Terms and Definitions (Islamic and related)

Abrogation: The principle that later text overrides,cancels, or is considered "better than" earlier text. Consequently, the later warring and supremacist writings of Mohammad abrogate his earlier peaceful writings. (synonym: "nasik") See also Quar'an.

Allah: Primarily, the god of Islam. Arabic Christians also worship "Allah" but He is the God of the Bible, a much different God in character and doctrine.

Allahu Akhbar: "Allah is the greatest"; the violent jihadists call to action; war cry of Muslims.

AH: The Islamic calendar's system of dating; based on lunar rather than solar years.

Ansar: "Aiders" or "helpers"; Arabian tribesmen allied with Muhammad and the early Muslims.

Antisemitism: Hateful teachings or actions against Jews. A basic teaching of the Qur'an and Hadiths.

Apostasy: Abandoning ones faith; punishable by death if committed by a Muslim. See "honor Killing"

Caliph: Title of the ruler or leader of the Caliphate or Umma (global Muslim community); the head of the former Islamic Empire; the title was abolished by Kemal Attaturk in 1924 following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire and the founding of modern Turkey. Look for the return of the Caliph and Caliphate.

Caliphate: System of governance, likely based on Sharia law, over an Islamic empire comprised of many Islamic nations over a broad region of the globe or over the entire globe (Umma). The authoritarian ruling individual or body over all Muslim dominated terrirtories. Non-Muslims within such terroritories will also be subject to the Caliphate.

Crusade: 1. Any of the military expeditions undertaken by European Christians in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries in a delayed response to 400 years of Islamic conquest, especially of Chriastian holy lands. 2. A vigorous concerted movement for a cause or against an abuse.

Cultural diversity: The culturally and morally destructive belief that all cultures and ideologies are equally good and should share equal status in society no matter how dangerous or destructive to the predominant culture they may be.

Dajjal: The Islamic anti-Christ or false prophet. This would be the real Christ in Christian theology. See End Times Differences at "Christianity and Islam: Differences Simplified"

dar al-Islam: "House (Realm) of Islam"; Islamic territory ruled by Sharia law; see "Umma"

dar al-harb: "House (Realm) of War": territory ruled by infidels

dar al-sulh: "House (Realm) of Truce": territory ruled by infidels but allied with Islam; territory ruled by Muslims but not under Sharia law

Dawah: Islamic "evangelism." May include "evangelism" by persuasion, intimidation, coercsion, and terror. "Evangelism" as jihad.

Dhimma: The pact of protection extended to non-slave "People of the Book", usually Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians, which permitted them to remain nominally free under Muslim rule but subject to a "protection tax" and onerous restrictions on free speech and free religious practice.

Dhimmi: "Protected"; people under the protection of the dhimma. A sub-type of "Kafir"

Dhimmitude: The status of infidels in an Islamic dominated or intimidated country or region; word coined by historian Bat Ye'or. More HERE.

Dissimulation: Islamic Taqiyya and Kithman; to conceal one's true feelings or intentions; deception.

Evangelism: The process of attempting to convert another to your faith. The means of Christian evangelism is through telling the truth, reason, and persuasion in love. The means of Islamic evangelism is through Dawah where "any means justifies the end."

Facism: 1 a. A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent supremacism and bigotry. b. A political or religious philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government such as Sharia Law. 2. Oppressive, dictatorial control.

Word History: The Italian name of the movement, fascismo, is derived from fascio, "bundle, (political) group," but also refers to the movement's emblem, the fasces, a bundle of rods bound around a projecting axe-head that was carried before an ancient Roman magistrate by an attendant as a symbol of authority and power - equate to Islamic Minarets. The name of Mussolini's group of revolutionaries was soon used for similar nationalistic movements in other countries that sought to gain power through violence and ruthlessness, such as National Socialism and now Islamacism.

Hadith: "Report"; any of thousands of episodes from the life of Muhammad transmitted orally until written down in the eighth century AD; sahih (reliable or sound) hadiths are second only to the Quran in authority.

Hijra: "Emigration"; Muhammad's flight from Mecca to Medina (Yathrib) in AD 622.

Honor killing: Sanctioned killing of one who brought shame to the family; predominantly in Islamic cultures; often for apostacy.

Imam: The male prayer leader in a mosque or the Muslim worshiper who leads the recitation of prayer when two or more worshipers are present. An imam could also be a ruler claiming descent from Muhammad and exercising authority in an Islamic state, any one of the founders of the four schools of law and theology, or an authoritative scholar who founds a school of law or theology.

Infidel: Any non-Muslim; see "dhimmi" or "kafir"

Islam: The ideology followed by Muslims based on the Qur'an and the words and actions of Mohammad. Literally: "submission" or "surrender."

Islamism: Islam as a political movement, an ideology. In fact, Islam is Islamism.

Islamophobe: A derogatory term used by defenders of Islam against those who are teaching the truth about the real nature of Islam. A non-Muslim who knows too much about Islam.

