Developments in Dar al-Islam from c. 1200 to c. 1450 (1.2)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from 1.2 Developments in Dar al-Islam (1200–1450).

Dar al-Islam

The Islamic world where Islam is practiced and Islamic law (Sharia) predominates.

Qur’an

The sacred text of Islam, believed to contain the word of God revealed to Muhammad.

Five Pillars of Islam

Core practices: belief in one God, prayer, almsgiving, pilgrimage, and fasting.

Sharia

Islamic law derived from the Qur’an and Hadith that governs Muslim life.

Ummah

The global community of Muslims bound by faith.

Caliphate

Islamic state led by a caliph, a political and religious successor to Muhammad.

Abbasid Caliphate

Islamic empire (750–1258) with its capital in Baghdad, known for scholarly culture; fell to the Mongols in 1258.

Umayyad Caliphate

Early Islamic empire (661–750) expanding across the Middle East, Africa, and Iberia.

House of Wisdom

A major library and center of learning in Baghdad where scholars translated and advanced knowledge.

Mamluks

Slave soldiers who rose to power and ruled Egypt; played a key role in resisting Mongol expansion.

Ghulams

Slave soldiers who served Abbasid and Mamluk regimes.

Dhimmi

Non-Muslims ('people of the book') living under Islamic rule who could practice their faith in exchange for the jizya tax.

Jizya

Tax paid by non-Muslims under Islamic rule in exchange for protection and exemption from military service.

Sunni

Islamic tradition that supports selection or appointment of leaders (caliphs) by consensus or choice.

Shia

Islamic tradition that emphasizes leadership within the Prophet Muhammad’s family line.

Sufi

Islamic mystics who emphasize personal experience of God and helped spread Islam through devotion and outreach.

Ulama

Islamic scholars who interpret and apply Sharia and religious law.

Seljuk Turks

Turkic people who converted to Islam, became major rulers, and established sultanates in the Middle East.

Mongols

Central Asian conquerors who destroyed Baghdad and ended the Abbasid Caliphate in 1258; reshaped the Islamic world.

Delhi Sultanate

Turkic-ruled Muslim state in northern India (1206–1526) that governed a Hindu majority and influenced the region.

Córdoba Caliphate (Al-Andalus)

Islamic rule in Iberia (756–1031) that preserved Greco-Roman knowledge and developed a distinctive Andalusian culture.

Reconquista

Christian campaigns to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula, culminating in the expulsion of Muslims and Jews.

Battle of Tours (732)

Franco-Christian defense that halted northward expansion of the Muslims into Western Europe.

Battle of Talas (751)

Battle in which papermaking knowledge moved from China to the Islamic world.

Indian Ocean Trade

Islamic merchants dominated trade networks, spreading Islam through diasporic Muslim communities.

Ibn Battuta

Moroccan traveler whose journeys documented diverse Muslim practices across Afro-Eurasia.

Al-Khwarizmi

Mathematician who popularized algebra and Hindu-Arabic numerals; contributed to the development of our number system.

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi

Persian mathematician/astronomer who founded an academy and influenced later astronomical models.

Ibn Khaldun

Historian and economist who contributed early concepts of social science and economics.

Islamic Golden Age

Period of scientific, mathematical, medical, and technological advances in the Islamic world.

Papermaking

Transfer of papermaking knowledge from China to the Islamic world after the Battle of Talas.

Baghdad & the House of Wisdom

Center of learning in Abbasid era; preserved and translated Greco-Roman and other works.

Islamic Spain (Al-Andalus) architecture

Distinctive architectural style combining Islamic and local influences in mosques and palaces.

Zheng He

Muslim Chinese admiral and explorer who conducted maritime voyages in the Indian Ocean.

Hindu-Muslim relations in Delhi Sultanate

Relationship characterized by minority Muslim rule amid a Hindu majority, influencing religious and cultural dynamics.

Jihad

Struggle in Islam; spiritual effort and, in some contexts, military defense of the Muslim community.

Mosques & Calligraphy

Architectural and artistic features of Islamic religious buildings, including decorative calligraphy and arches.

Sharia in governance

Islamic law that shapes political and social life under Islamic rule.