| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Mecca | This was the holy Muslim city; the Ka'ba was located here |
| Allah | the one true God |
| Ka'ba | a religious shrine that protected the Black Stone |
| Hijra | Year of the flight (622 AD) |
| Jihad | a war of holy conquest in the name of Allah |
| Qur'an or Koran | the most sacred scriptures of the Muslim world |
| Five Pillars of Islam | The Muslim beliefs: there is one God and Muhammad is His prophet; Pray 5 times a day; Fasting is demanded of all who can; Almsgiving toward the poor; Muslims must take the hajj to Mecca at least once |
| Hajj | pilgrimage |
| Jahada | To strive; the root of the word Jihad |
| Sayf Allah | the word of God |
| Umma | The Muslm community |
| Caliph | Deputy of God's messenger; the leader |
| Omar | (634-644 AD) real founder of the Muslim Empire |
| Ali | The last "orthodox" Caliph |
| Ummayad Dynasty | (661-750 AD) A change from election to dynastic succession |
| Jizya | Poll tax that was collected from non-Muslim subject peoples |
| Ilm | special spiritual knowledge |
| Shi'ites | Supporters of Ali |
| Kharijites | A minority that rejected the Caliphs |
| Sunni | The supporters of Muawiya and his successors |
| Mawali | clients |
| Abbasid Dynasty | (750-1258 AD) Caliphs claimed to be descended from Abbas, the uncle of Muhammad and were then accepted to the Shi'ite fraction |
| Ececticism | making decisions on the basis of what seems best instead of following some single doctrine or style |
| Dhimmis | peoples of the book (like Jews and Christians) |
| Proseytization | to convert or attempt to convert as a proselyte; a recruit |
| Amalgam | a combination of two or more characteristics |
| Sectarian Division | a separation relating to or involving relaions between religious groups or denominations |
| Ulama | Religious scholrs |
| Sharia | sacred law |
| Sunna | the example set by the prophet Muhammad |
| Diwan | state council |
| Qadis | judges |
| Vizier | Prime minister for the Caliphs |
| Emir | governer |
| Sufis | Christian and Buddhist mystics |
| Tariqas | religious associations |
| Harun al-Rashid | one of the greatest of the Baghdad Caliphs in the early ninth century |
| Sha-Nama | a collection of tales and anecdotes |
| Waqf | private donations and foundations |
| Purdah | private areas of the house where the women were kept hiding |
| Sejuks | A new group of Turks in the mid 1000's AD |
| Life of Muhammad | 570-632 AD |
| Umayyad Dynasty at Damascus | 661-750 AD |
| Abassid Dynasty at Baghdad | 750-1258 AD |
Combine with other sets
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