(See related pages)
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| arabesque | a type of ornament featuring plant and flower forms |
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| caliph (Arabic, "deputy") | the official successor to Muhammad and theocratic ruler of an Islamic state |
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| gilded (or gilt) | gold-surfaced; covered with a thin layer of gold, gold paint, or gold foil |
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| hajj | pilgrimage to Mecca, the fifth Pillar of the Faith in Islam |
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| hijra (Arabic, "migration" or "flight") | Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Medina in the year 622 |
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| illuminated manuscript | a handwritten and ornamented book, parts of which (the script, illustrations, or decorative devices) may be embellished with gold or silver paint or with gold foil, hence "illuminated" |
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| imam | a Muslim prayer leader |
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| infidel | a nonbeliever |
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| jihad (Arabic, "struggle" [to follow God's will]) | the struggle to lead a virtuous life and to further the universal mission of Islam through teaching, preaching, and, when necessary, warfare |
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| Kaaba (Arabic, "cube") | a religious sanctuary in Mecca; a square shrine containing the sacred Black Stone thought to have been delivered to Abraham by the Angel Gabriel |
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| Kufic | the earliest form of Arabic script; it originated in the Iraqi town of Kufa |
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| mihrab | a special niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca |
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| minaret | a tall, slender tower usually attached to a mosque and surrounded by a balcony from which the muezzin summons Muslims to prayer |
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| minbar | a stepped pulpit in a mosque |
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| mosque | the Muslim house of worship |
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| muezzin | a "crier" who calls the hours of Muslim prayer five times a day |
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| mullah | a Muslim trained in Islamic law and doctrine |
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| polygyny | the marriage of one man to several women at the same time |
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| sharia | the body of Muslim law based on the Quran and the Hadith |
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| stucco | fine plaster or cement used to coat or decorate walls |