World History Chapter 10 (Rise of Islam)

Bedouins

1. A desert-dwelling Arab nomad 2. During the time of Muhammad, Bedouins travelled around the desert to find suitable land. They traded with settled Arab tribes in oasis towns and protect the caravan trading routs. 3. This term is relevant to this unit because the Bedouins constantly competed for water and grazing land, which usually ended with warfare.

Sharia

1. Body of Islamic law that includes interpretation of the Quran and applies Islamic principles to everyday life 2. Sharia law regulates business, family life, and government. It has no separation of the church and state. Women are encouraged to learn, and eventually were required to be veiled in public. 3. This term is relevant to this unit because the Sharia unites Muslims under a common legal framework.

Mecca and Medina

1. Cities in western Saudi Arabia; birthplace of the prophet Muhammad and most holy city for Islamic people, and where Muhammad preached 2. Mecca was a busy market town at the crossroads of several car an routes, as well as thriving pilgrimage center. In 630, Muslims from Medina defeated those in Mecca. 3. This term is relevant to this unit because Mecca and Medina are important cities for the Islam religion, since Muhammad was associated with both of them.

Jihad

1. In Islam, an effort in God's service 2. Jihad is a personal duty for Muslims. It can be performed by focusing on overcoming morality. Other Muslims have a different approach, and engage in "holy war" in hopes to spread and defend the Islamic faith. 3. This term is relevant to this unit because jihad is extremely controversial, depending on how a Muslims interprets this duty.

Hijra

1. Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Medina in 622 2. In 622 when Muhammad received death threats, he decided to flee from Mecca and go to Medina, in a flight known as the Hijra. There he was welcomed as a prophet and ruler. The year of the Hijra marks the start of the Islamic calendar. 3. This term is relevant to this unit because the Hijra was a turning point for Islam, since Muhammad was able to convert the people of Medina.

Mosque

1. Muslim house of worship 2. Mosques are holy sites for Muslims. They have minarets, which are towers that sky above the top of the mosque. The official in charge of the mosque is the muezzin, whose job is to call everyone to pray. 3. This term is relevant to this unit because mosques are ideal places for Muslims to worship.

Hajj

1. One of the Five Pillars of Islam, the pilgrimage to Mecca that all Muslims are expected to make at least once in their lifetime 2. The fifth Pillar of Islam, the Hajj is a pilgrimage for Muslims who are physically and finacially able to pray at the Kaaba in Mecca. More than two million Muslims visit Mecca for this purpose each year. The pilgrims wear simple clothes to show the abandonment of the material world for Allah. 3. This term is relevant to this unit because the Hajj is important to Muslims and commemorates the actions of Muhammad, Abraham, and Abraham's family.

Caliph

1. Successor to Muhammad as political and religious leader of the Muslims 2. The first caliph was Abu Bakr. His goal was to unite all people and tribes of the Arabian peninsula under the religion of Islam. Many refused to follow him as the caliph because he was not Muhammad, but they soon placed the religion above one person. 3. This term is relevant to this unit because the first four caliphs were able to add Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Persia to the Arabian empire.

Quran

1. The holy book of Islam 2. The Quran teaches that Allah is all-powerful and compassionate. It also says that Allah judges everyone on the final judgment. The Quran also recognizes Abraham, Moses, and Jesus as important prophets. 3. This term is relevant to this unit because the Quran is written in Arabic, which helped to unite Muslims from all over the world.

Kaaba

1. The most sacred temple of Islam, located at Mecca 2. Abraham was called by God to build a holy sanctuary where Ishmael lived, called the Kaaba. In the time of Muhammad, this temple housed statues of local gods and goddesses and many people went to Mecca to visit it. This brought an increase in profit for merchants in Mecca. 3. This term is relevant to this unit because the Kaaba is extremely important to Islam, being called the "House of God".

Sunni vs. Shiite

1. The two major Muslim sects 2. Sunni Muslims are 90% of the Muslims today and think that the caliph should be chosen by important figures of their society. On the other hand, Shiite Muslims believed that the caliph has to be a descendant of Muhammad's daughter and son-in-law, and a small minority are Shiites today. 3. This term is relevant to this unit because these branches of Islam are still present today and have many different perspectives.