Muslim Vocabulary

Basic Vocabulary about Muslims and their Faith
Listed here are some general terms that are commonly used or referred to by Muslims. Some of them will be elaborated in more detail in the other curriculums.
Abrahamic religion: The three religions–Judaism, Christianity and Islam–which are all believed to originate from God and were conveyed through all the messengers from the time of Adam to the prophet Muhammad, including the prophet Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic).
Adhan: The call to prayer which is said in Arabic at the start of the prayer time interval.
Allah: The Arabic term for “God.”
As-salaam alaikum: A common greeting used by Muslims around the world which means “peace be upon you” in Arabic. The response is wa-alaikum as-salaam, “may peace be upon you too.”
Ayah (pl. Ayat): A verse in the Qur’an. Each surah or chapter varies in the number of ayat or verses that it has. The shortest chapter has 3 ayat and the longest has 286. There are over 6,000 ayat or verses in the Qur’an.
Eid ul Fitr: Celebration at the end of the month of Ramadan to commemorate the conclusion of the month of fasting. It begins with a special congregational prayer and sermon. Children receive new clothes and gifts, and many communities hold celebrations with carnivals and other fun activities for kids.
Eid ul-Adha: Celebration at the end of Hajj to commemorate the lives and examples of the prophets Abraham and Ishmael and those who have performed the ritual that year. It begins with a special congregational prayer and sermon. Many communities also hold celebrations with carnivals and other fun activities for kids.
Five pillars of Islam: 5 central practices of Muslims to help establish a spiritual relationship with God. They are: shahada or profession of faith; salat or five daily prayers; zakat, or mandatory donation; sawm or fasting in Ramadan; and hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if one is able.
Hadith: Sayings or actions of the Prophet Muhammad that were recorded by his companions and later collected and preserved for later generations. They help to elaborate on certain teachings, beliefs, and verses in the Qur’an.
Hijab: Headscarf worn by Muslim women for modesty.
Ihsan: Arabic term which means moral excellence, both in one’s relationship with God and in one’s everyday actions.
Imam: The leader of congregational prayer, or a religious leader.
Islam: The proper name of the religion which, like the word Muslim, comes from the root s-l-m, which means “peace.” Islam is commonly translated as “peace through following God’s Guidance.”
Ka’bah: Building in Mecca that is believed to be the first house of worship to God, which Muslims believe was built by the Prophet Abraham and his son Prophet Ishmael. Muslims face the Ka’bah when they pray. The building is cubical in shape and usually covered with a black cloth for protection.
Masjid: The Arabic word for “mosque,” the house of worship where Muslims gather for communal prayers. Masjid literally means “place of prostration.” Masjids in the U.S. generally also serve as community centers to serve a variety of needs of the community.
Monotheism: The belief in one God.
Muhammad: The final prophet to whom Muslims believe God revealed the Qur’an.
Muslim: A person who follows the religion of Islam. It sounds similar to the word Islam. This is because both of the words come from the same root s-l-m which means peace. A Muslim is someone who practices Islam.
Prophet: A person Muslims believe was chosen by God to teach two core messages: 1) God alone should be worshiped; and 2) people should strive to live ethically by treating others as they wish to be treated (The Golden Rule.) Adam is considered to be the first prophet and Muhammad is the last, with many others in between, 25 of whom are mentioned by name in the Qur’an, including well-known biblical figures such as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, David and Jesus.
Qur’an: The Holy Book of Islam, which is believed to be the words of God that were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The word Qur’an literally means “the recitation.”
Sunnah: The example or practice of the Prophet Muhammad. Much of what is known about the Sunnah is from the collection of sayings or reports known as hadith, or prophetic traditions.
Surah: A chapter of the Qur’an. There are 114 surahs in the Qur’an.
ʿAbd (عبد) (for male) ʾAmah (أمة) (for female)
servant, worshipper, slave. Muslims consider themselves servants and worshippers of God. Common Muslim names such as Abdullah (Servant of God), Abdul-Malik (Servant of the King), Abdur-Rahmān (Slave of the most Beneficent), Abdus-Salām (Slave of [the originator of] Peace), Abdur-Rahîm (Slave of the most Merciful), all refer to names of Allah.
ʾAdab (أدب)
Traditionally describes good manners, as in etiquette. For example, being courteous is good ʾadab. However, the term can be used very broadly, and the proper translation would be "the proper way to go about something," as in the example, ʾĀdāb al Qitāl, or, "The Proper Ways of Fighting in War," (Qitāl in Arabic means mortal combat) in which the word "etiquette" does not befit the context. A secondary meaning of ʾAdab is "literature".
ʾAdhān (أذان)
call to salat (prayer), sometimes alternatively spelled and pronounced Azan, Athan and Adhan.
ʿAdl (عدل)
justice, especially distributive justice: social, economic, political, environmental.
AH (هجرية)
Anno Hegirae The Islamic calendar starts counting years starting from the time when Muhammad had to leave Mecca and go to Medina, an event known as the Hijra. The first day of the first Islamic year is 1 Muḥarram 1 (AH) and corresponds to 16 July 622 (CE).
ʾAḥad (أحد)
literally "one." Islamically, ahad means One Alone, unique, none like God. Al-Ahad is one of the names of God.
ʾAḥkām (أحكام)
These are rulings and orders of the Qu'ran and Sunnah. A single ruling is called a Ḥukm. Five kinds of orders: Wajib or Fard (obligatory), Mustahab (preferred and recommended), Halal or Mubah (permissible), Makruh (disliked and not recommended), and Haram (forbidden)
ʾAhl al-Bayt (أهل البيت )
members of Muhammad's Household. Also known among Shia as the Maʿṣūmūn (معصومون) (infallibles; spiritually pure).
ʾAhl al-Fatrah ( أهل الفترة)
people who live in ignorance of the teachings of a revealed religion, but according to the "Fitra", the "Natural Religion" innate to human nature as created by God.
ʾAhl al-Kitāb (أهل الكتاب )
"People of the Book", or followers of pre-Islamic monotheistic religions with some form of scripture believed to be of divine origin which were mentioned in Quran: Jews,Christians.
ʾĀkhirah (الآخرة)
hereafter or eternal life
ʾAkhlāq (أخلاق)
The practice of virtue. Morals.
Al-ʾIkhlāṣ (الإخلاص)
Sincerity and genuineness in religious beliefs.
Al-Bir (البّر)
Piety and righteousness and every act of obedience to Allah.
ʿĀlamīn (عالمين)
Literally "worlds", humankind, jinn, angels and all that exists.
Al Hijr (Kaaba)
A semi-circular wall north-west of Kaaba.
ʿalayhi -s-salām (عليه السلام)
"Peace be upon him" This expression normally follows after naming a prophet (other than Muhammad), or one of the noble Angels (i.e. Jibreel (Gabriel), Meekaal (Michael), etc.)
al-ḥamdu li-llāh (الحمد لله)
"Praise be to God!" Qur'anic exclamation and also same meaning as hallelujah.
