| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Abbassid | Muslim empire ruled from Baghdad (750-1258); Muslim Golden Age |
| Abu Bakr | best friend of Muhammad; first Caliph |
| al-jabr | algebra; mathematics created by Al-Khwarizmi |
| Al-Khwarizmi | mathematician who created algebra |
| Allah | God of Islam |
| al-Razi | greatest physician of the Muslim world; wrote an encyclopedia called the Comprehensive Book |
| Ali | cousin & son-in-law of Muhammad; Fourth Caliph |
| astrolabe | instrument used in navigation; measured the angles of the sun & stars to determine latitude |
| Bedouins | nomadic Arabian people |
| Caliph | leader of the Muslim community (like a pope & emperor); last one was in the 13th century |
| calligraphy | the art of beautiful handwriting; a major art form in the Muslim world |
| Delhi Sultanate | Indian empire that followed Islam (1206-1526) |
| Five Pillars | Basic teachings of Islam |
| Hadith | the words & actions of the profit Muhammad as recorded by his followers |
| Hajj | 5th Pillar of Islam; pilgrimage to Mecca, must be made once in a Muslim's lifetime |
| Hejira | name of Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Medina in 622; denotes establishment of Islam & 1st year in Islamic calendar |
| House of Wisdom | a combination library, academy & translation center located in Baghdad |
| Ibn Rushd (Averroës) | famous Muslim philosopher who attempted to harmonize writings of Plato & Aristotle with Islam |
| Imam | the officiating "priest" of a mosque |
| Islam | monotheistic religion following the teachings of Muhammad; literally means "submission to Allah" |
| Jihad | sometimes considered a 6th Pillar of Islam when declared; Holy War |
| Kaaba | Holy shrine inside the Great Mosque in Mecca |
| Khadija | wife of Muhammad; first convert to Islam |
| Mecca | Holiest city for Muslims; hometown of Muhammad |
| Medina | city in Arabia where Islam was first accepted |
| Minaret | tall, slender towers at the four points of a mosque; call to worship is broadcast from these |
| Mosque | Muslim house of worship |
| Muhammad | final profit of Islam |
| Muslim | a follower of the religion of Islam; literally "one who submits" |
| Qur'an (Koran) | Holiest book of Islam; the revelations of Allah as revealed to Muhammad |
| Ramadan | Holy month in Islam when Muslims fast (part of the 4th Pillar) |
| sakk | check; new banking innovation implemented by Abbassid traders |
| Salat | 2nd Pillar of Islam; Prayer |
| Sawn | 4th Pillar of Islam; Fasting; Occurs during the month of Ramadan |
| Shahada | 1st Pillar of Islam; Proclamation of Faith |
| Sharia | Body of laws governing the lives of Muslims, moral conduct, etc. |
| Shi'ite (Shi'i, Shi'a) | sect of Islam that believes the Caliph should be a blood relative of the profit Muhammad |
| Sufi | small sect of Islam; tried to achieve union with God through mystical means (meditation, chanting) |
| Sunna | the tradition of the Profit Muhammad; (included the Hadith) |
| Sunni | sect of Islam that believes the Caliph should be selected based on their example and life |
| Umayyad | Muslim empire that conquered northern Africa & southern Spain (ruled from Damascus 661-750) |
| Zakat | 3rd Pillar of Islam; Charity or the giving of Alms |
Combine with other sets
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