Glossary Of Terms
al-Qa'eda: "The base," an organization of suspected terrorist groups known to work with Osama bin Laden.
Allah: "God," in Arabic.
Hamas: An Arabic acronym that stands for the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement.
Hezbollah: "Party of God" in Arabic. Islamic Resistance Movement in Lebanon.
Islam: Religion preached by the Prophet Muhammad and practiced by Muslims. In Arabic, it means "surrender" or "submission to the will of God."
jihad: To strive, struggle and exert effort, in Arabic. In the Quran, jihad is connected with the imperative to command good and forbid evil, especially with reference to the struggle of believers against persecution and idolatry.
Muhammad: The founder of Islam. Muhammad was born in the Arabian city of Mecca. His prophetic career started when he was about 40 years old. After an initial period in which only his family knew of his religious experiences, he started a public career in Mecca as a prophet and reformer. He moved from Mecca to Medina in 622. The record of Muhammad's life and prophetic activity is found only partly in the Quran.
mujahidin: Holy warriors. The name refers to Afghan guerrillas who fought against Russian occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. Osama bin Laden joined the U.S.-based movement in 1983.
Muslim: Follower of Islam.
Quran: The Koran, Islam's holy book.
Ramadan: Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, which is based on the moon. Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad during the month of Ramadan. The month is a special time of worship, Quran reading, charitable acts, and individual reflection and purification.
Shahadah: Declaring that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet.
Salah: Praying five times a day, facing Mecca.
Sawm: Fasting from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic lunar year.
Sufism: Term generally applied to mystical currents in Islam.
Shia and Sunni: The two major branches of Islam. Sunni is the branch of the majority of Muslims (approximately 85 percent), and a minority of Muslims are Shii'te (15 percent). This division occurred over the question of succession: Who was to lead the community after the death of Muhammad? The result was the institutions of the Sunni caliphate and the Shii Imamate.
Taliban: "The students," in Arabic. The hard-line Islamic militia that ruled Afghanistan according to a strict interpretation of the Koran.
ulema: Islamic clerics.
Zakat: Giving charity and supporting the community.
Allah: "God," in Arabic.
Hamas: An Arabic acronym that stands for the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement.
Hezbollah: "Party of God" in Arabic. Islamic Resistance Movement in Lebanon.
Islam: Religion preached by the Prophet Muhammad and practiced by Muslims. In Arabic, it means "surrender" or "submission to the will of God."
jihad: To strive, struggle and exert effort, in Arabic. In the Quran, jihad is connected with the imperative to command good and forbid evil, especially with reference to the struggle of believers against persecution and idolatry.
Muhammad: The founder of Islam. Muhammad was born in the Arabian city of Mecca. His prophetic career started when he was about 40 years old. After an initial period in which only his family knew of his religious experiences, he started a public career in Mecca as a prophet and reformer. He moved from Mecca to Medina in 622. The record of Muhammad's life and prophetic activity is found only partly in the Quran.
mujahidin: Holy warriors. The name refers to Afghan guerrillas who fought against Russian occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. Osama bin Laden joined the U.S.-based movement in 1983.
Muslim: Follower of Islam.
Quran: The Koran, Islam's holy book.
Ramadan: Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, which is based on the moon. Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad during the month of Ramadan. The month is a special time of worship, Quran reading, charitable acts, and individual reflection and purification.
Shahadah: Declaring that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet.
Salah: Praying five times a day, facing Mecca.
Sawm: Fasting from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic lunar year.
Sufism: Term generally applied to mystical currents in Islam.
Shia and Sunni: The two major branches of Islam. Sunni is the branch of the majority of Muslims (approximately 85 percent), and a minority of Muslims are Shii'te (15 percent). This division occurred over the question of succession: Who was to lead the community after the death of Muhammad? The result was the institutions of the Sunni caliphate and the Shii Imamate.
Taliban: "The students," in Arabic. The hard-line Islamic militia that ruled Afghanistan according to a strict interpretation of the Koran.
ulema: Islamic clerics.
Zakat: Giving charity and supporting the community.
Sources: USA Today, Beliefnet
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