Midterm Flashcards

1
Q

Arabic

A

The language of the Qur’an, central to Islamic religious practice and scholarship.

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2
Q

Byzantine Empire

A

The Eastern Roman Empire, which existed during the rise of Islam and was a significant Christian power that interacted and often conflicted with early Islamic empires.

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3
Q

Sasanian Empire

A

The last pre-Islamic Persian empire, which was a major rival to the Byzantine Empire and played a significant role in the history of early Islamic expansion.

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4
Q

Pre-Islamic Arabia

A

Refers to the period in Arabian history before the emergence of Islam, often described as the “age of ignorance” or Jahiliyya in Islamic literature.

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5
Q

Umayyad Caliphate

A

The first major Islamic caliphate (661–750 CE), which ruled after the Rashidun caliphs and expanded the Islamic empire significantly. It was centered in Damascus.

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6
Q

ʿAbbasid Caliphate

A

The caliphate that succeeded the Umayyads (750–1258 CE), with its capital in Baghdad. Known for significant cultural and intellectual advancements, especially during its early period.

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7
Q

Ottoman Empire

A

The empire that controlled much of Southeastern Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa from the late 13th century until the early 20th century. It was one of the largest and most enduring empires in Islamic history.

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8
Q

Islam

A

The monotheistic religion founded on the revelations given to the Prophet Muhammad, emphasizing submission to the will of God (Allah).

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9
Q

Muslim

A

A follower of Islam who submits to the will of God.

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10
Q

Pillars of Faith

A

The six core beliefs in Islam: belief in God, angels, prophets, revealed scriptures, the Day of Judgment, and predestination.

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11
Q

Pillars of Islam

A

The five acts of worship that define Muslim practice: declaration of faith (Shahāda), prayer (ṣalāt), almsgiving (zakāt), fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage (ḥajj).

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12
Q

Shahāda

A

The Islamic declaration of faith, which states, “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.”

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13
Q

Prayer (ṣalāt)

A

The ritual prayers performed five times a day by Muslims facing the Kaʿba in Mecca.

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14
Q

Zakāt

A

The mandatory charitable donation or alms-giving, which is one of the five pillars of Islam.

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15
Q

Fasting

A

The practice of abstaining from food, drink, and other physical needs during daylight hours in the month of Ramadan.

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16
Q

Pilgrimage (ḥajj)

A

The pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim must undertake at least once in their lifetime, if they are physically and financially able.

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17
Q

Discursive tradition

A

The concept in Islamic studies referring to the ongoing conversation and interpretation of Islamic teachings, texts, and practices across generations.

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18
Q

Islamic

A

Related to or characteristic of Islam or its adherents.

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19
Q

Qurʾan

A

The holy scripture of Islam, believed to be the literal word of God as revealed to Muhammad.

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20
Q

Sūra

A

A chapter of the Qur’an; there are 114 suras, which vary in length.

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21
Q

Sīra

A

The biographies of the Prophet Muhammad, detailing his life and actions.

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21
Q

Āya

A

A verse of the Qur’an.

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22
Q

Tawḥīd

A

The belief in the oneness of God, a central tenet of Islamic theology.

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23
Q

God (Allah)

A

The singular, all-powerful deity in Islam, worshiped as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.

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24
Q

Revelation

A

The divine communication of God’s will to prophets, particularly through the Qur’an in the case of Muhammad.

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25
Q

Recitation

A

The oral delivery of the Qur’an, which is an essential aspect of Islamic worship and tradition.

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26
Q

Medinan verses

A

Qur’anic verses revealed in Medina, focusing on legal, social, and political issues.

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27
Q

Meccan verses

A

Qur’anic verses revealed in Mecca, primarily dealing with theological and spiritual matters.

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28
Q

Prophet

A

A messenger chosen by God to convey divine guidance; in Islam, Muhammad is the final prophet.

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29
Q

Muhammad

A

The founder of Islam and the last prophet in a long line of messengers from God.

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30
Q

Occasions of revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl)

A

Specific events or circumstances that prompted the revelation of certain Qur’anic verses.

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31
Q

God’s 99 names/attributes

A

Descriptive names for God that convey His attributes, like “The Merciful” and “The All-Powerful.”

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31
Q

Ḥadīth

A

The recorded sayings, actions, and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad, second only to the Qur’an in Islamic tradition.

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32
Q

Kaʿba

A

The cuboid structure located in Mecca, considered the holiest site in Islam, toward which Muslims pray.

