Islam Terms Exam 1

Iman

Faith; faith in the foundational covenant of servitude binding humans to God

Mu’min

Someone who has Iman

Shirk

Associating any entity with God

Mushrik

Someone who engages in Shirk

Kufr

Unbelief; ingratitude towards divine sovereignty

Kafir

Unbeliever; someone who engages in Kufr

Din

Religion

Umma

The universal Muslim community

The Five Pillars of Islam

Testimony, 5 Daily Prayers, Fasting During Ramadan, Charity, Pilgrimage/Hajj

The Umma Document

The contract/constitution devised by Muhammad in Medina for the various tribes there. Also known as the “Constitution of Medina.”

Commander of the Faithful

The title given to the first four Caliphs after Muhammad

632

661

632

634

634

644

644

656

656

661

Banu Umayya

An influential clan of the Quraysh to which Abu Sufyan, Uthman, and Mu’awiya belonged

Kharijite

Literally “Those who departed” ; a group of ‘Ali’s followers who later became his arch enemies.

Muharram

Month of the year in the Islamic calendar during which the Battle of Karbala was fought

Garrison Towns

New towns constructed by Muslim armies in new conquered territories

Fitna

Literally “seduction” ; In this context, the civil wars that gripped Islam between 656 and 692.

The Islamic Conquest

Term denoting the massive expansion of Islam in the few decades following Muhammad’s death, especially during ‘Umar’s reign.

570

Muhammad is born

610

The year Muhammad begins his revelation

610

619

619

Year of Sadness; Muhammad's wife Khadijah and uncle Abu Talib died, leading to greater vulnerability of the Prophet’s followers.

622

Migration to Medina (Beginning of Muslim Calendar)

624

The year of the Battle of Badr

625

The year of the Battle of Uhud

627

The year of the Battle of the Moat

629

The year a treaty was formed with the Meccan Quraysh

632

the year Muhammad gives his farewell sermon and passes away

Battle of Badr

war when the Muslims were outnumbered by the Meccan Quraysh but prevailed through divine intervention

Battle of Uhud

the second of three wars, however this time Muhammad’s word was disobeyed and many died as a result. Gives the message that God only helps those who help themselves and that disobeying the Prophet means you disobey God

Battle of the Moat/Trench

used trench warfare and the Muslims won; due to the creative approach, this battle emphasized the importance of creativity and advice in life

Tawhid

Oneness of God/Absolute Monotheism

Quraysh

Tribe in Mecca to which Muhammad belonged and that later opposed him

Banu Hashim

Clan within Quraysh to which Muhammad belonged

Companions of the Prophet

Earliest converts to Islam and Muhammad’s associates

Abu Talib

The Prophet’s uncle who supported him during his toughest trials

Abu Sufyan

One of the Prophet’ bitterest opponents from the Bannu Umayya clan who

later became Muslim.

Prophetic saying about estrangement

“Islam began as a stranger and will return as a stranger like it began, so blessed are the estranged.”

Karbala

Town in Iraq where the Battle of Karbala was fought in 680

‘Ashura

10th day of Muharram. Most tragic day in the Karbala narrative.

Muslim ibn Aqeel

Husayn's representative in Kufa, Iraq

Habn ibn Urwa

Muslim ibn Aqeel's host in Kufa

Obeidullah ibn Ziyad

The Governor of Kufa appointed by Yazid.

Husayn

Muhammad's grandson, 'Ali's son, and the main protagonist of the

Karbala narrative who battled against Yazid

Qasim

Son of Hasan, Husayn's brother and 'Ali's grandson

Umm

e Farwa

Zainab

‘Ali’s daughter and Husayn’s sister

Aun

Zainab’s son

Ali Akbar

Husayn’s son and ‘Ali’s grandson

Ali Asghar

Husayn's youngest child who died at the age of 6 months at

Karbala

Abbas

'Ali's son and Husayn's half

Yazid

Mu'awiya's son and according to Shi'ite thought the main antagonist

of the Karbala narrative