Allāh (الله)
The Arabic name of God.
Allāhumma (اللَّهُمَّ)
"Dear God..."
Allāhu ʾAkbar (الله أكبر)
"God is Greater (than anything or anyone, imaginable or unimaginable)" Islamic expression.
ʿĀlim (عالِم)
One who knows. A scholar (in any field of knowledge); a scientist (who knows science) or a theologian (who knows religion); similar to Japanese sensei, "teacher".
ʾAmānah (أمانة)
the trust. Of all creation, only human beings & jinns carry the "trust", which is free will.
ʾĀmīn (آمين)
Amen.
ʾAmīr ul-Muʾminīn (أمير المؤمنين)
"Commander of the Faithful" Historically the title of the Caliph. In some modern countries like Morocco, a ʾAmīr ul-Muʾminīn or Commander of the faithful is the religious chief.
ʾĀminah (آمنة)
Muhammad's mother. Aminah fell sick and died in Abwa, near Madina (then Yathrib) when Muhammad was six years old.
Al-ʾAmr Bi'l Maʿrūf (الأمر بالمعروف)
Islamic doctrine of enjoining right. There exists in Islam the (obligatory) principle of encouraging other people to do the right thing.
ʾAnfāl (أنفال)
Spoils of war. (See Sūrat al-ʾAnfāl (8:1)) (سورة الأنفال)[1]
ʾAnṣār (أنصار)
"Helpers." The Muslim converts at Medina who helped the Muslims from Mecca after the Hijrah.
ʿAqīdah (عقيدة)
Article of faith, tenet, creed, or dogma.
ʿAqīqah (عقيقة)
Islamic practice of shaving the head of the newborn male and contributing the weight in silver for charity as well as 2 lambs.
ʿAql (عقل)
Intelligence, intellect, mind, understanding
ʾArkān singular rukn (ركن/أركان)
The five rukn "pillars" of Islam. (See rukn)
A.S. (ʿAlayhi s-salām) (عليه السلام)
This acronym evokes a blessing and is appended to the names of the prophets who came before Muhammad. It will also be applied to the mothers of those prophets. When following a woman's name, the feminine form is ʿAlayha s-salām.
ʾAṣl ( أصل ) (pl. ʾuṣūl)
Root, origin, source; principle.
ʾaslim taslam (أسلِم تسلَم)
"Submit to Islam" (See dawah)
ʾAsmāʾ Allāh al-Ḥusnā (أسماء الله الحسنى)
List of God's 99 names. According to a hadith, the one who enumerates them all will enter Paradise.
ʿAṣr (العصر)
The third salat prayer. The time of the day before sunset and after noon. Also means "era".
Aṣ-Ṣirāṭ (الصراط)
The bridge by crossing which it is determined (judged) whether a person would go to heaven or hell. How a person crosses the Sirat depends on what they have done in their life and what they have believed in.
al-ʿAsharatu Mubashsharun bil-Jannah or just ʿAsharatu Mubashsharah (Arabic: العشرة المبشّرون بالجنة‎, translit. ʿAsharatu l-mubashshirūn‎ or Arabic: عشرة المبشّر‎,translit. Asharatul-mubashshirūna bil Jannah‎)
The ten companions of Muhammad who were promised paradise (only in Sunni Islam)
ʿĀshūrāʾ (عاشوراء)
Tenth day of the month of Muharram. It is the day God saved Moses and the children of Israel from the Pharaoh. The grandson of Muhammad, Imam Hussayn sacrificed his life along with 72 of his companions on the sand dunes of Karbala. Sunni Scholars recommended to fast during this day. To the Shias, it is also a day on which they mourn the death of the third Shia Imam, Husayn ibn Ali, along with his family and companions, who were killed in the famous battle in Karbala. They cry and weep and organize lamentating programmes where they not only learn how to live a proper Islamic life and improve their Spiritual Self but also cry at the end of the ritual to show their true love and faith towards imam Hussayn.
As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum (السلام عليكم)
The Islamic greeting; literally "Peace be upon you"; In addition, wa-Raḥmatullāhi wa-Barakātuhu (ورحمة الله وبركاته) means "and the Mercy of God and His blessing". The response to this greeting is wa-ʿAlaykum as-Salām wa-Raḥmatullāhi wa-Barakātuhu (وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته) --"And on you be the Peace and Mercy of God and His Blessing".
ʾAstaghfir allāh (أستغفر الله)
"I seek forgiveness from God." Islamic expression.
Aʿudhu billah (أعوذ بالله ʾAʿūdhu billāh)
"I seek refuge in God". This is a paraphrase on the beginnings of the two last suras in the Qur'an.
ʾAwliyāʾ (أولياء)
Friends, protectors, helpers, caretaker, maintainer. (singular: wali)
ʿAwrah (عورة)
The parts of the body, male or female, must be covered in public but not between spouses, such as, body parts must be concealed of a woman before non-related men.(Non-related men means those she can marry lawfully).
ʾĀyah (آية), plural ʾāyāt (آيات)
A sign. More specifically, a verse in the Qur'an.
Āyatullāh (آية الله, also spelled Ayatollah)
Sign of God Title given to highly ranked religious scholars in Sh'ia sect.
B[edit]
Baiʿa (بيعة)
See Bay'ah
Baatil (باطل)
see Bāṭil
Baitullāh (بيت الله baytu -llāh)
A mosque, literally "house of God". Specifically means the Ka'aba at Makkah (Mecca).
Bakka'in
a group known as the Weepers, who wept because they could not accompany Muhammad to Tabuk.
Barakah (بركة)
a form of blessing.
Bārak Allāhu Fīkum (بارك الله فيكم)
may Allah bless you; response to expression of thanks.
Barzakh (برزخ)
Barrier. Used in the Qur'an to describe the barrier between sweet and salty water. In theology, the one-way barrier between the mortal realm and the spirit world which the deceased soul crosses and waits for qiyamah judgment.
Bashar (بشر)
humankind, mankind, man, human(s), etc.
Baṣīrah (بصيرة)
Insight, discernment, perceptivity, deep knowledge. Sometimes used by Sufis to denote the ability to directly perceive a transcendental Truth.
Bāṭil (باطل)
void
Bāṯin (باطن)
The interior or hidden meaning. A person who devotes himself to studying such hidden meanings is a batini.
B.B.H.N. (عليه الصلاة والسلام)
Blessed be His Name – acronym for S.A.W.S. See P.B.U.H (Peace Be Upon Him).
Bidʿah (بدعة)
Innovation in religion, i.e. inventing new methods of worship. Bad Bidʿahs in Islam are considered a deviation and a serious sin by many Muslims.
Bidʿah sayyiʾah (بدعة سيئة)
Inquiry prohibited in Islam.
Bismi-llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīmi (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم)
"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful".[2]
Burda (بردة)
In general terms, it means a "cloak" or "outer garment". Specific reference is to the "burda" of Muḥammad (see Qaṣīda al-Burda).
