Key Terms in Early Islamic History

A series of flashcards covering key vocabulary and terms related to early Islamic history, including important figures, concepts, and events.

Abi/Abu

Father of

Um (Umm)

Mother of

ibn/bin

Son of

Bint

Daughter of

Qura’ al-Quran

Reciters of the Quran

Ulama

Scholars of Islam

Hadith (Ahadith)

Collection of utterances and actions of the Prophet Muhammad

Quraysh

Dominant Tribe of Mecca during Muhammad’s lifetime

Hijra

Muhammad’s migration to Medina from Mecca

Ansar

People of Medina who supported Muhammad

Sahaba

Companions of the Prophet

Dhimmi

Protected peoples

Zakat

Giving alms

Jizya

Poll tax paid by protected peoples to Muslim state

Shari‘a

Islamic law/set of rules that Muslims have to abide by

Sasanian Empire

Pre-Islamic Persian Empire

Zoroastrianism

Important religious tradition in Persia and other areas

Byzantine Empire

Eastern Christian Empire

Pre-Islamic Gods and Goddesses

• Al-Uzza

• Allat

• Manah

• Hubal

Sources of Shari ‘a

• Quran

• Sunna (words and deeds) of Muhammad through Hadith (collections of his words and deeds)

• Consensus (ijma), Consultation (Shura), Analogy (Qiyas), Ijithad (Reasoning)

Five Pillars of Sunni Islam

Testimony; Prayer; Alms; Fasting; Hajj

Fitna

Civil war among Muslims

Clan of Hashim

A clan of the Quraysh tribe to which Muhammad belonged

Tawhid

Oneness of God

Umru’ al-Qays

Pre-Islamic Poet

Kharijites

Group of Muslims who did not believe that human beings should alter will of God and who objected to arbitration as a means to resolve the dispute between Ali and Mu‘awiyah

Imam

General term for a religious leader, specific to Shia Islam for leaders after Muhammad

Al-Baladhuri and Al-Tabari

important scholars

Twelver Shia

main branch of Shia Islam (they believe in 12 imams)

Mu‘awyiah and Yezid

powerful Umayyad caliphs

Mawali

Non-Arab converts to Islam

Riddah Wars

Wars waged by Abu Bakr against tribes that reverted away from Islam

Early Opponents of Muhammad

Abu Sufyan and Hind

Key women of Islam

Khadija, Fatima, Aisha, Zaynab, Hafsa

Umayyads

first Islamic empire after era of Rightly Guided Caliphs; led by Umayyad clan from Quraysh

Abbasids

 second Islamic empire after era of Rightly Guided Caliphs; led by people Abbasid clan from Quraysh

The Kabba

cuboid structure in Mecca

Rightly Guided Caliphs Era

First four caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali

Ummah

Muslim Nation/unified community

Jahiliyia

Age of Ignorance

Surah

Chapter in the Quran

Caliph

Successor to the Prophet Muhammad