| Term | Definition |
|---|
| oasis | a spot of fertile land in a desert, fed by water from wells or underground springs |
| caravan | a group of traders traveling together |
| Muhammad | the arab prophet who founded Islam (570-632) |
| Islam | a religion based on the teachings of the prophet Muhammad |
| Muslim | A follower of Islam, means "one who has submitted" |
| Qur'an | the holy book of Islam |
| pilgrimage | journey taken for religious reasons, a journey to a sacred place |
| mosque | an Islamic place of worship |
| jihad | to make an effort or to struggle |
| Sunnah | the example that Muhammad set for Muslims about how to live |
| Five Pillars of Islam | five acts of worship required of all Muslims |
| Abu Bakr | first caliph after death of Muhammad |
| caliph | a supreme political and religious leader in a Muslim government |
| tolerance | acceptance |
| Janissaries | Christian boys taken from families, converted to Islam, and then rigorously trained to serve the sultan |
| Mehmed II | Conqueror of Constantinople, he renamed it Istanbul. |
| Suleyman I | responsible for the height of the Ottoman Empire; reformed taxes, court system, and legal code |
| Sultan | the ruler of a Muslim country (especially of the former Ottoman Empire) |
| Shia | the branch of Islam whose members acknowledge Ali and his descendants as the rightful successors of Muhammad |
| Sunni | a follower of the majority branch of Islam, which feels that successors to Muhammad are to be chosen by the Muslim community |
| Moors | Spanish Muslims |
| Baghdad | Capital of Islamic Empire in 762 |
| Taj Mahal | a tomb built by Shah Jahan for his wife |
| Mughals | Turkish Muslims from Central Asia |
| Kaaba | ancient shrine that Muslims today believe was built by the prophet Abraham |
Combine with other sets
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