Bayʿah (بيعة)
an oath of allegiance to a leader, traditionally the Caliph or Imam.
C[edit]
Caliph (خَليفة) khalīfah
literally successor; refers to the successor of Muhammad, the ruler of an Islamic theocracy.
D[edit]
Dahri (دهري)
atheist – from the root ad dahr meaning time. In Islam, atheists are seen as those who think that time only destroys, hence the term ad dahriyyah for the concept of atheism.
Dajjāl (دجّال)
an Islamic figure similar to the Antichrist; means "liar" or "deceiver".
Ḍallāl (ضلال)
going astray.
Dār al-ʿAhd (دار العهد)
the Ottoman Empire's relationship with its Christian tributary states.
Dār al-ʾAmn (دار الأمن)
means house of safety; refers to status of a Muslim living in some of the Western world.
Dār ad-daʿwa (دار الدعوة)
a region where Islam has recently been introduced.
Dār al-ḥarb (دار الحرب)
means house of war; refers to areas outside Muslim rule at war with Muslim states.
Dār al-Islām (دار الإسلام)
the abode, or land, of Islam.
Dār al-Kufr (دار الكفر)
means domain of disbelief; the term originally refers to the Quraish-dominated society of Mecca between Mohammed's flight to Medina (the Hijra) and the city's conquest.
Dār aṣ-Ṣulḥ ( دارالصلح )
domain of agreement
Dār ash-shahāda (دار الشهادة)
See Dar al-Amn
Darūd (الدرود، الصلاة على النبي)
blessing
Daʿwah (الدعوة)
the call to Islam, proselytizing.
Darwīš (درويش)
an initiate of the Sufi Path, one who practices Sufism
Dhikr (ذكر)
A devotional practice whereby the name of God is repeated in a rhythmical manner. Remembrance of God; spiritual exercise; Muslims believe that the primary function of prophets is to remind people of God.
Dhimmi (ذمّي) (pl. dhimam)
"protected person"; Jews and Christians (and sometimes others,[3] such as Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, and Zoroastrians), living in an Islamic state who must pay special taxes and whose right to practice their religion is subject to strict control under Islamic law.
Dhuhr (ظهر) (ẓuhr)
the second obligatory daily prayer.
Dīn (الدين)
(literally 'religion') the way of life based on Islamic revelation; the sum total of a Muslim's faith and practice. Dīn is often used to mean the faith and religion of Islam.
Diyyah (دية)
"blood money", recompense for loss of a life.
Duʿāʾ (دعاء)
personal prayer, supplication
Dunya (دنيا)
The physical Universe, as opposed to the Hereafter; sometimes spelled Dunia.
E[edit]
Eid al-Fitr (عيد الفطر)
Marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm).
F[edit]
Fadl
divine grace
Fajarah (فجرة) (also fujjār (فجّار))
Wicked evil doers. Plural of "fājir" (فاجر).
Fajr (فجر)
dawn, early morning, and the morning prayer. The time of the day when there is light in the horizon before sunrise.
Falāḥ (فلاح)
deliverance, salvation, well-being.
Falsafah (فلسفة)
"philosophy" The methods and content of Greek philosophy which were brought into Islam. A person who tries to interpret Islam through rationalist philosophy was called a faylasuf (فيلسوف), "philosopher".
Fanā' (فناء)
Sufi term meaning extinction – to die to this life while alive. Having no existence outside of God.
Faqīh (فقيه)(pl. fuqahāʾ)(فقهاء)
One who has a deep understanding of Islam, its laws, and jurisprudence. (see fiqh)
Al-Faraj (الفرج)
the return of the Shia Mahdi
Farḍ (فرض), plural furūḍ (فروض)
a religious duty, or an obligatory action: praying 5 times a day is fard Neglecting a fard will result in a punishment in the hereafter. (See wajib)
Farḍ ʿain ( فرض عين)
obligatory on every individual Muslim to aid in any way he can.
Farḍ kifāyah (فرض كفاية)
an obligation on the Muslim community as a whole, from which some are freed if others take it up such as for jihad.
Fāsid (فاسد)
corrupt, invalid/violable (in Islamic finance)
Fāsiq (فاسق)
anyone who has violated Islamic law; usually refers to one whose character has been corrupted (plural "fāsiqūn").
Fātiḥa (الفاتحة)
the short, opening sura of the Qur'an, which begins "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds..." These words hold an important place in Muslim liturgies and forms the core of the salat.
Fatwā (فتوى)
legal opinion of an (alim) binding on him and on those who follow his taqlid
Fī ʾAmān allāh (في أمان الله)
"In the protection of God". Said when a person departs.
Fiqh (فقه)
jurisprudence built around the shariah by custom (al-urf). Literally means "deep understanding", refers to understanding the Islamic laws. (see faqih)
Fī sabīl allāh (في سبيل الله)
for the sake of Allah; common Islamic expression for performing acts such as charity or Jihad and for 'qatlu' (fighting in mortal combat for the sake of Allah)
Fitna (pl. fitan) (فتنة)
trial or tribulation; also refers to any period of disorder, such as a civil war, or the period of time before the end of the world or any civil strife.
Fiṭrah (فطرة)
innate disposition towards virtue, knowledge, and beauty. Muslims believe every child is born with fitrah.
Furqān (فرقان)
the criterion (of right and wrong, true and false); for example, the Qur'an as furqan.
Fuwaysiqah (فويسقة)
vermin, evil from the root fasaqa meaning to deviate from the right way
G[edit]
Ghafara (غفر)
(verb in past tense) to forgive, to cover up (sins). A characteristic of God.
Ghaflah (غفلة)
heedlessness, forgetfulness of God, indifference
Ghayb (غيب)
the unseen, unknown.
Ghanīmah (غنيمة)
spoils of war, booty.
Gharar (غرر)
excessive uncertainty;[4] also "the sale of what is not present" such as fish not yet caught, crops not yet harvested.[5]
Ghasbi (غصب)
possessed unlawfully
Ghāzi (غازى)
(archaic) roughly, "raider": a holy warrior; a mujahid
Ghusl (غسل)
full ablution of the whole body (see wudu). Ghusl janaba is the mandatory shower after having sexual discharge.
H[edit]
Ḥadath akbar (حدث أكبر)
major ritual impurity which requires Niyyat for cleaning.
Ḥadath aṣghar (حدث أصغر)
minor ritual impurity
Hādhā min faḍl rabbī (هَذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي)
Qur'anic expression and phrase meaning This is by the Grace of my Lord.
Hādī (هادي)
a guide, one who guides; A Muslim name for God is The Guide, or Al-Hadi.
Ḥadīth (حديث ḥadīth) plural ahādīth
literally "speech"; recorded saying or tradition of Muhammad validated by isnad; with sira these comprise the sunnah and reveal shariah
Ḥadīth mashhūr (حديث مشهور)
Well-known hadith; a hadith which reported by one, two, or more Companions from Muhammad or from another Companion, but has later become well-known and transmitted by an indefinite number of people during the first and second generation of Muslims.