Islamist: One who believes and practices the ideology of Islam. This term is used to distinguish active or devout Muslims from inactive or less devout Muslims, or those who are perceived to be "moderate Muslims."

Jihad: Literally "struggle." This "struggle is claimed by Muslim apologists to be an "inner struggle." Evidence of the past decade indicates Jihad is primarily an "outer struggle" comprised of physical terrorism and political intimidation. See also "Stealth Jihad" below.

Jizya: The poll or head tax prescribed by Sura 9:29 of the Quran to be paid by Christians and Jews in Muslim-held territory.

Kafir: A non-believer, an infidel, or an ingrate to the Islamic faith, whether protected under Sharia law or not. See also "dhimmi".

Kithman: Hiding the truth, especially about Islam. One who exposes the truth that may result in harm to the religion, Allah will disgrace. (see Taqiyya)

Mahdi: The Islamic Messiah; equated with the Christian anti-Christ by some. See The Islamic Anti-Christ.

Mecca: Holiest city of Islam; place of Muhammad's birth in AD 570; its Great Mosque contains the Kaba stone; early period in Muhammad's life where more peaceful verses of the Quran were revealed; site of Muhammad's victory over the Quraish in AD 630.

Medina: "City," short for "city of the Prophet"; second holiest city of Islam; destination of Muhammad's Hijra (emigration) in AD 622; later period in Muhammad's life where more violent verses of the Quran were revealed; site of third major battle fought by Muhammad against the Quraish tribe from Mecca; formerly called Yathrib.

Minaret: A tall slender tower attached to a mosque, having one or more projecting balconies from which a muezzin summons the people to prayer and which serves as a statement of Islamic dominance and influence within its general area. Prime Minister of Turkey: "“The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets, and the faithful our soldiers...this holy army guards my religion."

Misunderstanders of Islam: An expression used to identify Muslims who commit acts of terror and whom Islamic apologists believe is a result of the terrorist's misunderstanding of Islamic doctrine. Example: If I belonged to an association that promoted wife beating, and I beat my wife, my "defense" would be that I am a misunderstander of the tenants of my wife beating organization - which actually makes no sense, as it makes no sense in the case of Islam.

Moderate Muslim: Either a "nominal Muslim" who does not understand Islamic ideology or who chooses not to practice his faith, OR a Muslim who only appears to disavow the violent, supremacist teaching and practice of Islam. Often the labeling of most Muslims as "moderate" is presumption or wishful thinking on the part of the non-Muslim observer. Many moderates may in fact be those who practice or promote Jihad passively or covertly rather than actively and overtly.

Moral equivalency: The amoral belief that every act or set of acts is as good or bad as (equivalent to) another, e.g. the illogical claim that 500 acts of violence a month in the name of Islam is the moral equivalent to one act of violence every two years in the name of Christianity.

Mohammad: Alternate spelling of "Muhammad". Sometimes written "Mo" for short.

Mufti: A Sunni Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law (Sharia).

Muhammad: The founder of the Islamic religion 600 years after Christ; literally "the praised one."

Mullah: An educated Muslim trained in religious law and doctrine and usually holding an official post; a Muslim having considerable influence over the individuals under his tuteledge.

Muslim: A follower of Islam. Literally: "one who submits."

Muslim Brotherhood: Islamic religious and political organization founded (1928) in Egypt by Hasan al-Banna who was involved with traditional Islamic education in Egypt. Opposed to secular tendencies in Islamic nations, the organization has sought to foster a return to the original supremacist, intolerant and violent precepts of the Qur'an to further Islam. It grew rapidly, establishing an educational, economic, military, and political infrastructure. Threatened by its power, Egypt's government twice banned (1948, 1954) the organization. It has since existed largely as a clandestine but militant group, marked by its rejection of Western influences. The Muslim Brotherhood remains strong in Egypt, Syria, Sudan, and other Arab countries and has resorted to acts of political violence. It was permitted to operate openly in Egypt in the late 1980s and early 90s after disavowing violence in the 1970s, but the government again moved against the group beginning in the mid-1990s. Members have been elected to Egypt's parliament as independents, and in 2005 candidates linked to the group won a fifth of the seats in parliament, a record. Egypt subsequently mounted a new crackdown on the group, beginning in late 2006, and in 2007 the nation's constitution was amended to prohibit religious-based political parties. In the 2011 revolution, the Muslim Brotherhood gained considerable political influence in Egypt. In Jordan the Muslim Brotherhood's political arm, the Islamic Action Front, is an important opposition party. The Muslim Brotherhood has given rise to a number of more militant and violent organizations, such as Hamas.

Nasik: See "abrogation."

Nation of Islam (NOI): An organization native to the United States comprised of blacks who espouse Islamic doctrine including belief in Mohammad and the Qur'an and most Shia and Sunni interpretations. The primary distinction is their black supremacist (racist) beliefs and actions.

