Chapter 13 The Islamic World

oasis

isolated, reliable source of water in the desert

Muhammad

Founder of Islam, considered the greatest prophet in Islam

Islam

religion based on the messages Muhammad received. "To submit to God"

Muslim

follower of Islam

Qu'ran

holy book of Islam that muslims believe contain the words of Allah

pilgrimage

journey to a sacred place

mosque

building for Muslim prayer

Sunna

refers to the way Muhammad lived, which provides a model for duties and they way of life expected of Muslims.

Five Pillars of Islam

Five acts of worship required of all Muslims.

1: Statement of Faith

2: Pray 5 times/ day

3: Give to charity

4: Fast during Ramadan

5: Hajj- journey to Mecca

Shari'a

Islamic Law- judges the rightness of actions of people or a community

caliph

(successor) highest leader of Islam

Shi'ite

Muslims who thought only Muhammad's descendants could become caliphs

Sunni

Muslims who do not think caliphs had to be related to Muhammad

Omar Khayyam

Famous Sufi poet who wrote the Rubaiyat

The Thousand and One Nights

Includes tales of Aladdin, Sinbad, and Ali Baba.

minaret

narrow tower from where Muslims are called to prayer

crossroads of trade

Arabia's location is known as this because of the many trade routes that run through it

Kaaba

shrine in Mecca people traveled to every year

Khadijah

Wife of Muhammad

Bedouins

small groups of nomadic herders in Arabia who often fought to maintain and gain control of areas of the desert

Angel Gabriel

The angel who came to Muhammad and recited messages from God

Hijrah

The Migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in A.D. 622, marking the founding of Islam

Imam

a leader of prayer in a mosque

Abu Bakr

First caliph of Islam after the death of Muhammad. United Arabia under Islam.

Mihrab

(Islam) a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca

arabesque

patterns of flowers, leaves, vines, and geometric shapes that repeat in a seemingly endless way

poetry

Muslims most valued type of literature

Al-Zahrawi

Physician who wrote an encyclopedia and invented medical instruments still used today.

Ibn Rushd

Muslim philosopher who blended Aristotle and Plato's views with Islam