Ḥāfiẓ (حافظ)
someone who knows the Qur'an by heart. Literal translation = memorizer or Protector.
Haid|Ḥaiḍ (حيض)
menstruation
Ḥājj (حاجّ) plural Ḥujjāj (حجّاج) and Ḥajīj (حجيج)
Pilgrim, one who has made the Hajj.
Ḥajj (حجّ) and Ḥijjah (plurals Ḥijjāt (حجّات) and Ḥijaj (حجج))
pilgrimage to Mecca. Sunnis regard this as the fifth Pillar of Islam. See Dhu al-Hijjah.
Ḥajj at-Tamattuʿ (حج التمتع)
performing ʿUmrah during the Hajj season, and on the Day of Tarwiah a pilgrim gets into the state of Ihram for Hajj. Before making ʿUmrah, approach the Miqat and declare the intention. End by sacrificing an animal.
Ḥajj al-Qirān (حج القران)
At Miqat, declare intention to perform both Hajj and 'Umrah together. After throwing the Jamrah of Al-'Aqabah, and getting hair shaved or cut that take off his Ihram garments and sacrifice animal.
Ḥajj al-ʾIfrād (حج الإفراد)
At Miqat, declare intention for Hajj only. Maintain Ihram garments up to the Day of Sacrifice. No offering is required from him.
Ḥākim (حاكم)
a ruler's or governor's title; in some Muslim states, a judge. See Ahkam.
Ḥākimīya (حاكمية)
sovereignty, governance.
Ḥalāl (حلال)
lawful, permitted, good, beneficial, praiseworthy, honourable. (See mustahabb, mandub)
Ḥalaqah (حلقة)
A gathering or meeting for the primary purpose of learning about Islam.
Ḥalq (حلق)
Shaving of the head, particularly associated with pilgrimage to Mecca[6]
Ḥanīf (حنيف)
pre-Islamic non-Jewish or non-Christian monotheists. Plural: ḥunafā' (حنفاء).
Ḥaqq (حقّ)
truth, reality, right, righteousness. Al-Haqq is one of 99 names of God.
Ḥarām (حرام)
sinful
Ḥaram (حرم)
sanctuary.
Ḥasan (حسن)
Good, beautiful, admirable. Also a categorization of a hadith's authenticity as "acceptable". (other categorizations include authentic and fabricated).
Hawa (هوى) (pl. ʾahwāʾ (أهواء))
Vain or egotistical desire; individual passion; impulsiveness.
Hidāyah (هداية)
guidance from God.
Ḥijāb (حجاب)
literally "cover". It describes the covering of the body for the purposes of modesty and dignity; broadly, a prescribed system of attitudes and behaviour regarding modesty and dignity. (See abayah, al-amira, burqa, chador, jilbab, khimar, milfeh, niqab, purdah, shayla)
Hijra (الهجرة)
Muhammad and his followers' emigration from Mecca to Medina. Literally, "migration". This holiday marks the beginning of the Muslim New Year on the first day of the month of Muharram. See Rabi' al-awwal and abbreviation AH.
Ḥikmah (also Hikmat) (حكمة)
Literally this means "wisdom" and refers to the highest possible level of understanding attainable by a Muslim. In particular, it refers to the illuminative, mystical sort of wisdom that a Gnostic or Sufi might attain.
Hilāl (هلال)
Crescent moon.
Ḥima (حمى)
wilderness reserve, protected forest, grazing commons; a concept of stewardship
Ḥizb (حزب)
One half of a juz', or roughly 1/60th of the Qur'an
Hudā (هدى)
Guidance.
Hudna (هدنة)
Truce. Cease-fire (often temporary)
Ḥudūd (حدود) (sing. hadd)
Literally, limits or boundaries. Usually refers to limits placed by Allah on man; penalties of the Islamic law (sharia) for particular crimes described in the Qur'an – intoxication, theft, rebellion, adultery and fornication, false accusation of adultery, and apostasy. (See ta'zeer)
Ḥukm (حكم)
ruling in the Qur'an or Sunnah. Also spelled Hukum.
Ḥūrī (حورية ḥūrīya; pl. ḥūrīyāt حوريات)
beautiful and pure young men and women that Muslims believe inhabit Paradise, or Heaven.
I[edit]
ʿIbādah (عبادة)
submission, worship, but not limited to ritual: all expressions of servitude to Allah, including the pursuit of knowledge, living a pious life, helping, charity, and humility, can be considered ibadah.
ʾIblīs (إبليس)
Devil banished to Hell for his arrogance and disobedience; aka Satan : He is the equivalent of Lucifer.
ʿId (عيد)
festival or celebration. Alternatively transliterated Eid.
ʿId ul-Adha (عيد الأضحى)
"the Festival of Sacrifice." The four-day celebration starting on the tenth day of Dhul-Hijja.
ʿId ul-Fitr (عيد الفطر)
"the Festival of Fitr (Breaking the fast)." A religious festival that marks the end of the fast of Ramadan.
ʾIfṭār (إفطار)
a meal eaten by Muslims breaking their fast after sunset during the month of Ramadan.
ʾIḥrām (إحرام)
state of consecration for hajj. Includes dress and or prayer.
ʾIḥsān (إحسان)
perfection in worship, such that Muslims try to worship God as if they see Him, and although they cannot see Him, they undoubtedly believe He is constantly watching over them.
ʾIḥtiyāṭ (إحتياط)
Also Ahwat. A Precaution, either obligatory or optional.[7]
ʾIḥtiyāṭ mustaḥabb(إحتياط مستحبّ)
A preferred precaution.[7]
ʾIḥtiyāṭ wājib(إحتياط واجب)
An obligatory precaution.[7]
ʾIʿjāz (إعجاز)
miracle, the character of the Qur'an in both form and content.
ʾIjāzah (إجازة)
a certificate authorizing one to transmit a subject or text of Islamic knowledge
ʾIjmā' (إجماع)
the consensus of either the ummah (or just the ulema) – one of four bases of Islamic Law. More generally, political consensus itself. Shi'a substitute obedience to the Imam; opposite of ikhtilaf
ʾIjtihād (اجتهاد)
During the early times of Islam, the possibility of finding a new solution to a juridical problem. Has not been allowed in conservative Islam since the Middle Ages. However,Liberal movements within Islam generally argue that any Muslim can perform ijtihad, given that Islam has no generally accepted clerical hierarchy or bureaucratic organization. The opposite of ijtihad is taqlid (تقليد), Arabic for "imitation".
ʾIkhtilāf (اختلاف)
disagreement among the madhhabs (scholars) of a religious principle; opposite of ijma.
ʾIkrām (إكرام)
honouring, hospitality, generosity – Dhul jalaali wal ikraam is one of the 99 names of Allah.
