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GLOSSARY
Al Abbas: An Uncle of and an ardent supporter of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  He embraced Islam when the Muslim forces were ready to enter Mecca.
Abdullah ibn Sallool: Leader of the hypocrites in Medina.
Abu‑Ayy'oob Al‑Ansaari: A man from Medina in whose house Prophet Muhammad stayed when he just arrived at Medina following his brilliant escape from Mecca.
Abu Bakr: A great Companion of Prophet Muhammad his friend and supporter and the first Khalifa.  His daughter A'isha was married to the Prophet.
Abu Baseer: A Meccan who converted to Islam, but because of the treaty of Hudaibiya, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) wouldn't allow him in Medina.  He organized bands to attack Quraish's caravans.
Abu Dajana: A Muslim hero during the battle of Ohod.  He made his body like a shield to receive the arrows, thus protecting Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) during a perilous period of the engagement.
Abu Jahl: An uncle of the Prophet (pbuh).  A grave enemy of Islam, and a self-appointed leader of opposition.  He was killed at Badr.
Abu Lahab: An Uncle of the Prophet (pbuh).  A grave enemy of Islam and a self-appointed leader of opposition.  He was specifically condemned in the Holy Quran.
Abu Sufyan: A grave enemy of Islam, and a self-appointed leader of op­position.  He converted to Islam when he had no choice, when the Muslims were ready to enter Mecca.
Ab'waa:

Place between Mecca and Medina where Amina, the mother of Muhammad (pbuh) died.
A'isha:  Wife of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) after Khadija had died.  She was the daughter of Abu Bakr; a teenager, young, vivacious, and well loved by the Prophet (pbuh).
Al‑Hasan:  The first beloved grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the son of Ali and Fatima, and Prince of the Youth in Paradise.
Al‑Husain: The second beloved grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the son of Ali and Fatima and Prince of the Youth in Paradise.
Al‑Jandal: A place far away from Medina from which Muslims began their preemptive maneuvers against the disbelievers who were planning to destroy them.
Ali:

Beloved cousin of the Prophet (pbuh) and his son‑in‑law, the most ardent supporter of Islam, the legendary hero of most military engagements, the fourth Khalifa, and the first Imam.
Amr ibn Abd-Wid:

The unbeaten hero of pagan Quraish who was able to cross the ditch, had a tough duel with Ali, and was finished off by Ali.
Ammar ibn Yasir: One of the famous companions of the Prophet (pbuh).
Ansaar: Muslims of Medina.
Aus: A large tribe in Medina, which was constantly at odds with Khazraj, but as both tribes converted to Islam, they became like brothers.
Badr: The first major battle between the Muslims and the disbelievers of Quraish of Mecca; the Muslims had a brilliant victory though they were outnumbered three to one.
Benu Nadheer: A Jewish tribe in Medina, which had a treaty of mutual defense with the Muslims, but broke the treaty afterwards.  Underminers against Islam.
Benu Quraidha: A Jewish tribe in Medina which also had a treaty of mutual defense with the Muslims, but also broke the treaty afterwards.
Benu Saleem: A tribe which received Muslim missionar­ies as they had requested, and they murdered five of the missionaries in a deceptive attack.
Benu Thaqif:  A tribe in the town of Ta'if.
Ditch Encounter: To defend themselves, the Muslims dug a large ditch at a certain area around Medina where it was most vulnerable.  This way they prevented the very large force of the enemy from military engagement, thus thwarting a would-be disaster.
Du'aa Qunoot: A special prayer said after the morning Salat; this was said by the Muslims in the period which followed Ohod battle.
Eid: Celebration at the end of the month of Ramadhan, or during the Haj occasion.
Fatima: The beloved daughter of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and the wife of Ali, and the mother of Al‑Hasan and Al‑Husain.  Called by the Prophet:  The Princes of all Women.
Gabriel: An archangel who revealed the Message of Allah to the Prophet, be it Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, Ibrahim, etc., may peace and blessings of Allah be with them.
Ghadeer Khum: A place north of Mecca when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) delivered a famous speech after the occasion of the farewell Pilgrimage.  The speech was specifically for the support of Ali, and it was delivered in front of a very large crowd.
Haj: Pilgrimage to Mecca, a requirement of every Muslim, at least once in a lifetime, if he is capable and able to afford it.
Heracleus: Contemporary Roman Emperor.
Hijrah: The occasion of the brilliant escape of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from Mecca, to reside in Medina.  It marks the begin­ning­ of the Islamic calendar.
Hudaibiya: A famous treaty between Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the pagans of Quraish of Mecca.  It took place not too far from Mecca in the sixth year of Hijrah.
Hunain: A major battle between two large tribes on the one hand and the Muslims on the other hand.  It took place after the Muslims victoriously entered Mecca, and after the disbelievers of Mecca had converted to Islam.
Ibn Al‑Nadheer: During the heat of the battle of Ohod, this man saw Omar and Abu Bakr sitting sad and remorse, thinking that Muhammad (pbuh) was killed.  He urged them to carry on the fight, and he fought the enemy until he died.  His wounds were so numerous that no one could recognize him except his sister and she did that through a special scar on his finger
Itban: This person took the status as brother to Omar when the Muslims emigrated to Medina.
Ja'far ibn Abi Talib: A cousin of Muhammad (pbuh) and a brother of Ali, the leader of the Muslims in Abyssinia; also the second in command of the Muslims in Mu'ta engage­ment.  He was killed there after doing exceptionally well.
Khaybar: A strong hold of Jewish tribes, with many strong forts.  Ali stood out once more as the unmatched leader to conquer it.  Here the Prophet (pbuh) was almost successfully poisoned by a Jewish woman, but he forgave her.
Khalid ibnil Waleed: A giant military leader of superb caliber; did an outstanding job for the disbelievers during Ohod engagement; was out­maneuvered by the Muslims before Hudaibiya.  He embraced Islam the seventh year of Hijrah, was a leader in Mu'ta, and of one of the Muslim battalions that entered Mecca.
Kharija: This person took the status as brother to Abu Bakr when the Muslims emigrated to Medina.
Khazraj: A large tribe in Medina, used to be constantly at odds and warring with a challenger called Aus.  Both tribes became Muslim, and that changed them to be on very friendly terms.
Ka'ba: A large structure, cubicle in shape, originally built by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Isma'eel.  It is the focus toward which we turn as Muslims when we pray.  It is in Mecca.
Mecca: The birth place of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), where the Ka'ba is.
Meccans: People of Mecca.
Medina: A town north of Mecca by about 300 miles where Muhammad (pbuh) decided to emigrate, and where a great deal of Islamic activity took place.
Mount Safa:

