Islam Vocab

Mrs. Kirsch

• Muhammad – born into powerful Meccan family. Orphaned and raised by uncle and grand-father. In caravan trade. At age 40, angel Gabriel came to him while meditating in a cave outside Mecca told him to recite in the name of the Lord. He was believed to be the last prophet and recited the Koran. Taught his revelations to the Arabic people.

• Allah – Islamic/Muslim word for God. They believe it is the same monotheistic god as the Jews and Christians

• Dome of the Rock – Holy site in Jerusalem where Mohammad went up into heaven

• Arabic Alphabet – used by Mulsims. Used to translate and save G+R texts. Koran is written in Arabic

• Arabic Numerals – created by Muslims and still used by western civilization (zero)

• Muslims – people who follow the religion of Islam

• Bedouins – Arab nomadic herdsmen – organized into tribes

• Hijrah – journey made from Mecca to Medina made by Muhammad in 622AD

• Qur’an (Koran) – Holy book of Islam. Revealed to Muhammad by God during Ramadan. Recorded in Arabic

• 5 Pillars of Islam – 1there is no God but Allah, Muhammad is his prophet 2-Pray 5times a day facing Mecca 3-Give to the poor 4- Fast during Ramadan 5 –pilgrimage to Mecca

Hajj- pilgrimage to Mecca all Muslims make once in their lifetime if ableRamadan – holy month – fasting for Muslims. Sunup to sunset. One small meal is eaten Mosques – Islamic building of worship, no furnishings, just mats & rugs no beautiful pictures

Jihad – “struggle to defend the faith” Holy War – some believe that if you die in struggle you go to heavenAbu Bakr – chosen as successor of Muhammed in 632AD. His oldest friendCaliph – “successor to the prophet” – helped to bring Arabic tribes togetherSunna – Muhammad’s example of the proper living, “way of the prophet”

• Shari’a – Qur’an and Sunna laws. Muslim Law• Sunni – accepted Mu-awiyah as caliph .

Believed in the 1st four “rightly guided caliphs” – followers of Sunna ~90%

• Shi’ah/Shiite – Caliph needed to be a descendant of the prophet. Do not recognize the Sunna.

• Imams – religious leader of Islam. • Sufi – Muslim mystics. Tried to live simple lives

centered on Allah. Live a life of poverty and devotion to spiritual path.

• Sultan – ruled the Turks – claimed to serve the caliph

• Astrolabe – allowed observers to chart the position of the stars and calculate their own position on earth age of exploration

• Minaret – towers attached to the outside of mosques. 5 times a day a crier in the minaret would call Muslims to worship.

• Al-Razi – one of the greatest doctors of the Islamic world.

• The Thousand and One Nights – collection of Muslim folktales. Some of the most widely read stories in history. “Sinbad the Sailor” “Aladdin” and “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”

• Moors –Muslims who lived in Spain. Crossed into France Battle of Tours. Also know as Berbers

• Battle of Tours – 732AD. Muslim Moors are defeated by Charles Martel and his Frankish army. Invasion of Muslims into Europe stopped.

• Ka’aba – in Mecca – where all Muslims face to pray. Black box, holy site of black stone, During Hajj one rite is to walk around Kaaba 7 times.