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5 K's
(n.) the five physical markers of Sikhs initiated into the Khalsa: uncut hair, comb, bracelet, dagger (kirpan), and under-trousers
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Adi Granth
(n.) the holy book of Sikhs, also called “Guru Granth” or “Guru Granth Sahib”
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Allah
(n.) the primary Muslim name for God
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communalism
(n.) violence between religious communities in the subcontinent, or contentious efforts towards religious supremacy
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dagger
(n.) one of the 5 K’s worn by Sikhs in the Khalsa, especially contentious in Western contexts such as air travel
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Ek onkar
(n.) “one eternal reality”: a term expressing the Sikh commitment to a unified God; the opening statement of the Guru Granth, and the beginning of Sikh morning meditations; also written variously Ik Omkar, Ikk Oan Kar…
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Golden Temple
(n.) the foremost Sikh temple, located in the city of Amritsar
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Guru Granth Sahib
(n.) alternate name for the Sikh holy book (= the honored book-guru)
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Guru Nanak
(n.) founder of Sikhism
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gurudwara
(n.) term for a Sikh worship space, literally “gate/passage to the guru(s)”
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hadith
(n.) a story (or the collection of stories) about the deeds and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, used to supplement and interpret the Qur’an
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hajj
(n.) the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina
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Hussein
(n.) grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, whose death in the 7th century helped prompt the split between Sunnis and Shi’is, and is commemorated in Muharram celebrations
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imam
(n.) a learned person and Muslim community leader; often the worship leader in a mosque
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Islam
(n.) religion founded by the prophet Muhammad
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Islamic
(adj.) descriptor for things associated with Islam: Islamic art, Islamic architecture
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Khalsa
(n.) the order into which Sikhs can be initiated. Members of the Khalsa may be either male or female, and are enjoined to adopt the 5 Ks.
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kirpan
(n.) the name of the Sikh dagger
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langar
(n.) the kitchen attached to Sikh gurudwaras, to provide free meals and the opportunity to eat communally
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martyr
(n.) someone who has died for his/her religious convictions; a term used to describe two of the Sikh gurus, as well as Hussein in Muslim traditions
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masjid
(n.) Arabic term for a Muslim place of worship; a mosque
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mosque
(n.) Muslim place of worship
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Mughal/Mogul
(n.) a group of Muslims, originally from Central Asia, who conquered and ruled India from the 16th to 18th centuries; or (adj.) a descriptor of their practices or styles (e.g. Mughal art);
Note: Mughal emperor Shah Jahan was responsible for the Taj Mahal
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Muhammad
(n.) the founder of Islam, the author/recipient of the Qur’an, the ‘seal of the prophets’; also alternately spelled Mohamed, Mohammed…
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Muharram
(n.) a month in the Muslim calendar, during which time Shi’i Muslims celebrate the martyrdom of Hussein
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Muslim
(n.) an adherent to Islam; or (adj.) descriptor for a [noun] relating to Islam, such as “Muslim pilgrimage” or “Muslim calendar”
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Partition
(n.) when the British relinquished colonial control over India in 1947, the process by which British India was divided into India and Pakistan, based on religious lines
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Qur'an
(n.) the holy book of Islam, held to be the word of Allah as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad
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Ramadan
(n.) the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, during which time Muslims fast from sun-up to sun-down
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sharia
(n.) Muslim religious law, which is binding only to Muslims. Sharia can cover both criminal law and family/morality law. In many Muslim contexts, sharia is practiced as a supplement to civil law.
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Shi'i/Shia/Shiite
(n.) a branch of Islam, comprising perhaps as much as a fifth of the world’s Muslims, which broke from Sunni Islam after the Prophet’s death in order to follow his son, Ali.
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Sikh
(n.) literally a “student” (or follower) of Sikhism; or (adj.) pertaining to Sikhism
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Sufi
(n.) the mystical tradition of Islam, which may be Sunni, Shi’i, or mixed. Features holy men believed to cultivate ecstatic states and commune directly with God.
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Sunni
(n.) the majority tradition of Islam, dominant worldwide, including in Pakistan, Indonesia, and within India’s minority Muslim community
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