ʾIkrāh (إكراه)
mental or physical force.
ʾIlāh (إله)
deity, a god; including gods worshiped by polytheists.
ʿIlm (علم)
all varieties of knowledge, usually a synonym for science
ʾImām (إمام)
literally, leader; e.g. a man who leads a community or leads the prayer; the Shi'a sect use the term only as a title for one of the twelve Allah-appointed successors of Muhammad.
ʾImāmah (إمامة) or imamate
successorship of Muhammad and the leadership of mankind.
ʾImān (إيمان)
personal faith
ʾInna lilāhi wa ʾinna ʾilaihi rājiʿūn (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ)
To Allah we belong and to Him is our return – said to mourners
ʾInfāq (إنفاق)
the habitual inclination to give rather than take in life; the basis for charity
ʾInjīl (الإنجيل)
Arabic term for the holy book called The Gospel said to have been given to Jesus, who is known as Isa in Arabic; Muslims believe the holy book has been lost and the New Testament gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are not the word of Allah, only Christian stories about Jesus.
ʾIn shāʾa -llāh (إن شاء الله)
"If God wills"; Inshallah is "resigned, accepting, neutral, passive. It is neither optimistic nor pessimistic."[1] [2]
ʾIqāmah (إقامة)
the second call to prayer. Similar to the azhan.
ʾIrtidād (ارتداد)
apostasy (see murtadd). Also riddah ردة
ʿĪsā (عيسى)
Jesus – 'Isa ibn Maryam (English: Jesus son of Mary), (a matronymic since he had no biological father). The Qur'an asserts that Allah has no sons and therefore, 'Isa is not the son of Allah. Muslims honor 'Isa as a nabi and rasul.
ʿIshā' (عشاء)
night; the fifth salat prayer
ʾIṣlāḥ (إصلاح )
"reform". This term may mean very different things, depending on the context. When used in reference to reform of Islam, it may mean modernism, such as that proposed byMuhammad Abduh; or Salafi literalism, such as that preached by Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani[8]
ʾIslām   (الإسلام)  (help•info)
"submission to God". The Arabic root word for Islam means submission, obedience, peace, and purity.
ʾIsnād (إسناد)
chain of transmitters of any given hadith
ʾIsrāʾ (الإسراء)
the night journey during which Muhammad (محمّد)is said to have visited Heaven. See miraj.
ʾIstighfār (استغفار)
requesting forgiveness
ʾIstiḥādah (استحاضة)
vaginal bleeding except Haid and Nifas
ʾIstiṣlāḥ (استصلاح)
public interest – a source of Islamic Law.
ʾIstishhād (استشهاد)
martyrdom.
ʾIthm (إثم)
Negative reward for bad deeds that is tallied on qiyamah(judgment day.) Opposite of thawab.
ʾIʿtikāf (إعتكاف)
seclusion in the masjid for the purpose of worship usually performed during the last 10 days of Ramadan.
ʾItmām al-hujjah (إتمام الحجة)
clarification of truth in its ultimate form.
Ittaqullah (اتقوا الله)
command to fear God or to be pious to Allah.
J[edit]
Jāʾiz (جائز)
That which is allowed or permissible. As a rule, everything that is not prohibited is allowed. (See halal, mustahabb, mandub)
Jahannam (جهنم)
the Hell-fire; Hell
Jāhilīyyah (الجاهليّة)
the time of ignorance before Islam was realized. Describes polytheistic religions.
Jahl (جهل)
ignorance, foolishness.
Jalsa – sitting
Jāmiʿah (جامعة)
"gathering"; i.e. a university, a mosque, or more generally, a community or association.
Janābah(جنابة )
A state of spiritual impurity that occur due to sexual intercourse or ejaculation and necessitates major ritual ablution (ghusl),
Janāzah (جنازة)
Funeral. Ṣalāt al-Janāzah is a funeral prayer.
Jannah (جنة)
Paradise, Heaven, the Garden
Jazāka-llāhu khayran (جزاك اللهُ خيرًا)
"May God reward you with good." Islamic expression of gratitude.
Jihād (جهاد)
struggle. Any earnest striving in the way of God, involving personal, physical, for righteousness and against wrongdoing;
Jihād aṣ-ṣaghīr (جهاد الصغير)
Offensive jihad declared by caliph.
Jihād aṭ-ṭalab (جهاد الطلب)
Offensive jihad.
Jihād ad-dafʿa (جهاد الدفعة)
Defensive jihad.
Jihād bil-māl (جهاد بامال)
Financial jihad.
Jihād bis-saif ( جهاد بالسيف)
literally 'struggle by the sword'; holy war.
Jilbāb (جلباب)
(pl. jalabib) a long, flowing, garment worn by some as a more conservative means of fulfillment of sartorial hijab. (See also: abaya. burka, chador)
Jinn (جنّ)
Term for invisible beings, considered to roam the earth.
Jizya (جزية)
A tax specified in the Koran (9:29) to be paid by non-Muslim males living under Muslim political control.
Juhud
To deny. Jaahid (the denier). Disbelief out of rejection. When there comes to them that which they [should] have recognized, they refuse to believe in (kafaru) it. ( 2:89) Accordingly, juhud includes rejection (kufr at-taktheeb) and resistance (kufr al-'inaad)
Jumuʿah (جمعة)
Friday prayer or Sabbath.
Junub (جنب)
an unclean state of body as in breaking Wudu
Juzʾ (جزء)
one of thirty parts of the Qur'an
K[edit]
Kaʿbah (الكعبة)
cube-house; the cube-shaped building, i.e., in Mecca toward which Muslims pray.
Kāfir (كافر kāfir sing.; كفّار kuffār pl.)
from the word kafara, "to hide." Those who deliberately hide the truth; non-Muslims in non-Islamic countries or states, unbelievers, truth-concealers; one who is ungrateful. Common degoratory term used by different Islamic factions such as sunni and shias to denounce each other as non-Muslims. Plural: Kāfirūn. Commonly used as an offensive term for black people by white South Africans.
Kalām (علم الكلام) (ʿilm al-kalām)
Literally, "words" or "speech," and referring to oration. The name applied to the discipline of philosophy and theology concerned specifically with the nature of faith, determinism and freedom, and the nature of the divine attributes.
Khair (خير)
Every kind of good
Khalīfah (خليفة)
Caliph, more generally, one performing the duties of khilafa.
Khalīl (خليل)
devoted friend
Khalq (خلق)
Creation – the act of measuring; determining, estimating and calculating. Khalq is the noun form of the verb khalaqa (see bara, sawwara).
Al-khāliq (الخالق)
The Creator, Allah.
Khamr (خمر)
Intoxicant, wine.
Khatīb (خطيب)
the speaker at the Friday Muslim prayer, or Jumu'ah prayer.
Khatm (ختم)
Complete recitation of the Qur'an.
Kharāj (خراج)
a land tax.