A small mount near Ka'ba.
Muhaajir: A Muslim who left Mecca to live in Medina, and it applies to the early Muslims who withstood the torture and inhumanity of the Meccans, and escaped Mecca to live in the more favorable environment of Medina.
Muhajiroon: Plural of Muhaajir.
Mus'ab ibn Umair: The Muslim who was sent by Muhammad (pbuh) to Medina to teach Islam, after the Aqaba agreement.
Mu'ta: Battle between the Muslims and the Romans, where the Muslims were at least outnumbered fifty to one.
Najd: An area in Arabia that is far away from Mecca.
Nuaim: A negotiator between the disbelievers of Mecca and the Jews of Benu Quraidha, who succeeded in putting doubts in the minds of each side about the sincerity of the other.  His efforts helped the Muslims during the Ditch encounter.
Ohod: Battle between the disbelievers of Mecca and the Muslims.
Omar: A great Companion of the Prophet (pbuh), a dedicated supporter of Islam and the second Khalifa afterwards.
Omrah: Haj, but not at its due time.
Qubaa: The first mosque, built in the outskirts of Medina, when Muhammad (pbuh) had just arrived to the area, following his brilliant escape from Mecca.
Quraish: The most influential tribe in Mecca; Muhammad (pbuh) belonged to it.  It was a grave enemy to Islam and it fought the Muslims off and on for almost 20 years.
Pledge of Radhwan: Pledge of Muslims to fight unto death if Uthman would be killed by the Meccan pagans.  It took place just before the Hudaibiya treaty.
Sa'ad ibn Mu'adh: The man who was selected by the Jewish tribe Benu Quraidha to judge their fate, and his decision was unconditionally accepted by them and by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Sa'eed: Omar's brother‑in‑law.
Salat: Prayer of the Muslims.
Salman the Persian: A close companion of the Prophet, who gave the brilliant suggest­ion to the Muslims of digging a ditch around part of Medina for its defense against the pagan Quraish and its allies.
Saum: Fasting.
Tabuk: Place where a great Muslim force under the Prophet's leader­ship, came to face the Romans, but the Romans didn't engage in a battle.
Ta'if: A town about 60 miles from Mecca.
Tawaf: Going around the Ka'ba.
Thul‑Noorain: Nickname of Uthman, the great Companion of the Prophet (pbuh) who was married twice to the Prophet's daughters, and the third Khalifa.
Umm Hani: The first lady who was told the story of Israa and Mi'raaj by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Umm Kalthum: Daughter of the Prophet (pbuh) and wife of Uthman.
Uthman: A great Companion of the Prophet (pbuh), a wealthy man, nick‑named Thul‑Noorain because he was married to a daughter of the Prophet at first, and when she died, he married her sister.  He became the third Khalifa.
Yasir: The first Muslim who was tortured to death by the unbelievers of Mecca.  His wife Sumayah had similar treatment.
Yathrib: The town we call Medina after the Prophet (pbuh) had settled in it.
 

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