| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Allah | the Arabic word for God |
| Allahu akbar | "Allah is most great" or "God is greater than"/ a part of the daily call to prayer sounded from minarets around the world |
| arabesque | Islamic art/geometric patterns that are repeated over and over |
| assalamu alaykum | a greeting meaning "peace" when Muslims meet each other |
| astrolabe | an instrument used by sailors to determine their location by observing the position of the stars and planets |
| Ayatollah | a Shiite who is learned in the Shariah, the Koran, and the Hadith; and is known for their piety |
| bazaar | a covered market |
| Bedouin | wandering/nomadic Arab tribes |
| caliph | the title of the successor to Muhammad |
| chador | long, black robe worn by Iranian women |
| Dome of the Rock | Muslim shrine containing the rock from which Mohammad is believed to have risen to heaven; Jews believe Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac on the rock |
| dowry | a payment (gift) of money or property to the bride |
| Fatihah | The first chapter of the Quran. This prayer, which asks God for guidance to follow "the straight path," is repeated by Muslims each day during the five required prayers |
| Fatwa | a legal ruling within Islam |
| Hadith | the literal translation means "story"; traditional teachings based on Muhammad's words and actions; these traditions are traced to eyewitness accounts |
| hafiz | means someone who has memorized the Koran in its entirety and is capable of reciting it |
| hajj | pilgrimage to Mecca; one of the Five Pillars of Islam |
| harem | separate women's quarters in a traditional Muslim home |
| hijab | means covering the head and body in accordance with God's instructions |
| hijrah | Muhammad's flight from Mecca to Medina in A. D. 622; this event marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar |
| Iblis | The name for Satan in the Quran. Like the devil in Christian theology, he tempts human beings and seeks to thwart God's divine purpose in history |
| imam | Muslim prayer leader |
| iman | word meaning faith |
| Islam | the religion practiced by Muslims; Islam means "submission to the will of God" |
| jihad | the obligation of Muslims to struggle or exert themselves "in the way of God ; doesn't necessarily refer to an armed struggle |
| Kaaba | literally a "cube"/shrine in Mecca; Muhammad cleansed the Kaaba of idols |
| Kibbutzim | farms in Israel where groups of Jewish families live and work together |
| madrasas | Islamic schools |
| majlis | council of Muslim men |
| Mecca | the holiest city of Islam; Muhammad's birthplace |
| Medina | the second holiest city; where Muhammad lived after fleeing Mecca |
| mihrab | an alcove in a mosque that points toward Mecca |
| minaret | the tower attached to a mosque from which the muezzin, or crier, calls the faithful to prayer five times a day |
| monotheistic | the belief in one God |
| mosque | building used by Muslims for religious services |
| Mount Hira | where Muhammad received his first revelation |
| muezzin | person who calls Muslims for religious services |
| Muhammad | the founder of the Islam religion; to Muslims, Muhammad is the ultimate and final prophet |
| muskaad | separate men's quarters in a traditional Muslim home |
| Muslim | a person who believes the teachings of Islam |
| nabi | prophet |
| oasis | fertile or green areas within a desert |
| polygamy | a marriage between a man and more than one woman; is seen as an exception, not as a rule, within Islam |
| proselytizing | to convert someone else to your religion |
| purdah | the traditional Middle Eastern custom of seclusion for women |
| Quran (Koran) | the name for the holy book of Islam; meaning "recital" |
| Ramadan | ninth month of the Muslim calendar marked by fasting |
| sahn | an open courtyard |
| shahaada | public profession of faith; the first of the Five Pillars of Islam |
| sharav | hot, dry wind that blows across Israel |
| shariah | Muslim law code |
| sheikh | an Arab leader or chief |
| Shiite Muslim | accept only the descendants of Ali as the true rulers of Islam |
| Sunni Muslim | did not agree with Umayyad rule but accepted the Umayyads as rulers |
| sultan | a title that means the "holder of power"/ Turkish leader |
| sura | A chapter of the Quran. This word literally means "fence" or "enclosure". There are 114 surahs in the Quran, arranged in the order of descending length |
| Tawid | means the oneness or singularity of God. To reject it is to reject Islam. |
| thobe | long, white garment worn by men in Saudi Arabia |
| ummah | the worldwide community of Muslim believers |
| vizier | a prime minister that advises the caliph |
| Wailing Wall | Jewish holy site in Jerusalem that is the only remaining portion of Solomon's temple |
| Wassalam | "And Peace" (used as "farewell" or "goodbye" in English) |
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