ayyar(m): clever, trickster

Description of ayyar: The ayyar was a vagabond or scoundrel in medieval Islamic society, specifically a member of warrior classes in Iraq and Iran during the ninth through twelfth centuries. Unlike conventional soldiers serving established rulers, ayyars operated as independent youth groups, typically from lower classes, engaging in theft, extortion, and violent rebellion. Differs from mercenaries in that ayyars often targeted the wealthy and government during periods of weak central authority, viewing themselves