Khayr
goodness. See birr (righteousness) See qist (equity) See 'adl (equilibrium and justice) See haqq (truth and right) See ma'ruf (known and approved) See taqwa (piety.)
khilāf (خلاف)
Controversy, dispute, discord.
Khilāfah (خلافة)
Man's trusteeship and stewardship of Earth; Most basic theory of the Caliphate; Flora and fauna as sacred trust; Accountability to; God for harms to nature, failure to actively care and maintain. Three specific ways in which khalifa is manifested in Muslim practice are the creation of haram to protect water, hima to protect other species (including those useful to man), and by resisting infidel domination over Muslim lands, in jihad.
al-khulafāʾ ar-rāshidūn (الخلفاء الراشدون)
four first caliphs, believed by most Muslims to be most righteous rulers in history
Khimār (خمار) (pl. khumur (خُمُر) or ʾakhmirah (أخْمِرة))
headcovering (Q. 24:31).
Khitān (ختان)
Male circumcision.
Khuluq (خُلُق) pl. ʾakhlāq (أخلاق)
ethics
Khushūʿ (خشوع)
humility, devotion, concentration (especially in prayer).
Khuṭbah (خطبة)
the sermon at Jumu'ah prayer.
Kibr (كِبْر)
pride, arrogance
Kibar (كِبَر)
old age
Kitāb (كتاب)
book; The Qurʾān is often referred to as "Al-Kitāb" (The Book).
Kufr (كفر)
Unbelief, infidelity, blasphemy; also hubris. See Kafir and Kuffar
Kufr al-ḥukm (كفر الحكم)
Disbelief from judgment.
Kufr al-ʿInād (كفر العناد)
Disbelief out of stubbornness
Kufr al-ʾInkār (كفر الإنكار)
Disbelief out of arrogance and pride.
Kufr al-ʾIstibdāl (كفر الإستبدال)
Disbelief because of trying to substitute Allaah's Laws.
Kufr al-ʾIstiḥlāl (كفر الإستحلال)
Disbelief out of trying to make HARAM into HALAL.
Kufrul-Istihzaha
Disbelief due to mockery and derision
Kufr al-jahl (كفر الجهل)
Disbelief from not being aware of or not understanding.
Kufr al-juhud (كفر الجهد)
Disbelief from obstinacy after being presented with truth.
Kufr an-Nifāq (كفر النفاق)
Disbelief out of hypocrisy.
Kufr al-ʾIʿrāḍ (كفر الإعراض)
Disbelief due to avoidance.
Kun (كن)
God's command to the universe, 'Be!' is sufficient to create it.
L[edit]
Lā ilāha illā-llāh (لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا الله)
"There is no god but God." The most important expression in Islam. It is part of the first pillar of Islam. According to Islam, this is the message of all the Prophets, such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.
Labbayka -llāhumma (لبّيكَ اللّهُم)
God, I obey you (said during hajj)
Laghw (لغو)
Dirty, false, evil vain talk
Laʿnah (لعنة)
Curse, execration, or imprecation.
Laylat al-Qadr (ليلة القدر)
the Night of Power, towards the end of Ramadan, when Muhammad received the first revelation of the Qur'an.
M[edit]
Madhhab (مذهب)
pl. Madhāhib (مذاهب) school of religious jurisprudence (fiqh), school of thought. Also see fiqh.
Madrasah (مدرسة)
school, university
Maghrib (مغرب)
the fourth daily salat prayer
Mahdi (مهدي)
"a guide". More specifically al-Mahdi (the guide) is a figure who will appear with Prophet Jesus before the end of time, when God allows it, to bring world peace, order and justice, after it has been overcome with injustice and aggression.
Mahdūr ad-damm (مهدور الدم)
he whose blood must be wasted
Maḥram (محرم)
a relative of the opposite gender usually described as being "within the forbidden limits"; a better description is "within the protected limits". means relatives who one can appear before without observing hijab and who one cannot marry.
Maisir (ميسر )
gambling, game of chance
Makrūh (مكروه)
Means "detested", though not haraam (forbidden); something that is disliked or offensive. If a person commits the Makruh, he does not accumulate ithim but avoiding the Makhruh is rewarded with thawab.
Malāʾikah (ملائكة)
angels (Sing. Malak). It was one of these mala'ika, Jibril (Gabriel) who delivered Allah's revelation to Muhammad.
Mā malakat ʾaymānukum (ما ملكت أيمانكم)
one's rightful spouse (literally: what your right hands possess)
Manāsik (مناسك)
the rules specifying the requirements of a legally valid hajj
Mandūb (مندوب)
commendable or recommended. Failure to do it would not be a sin. (See halal mustahabb)
Manhaj (منهج)
the methodology by which truth is reached[9]
Mansūkh (منسوخ)
That which is abrogated. The doctrine of al-Nasikh wal-Mansukh (abrogation) of certain parts of the Qur'anic revelation by others. The principle is mentioned in the Qur'an (2:106) see naskh
Manzil (منزل)
one of seven equal parts of the Qur'an
Maʿrūf (معروف)
consensus of the community
Maqāṣid (مقاصد) sing. maqṣid (مقصد)
goals or purposes; such as the purposes of Islamic law
Maṣāliḥ (مصالح) sing. maṣlaḥah (مصلحة)
public interests
Masbuq (مَسْبُوق)
A person who is late for salat and has not joined the imam in the first rak’at.
Mā shāʾa -llāh (ما شاء الله)
Allah has willed it
Masīḥ (مسيح)
the (Biblical) Messiah, Jesus Christ
Masjid (مسجد) pl. masājid, مساجد
place of prayer; mosque
Masjid al-Ḥarām (المسجد الحرام)
the mosque surrounding the Kaʿbah in Mecca.
Mawālī or mawālā (موالي)
Non-Arab Muslims
Mawlā [mawlan (مولى)] [pl. mawālin (موالٍ)]
protector or master
Mawlānā (مولانا)
an Arabic word literally meaning "our lord" or "our master". It is used mostly as a title preceding the name of a respected religious leader, in particular graduates of religious institutions. The term is sometimes used to refer to Rumi.
Maulvi (مولوی)
an honorific Islamic religious title often, but not exclusively, given to Muslim religious scholars or Ulema preceding their names. Maulvi generally means any religious cleric or teacher
Mecca (مكّة Makkah)
the holiest city in Islam
Medina (مدينة Madīnah)
"city"; Medinat-un-Nabi means "the City of the Prophet." See Hijra (Islam)
Mi'ād (معاد)
the Resurrection; God will resurrect all of humankind to be judged. Shi'as regard this as the fifth Pillar of Islam.
Miḥrāb (محراب)
a niche in the wall of all mosques, indicating the direction of prayer
Millah (مِلَّة)
In Arabic, millah means "religion," but it has only been used to refer to religions other than Islam, which is din.
Millet
(see Millah) (Turkish word also meaning a nation, community, or a people). In an Islamic state, "Ahl al Kitab" may continue to practice their former religion in a semi-autonomous community termed the millet.
