Islam Test

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Bedouins

Arab nomads, moving from oasis to oasis with animal herds, who were skilled warriors.

Muhammad

The final prophet who received messages from God through Gabriel.

Sunnis

A group that holds the Sunnah in high regard, believing the caliph should have political skills.

Shias

A group that believes only Muhammad’s relatives should be caliph.

Abu Bakr

Muhammad’s main advisor who became the first caliph.

Ali

Muhammad’s relative who became the fourth and final caliph; his death starts the Umayyad Dynasty.

Umayyad Dynasty

The first Muslim dynasty, which took over after Ali’s death and achieved the greatest size for the Arab Muslim empire, including parts of Byzantine and Persia.

Abbasid Dynasty

The dynasty that overthrew the Umayyads, built a new capital at Baghdad, and ended when invading Mongols destroyed Baghdad and killed the caliph. Baghdad was the center of a golden age of art, science, and learning.

Ibn Sina (Avicenna)

Wrote a medical encyclopedia that was used in Europe for hundreds of years.

Mecca

The town where Muhammad was born, and an important religious center and shrine for Arabs.

Medina

The town that Muhammad migrated to after being forced to leave Mecca (Hijrah).

Baghdad

The capital of the Abbasid dynasty, a mix of cultures, and the center of a golden age of art, science, and learning.

Kaaba

A cube-like building in the courtyard of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, built by Abraham and his son Ishmael to worship God.

Oasis

A place in the desert with water, usually from a spring.

Muslims

People who practice Islam.

Quran

Islam’s holy book, which is the main source of Islamic teaching and the word of God.

Hijrah

Arabic for migration, referring to when Muhammad and his followers left Mecca for Medina.

Sunnah

The traditions of Muhammad, including his words and actions and those of his companions.

Hadith

The recorded sayings and actions of Muhammad, which serve as the written record of the Sunnah.

Allah

Arabic for “God”.

Hajj

One of the Five Pillars of Islam, which is the pilgrimage to Mecca for Muslims.

Mosque

A Muslim house of worship, which features a prayer hall facing Mecca.

Sharia

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

Caliphs

Leaders of the Muslim community and empire; a state run by a caliph is called a caliphate.

Calligraphy

The art of decorative writing.

Arabic numerals (0,1,2..)

The number system that was introduced to Europe and is used today