take the water  (they need) out of the plants.

He sang: From the east and their Zarafa.

P585

Ivory (Aj) and Aja, if precious and nice, Anaaj Anaja. Ivory known of the bones (means tusks). And ivory bracelets named so because there are women they make them of ivory.

(1) Lord Khod: Khod means Lord or God in Persian.