Unit 7

Question 1

An important Muslim empire that ruled from 750 to 1258 C.E.

Answer 1

Abbasids

Question 2

(Arabic) The call to prayer.

Answer 2

adhan (a-than)

Question 3

A beloved wife of Muhammed who is known for transmitting many hadith.

Answer 3

Aisha

Question 4

(Arabic) The Arabic term for God

Answer 4

Allah (a-lah)

Question 5

The tenth day of the month of Muharram, recognized by Shi’a Muslims as the anniversary of the martyrdom of Husayn.

Answer 5

Ashura

Question 6

(Arabic) Leader of the Muslim community after the death of Muhammad.

Answer 6

caliph (ka-lif)

Question 7

(Arabic) Literary tradition recording the sayings and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad.

Answer 7

hadith (ha-deeth)

Question 8

(Arabic) The annual pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam.

Answer 8

hajj (hahj)

Question 9

(Arabic) Sometimes spelled hegira. The migration of the early Muslim community from Mecca to Medina in 622 C.E.; the Islamic calendar dates from this year.

Answer 9

hijra

Question 10

Grandson of Muhammad who was killed while challenging the Umayyads.

Answer 10

Husayn

Question 11

(Arabic) Prayer leader; in the Shi’a tradition, one of the leaders of the Muslim community following the death of the Prophet Muhammad.

Answer 11

imam (ee-mam)

Question 12

(Arabic) Lit. “submission”; specifically the religious tradition based on the revealed Qur’an as Word of God.

Answer 12

Islam (is-lahm)

Question 13

(Arabic) The “age of ignorance,” which refers to the time before the revelation of the Qur’an.

Answer 13

jahiliyya (ja-hil-ee-ah)

Question 14

(Arabic) Lit. “striving”; sometimes the greater is the struggle with one’s self to become a better person; the lesser is associated with military conflict in defense of the faith.

Answer 14

jihad (jee-had)

Question 15

Muhammad’s beloved first wife.

Answer 15

Khadija

Question 16

The city in which Muhammad was born; place of pilgrimage for Muslims.

Answer 16

Mecca

Question 17

The city to which Muhammad and his early followers migrated to escape persecution in Mecca.

Answer 17

Medina

Question 18

(Arabic) Muhammad’s Night Journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and from there to heaven, where he met with God.

Answer 18

miraj (mir-aj)

Question 19

(from the Arabic term masjid) Place of prayer.

Answer 19

mosque (mosk)

Question 20

(Arabic) The person who calls the adhan.

Answer 20

muezzin (mu-ez-in)

Question 21

The prophet who received the revelation of the Qur’an from God; the final prophet in a long line of prophets sent by God to humanity.

Answer 21

Muhammad

Question 22

(Arabic) The holy text of Muslims; the Word of God as revealed to Muhammad.

Answer 22

Qur’an (kur-an)

Question 23

(Arabic) The month in which Muslims must fast daily from dawn until dusk; the fast is one of the five pillars of Islam, the month in which the Qur’an is believed to have been revealed to Muhammad.

Answer 23

Ramadan

Question 24

(Arabic) The daily prayers, which are one of the five pillars of Islam.

Answer 24

salat (sa-laht)

Question 25

(Arabic) The mandatory fast during the month of Ramadan; one of the five pillars of Islam.

Answer 25

sawm (som)

Question 26

(Arabic) The declaration of faith: "There is no God but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God"; the first of the five pillars.

Answer 26

shahadah (sha-ha-dah)

Question 27

(Arabic) Lit. "the way to the water hole"; specifically, Islamic law.

Answer 27

shari'a (sha-ree-ah)

Question 28

(Arabic) One of the two major branches of Islam, believed that 'Ali should have succeeded as leader of the Muslim community after the death of Muhammad. That is, only the family and descendants of the Prophet Muhammad should lead the Muslim community.

Answer 28

Shi'a (shee-ah)

Question 29

(Arabic) The sin of idolatry, of worshiping anything other than God, the one unforgivable sin in Islam.

Answer 29

shirk (sherk)

Question 30

A follower of the mystical tradition of Islam which focuses on the believer's personal experience of God and goal of union with God.

Answer 30

Sufi (soof-i, Sufism)

Question 31

(Arabic) Lit. "way of life" or "custom"; specially refers to the example of the life of the Prophet Muhammad; important religious source for Muslims.

Answer 31

Sunnah (sun-na)

Question 32

(Arabic) One of the two main prances of Islam, believed that the Muslim community should decide on a successor to lead after the death of Muhammad.

Answer 32

Sunni (soon-e)

Question 33

(Arabic) Chapter of the Qur'an; there are 114 in the Qur'an.

Answer 33

surah (soor-ah)

Question 34

(Arabic) Interpretation of or commentary of the Qur'an. There are several types which aim to explain the meaning of the Qur'an.

Answer 34

tafsir (taf-seer)

Question 35

Controversial Muslim dynasty that ruled from 661 to 750 C.E.

Answer 35

Umayyad Dynasty

Question 36

(Arabic) The worldwide Muslim community.

Answer 36

umma (um-mah)

Question 37

(Arabic) Regulated almsgiving; one of the five pillars of Islam.

Answer 37

zakat (za-kaht)