Key Terms 2 (Glossary) Flashcards
Isra
Muhammad’s ‘physical and spiritual’ journey from Mecca to Jerusalem (Dome of the Rock) in a single night
Miraj
Muhammad’s ascension into heaven where God gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful
Hijra
Migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Al-Madinah (Medina)
the umma
refers to the community of believers (Islamic World)
The Arab World
The 22 Arabic speaking countries in the Middle East
Qibla
direction a Muslim should face when when praying. Fixed as to the location of the Ka’aba in Mecca
Jahiliya
Ignorance of devine guidance. Prior to the revelation of the Quran to Muhammad for example.
Yathrib
Al-Madinah (Medina)
Khadiji
Muhammad’s frist wife
Abu Bakr
Muhammad’s father-in-law & his successor (632-634)
Saracens
European term for Muslims
Muezzin
Appointed to a mosque to lead and recite the call to prayer
The Sakhara
The Foundation Stone
How is the Foundation Stone important to each of the monotheistic religions?
Jews: Spiritual junction of Heaven and Earth.
Muslims: Place where Muhammad traveled to in the night journey (The Isra)
Christians: The well of souls is thought to be there. Always thought of as the hiding place for the Arch of the Covenant.
The Shia Muslims believe…?
The followers of Ali.
That following the Prophet Muhammad’s death, leadership should have passed directly to his cousin/son-in-law Ali.
Sunni Muslims believe…?
That the new leader should be elected from among those capable of the job. Sunni’s supported Abu Bakr over a family member of Muhammad’s (Ali).
The Rashidun Caliphate
632-661 CE; 4 righteous Caliphates & Sunni
1. Abu Bakr 2. Umar 3. Uthman 4. Ali
The Umayyads
660-750 CE; Sunni; Imprisoned 12 Imams of Shia; built the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus; he had christians working in his government administration. Large empire; from Spain to Constantinople to Damascus; large in size.
The Abbasid Caliphate
750-1258; Sunni Muslims; Moved capital to Baghdad; Loved the Arts, Science, Literature, reason, and medicine. As they moved to the East they became more influenced by it.
830 CE
House of Wisdom established in Baghdad
The Fatimids
909-1171 CE; Shia Muslim Caliphates; Moved capital to Cairo; 1169 CE the empire falls; Nur-al-Din was part of this dynasty; gave Jews lots of freedoms.
1187 CE
Battle of Hattin: Where Saladin defeated the Crusaders and took back the city of Jerusalem for the Muslims (plus some other cities)
What is Orientalism?
It is coming to terms with the way the East is defined by the West. He argues, that although the East is often regarded as inferior to the West, the East’s accomplishments suggest that they were different but equally advanced.
