Middle East Vocabulary Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the basics of Islam, the Abrahamic faiths, and the historical and political geography of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Abraham

The common patriarch of the three main monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Abrahamic religions

The group of monotheistic faiths that trace their common origin to the patriarch Abraham, specifically Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Monotheism

The religious belief that there is only one God.

Allah

The standard Arabic word for God used by Muslims.

Muhammed

The central figure of Islam, regarded by Muslims as the last prophet of God.

Islam

The monotheistic religion based on the teachings of the prophet Muhammed and the revelations of the Qu’ran.

Muslim

A follower or practitioner of the religion of Islam.

Five pillars

The five core acts of worship in Islam: Shahada (Faith), Salat (Prayer), Zakat (Alms), Sawm (Fasting), and Hajj (Pilgrimage).

Ramadan

The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection.

Qu’ran

The central religious text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be a revelation from God.

Mosque

A place of worship for followers of Islam.

Mecca

The holiest city in Islam, located in Saudi Arabia, and the birthplace of the prophet Muhammed.

Kaaba

The most sacred site in Islam, a cube-shaped building located at the center of the Great Mosque in Mecca.

Jerusalem

A city considered sacred by all three major Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Sunni

The largest branch of Islam, which believes that the successor to Muhammed should be chosen by the community.

Shi’ite

The second-largest branch of Islam, which believes that leadership of the Muslim community should remain within the family of Muhammed.

Judaism

The world's oldest monotheistic religion, characterized by a belief in one God and a religious life in accordance with the Torah and Jewish law.

Christianity

A monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

McMahon-Hussein Correspondence

A series of letters during WWI in which the British promised Arab independence in exchange for a revolt against the Ottoman Empire.

Sykes-Picot agreement

A secret 1916 agreement between the United Kingdom and France to divide the Middle East into spheres of influence after WWI.

Mandates

Legal statuses for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following WWI, often overseen by European powers.

Arab Nationalism

A nationalist ideology celebrating the glories of Arab civilization and calling for rejuvenation and political union in the Arab world.

Zionism

A movement for the self-determination of the Jewish people and the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

Balfour Declaration

A 1917 statement by the British government expressing support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.

Israeli Partition

The 1947 United Nations plan to divide the British Mandate of Palestine into independent Arab and Jewish states.

Gaza

A small coastal territory that is one of the two Palestinian territories, bordering Israel and Egypt.

Hamas

A Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization that currently governs the Gaza Strip.

West Bank

A landlocked territory that forms the main part of the Palestinian territories and is located west of the Jordan River.

Settler

In this context, an Israeli citizen living in settlements built on land occupied during the 1967 war, such as the West Bank.

PLO

Palestine Liberation Organization; an organization founded in 1964 with the purpose of the liberation of Palestine through armed struggle.

Intifada

A period of Palestinian uprising or rebellion against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Settlements

Jewish civilian communities built by Israel on lands occupied during the 1967 Six-Day War.

One-state solution

A proposed resolution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict that would create a single democratic state for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Two-State Solution

A proposed resolution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict that calls for two separate states: an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel.

Post-1948 Arab-Israeli Wars

The series of military conflicts between Israel and its Arab neighbors following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.