Islamic Art and Architecture Test I

Hajj

The annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca

Hijra

The trip Muhammad and his followers took from Mecca to Medina in 622, marks the beginning of the Islamic Calendar

Islam

a monotheistic religion based on the Quran and the preachings of the Prophet Muhammad

Jahiliya

The era before the Hijrah

Ka’ba

The stone building at the center of the Masjid al-Haram

Kiswa

The sacred black cloth covering the Ka'ba

Masjid

The Arabic word for mosque

Muslim

A worshipper of Islam and Allah

Qibla

The direction of Mecca and the Ka'ba

Qibla Wall

The wall in a mosque that direscts worshippers towards Mecca

Qur’an

The holy book of Islam

Shahada

"There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."

Umma

the worldwide community of muslims

Congregational Mosque (Great or Friday)

A large, central mosque typically used by the entire community when gathering for holidays or friday prayer

Mihrab

A niche in a wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca

Aniconism

The prohibition of depictions of a given religious figure.

Iconoclasm

When an Aniconistic culture or religion begins to destroy icons or art depicting a religious figure.

Al-Walid I

Umayyad ruler from 705-715

Al-Walid II

Umayyad ruler from 743-744

Apodyterium

The changing room in a bathhouse

Caldarium

The hot, sauna-like area in a bathhouse

Cardo

The north-south road that ran through every ancient Roman city.

Castrum

A castle or fort

Decumanus

The east-west road that ran through every roman town.

Hypocaust

Qasr

Squinch

Tepidarium

Tetrapylon

Alif

Aya

Bismillah

Calligraphy

Codex

Juz’

Kufic

Kitab

Nib

Parchment

Qalam

Sura

Tabula ansata

Fustat

Dikka

Ifriqiya

Riwaq

Ziyada

‘Uthman (r. 644–656, Rashidun Caliph); 3rd Islamic ruler after the Prophet Muhammad

Amr ibn al-’As (‘Abbasyd Dynasty)

Ahmad ibn Tulun (Tulunid Dynasty)

Ziyadatallah (Aghlabid Dynasty)