Ḥadd: A Technical Term in Arabic Works on Geography

The Arabic word ḥadd (pl. ḥudūd) plays an important role in texts on the early history of the Magyars and related subjects from geography and history. Its meaning is “border”, which nowadays is normally conceived of as a line. However, this meaning is not always accurate, because the texts in question often discuss areas with a certain extent, describing formations and events located or taking place in them. This is indicated by the frequent occurrence of the preposition fī “in” in connection with this word. Modern scholars are often at a loss concerning the precise interpretation of this term. This article attempts to clarify this situation.