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33
Q

Hijra

A

Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar.

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34
Q

Jihad/mujahid

A

Jihad refers to striving in the way of God, and a mujahid is someone engaged in this effort, whether spiritually or in defense of Islam.

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35
Q

Medina

A

The city that welcomed Muhammad and his followers after the hijra, becoming the center of the early Muslim community.

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36
Q

Mecca

A

The birthplace of Muhammad and the holiest city in Islam.

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37
Q

Abu Talib

A

Muhammad’s uncle who provided him protection during the early years of his prophetic mission.

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38
Q

Khadija

A

Muhammad’s first wife and the first person to convert to Islam.

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39
Q

Muhajirun

A

The early Muslim emigrants who followed Muhammad from Mecca to Medina.

40
Q

Ansar

A

The “Helpers” of Medina who supported Muhammad and the muhajirun.

41
Q

Tafsīr

A

Qur’anic exegesis or interpretation, a significant field of Islamic scholarship.

42
Q

Ijmāʿ (Consensus)

A

The consensus of Muslim scholars on matters of Islamic law and practice.

43
Q

ʿAʾisha

A

One of Muhammad’s wives and an important transmitter of hadith; she played a key role in early Islamic history.

44
Q

Quraysh

A

The tribe of Muhammad, which controlled Mecca during his lifetime.

45
Q

Gabriel

A

The angel who conveyed God’s revelations to Muhammad.

46
Q

Umma

A

The global community of Muslims united by faith.

47
Q

Treaty of Hudaybiyya

A

A peace treaty between Muhammad and the Quraysh, marking a turning point in Islamic history.

48
Q

Sunnah

A

The practices, actions, and sayings of Muhammad, which serve as a model for Muslim behavior.

49
Q

Jahiliyya

A

The period of ignorance, referring to the pre-Islamic time before the Qur’an was revealed.

50
Q

“Constitution of Medina”

A

A formal agreement between Muhammad and the tribes of Medina, establishing a framework for governance and social order, often considered the first written constitution.

51
Q

ʿUlamāʾ

A

Islamic scholars or learned individuals who are trained in the various fields of Islamic studies, particularly law, theology, and hadith.

51
Q

Isnād

A

The chain of transmitters or narrators through which a hadith is passed down, crucial for assessing the authenticity of the hadith.

52
Q

Matn

A

The content or text of a hadith, which describes the actual saying or action of the Prophet Muhammad.

53
Q

Companions (ṣaḥāba)

A

Those who personally knew and followed the Prophet Muhammad, often considered the most reliable sources of hadith and Islamic practices.

54
Q

Authority

A

Refers to the religious and legal authority within Islam, often derived from knowledge of the Qur’an, Sunnah, and legal scholarship.

55
Q

Successors (tābiʿūn)

A

The generation following the Companions of Muhammad, who learned from them and continued to transmit Islamic teachings.

56
Q

Muṣannaf

A

A type of hadith compilation that organizes traditions according to subject matter.

57
Q

Musnads

A

Hadith collections arranged by the Companions who transmitted the hadith, such as the Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

58
Q

Ṣaḥīḥ books

A

Collections of authentic hadith that meet strict criteria for reliability, such as Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim.

59
Q

Sunan books

A

Collections of hadith arranged by legal topics, such as Sunan Abū Dāwūd or Sunan al-Tirmidhī.

60
Q

Sunnism

A

The largest branch of Islam, based on the belief that the community consensus (ijmāʿ) and the practice of the Prophet (Sunnah) are the primary sources of Islamic guidance.

61
Q

Al-Bukhārī

A

A prominent Islamic scholar known for compiling one of the most authoritative hadith collections, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī.

62
Q

Sharḥ

A

Commentary or explanation of a text, particularly a hadith, often used to clarify meanings and implications.

62
Q

Muslim

A

Refers to Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, another key compiler of authentic hadith, author of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim.

63
Q

Authenticity

A

In the context of hadith, this refers to the reliability of a narration based on its chain of transmitters (isnād) and content (matn).

64
Q

Succession

A

Refers to the process by which leadership was passed on after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, which became a central issue in early Islamic history, leading to divisions between Sunni and Shīʿa.

65
Q

Khalīfa (caliph)

A

The leader of the Muslim community after Muhammad, serving as both a political and, at times, religious leader.

66
Q

Rightly-guided (Rashidun) caliphs

A

The first four caliphs after Muhammad’s death—Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, and ʿAlī—who are viewed as exemplars of leadership by Sunnis.

