Islam Social Studies

Bedouins

Arab nomads - went from oasis to oasis with animal herds / skilled warriors

Muhammad

Final prophet - received messages from God through Gabriel

Sunnis

Hold the Sunnah in high regard - the caliph should have political skills

Shias

Only Muhammad’s relatives should be caliph

Abu Bakr

Muhammad’s main advisor, became the first caliph

Ali

Muhammad’s relative, became the fouth and final caliph, his death starts the Umayyad

Umayyad Dynasty

First Muslim Dynasty - took over after Ali’s death. Greatest size for the Arab Muslim empire

Abbasid Dynasty

Overthrew the Umayyads - built a new capital at Baghdad - center of a golden age of art, science and learning. Ended by inaving mongols that destroyed Baghdad and killed the caliph

Ibn Sina

Wrote a medical encyclopedia used in Europe for 100s of years

Mecca

Town where Muhammad was born - important religious center & shrine for Arabs

Medina

Town that Muhammad migrated to after being forced to leave Mecca (Hijrah)

Baghdad

Capital of the Abbasid Dynasty, Mix of cultures - center of a golden age of art, science and learning

Kaaba

Cube-like building in the courtyard of the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Built by Abraham and his son Ishmael to worship God

Oasis

(Place in desert with water, usually from a spring

Muslims

People who practice Islam

Quran

 Islam’s holy book - main source of Islamic teaching / the word of God

Hijrah

Arabic for migration - when Muhammad and followers left Mecca to Medina

Sunnah

Traditions of Muhammad - words and actions of him and his companions

Hadith

recorded sayings and actions of Muhammad - written record of the Sunnah

Allah

Arabic for “God”

Hajj

One of the five pillars - pilgrimage to Mecca for Muslims

Mosque

Muslim house of worship - prayer hall facing Mecca

Sharia

Islamic law code - means “the way”, Quran and Sunnah as the sources - living a proper life by following God’s laws

Caliphs

Led the Muslim community and empire

Calligraphy

Art of decorative writing

Arabic numerals

Introduced the number system to Europe that we use today