Minaret (منارة)
a tower built onto a mosque from the top of which the call to prayer is made
Minbar (منبر)
a raised pulpit in the mosque where the Imam stands to deliver sermons
Minhaj (منهج)
methodology, e.g. methods, rules, system, procedures.
Mīqāt (ميقات )
intended place
Miʿrāj (المعراج)
the Ascension to the Seven Heavens during the Night Journey See also: isra
Muʾadhdhin (مأذن)
a person who performs the call to prayer
Muʿāhadāt (معاهدات)
treaties
Muʿawwidhatayn (المعوذتين)
suras Al-Falaq and an-Nas, the "Surahs of refuge", should be said to relieve suffering (also protect from Black Magic)
Mubāḥ (مباح)
literally permissible; neither forbidden nor commended. Neutral. (See halal)
Mubaligh (مبلغ)
person who recites Qur'an
Muftī (مفتى)
an Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law (Sharia), capable of issuing fataawa (plural of "fatwa").
Muḥajabah (محجبة)
woman who wears hijab (polite form of hijabi).
Muhakkamat
unequivocal verses of Qur'an. (See mutashabehat.)
Muḥāribah (محاربة)
a person who wages war against God
Muḥammadun rasūl allāh (محمدٌ رسول الله)
"Muhammad is the messenger of God." This statement is the second part of the first pillar of Islam. This is the second most important statement in Islam.
Mufsid (مفسد)
evil-doer a person who wages jihad (war) not in accordance with the Qur'an. Plural mufsideen.
Muḥsin (محسن)
a person who performs good deed. Plural muhsineen. Opposite of Mufsidun.
Muhājirūn (مهاجرون)
The first Muslims that accompanied Muhammad when he traveled to Medina.
Muharṭiq (مهرطق)
heretic.
Mujāhid (مجاهد)
a fighter for Islam. Plural Mujāhidūn (مجاهدون).
Mujtahid (مجتهد)
a scholar who uses reason for the purpose of forming an opinion or making a ruling on a religious issue. Plural: Mujtahidun.
Mullah (ملا)
are Islamic clergy. Ideally, they should have studied the Qur'an, Islamic traditions (hadith), and Islamic law (fiqh).
Muʾmin (مؤمن)
A Muslim who observes the commandments of the Qur'an.
Munāfiq (منافق)
hypocrite. Plural: Munafiqun
Muntaqabah (منتقبة) pl. muntaqabāt (منتقبات)
woman who wears niqab
Murābaḥah ( مرابحة)
a type of sharia-compliant mortgage (see Ijara)
Murshid (مرشد)
a Sufi teacher
Murtadd (مرتد) female apostate is Murtaddah
apostate (see irtidad see mahdur ad-damm.)
Muṣḥaf (مصحف)
a copy, codex or redaction of the Qur'an.
Mushrik (مشرك)(pl. mushrikūn) (مشركون)
One who associates others in worship with God; a polytheist.
Muslim (مسلم)
a follower of the religion of Islam. One who submits their will to Allah (God)
Mustaḥabb (مستحبّ)
commendable or recommended. (See halal, mandub)
Mutʿah (متعة)
literally enjoyment; compensation paid to a divorced woman; when used in the phrase nikāḥ al-mutʿah (نكاح المتعة) it refers to temporary marriage.
Mutashābihāt (متشابهات)
equivocal verses of Qur'an. (See Muhakkamat.)
Mutaʿaṣṣibūn (متعصّبون)
fanatics
Muṭawwaʿ (مطوّع) plural muṭawwaʿūn (مطوّعون)
religious man in certain regions, a volunteer teacher
Muṭawwaʿūn (مطوّعون) (مطوعين) (singular muṭawwaʿ)
Religious police.
Mutawātir (متواتر)
"agreed upon"—used to describe hadith that were narrated by many witnesses through different narration chains (isnads) leading back to Muhammad
N[edit]
Nabī (نبي)
literally, prophets. In the Islamic context, a Nabi is a man sent by God to give guidance to man, but not given scripture. The Prophet Abraham was a Nabi. This is in contrast to Rasul, or Messenger. Plural: Anbiya. See: Rasul.
Nafs (النفس)
soul, the lower self, the ego/id
Nāfilah (نافلة)
An optional, supererogatory practice of worship, in contrast to farida
Najāsah (نجاسة)
Impurity
Nājis (ناجس)
impure
Nakīr and Munkar (نكير و منكر)
two malaikah who test the faith of the dead in their graves
Naṣīḥa (نصيحة)
advice
Naskh (نسخ)
The doctrine of al-Nasikh wal-Mansukh (abrogation) of certain parts of the Qur'anic revelation by others. The principle is mentioned in the Qur'an (2:106) see mansukh.
Naṣṣ (نصّ)
a known, clear legal injunction
Nifās (نفاس)
the bleeding after childbirth (see Haid)
Nifāq (نفاق)
falsehood; dishonesty; hypocrisy
Nikāḥ (النكاح)
the matrimonial contract between a bride and bridegroom within Islamic marriage
Niqāb (نقاب)
veil covering the face
Niyyah (نية)
intention
Nubūwwah (نبوّة)
prophethood. Shi'as regard this as the third Pillar of Islam.
Nukrah
a great munkar – prohibited, evil, dreadful thing.
Nūr (نور)
light. Muslims believe angels were created from light and jinn from fire.
P[edit]
P.B.U.H.
an acronym that stands for "peace be upon him" a blessing which is affixed to Muhammad's name whenever it is written. In some circles and English writings, Sufis regard PBUH to signify "Peace and Blessings Upon Him" (the Rasul or Messenger of Allah). These are the primary English explications of the P.B.U.H. acronym. The Arabic version is S.A.W.
Q[edit]
Qadhf (قذف)
false imputation of unchastity specifically punished by sharia.
Qadar (قدر)
predestination.
Qāḍī (قاضي)
judge of Islamic Law
Qalb (قلب)
Heart
Qiblah (قبلة)
the direction Muslims face during prayer
Qitāl fī sabīl allāh ( قتال في سبيل الله )
fight in the cause of Allah.
Qiyāmah (قيامة)
resurrection; return of the dead for the Day of Judgment
Qiṣāṣ (قصاص)
equitable retribution – a fine for murder if the heirs forgive the perpetrator. (See hudud, tazeer)
Qiyām (قيام)
to stand, a position of salat prayer
Qiyās (القياس)
analogy – foundation of legal reasoning and thus fiqh
Qudsī (قدسي)
classification of a hadith that are believed to be narrated by Muhammad from God.
Qurbah (قربة)
closeness to God. Term is associated with Sufism.
Qurʾān (القرآن)
The word Qur'an means recitation. Muslims believe the Qur'an (Koran) to be the literal word of God and the culmination of God's revelation to mankind, revealed toMuhammad in the year AD 610 in the cave Hira by the angel Jibril.
