Islam Vocab Words

  1. Allah-  the Arabic word for God

  2. Allahu akbar- “Allah is most great” or “God is greater than”/ a part of the daily call to prayer sounded from minarets around the world

  3. arabesque-  Islamic art/geometric patterns that are repeated over and over

  4. assalamu alaykum-  a greeting meaning “peace” when Muslims meet each other

  5. astrolabe- an instrument used by sailors to determine their location by observing the position of the stars and planets

  6. Ayatollah- a Shiite who is learned in the Shariah, the Koran, and the Hadith; and is known for their piety

  7. bazaar- a covered market

  8. Bedouin- wandering/nomadic Arab tribes

  9. caliph- the title of the successor to Muhammad

  10. chador-long, black robe worn by Iranian women

  11. Dome of the Rock- Muslim shrine containing the rock from which Mohammad is believed to have risen to heaven; Jews believe Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac on the rock

  12. dowry- a payment (gift) of money or property  to the bride

  13. Fatihah- The first chapter of the Quran.  This prayer, which asks God for guidance to follow “the straight path,” is repeated by Muslims each day during the five required prayers

  14. Fatwa- a legal ruling within Islam

  15. Hadith-   the literal translation means “story”; traditional teachings based on Muhammad’s words and actions; these traditions are traced to eyewitness accounts

  16. hafiz- means someone who has memorized the Koran in its entirety and is capable of reciting it

  17. hajj- pilgrimage to Mecca; one of the Five Pillars of Islam

  18. harem- separate women’s quarters in a traditional Muslim home

  19. hijab- means covering the head and body in accordance with God’s instructions

  20. hijrah- Muhammad’s flight from Mecca to Medina in A. D. 622; this event marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar

  21. Iblis- The name for Satan in the Quran.  Like the devil in Christian theology, he tempts human beings and seeks to thwart God’s divine purpose in history.

  22. imam- Muslim prayer leader

  23. iman- word meaning faith

  24. Islam- the religion practiced by Muslims; Islam means “submission to the will of God.”

  25. jihad-  the obligation of Muslims to struggle or exert themselves “in the way of God ; doesn’t necessarily refer to an armed struggle

  26. Kaaba-  literally a “cube”/most sacred shrine in Mecca; Muhammad cleansed the Kaaba of idols

  27. Kibbutzim- farms in Israel where groups of Jewish families live and work together

  28. madrasas-  Islamic schools

  29. majlis- council of Muslim men

  30. Mecca- the  holiest city of Islam; Muhammad’s birthplace

  31. Medina- the second holiest city, where Muhammad lived after fleeing Mecca

  32. mihrab- an alcove in a mosque that points toward Mecca

  33. minaret- the tower attached to a mosque from which the muezzin, or crier,  calls the faithful to prayer five times a day

  34. monotheistic- the belief in one God

  35. mosque- the building used by Muslims for religious services

  36. Mount Hira- where Muhammad received his first revelation

  37. muezzin- person who calls Muslims for prayer/religious services on Friday (public worship) and  the call to the daily prayer five times a day …dawn, noon, midafternoon, sunset and nightfall

  38. Muhammad- the founder of the Islam religion; to Muslims,  Muhammad is the ultimate and final prophet

  39. muskaad- separate men’s quarters in a traditional Muslim home

  40. Muslim- a person who believes the teachings of Islam

  41. nabi- prophet

  42. oasis- fertile or green areas within a desert

  43. polygamy-  a marriage between a man and more than one woman; is seen as an exception, not as a rule, within Islam

  44. proselytizing- trying to convert someone else to your religion

  45. purdah- the traditional Middle Eastern custom of seclusion for women

  46. Quran (Koran)- the name for the holy book of Islam; meaning “recital”

  47. Ramadan- ninth month of the Muslim calendar marked by fasting

  48. sahn-  an open courtyard

  49. shahaada- public profession of faith; the first of the Five Pillars of Islam

  50. sharav- hot, dry wind that blows across Israel

  51. shariah (sharia)- Muslim law code

  52. sheikh- an Arab leader or chief

  53. Shiite Muslim- accept only the descendants of Ali as the true rulers of  Islam

  54. Sunni Muslim-  did not agree with Umayyad rule but accepted the Umayyads as rulers

  55. sultan- a title that means the “holder of power”/ Turkish leader

  56. sura or surah- A chapter of the Quran.  This word literally means “fence” or “enclosure”.  There are 114 surahs in the Quran, arranged in the order of descending length

  57. Tawid- means the oneness or singularity of God.  To reject it is to reject Islam.

  58. Tawaf-  one of the Islamic rituals of pilgrimage in Mecca/ during the Hajj, Muslims are to go around the Kaaba 7 times, in a counterclockwise direction; the first three circuits at a hurried pace on the outer part of the crowd, followed by four times closer to the Kaaba at a leisurely pace.  The circling is believed to demonstrate the unity of the believers in the worship of the One God, as they move in harmony together around the Kaaba.

  59. thobe- long, white garment worn by men in Saudi Arabia

  60. ummah (umma)- the worldwide community of Muslim believers

  61. vizier- a prime minister that advises the caliph

  62. Wailing Wall- Jewish holy site in Jerusalem that is the only remaining portion of Solomon’s temple

  63. Wassalam-  “And Peace” (used as “farewell” or “goodbye” in English)