Islamic Art

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Islam

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n. name of the religion, Abrahamic religion

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Muslim

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n. person who follows the religion of Islam

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Islamic

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adj. used to describe things related to religion/ culture, not people

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Quran (Koran)

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explains all that man needs to know in order to live a normal and spiritual life

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Sura

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chapters within the Quran, arranged in descending order of length

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Hadith

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the 'traditions' or 'sayings' relating to the life of Muhammad, next in importance after the Quran as a source of guidance

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anthropomorphic

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described or thought of as having a human form or attributes

ascribing human characteristics to non-human things

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Kaaba

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black-draped windowless cube in Mecca believed to have been built by Abraham that contains the Black Stone said to have been given to Abraham by the Angel Gabriel

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Hijra

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name for Muhammad's journey to the city of Medina (formerly Yathrib) where he became a religious and political leader, marks the first year of the Muslim Era

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Hajj

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the pilgrimage to Mecca that must be performed at least once in the lifetime of every Muslim according to the fifth pillar of Islam

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Masjid

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Arabic word for mosque

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Qibla

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direction faced in prayer

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mihrab

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concave prayer niche in the qibla wall, containslamp imagery, focal point of any mosque

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minbar

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where the Imamgives his sermon from, never stands on top step, on qibla wall

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prayer chamber

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next room in the mosque after the courtyard, must take off your shoes and coveryour head

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ablution fountain

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where people washthemselves before they go to pray

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portal

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fancy word for door

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plinth

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elevated, steps to the mosque

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minaret

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tower where someone would give the call toprayer, visual marker of a mosque

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Shia

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“party of Ali” – believe all successors must berelated to Muhammed

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Sunni

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believe successors should be chosen by elders

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Caliph/ Caliphate

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'successor' in Arabic/ area under the rule of the caliph

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hypostyle hall

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large room with supporting columns

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mosaic

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the arrangement of ceramic tile to create a design

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stucco

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fine plaster used for coating wall surfaces or molding into architectural decorations

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Dar al-Islam

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house/abode of Islam/peace, term that refers to those countries where Muslims can practice their religion as the ruling sect

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Dar al-Harb

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abode of war, term classically referring to those countries where the Muslim law is not in force

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blue and white ware

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porcelain, blue is the only color that could withstand the high temperatures

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lusterware

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porcelain/ ceramics, combination of metal oxides makes it look gold

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Arabic

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the language of the Arabs, spoken by some 150 million people throughout the Middle East and North Africa

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calligraphy

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decorative handwriting or handwritten lettering, highest form of art

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illumination

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decoration on pages of a manuscript

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spolia

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reusing earlier building material or decorative sculpture to make new structures

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architectural palimpsest

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structure that has been modified over time