Quran

mushaf

A personal copy of the Qu'ran

saj'

Suras are not prose but also not rhyming, exactly. It is "rhymed prose"; rhymes with out structure; used by orators for summons and Qur'an is written in it.

Jahiliyya

"Age of Ignorance", time before Islam in which Arabs practiced false religions (paganism) and customs. It refers to the polytheistic tribal context before Islam when many idols were worshiped instead of God.

Qur'an

"Recitation"; God's words as revealed to and recited by Muhammad through the archangel Gabriel; an authorized edition of the written words that appeared after Muhammad's death, Islam's primary sacred text, regarded by Muslims as the direct words of Allah. It is compiled of the collected revelations that Muslims believe were revealed to Muhammad during his 22 year career as a Prophet, his followers recorded these after he passed. It was written in Quranic Arabic so the only accurate way to learn the Qur'an is in Arabic.

Muhammad

(570-632); born in Mecca; last prophet who received revelations from Allah; founded Islam; became politically powerful in Medina after leaving Mecca. His followers wrote down all of his revelations after his death, this became the Qur'an.

Hadith

A report, it is a technical term that refers to computations and sayings of the prophet. A tradition relating the words or deeds of the Prophet Muhammad; next to the Quran, the most important basis for Islamic law.

surah

A chapter of the Qur'an; there are 114 in all, arranged mainly in decreasing order of length except for the first (the Fatihah), Each is a separate revelation Muhammad received at Mecca or Medina. These are broken down into verses or lines.

canon

A group of literary works that are widely respected and studied, also an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature. Essentially it is that which a group of people have agreed upon.

jihad

A holy struggle or striving by a Muslim for a moral or spiritual or political goal, "struggle for the faith"; can be thought of as an individual or communal struggle; as the latter, the term embraces notions of defending the muslim community and holy war.

poetry

A kind of rhythmic, compressed language that uses figures of speech and imagery designed to appeal to our emotions and imagination. In pre-Islamic/nomadic society, poetry was an art of oral tradition and was used to memozie text using meter and rhyming, mostly because this would not have to be carried if they moved.

Islam

A monotheistic religion based on the belief that there is one God, Allah, and that Muhammad was Allah's prophet, and the word of God is the Quran. Islam is based in the ancient city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Muhammad.

Ansar

A name Muhammad called his converts, Medinans who helped Muhammad relocate from Mecca to Medina, They were joined by Muhammad and his companions after the Hijrah. It was easier for them because they did not face ridicule in Mecca.

hijrah

A term meaning "migration," it recalls the escape of Muhammad from his enemies in 622 and the establishment of Islam. The Hijrah marks the start of the Islamic calendar, Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina with his followers.

Abu Talib

A wealthy Hashim clan leader and Muhammad's uncle and guardian, he raised Muhammad from the age of 6 when both his parents died when he was very young. He was dedicated to Muhammad and supported him fully but never became a Muslim.mHe protected him after the death of Khadija, Muhammad convinced Abu Talib to continue to protect him, then once Abu Talib dies in 619 Muhammad flees to Medina.

Gabriel

According to Muslims, was an angel who told Muhammed he was a messenger of Allah, Allah revealed the Qur'an through him (also said that Gabriel recites the right order of the Qur'an once every year, this is at Ramadan). According to Christians he was the angel who announced to Mary that she would have Jesus

Muslim

An adherent of the Islamic religion; a person who 'submits' (in Arabic, Islam means 'submission') to the will of God. They believe in one true God, the Quran as the word of God, and Muhammad was his last prophet.

Abyssinia

Ancient name for Ethiopian Empire where Muhammad Escaped to after Abu Talib died and his umbrella of protection disappeared. Muhammad knew the Ethiopians had a history of monotheism and would be accepting of the teachings of Islam, he recited parts of the Quran that talked about unity proving how Muslims and Christians aren't that different and they actually end up protecting the Muslims.

scripture

Any writing that is regarded as sacred writing by a religious group. Sacred means that people believe the writing is inspired by God (or some religious entity). It must be a script or piece of writing. For Christians the main scripture is the Bible, for Muslims it is the Qur'an.

Mecca

Arabian commercial center; dominated by the Quraysh; the home of Muhammad and the future center of Islam. City in western Arabia; birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, and ritual center of the Islamic religion.

Medina

City in western Arabia, northeast of Mecca (previously known as Yathrib) to which the Prophet Muhammad and his followers emigrated in 622 to escape persecution in Mecca, it became refuge for them. The people then followed Islam and Muhammad became their religious and political leader. But early on the political control was divided between 2 Bedouin tribes and 3 Jewish ones, which is the main reason that it did not really rival Mecca in terms of trade or prestige.

