MUSLIMS

Tawhid

The oneness and unity of God; central to Islamic belief.

Shirk

The sin of idolatry or associating anything with God; considered the gravest sin.

Qur’an

Islam’s holy book; believed to be the literal word of God revealed to Muhammad.

Shari’a

Islamic divine law derived from the Qur’an and Sunna; outlines moral, legal, and religious duties.

Umma

Global Muslim community united by shared faith and practice.

Shahada

Declaration of faith: "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is His Messenger."

Salat

Prayer performed five times daily facing Mecca; preceded by wudu (ritual washing).

Zakat

Giving 2.5% of wealth to the needy; obligatory charitable act (wajib).

Sawm

Fasting from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan.

Hajj

Pilgrimage to Mecca; required once in a lifetime if physically and financially able.

Mosque

Place of Muslim worship; features include prayer hall and minarets.

Ka’ba

Cube-shaped structure in Mecca built by Abraham; direction Muslims face when praying.

Ihram

Simple white garments worn by men during Hajj symbolizing purity and equality.

Jihad

Arabic for "struggle"; includes inner spiritual striving and military defense of Islam.

Khutbah al-Wada’

Prophet Muhammad's Farewell Address delivered during his final pilgrimage in 632 CE.

Farewell Address Themes

Equality, Justice, Accountability, Unity, Respect for life and property.

Sunni Islam

Majority branch; emphasizes Sunna and consensus; leaders chosen by community.

Shi’a Islam

Minority branch; believes leadership stays in Prophet’s family; follows divinely guided Imams.

Imam (Shi’a)

Spiritual-political leader with divine insight; believed to be infallible.

Caliph

Successor to Muhammad as political and military leader in Sunni tradition.

Shaykh

Sufi spiritual teacher and master.

Origin of Sunni-Shi’a Split

Dispute over succession after Muhammad’s death in 632 CE.

Sunni Successor View

Supported Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s companion, as the first caliph.

Shi’a Successor View

Supported Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, as the first Imam.

Ashura (Sunni)

A day of fasting and remembering Moses’s escape from Egypt.

Ashura (Shi’a)

Day of mourning for martyrdom of Husayn at Karbala in 680 CE.

Sunni Theology

Stresses divine sovereignty and predestination (Ash‘ari theology).

Shi’a Theology

Stresses reason (‘aql), justice (‘adl), and greater human free will.

Shi’a Ritual Practice

Forehead placed on turbah (clay tablet) during prostration.

Prayer Difference

Sunni Muslims pray five times daily; Shi’a often combine into three sessions.

Qur’an

"Recitation"; literal word of God revealed to Muhammad.

Sura

Chapters of the Qur’an; total of 114.

Al-Fatiha

First chapter of the Qur’an; describes God as Compassionate and Merciful.

Hadith

Recorded sayings/actions of Muhammad; authenticated through isnad (chain of transmission).

570 CE – Muhammad’s Birth

Born in Mecca to the Quraysh tribe; worked as a merchant.

610 CE – First Revelation

Muhammad receives message from Angel Jibril on Mount Hira.

622 CE – Hijra

Muhammad and followers migrate to Medina; Islamic calendar begins (1 AH).

624 CE – Battle of Badr

First major Muslim victory over Meccans.

625 CE – Battle of Uhud

Muslims suffer defeat; test of faith.

627 CE – Battle of the Trench

Muslims defend Medina successfully from siege.

630 CE – Conquest of Mecca

Muhammad peacefully reclaims Mecca and purifies Ka’ba.

632 CE – Muhammad’s Death

Leads to succession crisis and Sunni-Shi’a division.

Rashidun Caliphs

Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali; the “Rightly Guided” caliphs.

Uthman’s Contributions

Standardized the Qur’an; criticized for nepotism; assassinated.

Ali ibn Abi Talib

Shi’a’s first Imam; Sunni’s fourth caliph; assassinated in 661 CE.

661 CE – Umayyad Caliphate Begins

Mu’awiya becomes caliph; capital moved to Damascus.

Umayyad Dynasty

Favored Arab Muslims; expanded empire; built Dome of the Rock.

680 CE – Battle of Karbala

Husayn killed by Umayyads; defining event for Shi’a Muslims.

750 CE – Abbasid Revolution

Overthrew Umayyads; capital moved to Baghdad; start of Islamic Golden Age.

732 CE – Battle of Tours

Umayyad forces defeated by Charles Martel in France; stops expansion into Western Europe.

Wudu

Ritual purification with water before prayer (washing face, hands, feet).

Haram

Religiously forbidden acts, such as eating pork or drinking alcohol.

Wajib

Obligatory religious duties like prayer, fasting, and zakat.

Divorce in Islam

Possible for both spouses; traditionally easier for men.

Khadijah

Muhammad’s first wife; supported his mission financially and emotionally.

Abu Talib & Hamza

Muhammad’s uncles; early protectors of his mission.

Abu Bakr

First caliph; close companion of Muhammad; led Ridda Wars.

Bilal

Ethiopian slave; first muezzin (caller to prayer); known for beautiful voice.

Muhammad’s Early Jobs

Worked as a shepherd and a merchant.

Afterlife in Islam

Belief in bodily resurrection, judgment by God, paradise or punishment.

Mahdi

Messianic figure in Shi’a belief who will return to establish justice before the end of time.

Sufism

Mystical branch of Islam focusing on inner connection to God through chanting, meditation, and love.

Sufism & Smart’s Dimensions

Aligns with experiential dimension of religion.

Indonesia

Largest Muslim population in the world.

Not All Muslims Are Arab

Indicates the global diversity of Islam.

Islam’s Stance on Racism

Condemns racism; Farewell Sermon emphasized racial equality.

Post-9/11 Islamophobia

Muslims, especially women, face prejudice, surveillance, and hate crimes.

Hadiya Abdelrahman

Muslim woman who described her experience of discrimination and being stereotyped as a threat.

Islamic Feminism

Criticizes Western efforts to "save" Muslim women; emphasizes autonomy and dignity.

Hijab Controversy

Headscarf seen as both symbol of oppression and source of discrimination in Western societies.

France’s Ban on Veil

Claimed to "liberate" women, but often denied them education and employment.

Spivak's Quote

“White men saving brown women from brown men”; critique of imperial feminism.

Abu-Lughod on Saving Muslim Women

Criticizes Western imperialism disguised as feminism.

Problem in Islam

Forgetfulness of God, sin, and shirk.

Solution in Islam

Submission (Islam) to God through belief, prayer, and ethical life.

Technique in Islam

Follow Five Pillars, read Qur’an, live by Shari’a, engage in umma.

Exemplar in Islam

Prophet Muhammad, ideal human and messenger of God.