World Civilizations - The First Global Civilization: The Rise And Spread Of Islam

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Muhammad

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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

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Battle of River Zab

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Victory of Abbasids over Umayyads; resulted in conquest of Syria and capture of Umayyad capital.

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caliph

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The political and religious successor to Muhammad

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Shia

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Also known as Shiites; political and theological division within Islam; followers of Ali

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Qu Ran

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Recitations of revelations received by Muhammad; holy book of Islam

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wazir

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Chief administrative official under the Abbasid caliphate; initially recruited from Persian provinces of empire.

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hadiths

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Traditions of the prophet Muhammad

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Al-Ghazali

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Brilliant Islamic theologian; struggled to fuse Greek and Qu Ranic traditions; not entirely accepted by ulama.

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jihad

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Struggle often used for wars in defense of the faith

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Ramadan

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Islamic month of religious observance requiring fasting from dawn to sunset

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Damascus

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Syrian city that was capital of Umayyad caliphate.

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shaykhs

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Leaders of tribes and clans within Bedouin society; usually men with large herds, several wives, and many children

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zakat

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Tax for charity; obligatory for all Muslims

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Medina

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Also known as Yathrib; town located northeast of Mecca; grew date palms whose fruits was sold to Bedouins; became refuge for Muhammad following flight from Mecca

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Mecca

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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

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Baghdad

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Capital of Abbasid dynasty located in Irap near ancient Persian capital of Ctesiphon

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Ridda Wars

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Wars that followed Muhammad's death in 632; resulted in defeat of rival prophets and some of larger clans; restored unity of Islam

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dhimmi

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Literally "People of the Book" applied as inclusive term to Jews and Christians in Islamic territories; later extended to Zoroastrians and even Hindus

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Khadijah

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First wife of the prophet Muhammad, who had worked for her as a trader

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Umayyad

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Clan of Quraysh that dominated politics and commercial economy of Mecca; clan later able to establish dynasty as rulers of Islam

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Muslim

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Follower of Islam

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Islam

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Major world religion having its origins in 610 c.e in the Arabian peninsula; meaning literally submissionl based on prophecy oh Muhammad

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Karbala

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Site of defeat and death of Husayn, son of Ali; marked beginning of Shia resistance to Umayyah caliphate.

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Abu Bakr

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One of Muhammad's earliest converts; succeeded Muhammad as first caliph of Islamic community

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Allah

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Supreme God in strictly monotheistic Islam.

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Sunnis

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Political and theological devision within Islam

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mawali

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Non-Arab converts to Islam

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bedouin

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Nomadic pastorallists of the Arabian peninsula; culture based on camel and goat nomadism; early converts to Islam

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umma

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Community of the faithful within Islam; transcended old tribal boundaries to create degree of political unity

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dhows

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Arab sailing vessels with triangular or lateen sails; strongly influenced European ship design

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Uthman

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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

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Ali

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Cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad; one of orthodox caliphs; focus for Shia

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ayan

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The wealthy landed elite that emerged in the early decades of Abbasid rule

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Mu' awiya

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Leader of Umayyad clan; first Umayyad caliph following civil war with Ali

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Nestorians

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A Christian sect found in Asia; tended to support Islamic invasions in this area in preference to Byzantine rule; cut off from Europe by Muslim invasions

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jizya

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Head tax paid by all nonbelievers in Islamic territories

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Quraysh

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Tribe of Bedouins that controlled Mecca in 7th century c.e

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Copts

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Christians sect of Egypt; tended to support Islamic invasions of this area in preference to Byzantine rule

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five pillars

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The obligatory religious duties of all Muslims; confession of faith, prayer, fasting during Ramadan, zakat, and hajj

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Ka Ba

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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

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Battle of Siffin

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Fought in 657 between forces of Ali and Umayyads; settled by negotiation that led to fragmentation of Ali's party