67
Q

ʿAlī

A

The fourth caliph, cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, regarded as the rightful leader by Shīʿa Muslims.

68
Q

Shīʿa

A

A major branch of Islam that holds that ʿAlī and his descendants are the rightful leaders of the Muslim community, in contrast to the Sunni view.

69
Q

Abū Bakr

A

The first caliph after Muhammad’s death and a close companion of the Prophet.

70
Q

ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb

A

The second caliph, known for expanding the Muslim empire and establishing key administrative structures.

71
Q

ʿUthmān

A

The third caliph, known for commissioning the compilation of the standard text of the Qur’an (the ʿUthmanic codex).

72
Q

Jizya (head tax)

A

A tax levied on non-Muslims living under Muslim rule in exchange for protection and exemption from military service.

73
Q

Diwan

A

A register or office that administered various functions, including payments to soldiers and civil servants, introduced during the early caliphate.

74
Q

Wars of Rebellion (ridda)

A

A series of military campaigns led by Abū Bakr against Arabian tribes that rebelled after Muhammad’s death.

75
Q

Shura (consultation)

A

An Islamic principle of decision-making that involves consultation, especially in political matters.

76
Q

Al-muṣḥaf al-ʿuthmānī (ʿUthmanic codex)

A

The standardized text of the Qur’an compiled under the leadership of the third caliph, ʿUthmān, to preserve the integrity of the script

77
Q

Khawarij (Kharijites)

A

A radical Islamic sect that emerged during the First Civil War, known for their strict interpretation of Islam and rejection of ʿAlī’s leadership.

78
Q

Takfir

A

The act of declaring a Muslim to be an unbeliever, a controversial and divisive practice in Islamic history.

79
Q

Murjiʿa (those who postpone)

A

A theological group that advocated postponing judgment on sinners, leaving judgment to God.

80
Q

Muʿāwiya

A

The founder of the Umayyad dynasty, who challenged ʿAlī for leadership and became the first caliph of the Umayyads.

81
Q

Qiyās (analogical or deductive reasoning)

A

A method of Islamic legal reasoning that uses analogy to apply known injunctions from the Qur’an and Sunnah to new situations.

81
Q

Shariʿah

A

Islamic law, derived from the Qur’an, Sunnah, and other sources, covering both personal and communal aspects of Muslim life.

82
Q

The First Civil War (First Fitna)

A

The first major internal conflict in the Muslim community, primarily between supporters of ʿAlī and Muʿāwiya, leading to a lasting Sunni-Shīʿa split.

83
Q

Ijmāʿ (consensus)

A

The consensus of the Muslim community or its scholars on a particular legal or theological issue, considered a source of Islamic law.

84
Q

ʿAql (reason)

A

The use of human reason or intellect in interpreting Islamic law and theology.

85
Q

Ijtihād

A

Independent reasoning by a qualified scholar to interpret Islamic law in the absence of clear scriptural guidance.

86
Q

Fiqh

A

Islamic jurisprudence, the human interpretation and application of Shariʿah.

87
Q

ʿibādāt

A

Acts of worship and duties to God, such as prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage.

88
Q

Fatwa

A

A legal opinion or ruling issued by a qualified Islamic scholar.

89
Q

ḥudūd crimes

A

Serious offenses in Islamic law that carry fixed punishments, including theft, adultery, and apostasy.

89
Q

muʿāmalāt

A

Legal rulings governing social and economic interactions between individuals, such as contracts, transactions, and marriage.

90
Q

Rights of God (ḥuqūq Allāh)

A

Religious obligations and duties owed to God, such as worship and following divine law.

91
Q

Rights of humans (ḥuqūq al-ʿibād)

A

Rights and responsibilities governing interactions between individuals in society.

92
Q

Colonial legal systems

A

The legal frameworks imposed by European colonial powers in Muslim lands, often in conflict with traditional Islamic law.

93
Q

Qāḍī (judge)

A

A judge who rules based on Islamic law (Shariʿah), often presiding over courts dealing with family law, contracts, and criminal cases.

93
Q

Garrison towns

A

Military settlements established during the early Islamic conquests, serving as administrative centers and military bases.

93
Q

Waqf

A

An endowment made by a Muslim for religious, educational, or charitable purposes, often used to support mosques, schools, and hospitals.

94
Q

Madhhab

A

A school of thought in Islamic jurisprudence, with the four major Sunni schools being Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali.