According to Lisan al-Arab, the term "muwalad" (which means "a person of mixed ancestry" in Arabic) has a meaning close to "the adopted", and does not denote being of mixed-race but rather being of foreign-blood and local culture.
Thus, in this context, the term "muwalad" has a meaning close to "the adopted". According to the same source, the term does not denote being of mixed-race but rather being of foreign-blood and local culture. According to Lisan al-Arab, one of the earliest Arab dictionaries (c. 13th century AD), applied the term to the children of non-Muslim (often Christian) slaves or non-Muslim children who were captured in a war and were raised by Muslims to follow their religion and culture. Jack D. Forbes suggests it originated in the Arabic term muwallad, which means "a person of mixed ancestry". 
