Bedouins
nomadic herders
Muhammad
the messenger of God who devoted his life to spreading Islam
Mecca
the pilgrimage center that also served as a bustling market town
Yathrib
the city Muhammad and his followers fled to
Hijra
the journey of Muhammad and his followers to Yathrib
Medina
"city of the Prophet"; previously Yathrib
Kaaba
the temple Muhammad believed Abraham had built to worship the one true God
Quran
the sacred text of Islam that teaches that God is all-powerful and compassionate
Mosques
Muslim houses of worship
Hajj
pilgrimage to Mecca
Jihad
struggle in God's service
Sharia
a body of law that includes interpretations of the Quran, examples of behavior from Muhammad's life, and Muslim traditions
Abu Bakr
Muhammad's father in law who became the caliph after Muhammad
Caliph
successor to Muhammad
Sunni
Muslims that believe inspiration comes from the example of Muhammad as recorded by his early followers
Shiite
Muslims that believe descendants of Muhammad are divinely inspired religious leaders who are empowered to interpret the Quran and actions of Muhammad
Sufis
Muslim mystics who sought communication with God through meditation, fasting, and other rituals
umayyad
a dynasty of Sunni caliphs who ruled the Muslim empire until 750
Abbasid
a dynasty which lasted until 1258
Baghdad
a city chosen as a capital by al-Mansur
Minarets
slender towers of the mosques
sultan
ruler
social mobility
the ability to move up in the social class
Firdawsi
author of the Shah Namah or Book of Kings that tells the history of Persia
Omar Khayyam
a scholar and an astronomer known best by The Rubaiyat
Calligraphy
the art of beautiful writing