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“Island” in Arabic, this is a reference to the geographic area across present-day north-central Syria and Iraq that fell between, like an island, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
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The family of the Prophet Muhammad. Today, the monarchies in Jordan and Morocco claim descent from the family of the Prophet and therefore are considered Hashimite kingdoms.
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Annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, considered to be one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Muslims are expected to undertake the hajj at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able.
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(Arabic: the helpers): These helpers were residents of Medina who took the Prophet Muhammad and his followers (the Muhajirun) into their homes after the hijra from Mecca. They became an important interest group in early Islam.
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Those who followed Muhammad and accompanied him from Mecca to Medina in the Hijra in 622 CE.
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Meaning “two natures,” it is a reference to the Christian belief in the two natures of Jesus Christ, divine and human miraculously fused into one. It became the official religion of the Byzantine Empire at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE, in opposition to Monophysites.
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(Arabic: community): The collective community of Islamic people throughout the world.
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The direction of prayer for Muslims, which is toward the Kaaba, in the Great Mosque in Mecca.
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Tradition or custom of the Prophet Muhammad based on his sayings (hadith). It is second only to the Quran in terms of its religious significance as a guide for Muslims.
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The tribe into which the Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca. It controlled trade and dominated in Mecca during the time of the Prophet.
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(Arabic: migration): The Prophet Muhammad’s migration, along with his followers, from Mecca to Medina in 622.
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Members of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the largest Christian religion in Egypt, or a more generic cultural term for Egyptian Christians.
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