Middle East

1948 War

After the British left and Israel announced its independence, Arabs from surrounding countries invaded and attacked Israel. In the next year, Israel captured most of the Palestinian state.

1967 War / Six Day War

This was a war between Israel and the Arab countries of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Palestinian guerrilla attacks on Israel from bases in Syria led to increased hostility between the two countries. Israel's decisive victory included the capture of the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, Old City of Jerusalem, and Golan Heights.

Abbasids

Arabs from Iraq ruled the area, made Baghdad as their capital, and experienced of Golden age of Islam ( including scientific and astronomical discoveries).

Abu Bakr

A father in law of Mohammed, and the first of the 4 rightly guided Caliphs.

Ahl Al Dhimma

The term for non-muslims living in an Islamic State.

Ali

The son in law of Mohammed and the 4th rightly guided caliph.

Arab revolt of 1936-1939

It was a revolt against British control in Palestine. It was sparked by the large rise in Jewish immigration to Palestine.

Ataturk

As the president of the newly formed Turkish Republic, this man initiated a rigorous program of political, economic, and cultural reforms with the ultimate aim of building a modern, progressive and secular nation-state. Ruled from 1923-1938.

Balfour Declaration

This was a declaration made by the British in 1917 that made a homeland for Jews in Palestine.

Bedouins

These are a nomadic Arab tribe.

Caliph

The chief Muslim civil and religious ruler, regarded as the successor of Muhammad.

Camp David Accords

These were signed by President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in September 1978, established a framework for a historic peace treaty concluded between Israel and Egypt in March 1979.

Creation of Israel

In 1948, Jewish Chairman David Ben Gurion announced the creation of the Jewish State, which was the first only Jewish country in over 2,000 years.

Crusaders

These were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were intended to recover Jerusalem and its surrounding area from Islamic rule.

Desalination

It is the process by which the dissolved mineral salts in water are removed.

Easter

It is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD.

Five Pillars of Faith

Profession of Faith: (shahada) “There is no god but god”

Prayer: (salat) Muslims pray facing Mecca 5 times a day

Alms: (zakat) donating a certain portion of one’s wealth

Sawm: fasting during Ramadan

Hajj: make a hajj to Mecca at least once in your lifetime.

Had Crime

The most serious crimes that can be committed are crimes against god. Crimes include murder, theft, and breaking religion. Punishments include cutting off hands, feet, or death.

Hadith

A collection of traditions and sayings from Mohammed himself.

Hajj

It is the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim must make at least once in their lifetime if they are able; it is the most spiritual event that a Muslim experiences, observing rituals in the most sacred places in the Islamic world. It is also the 5th pillar of Islam.

Hejira

This was the journey of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina. This was the unofficial beginning of Islam.

Imam

The local leader who leads prayers in a mosque.

Intifada (1st)

This was a sustained series of protests and violent riots carried out by Palestinians in the Palestinian Territories and Israel. It was sparked after an Israeli military vehicle killed 4 Palestinians.

Intifada II (2000)

Outbreaks of violence began in September 2000, after Ariel Sharon, then the Israeli opposition leader, made a provocative visit to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem; The visit itself was peaceful, but, as anticipated, sparked protests and riots that Israeli police put down with rubber bullets and tear gas.

Iran Hostage Crisis

On November 4, 1979, 52 United States diplomats and citizens were held hostage after a group of militarized Iranian college students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line, who supported the Iranian Revolution, took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took them as hostages.

Kaaba

The building at the center of Islams most important mosque. According to the Koran, it was originally built by Abraham and his son Ishmael, but it has been rebuilt many times over history.

Khadija

The first wife and follower of Mohammed.

Koran

Believed to be the word of God, it is a sacred Islamic book. It is considered “perfect” since it is God’s exact words as retold by prophet Mohammed.

Mandate System

Britain ruled over Palestine by mandate until they were “ready to stand alone.”

Mawali

Originally, these were clients of an Arab tribe, but with the advent of Islam, the term came to refer to non-Arab Muslims and other client allies of the Muslim community.

Men of the Pen

Lawmakers of the Ottoman empire

Men of the Sword

Soldiers of the Ottoman empire

Men of Negotiation

Businessmen and lawyers of the Ottoman empire

Men of husbandry

Agronomists and animal raisers of the Ottoman empire

Mosque

A muslim place of worship

Oasis

A fertile spot in a desert, where water is found.

Ottomans

Rose to power in Iran in the 1300s. Conquered Constantinople in 1453, ending the Byzantine / Roman Empire. Suleiman I the Magnificent ruled during this period.

Passover

It is the holiday during which Jewish people celebrate their ancestors' freedom from slavery in Egypt. One of the ways Passover is celebrated is by eating a celebratory meal with family and friends called a seder. Seder literally translates to "order," because there is a ritual order that is followed in the meal.

PLO

A Palestinian organization that aims to liberate Palestinians from Israel and support Arab unity.

Qesas Crime

Under Islamic law the punishment for murder, homicide or infliction of injury can either be in the form of qisas (equal punishment for the crime committed) or diyat (compensation payable to the victims or their legal heirs).

