1.
Abraham: Seen as the father of both Jews and Arabs. Both see him as the first to worship the one true God.
2.
al Quds: Arab/Muslim name for Jerusalem.
3.
Allah: The most important of the traditional Arab gods. Muhammad identified Allah with the God of the Jews.
4.
Anwar Sadat: President of Egypt that was assassinated after signing a peace treaty with Israel.
5.
Ayatollah Khomeini: The leader of Iran who created the first modern Islamic State. Strongly anti-Western.
6.
Bedouins: The traditional tribes of Arabs living in the Middle East
7.
Caliph: The ruler of all Muslim lands.
8.
Caliphate: The land ruled by the Caliph, the Muslim Empire.
9.
East Jerusalem: The part of Jerusalem that was on the Arab side after the six day war. Occupied and controlled by Israel today. Many religious monuments.
10.
Five Pillars of Islam: A summary of the basic beliefs and practices of Islam.
11.
Grand Mosque: The massive mosque in Mecca in which the Kaaba is located.
12.
Hamas: Another anti-Israel organization. Strongest in the Gaza Strip.
13.
Islam: The religion started by Muhammad. Means "submission"
14.
Islamic State: A country in which the government enforces the laws and rules of Islam. No separation between church and state. If it's against the religion, it is also against the law.
15.
Jihad: Means "struggle". Usually refers to the inner struggle against greed, selfishness, sin, but also a defensive warfare.
16.
Kaaba: A shrine in the city of Mecca in which the Kaaba is located today.
17.
Khadija: Muhammad's wife.
18.
Koran: The sacred book of the Muslims. It contains the revelations that Muhammad received.
19.
Mecca: Muhammad was from this city. The Kaaba made it an important religious center. It is the most important city for Muslims today, located in Saudi Arabia.
20.
Muhammad: Started the religion of Islam around the year 620 AD, after receiving spiritual revelations.
21.
Muslim: A follower of the religion of Islam. Means "one who submits"
22.
Muslim Brotherhood: An Islamic organization started in Egypt. Wants to create an Islamic state in Egypt. Very strict social codes.
23.
Pluralism: A society or country where more than one religion or set of values is acceptable.
24.
Progressive Islam: A more liberal interpretation of Islam. Accepts some of Western ideas.
25.
Quraysh: The Bedouin tribe that was the most powerful in Mecca. Muhammad's tribe. They opposed his new teachings.
26.
Reactionary Islam: A very conservative, traditional interpretation. Strongly anti-Western.
27.
Secular State: A country that has separation between religion and government, freedom of religion.
28.
Settlements: Villages/ cities built for Jews in the Occupied territiories.
29.
Sharia Law: A law code based on the laws in the Koran. It has very harsh punishments and restricts the rights of women.
30.
Six Day War, 1967: Second major war between Israel and the Arab countries. Israel won.
31.
Sunnis/Shia: The two main branches of Islam. 85% are Sunni.
32.
The Intifada: The uprising of Palestinians against Israel that started in 1987. Stone throwing and riots eventually become more and more violent.
33.
Umma: The worldwide community of Muslim believers. The umma is open to people of all languages, tribes, and races.
34.
United Nations Partition Plan, 1947: The plan to divide Palestine into two countries- one for Jews, one for Arabs.
35.
War of 1948: The war between Israel and the Arab countries. Israel won.
War of Independence/The Catastrophe
36.
West Bank/ Gaza Strip: The two Palestinian territories.
37.
Yitzhak Rabin: Prime Minister of Israel who was assassinated for signing a peace treaty with the Palestinians.