Hassan Abbas - The Prophets Heir: The Life of Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Ahl al-Bayt

the Prophets family and household, especially Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussain

Amir al-Mumineen

Commander of the Faithful

Ansar

helpers: members of Medinas clans who converted to Islam

Ashura

the tenth day of the Islamic month of Muharram when Muslims (especially Shia) mourn the martyrdom of Alis son Hussain at the battle of Karbala

Banu Hashim

the clan of Prophet Muhammad descending from his ancestor Hashim

Banu Umayya

the clan of Abu Sufyan, Muawiya and Yazid descending from their ancestor Umayya

Caliph

the successor to Prophet Mohammad and the temporal leader of the Muslim community

Companions

the first generation of Muslims, those who followed and supported the Prophet and remained loyal to him

Fitna

sedition, trial and civil strife

Hadith

the words and deeds attributed to Prophet Muhammad, sometimes translated as traditions of the Prophet

Hajj

the pilgrimage to Makkah

Hanif

pre-Islamic Arab monotheist (following Abrahams tradition)

Hilf al-Fudul

meaning league or alliance of the virtuous a social contract between various Makkan tribal leaders and businessmen to pursue justice for all members of the society

Ibn

means son of, and bint means daughter of

Imam

for Shia, divinely inspired leader of the community; for Sunni, it refers to leader of prayer in a mosque, and also used for religious authority (such as four founders of Sunni schools of jurisprudence)

Irfan

spiritual awareness or mystical knowledge

Kaaba

the ancient religious sanctuary at Makkah that was rededicated to Allah (God) by the Prophet

Kharijites

literally seceders, so named as they seceded from Alis army subsequent to arbitration at Siffin. Condemning the decision, and Alis approach, with the dictum Judgement belongs to God alone, they attacked and killed any who disagreed with their position

Maula

Master, protector, friend or guide depending upon context

Muhajirun

emigrants who accompanied the Prophet from Makkah to Medina

Nahj al-Balagha

an eleventh century collection of Alis sayings, letters and sermons compiled by Sayyid Razi

Nasibi

one who displays hostility towards the family of the Prophet, and especially Ali

Quraysh

the rulers of Makkah in pre-Islamic Arabia; the tribe to which the Prophet belonged

Shia

literally meaning followers: the shortened form of Shiat Ali, followers of Ali, believing that Ali should have been the Prophets successor as first caliph and that he was also a divinely appointed Imam

Sirat Rasul Allah

earliest biography of Prophet Muhammad written by ibn Ishaq (d. 767)

Sufism

mystical tradition of Islam

Sunni

denotes the group that emulates the Prophets practice, and maintains that the Prophets succession process for Caliph Abu Bakr and later caliphs was legitimate

Tawhid

oneness of God

Ummah

the Muslim community (and in a broader sense including religious minorities living with Muslims)

Wahhabism

ideological following of Muhammad bin Abd al-Wahhab (170392), an ultra-conservative Arab preacher

Wali

friend, guardian and protector

Walayah

spiritual authority and guardianship

Wilayah

guardianship

Zakat

mandatory alms given to the Muslim community and distributed to the poor

Zamzam

a freshwater spring located about 20 meters from the Kaaba

Zulfiqar

famous sword of Ali presented to him by Prophet Muhammad

570 CE

Birth of Prophet Muhammad

Year of the Elephant, Abrahas attack on Makkah

Death of Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophets grandfather

Prophet Muhammad adopted by uncle Abu Talib and his wife Fatima bint Asad