People of falsehood: A name that the Qur'an applies to non-Muslims; ironic since Islam teaches taqiyya (deceit) as an integral part of its ideology.

People of the book: Jews and Crhistians (used derogatorily)

Qur'an (Kuran, Koran, Quran, etc.): "Recitation"; according to Islam, the compiled verbatim words of Allah as dictated by Muhammad.

Radical Islam: A term used by those who are ignorant of historic Islam to mistakenly marginalize violent or hateful beliefs and actions of Muslims as if they were not part of Islamic teaching, when in fact such beliefs and actions have been an integral part of Islamic doctrine from the beginning.

Razzia: "Raid"; acts of piracy on land or sea by Muslims against infidels

Reformation: Reintroducing the original tenants of a religion. As there was a "Protestant reformation", there is also presently an Islamic reformation.

Revert: A term used by Muslims to indicate reversion to their original Islamic faith from birth (Islam teaches that everyone is born Muslim) or a resurgence of their later faith. Similar to Christian "convert."

Salafi Islam: A historic, orthodox branch of Islam, i.e. violent and intolerant. Salafis regularly bash Sufism as un-Islamic and their rituals as unbelief and infidelity.

Sharia law: Islamic law incorporating harsh and unforgiving 6th century forms of punishment to alledged offenders. From Joel Richardsons "Democracy Under Attack web page: "Shariah, often referred to as “Islamic Law,” is in actuality a legal doctrine based on the Quran and Hadith (sayings and acts of Mohammed), but one which goes far beyond what Westerners would regard as religious matters or routine legal matters. It is, in fact, a cultural, political, legal and financial system of mandatory laws and punishment. Shariah governance is complex and all-encompassing, controlling every aspect of life. Many of the values and practices found in Islamic law contradict those of our constitutional republic."

Shia Muslim (or Shiah): Second largest Muslim group constituting about 10% of total Muslims. Differences from Sunni involve who had historic rule over Muslim communities and has since evolved into deeper doctrinal differences.

Shirk: Doing things for reasons other than pleasing Allah; holdng other values higher than esteem for Allah alone. Considered an unforgivable sin, although there are some behaviors that are considered "minor shirk" that are forgivable. Christian equivalent: blashpheming the Holy Spirit.

Stealth Jihad: An organized effort by and on behalf of Muslims to infiltrate and influence our government,civic organizations and general population for the purposes of...

1) Discrediting the work of those of us who are attempting to inform people of the threat of Islam to our culture, country, and freedom.

2) Furthering the cause of Islam in this nation, and

3) Especially to work toward the implementation of Sharia Law in this nation.

Stockholm Syndrome: Human psychological reaction to an overwhelming fear of an oppressor that results in relating to and accommodating the oppressor. Isreal is said to be subject to the Stockholm Syndrome in many of its political actions because it is surrounded by hostile Islamic nations that have vowed to eradicate it. Many appeasers of Islam in the United States may have allowed themselves to be subject to this condition.

Sudden Jihad Syndrome: The tipping point where an individual thought to be a "moderate Muslim" practices violent Jihad.

Sufi Islam: A somewhat spiritualized version of orthodox Islam. Its practioners are considered to be "moderate" compared to orthodox Sunni, Salafi, and Shia Islam. However, some sources suggest that Sufism isn't as mystically peaceloving as it is often portrayed.

Sunni Islam: The largest branch of Islam, comprising at least 85% of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims. See "Shia" for differences.

Sunnah: The "Way" of the Prophet Muhammad; includes his teachings, traditions, and example. Equal in importance to the Qur'an.

Sura: A chapter of the Qur'an; Qur'anic passages are cited as Sura number:verse number, e.g., 9:5.

Taqiyya: The practice of deceit for the purpose of furthering Islam. Related: "Kithman" and "al-Taqiyya" - "Concealing or disguising one's beliefs, convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions, and/or strategies at a time of imminent danger, whether now or later in time, to save oneself from physical and/or mental injury." Dissimulation. Taqiyya may be employed for any purpose whereby "any end justifies the means." In a sentence: "Is Barack Obama claiming he is Christian as part of his practice of "taqiyya?"

Umma (ummah): the global Muslim community; the body of Muslim faithful. The brotherhood and feelings of close ties Muslims have for one another. The umma is a significant reason for the lack of Muslim outcry against terror committed by their "brothers."

Wahabbi: A growing sect of Islam introduced by Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab advocating the reformation of Islam to reflect its earliest supremacist teachings and the imposition of Sharia law. Most funding for worldwide Wahabbi teaching, especially in the US, comes from Saudi Arabia.

Zionism: The belief in a Jewish homeland, either literal or spiritual. Referring to Zion: The homeland of the Jews and a spiritual homeland for many Christians. A belief despised by Muslims and frowned upon by many American progressives and liberal Jews.

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Definitions are derived from several sources. A number of definitions are based on Robert Spencer's Islam 101 and annotated to further elaborate.