(a.), two antithetical terms which, as here, and also in the plural al-k̲h̲āwaṣṣ wa’l-ʿawāmm , denote in a general way the élite and commonalty, the notables and the plebs, or the aristocracy and the masses. It is, however, extremely difficult to be more precise about these two elements of the population. Despite the equalitarianism preached by Islam, the existence of social classes within the community is indisputable, and it is certain that the use of these two general terms, by both ancient and modern wri…