Islam

Important Terms of the Islamic Faith

Kaaba• Means, “The Cube” in English• A cubed shaped building in Mecca, Saudi

Arabia• Most sacred site in Islam• All Muslims around the world face Kabba

when praying no matter where they are in the world

A picture of the Kaaba

Koran• Also known or spelled as– Qur’an

• Literally translated to mean, “the recitation”• It is the foundation of Islam– Final authority in dogma and belief, in jurisprudence,

worship, ethics, and in conduct of the family, society, and the indvidual

• Has 114 chapters• Shows no chronological order or logical sequence

Monotheism • Comes from the Greek “monos” meaning only

and “theos” meaning god• Means the belief in one supreme God• Jews, Christians, and Muslims all practice

monotheism

Hijra• The migration of the

prophet Muhammad and his followers to the city of Medina in 622 AD

• Also spelled Hijrah and Hegira

• The Muslim year in which the Hijra occurred was designated the first year in the Islamic calendar

Jihad• Word translated into such meanings as:

– Struggle, effort, to strive, to exert, or to fight– The translation depends on the usage of the word

• The Koran calls for a jihad in two ways:– A military struggle on behalf of Islam– An internal, spiritual struggle towards self-improvement or a moral

cleansing• The Prophet Muhammad saw jihad in two ways:

– Armed struggle towards war – “the little jihad”– The Inner struggle; the war within oneself – “the big jihad”

• A jihad is considered to be every Muslim’s duty to improve society before the Day of Judgment

• In the West, jihad typically means, “holy war” but this is a misconception

Caliph• Successors as the leaders of Islam after the death

of Muhammad • Literally means representative or successor• Dispute of the the 4th Caliph caused the split

between the two sects of Islam: the Sunni and Shi’a– Sunni Muslims believe the Caliph does not have to be

a blood relative of Muhammad– Shi’a Muslims believe the Caliph does have to be a

blood relative of Muhammad

Allah• The one and only God in the Islamic faith• In Arabic the word means, “God”• In Islam the proper name of God• There are 99 names of God– The 99 characteristics of Allah

• The Koran says that Muslims believe that Muhammad and his followers worship the same God as the Jews

Islam• The monotheistic religion using the Koran to

provide the word of God or Allah in Arabic• The word Islam means: submission (to God)• A follower of Islam is known as a Muslim• Believe and practice the 5 pillars of Islam• Broken down into two major sects– Sunni– Shi’a

Mosque• A place of worship for the followers of Islam• In Arabic the word literally means:

“prostration”• Mosques serve several reasons:– For Salat (prayer)– Centers for education and information– A places to settle disputes

Minaret• Distinctive architectural features of mosque• Tall spires• Onion-shaped or conical crowns• Basic form include: base, shaft, and gallery• Styles depend on the time period• Provides a visual place or point for prayer

Imam• An leadership position in Islam• The worship leader of a mosque and Muslim

community• Head of Islamic services• Answers religious questions • In the Sunni sect the Imam is not a cleric• In the Shi’a sect the Imam have a more central

clerical role