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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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Sacred profession of Islamic faith, translated as “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his Messenger.” Muslims are called to recite this during each of their daily prayers, and it is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
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(related, dhimmi) (Arabic: People of the Book): A term found in the Quran, designating Jews, Christians, and Sabians as believers in a revealed book, specifically the Bible or Torah. Special protections were extended to those deemed dhimmi or protected ones under Muslim rule, in return for a tax paid (jizya).
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The name of the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, it is also the holy month of fasting (sawm), one of the Five Pillars of Islam (Arkan al-Islam), the basic duties of a Muslim.
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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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(Arabic: community): The collective community of Islamic people throughout the world.
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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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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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(Arabic: migration): The Prophet Muhammad’s migration, along with his followers, from Mecca to Medina in 622.
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The “doubters,” this is a reference to those in Medina during the Prophet Muhammad’s stay there who doubted the legitimacy of his religious claims and thus his political leadership.
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Sanctuary, often a religious sanctuary. Also a reference to forbidden areas.
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Daily prayers recited by Muslims and one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
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