Understanding ISIS, al-Qa'ida/al-Qaeda, al-Nusra, al-Shabaab

John Kelsay's page-turning book, "Arguing the Just War in Islam" offers insight into the history, ideology, motivations (extremist shari'a reasoning) and traditions of radical Islamic terrorist groups.

Vocabulary Phrases/Terms (a continuing list):

Ka'ba: a house of prayer for all Arabs

Umma: a community of faith

Year of the Elephant:

Abyssinian/Ethiopian:

Byzantine:

Sassanids:

al-'ulama: the literocracy, e.g. the Muslim clerics, literally, "the learned"

ahkam al-jihad: judgments for the use of armed force or terrorist plots