Abu Bakr

Companion of 1st muslim leader after Muhammad. He was one of Muhammad's closest companions and became his father in law when Muhammad married his daughter, A'isha. Regarded by Sunni's as the 1st caliph and rightful succesor.

Zayd ibn Thabit

First collector of scripture revealed by Muhammad, essentially the secretary of Muhammad that was responsible for planning the collection of the contents of the Qur'an. Was not completed before the death of Muhammad, was later completed by the caliph Uthman.

Khadijah

First wife of Muhammad who was the widow of a wealthy merchant, demonstrates importance of women in Islam. She actually hired Muhammad to work for her caravan business, she was about 40 and very successful. She is his first convert to Islam, and tells him to go with it, do what you were told.

Yathrib

In 622 after Khadija's death, Muhammad and his followers were forced to leave Mecca, because of death threats to Muhammad, they went to this city, later named Medina, where Muhammad was welcomed as a respected leader. Yathrib was an oasis, they had 3 Jewish and 2 polytheistic tribes but no leader so they needed Muhammad.

Ahl al-Kitab

Literally, People of the Book, this includes the Jews and Christians. These were the other monotheists that were given dhimmi status by the Muslim Empire.

medinan period

Medinan Period started in 622, with the Prophet's Hijra. 622 = year 1 for the Islamic calendar, foundation of the Islamic umma. Once Islam was moved to Yathrib, it became Medina, the religion was able to grow, the community was Muslim, and Muhammad was the complete leader.

Munafiqun

Muslim hypocrites associated with the Battle of Khandaq in 627 AD. They were outwardly accepting Islam but inwardly wished to go back to the time before Islam.

Umar

One of the first 4 caliphs, he was a friend of Muhammad and a merchant who spread Islam to Syria, Egypt, and Persia.

juz'

Parts the Qur'an is divided into, divided into 30 of them so you can read it in a month, especially important during Ramadan. These are seen as markings in the book, so it can be done one a day while you eat or pray.

tajwid

Recitation of the Qur'an, or rules regulating recitation, proper pronunciation, duration of syllables, when to pause

Basmalah

Refers to the phrase seen in the opening of every surah, with the exception of the ninth, in the Qu'ran. The ninth sura lacks this phrase due to its admonishing nature, as it strictly warns the nonbelievers in Mecca. In classical Islam, followers incorporate this phrase, which is translated to be "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate" into daily prayers, meant as an instrument of submission and obedience to God. Muslims say this everywhere, to almost anything, as a way of being mindful to God.

Qira'at

Schools of teachings derived from the Qur'an (reading), particular recitations of the Quran

Muhajirun

The Muslims who emigrated during hijra to Medina, they lost all property and ownership of things in Mecca, and were the early followers of Muhammad.

Ali

The cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, he married Muhammad's favorite daughter, Fatima. His father was Abu Talib but he was raised in the household of Muhammad, and when Muhammad reported receiving a divine revelation, Ali was the first male to accept his message and first to convert to Islam at the age of 12, dedicating his life to the cause of Islam.

salah

The practice of formal worship in Islam, said 5 times a day (obliges Muslims to perform a series of ritual actions at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and nightfall) facing Mecca. Also, the 2nd of the 5 pillars of Islam.

Ka'ba

The stone cubical structure in the courtyard of the Great Mosque of Mecca, believed to have been built by Abraham and regarded by Muslims as the sacred center of the Earth. It is the center of the Muslim Pilgrimage, Muslims pray facing it, but in pre-Islamic Arabia, it was the hub of Mecca, and drew people in to worship the (false) idols that were put there.

sirah

This is the Muslim biographies of the prophet Muhammad, term used for the various biographies from which most of his information is derived. It starts at the beggining and tells of his whole life, to understand the Hadith or Quran this is needed to give specific context.

Arab tribalism

This was when Arabia was polytheistic. In society they were pasturalists, with animals and smal shrubs, the main trading groups were in Mecca and they got there using camels. In the tribes, there were clan leaders and elders, the tribes were everything, made up of groups of families and all protection came from the tribes. The people were nomadic and had to move everyhing. Pre-Islam, idols were worshiped in Mecca at the Ka'ba.

Asbab al-Nuzul

Traditions describing the occasion for or causes of a particular verse or passage of the Qur'an being revealed to Muhammad.

ayas

What the Qur'an's surahs are broken down into, ayas are the verses in the Qur'an, and in it there are about 6000 verses, there is no chronogical arrangment of verses, they are arranged by the length.

Meccan period

scripture themes: day of judgement, worldly goods, greed, punishment, full submission to God, rituals, kindness to people