Islamic Vocabulary

Mosque

A holy Islamic place of worship.

3 Holy Cities

Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem, considered sacred in Islam.

Caliph

A political and religious leader in Islam.

Shea

A group that believes Mohammed's successors should be blood-related.

Sunni

A group that believes Mohammed's successors should be of a highly religious and political status.

Qu'ran

The Islamic holy book.

Shahadu

The belief in only one god, Allah.

Salah

The obligation for all Muslims to pray five times a day towards the city of Mecca.

Sawn

The practice of fasting during the month of Ramadan.

Zakat

Almsgiving or giving to the poor in Islam.

Hajj

The pilgrimage to Mecca that all Muslims must undertake.

Jihad

The inner struggle of doing right versus wrong in Islam.

Sharia

The Islamic law code.

Ramadan

The month in which the Qur'an was revealed to Mohammed, observed with fasting and ends with Eid al-Fitr.

Imam

A Sunni leader who leads prayers and communities at a mosque.

12 Shea Imams

Chosen by God to be perfect examples and leaders of the Muslim people (believed by some Shea).

Hijab

A headscarf worn by Muslim women to cover the head and neck for modesty.

Niqab

A veil that covers the entire head, leaving only an opening for the eyes.

Burqa

A garment that covers the entire body, with a mesh over the eyes.

Dhimmi

A person of protected status who can live freely in an Islamic land by paying a special tax called jizya.

Usury

The practice of charging interest on loans, prohibited in Islam.

"Green Revolution"

A farming revolution that spread agricultural techniques and introduced new foods, such as sugar cane, rice, bananas, limes, and lemons.

Madrasas

Centers that combine a city center, market, mosque, and school area.

Banking System

A system that allows for loans without charging interest, using credit slips.

Aeyesha

A woman who led an army across the world.

Had'ith

A book containing the sayings of Mohammed.

Purdah

The practice of veiling women.

Chador

A black garment typically worn by women in Iran and Pakistan.

Fundamentalist

A person who wants to adhere strictly to the basics of Islam and live as Mohammed did in 600 CE.

Lanteen Sail

A sail that helps maneuver ships better.

Astrolabe

A device used in the Mediterranean world to calculate latitude.