Qudi

A Muslim judge who renders decisions according to the Sharīʿah (Islamic law). The qadi's jurisdiction theoretically includes civil as well as criminal matters.

Rabbi

A Jewish scholar or teacher, especially one who studies or teaches Jewish law.

Ramadan

The act of fasting is meant to remind Muslims of the less fortunate and to reinforce the need to be thankful. As one of the five pillars, or duties, of Islam, fasting during the month of Ramadan is mandatory for all healthy adult Muslims.

Safavids

Claiming to be descendents of Mongols, this empire of Shia Muslims conquered most of Iran, Syria, Baghdad, and Eastern Turkey from the late 1400s and 1500s. They loosely controlled this region.

Saladin

It is the Western name of Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, the Muslim sultan of Egypt and Syria who famously defeated a massive army of Crusaders in the Battle of Hattin and captured the city of Jerusalem in 1187. At the height of his power, he ruled a unified Muslim region stretching from Egypt to Arabia. He founded the Ayyubid dynasty.

Salat

prayer, is the second pillar. The Islamic faith is based on the belief that individuals have a direct relationship with God. The world's Muslims turn individually and collectively to Makkah, Islam's holiest city, to offer five daily prayers at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening.

Satrap

A local prince or governor responsible for a region of the Persian Empire.

Sawm

fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, is the fourth pillar of Islam. Ordained in the Holy Qur'an, the fast is an act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a richer perception of God. Fasting is also an exercise in self-control whereby one's sensitivity is heightened to the sufferings of the poor.

Seljuks

Turkic speaking nomads from Central Asia that conquered Abbasids and converted to Islam from 1055 to 1190 ACE.

Shahada

The profession of faith, is the first pillar of Islam. Muslims bear witness to the oneness of God by reciting the creed "There is no God but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God." This simple yet profound statement expresses a Muslim's complete acceptance of and total commitment to Islam.

Sharia

It is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the Hadith.

Shia

After the death of Mohammed in 632, a group of Muslims believed that his successor should be Ali instead of Abu Bakr.

Suez Canal Crisis

This event started when Egyptian leader Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, a vital and valuable canal in world trade. After rising tensions between Egypt and Britain, the Israelis attacked the area in 1956, soon backed by Britain and France. They were successful in gaining control of areas around the Seuz Canal, until the Soviet Union intervened, hoping to gain foothold in the Middle East. Threats from the US helped prevent a possible nuclear war, and the UN was used as a peace keeping force for the first time. The Canal was reopened in 1975.

Suleiman the Magnificent

Known for being one of the greatest rulers of the Ottoman empire who ruled from 1520-1566. Suleiman created a new system of government, which included organizing men by: men of the pen, men of the sword, etc.

Sunni

A group of muslims who believe 632 years after Mohammed’s death, Abu Bakr was the rightful caliph.

Tazir Crime

Minor crimes, which are not covered in the Hadd. Punishment may include fines, imprisonment, death, or reprimand.

Temple / Synagogue

the building where a Jewish assembly or congregation meets for religious worship and instruction.

TeNaKh

The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh is the canonical collection of Hebrew scriptures, including the Torah, the Nevi'im, and the Ketuvim

Theocracy

a system of government in which __priests__ rule in the name of God or a god.

Umayyads

Controlled the Islamic world from 661 to 750 ACE, making Damascus, Syria its capital city. Were known as Ahl al dhimma “people of the book”, because they worshiped the right God, but in the wrong way.

UN Partition of Palestine

In late 1947, the UN decided to split Palestine into a Jewish state,a  Palestinian state, and an UN-administered Jerusalem state.

Urban II

otherwise known as Odo of Châtillon or Otho de Lagery, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 March 1088 to his death. He is best known for starting the holy wars, or crusades against muslims.

Yom Kippur War (1973 War)

The war began on October 6, 1973, when the Arab coalition jointly launched a surprise attack against Israel on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, which had occurred during the 10th of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in that year. Israel was successful with US support, and a ceasefire was declared on October 25th.

Zakat

As one of the pillars of the faith, it requires all Muslims to donate a portion of their wealth to charity. Muslims must meet a certain threshold before they can qualify for this pillar.

Ziggurat

A pyramidal stepped temple tower that is an architectural and religious structure characteristic of the major cities of Mesopotamia (now mainly in Iraq) from approximately 2200 until 500 bce. These buildings have always built with a core of mud brick and an exterior covered with baked brick.

Zionism

a movement orginally for the __re-__establishment and (now) the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel.

Zoroastrianism

It is one of the world's oldest known living religions and has its origins in the distant past. It developed about three and a half thousand years ago from the ancient Indo-Iranian religion that was once shared by the ancestors of nomadic herding tribes that later settled in Iran and northern India. based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking Persian prophet Zoroaster. The religion believes that earth is a battleground between good and evil and it is your choice which side to be on. The holy book (Zend Avesta) was written with all of Zoroaster’s teachings.