Islamic Civilization – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing essential terms, people, places, and concepts from the lecture on Islamic Civilization.

Arabian Peninsula

Large desert landmass between the Red Sea and Persian Gulf that was the birthplace of Islam.

Oasis

Green, fertile area in a desert fed by underground water; vital stopping place for Arabs.

Sheikh

Leader of an Arab tribe in pre-Islamic and early Islamic times.

Caravan

Group of traveling merchants and animals that crossed deserts for trade and security.

Mecca

Holy city of Islam, trade crossroads 50 miles from the Red Sea; birthplace of Muhammad.

Kaaba

Cube-shaped shrine at Mecca regarded as the most sacred site in Islam.

Allah

Arabic word for God; worshiped as the one true deity in Islam.

Islam

Monotheistic religion based on Muhammad’s teachings; means “submission to the will of God.”

Muhammad

Prophet of Islam (570-632 CE) whose revelations form the Quran.

Quran

Holy book of Islam containing revelations given to Muhammad by Allah.

Shari’ah

Islamic legal code created by scholars to guide Muslims in daily life.

Five Pillars of Islam

Core acts of worship—faith, prayer, charity, fasting, pilgrimage—that all Muslims practice.

Shahadah

Profession of faith declaring Allah as the only God and Muhammad as His messenger.

Salat

Obligatory five daily prayers performed facing Mecca.

Zakat

Required almsgiving—typically 2.5 % of income—to aid the poor.

Sawm

Fasting from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan.

Hajj

Required pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a Muslim’s lifetime, if able.

Caliph

Successor to Muhammad as political and religious leader of the Muslim community.

Umayyads

First hereditary dynasty of caliphs (661-750 CE) who ruled from Damascus and expanded Islam.

Abbasid Dynasty

Caliphate (750-1258 CE) centered in Baghdad, noted for trade and cultural achievements.

Sunni

Largest Muslim branch accepting any qualified Muslim as caliph; supported Umayyads.

Shia (Shiite)

Branch of Islam holding that caliphs must descend from Ali, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law.

Seljuk Turks

Central Asian nomads who seized Baghdad in 1055 and adopted the title ‘sultan.’

Sultan

Title meaning “holder of power,” used by Seljuk and later Muslim rulers.

Mongols

Central Asian conquerors who destroyed Baghdad in 1258, ending the Abbasid Caliphate.

Ottoman Empire

Turkish Muslim empire (c. 1300-1920s) that captured Constantinople and ruled from Istanbul.

Mehmet II

Ottoman sultan called “The Conqueror” who captured Constantinople in 1453.

Suleiman I

Ottoman ruler (r. 1520-1566) who reformed laws and led the empire’s Golden Age.

Safavid Empire

Shia Muslim dynasty in Persia founded by Ismail in 1501, lasting into the 1700s.

Mogul (Mughal) Empire

Muslim dynasty that ruled most of India from the 1500s; famous ruler Akbar promoted tolerance.

Akbar

Greatest Mughal emperor who allowed religious freedom and strengthened India in the 1500s.

Mosque

Muslim house of worship and community gathering place.

Bazaar

Covered market or marketplace common in Islamic cities.

Astrolabe

Navigational instrument improved by Muslim scientists to determine latitude by celestial bodies.

Algebra

Branch of mathematics systematized by Muslim scholar al-Khwarizmi in the 800s.

Al-Razi

Renowned Muslim chemist and physician who wrote influential medical texts.

Ibn Rushd (Averroes)

Muslim philosopher and physician in Muslim Spain who commented on Aristotle.

Minaret

Tower from which a muezzin calls Muslims to prayer.

Taj Mahal

Iconic white-marble mausoleum in India exemplifying Mughal Islamic architecture.

Banking

Financial industry that grew from detailed record-keeping of Muslim merchants between 700-1400 CE.