Chapters 6 and 7 Flashcards
bedouin
nomadic pastoralists of the Arabian peninsula; culture based on camel and goat nomadism; early converts to Islam
side note
Before the rise of Islam, Arabia was a peripheral desert wasteland whose once great trading cities had fallen on hard times. The sparse population of the Arabian peninsula was divided into rival tribes and clans that worshiped local gods.
shaykhs
leaders of tribes and clans within bedouin society; usually men with large herds, several wives, and many children
Mecca
City located in mountainous region along Red Sea in Arabian peninsula; founded by Umayyad clan of Quraysh; site of Ka’ba; original home of Muhammad; location of chief religious pilgrimage point in Islam
Umayyad
clan of Quraysh that dominated politics and commercial economy of Mecca; clan established dynasty as rulers of Islam, 661 to 750
Quraysh
tribe of bedouins that controlled Mecca in 7th century C.E.
Ka’ba
Most revered religious shrine in pre-Islamic Arabia; located in Mecca; focus of obligatory annual truce among bedouin tribes; later incorporated as important shrine in Islam
Medina
also known as Yathrib; town located northeast of Mecca; grew date palms whose fruit was sold to bedouins; became refuge for Muhammad following flight from Mecca (hijra)
side note
In the 7th century the revelations of the prophet Muhammad provided the basis for the emergence of a new religion- Islam- in the Arabian peninsula. Though initially an Arab region, in both beliefs and practices, Islam contained a powerful appeal that eventually made it one of the great world religions.
Muhammad
Prophet of Islam; born c. 570 to Banu Hashim clan of Quraysh tribe in Mecca; raised by father’s family; received revelations from Allah in 610 C.E. and thereafter; died in 632
Khadijah
(595-619) First wife of the prophet Muhammad, who had worked for her as a trader
Qur’an
recitations of revelations received by Muhammad; holy book of Islam
Ali
(c. 599-661) Cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad; one of orthodox caliphs; focus for Shi’a
umma
community of the faithful within Islam; transcended old tribal boundaries to create degree of political unity
zakat
tax for charity; obligatory for all Muslims
five pillars
the obligatory religious duties of all Muslims; confession of faith, prayer, fasting during Ramadan, zakat, and hajj
Ramadan
Islamic month of religious observance requiring fasting from dawn to sunset
hajj
A Muslim’s pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, to worship Allah at the Ka’ba
side note
Despite a time of crisis after the death of the prophet Muhammad in 632 C.E., the Muslim community held together. Eventually, Muhammad’s old adversaries, the Umayyad clan, seized leadership of the Muslim faithful and began a sequence of stunning conquests throughout the Middle East and north Africa.
caliph
the political and religious successor to Muhammad
Bakr, Abu
(c. 573-634) one of Muhammad’s earliest converts; succeeded Muhammad as first caliph of Islamic community
Ridda Wars
Wars that followed Muhammad’s death in 632; resulted in defeat of rival prophets and some of larger clans; restored unity of Islam
jihad
struggle; often used for wars in defense of the faith
Copts
Christina sect of Egypt; tended to support Islamic invasions of this area in preference to Byzantine rule
Nestorians
A Christian sect found in Asia; tended to support Islamic invasions of this area in preference to Byzantine rule; cut off form Europe by Muslim invasions
Uthman
Third caliph and member of Umayyad clan; murdered by mutinous warriors returning from Egypt; death set off civil war in Islam between followers of Ali and the Umayyad clan
Battle of Siffin
fought in 657 between forces of Ali and Umayyads; settled by negotiation that eld to fragmentation of Ali’s party
Mu’‘awiya
(602-680) leader of Umayyad clan; first Umayyad caliph following civil war with Ali