R[edit]
Rabb (ربّ)
Lord, Sustainer, Cherisher, Master.
R. A., raḍiya -llāhu ʿanhu (رضي الله عنه)
May Allah be pleased with him. Variants are ʿanhā (her) and ʿanhum (them).
Raḥmān (رحمن)
Merciful; Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) means "The Most Merciful"
Raḥīm (رحيم)
compassionate; Ar-Rahim (الرحيم) means "The Most Compassionate" as in the Basmala
Raḥimaḥullāh (رحمه الله)
May Allah have mercy on him. Usually used after mentioning the companions of Muhammad
Raḥmatullāh (رحمة الله)
Mercy of Allah. Sometimes used as an alternative to Rahimahullah after mentioning a righteous person by saying, rahmatullahi ʿilayh (رحمة الله علیه): Mercy of Allah be upon him/her
Rajm (رجم)
the practice of stoning
Rakʿah (ركعة)
one unit of Islamic prayer, or Salat. Each daily prayer is made up of a different number of raka'ah.
Ramaḍān (رمضان)
month of fasting when the Qur'an was first revealed
Rāshidūn (راشدون)
Sunnis consider the first four caliphs as the "orthodox" or "rightly guided" caliphs. They were Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and 'Ali.
Rasūl (رسول)
messenger; Unlike prophets (Nabi), messengers are given scripture. Moses (as), David (as), Jesus (as) and Mohammed (as) are considered messengers. All messengers are considered prophets, but not all prophets are given scripture. See: Nabi.
Riba (ربا)
interest, the charging and paying of which is forbidden by the Qur'an
Ribat
Guarding Muslims from infidels
Riddah (ردة)
apostasy, in which a person abandons Islam for another faith or no faith at all.
Risālah (رِسَالَة)
literally, message or letter. Used both in common parlance for mail correspondences, and in religious context as divine message.
Rūḥ (روح)
spirit; the divine breath which God blew into the clay of Adam.
Rukn (ركن) plural ʾArkān (أركان)
means what is inevitable. One of the five pillars of Islam. (See fard, wajib)
Rukūʿ (ركوع)
the bowing performed during salat.
S[edit]
Sabb (سَبّ)
blasphemy: insulting God (sabb Allah) or Muhammad (sabb ar-rasūl or sabb an-nabī).
Ṣabr (صبر)
patience, endurance, self-restraint
Ṣadaqah (صدقة)
charity; voluntary alms above the amount for zakat.
Ṣaḥābah (الصحابة) (sing. Ṣāḥib) (صاحب)
companions of Muhammad. A list of the best-known Companions can be found at List of companions of Muhammad.
Ṣāḥīḥ (صحيح)
"Sound in isnad." A technical attribute applied to the "isnad" of a hadith.
Sakīnah (سكينة)
divine "tranquility" or "peace" which descends upon a person when the Qur'an is recited.
Salaf (السلف الصالح)
(righteous) predecessors/ancestors. In Islam, Salaf is generally used to refer to the first three generations of Muslims. Anyone who died after this is one of the khalaf or "latter-day Muslims".
Ṣalāt (صلاة) sala(t)
any one of the daily five obligatory prayers. Sunnis regard this as the second Pillar of Islam
Salaat al-Istikharah
Prayer for guidance is done in conjunction with two rakaahs of supererogatory prayer.
Salām (سلام)
peace (see sulh)
Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam (صلى الله عليه و سلم)
"May Allah bless him and grant him peace." The expression should be used after stating Muhammad's name. See abbreviation: S.A.W. or S.A.W.S. also P.B.U.H.
Ṣamad (صمد)
eternal, absolute; Muslims believe Allah is "The Eternal."
Salsabīl (سلسبيل)
a river in heaven (al-firdaus)
Sawa
awakening, revival
S.A.W. (or S.A.W.S.)
Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam (صلى الله عليه و سلم). See P.B.U.H.
Ṣawm (صَوم)
fasting during the month of Ramadhan. The word sawm is derived from Syriac sawmo.
Sayyid (سيّد)
(in everyday usage, equivalent to 'Mr.') a descendant of a relative of Muhammad, usually via Husayn.
Sema
refer to some of the ceremonies used by various sufi orders
Shahādah (الشهادة)
The testimony of faith: La ilaha illa Allah. Muhammadun rasulullah. ("There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."). Sunnis regard this as the first Pillar of Islam. Also may be used as a synonym for the term Istish'hād meaning martyrdom.
Shahīd (شهيد) pl. shuhadāʾ (شهداء)
witness, martyr. Usually refers to a person killed whilst fighting in "jihād fī sabīl Allāh" (jihad for the sake of Allah). Often used in modern times for deaths in a political cause (including victims of soldiers, deaths in battle, et cetera) which are viewed by some Muslims as a spiritual cause not just a political cause. But the real meaning of Jihad is to defend Islam in any way; thus, it could be in an economic way or could refer to fighting for the rights of the oppressed or the believers; most often it refers to mastering one's own inclination for evil and shirk.
Shaykh (شيخ)
a spiritual master, Muslim clergy
Sharīʿah (الشريعة)
"the path to a watering hole"; Islamic law; the eternal ethical code and moral code based on the Qur'an, Sunnah, Ijma, and Qiyas; basis of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh)
Sharīf (شريف)
a title bestowed upon the descendants of Muhammad through Hasan, son of his daughter Fatima Zahra and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib
Shayṭān (شيطان)
Evil being, who follows Iblis or their temptations
Shīʿah (الشيعة)
A branch of Islam who believe in Imam Ali and his sons (Hassan and Hussayn) as custodians of Islam by the will of Mohammed.
Shirk (شرك)
idolatry; polytheism; the sin of believing in any divinity except God and of associating other gods with God.
Shūrā (شورى)
consultation
Majlis ash-shūrā (مجلس الشورى)
advisory council in a Caliphate
Sidrat al-Muntaha (سدرة المنتهى )
a lotus tree that marks the end of the seventh heaven, the boundary where no creation can pass.
Sīrah (السيرة)
life or biography of Muhammad; his moral example – with hadith this comprises the sunnah
aṣ-Ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm ( الصراط المستقيم)
the Straight Path
Subah Sadiq
true dawn
Subḥānahu wa taʿāla (سبحانه و تعالى)(abbreviated S.W.T.)
expression used following written name or vocalization of Allah in Arabic meaning highly praised and glorified is He.
Subḥān allāh (سبحان الله)
"Glory to God" – this phrase is often used when praising God or exclaiming awe at His attributes, bounties, or creation.
Ṣūfī (صوفي)
a Muslim mystic; See: Sufism (tasawwuf).
Suḥūr (سحور)
the meal eaten by fasting Muslims just before dawn.
Sujūd(سجود)
kneeling down, a position of salat.
Ṣukūk (صكوك)
bond that generates revenue from sales, profits, or leases rather than interest.
Ṣulḥ (صلح)
A condition of peace, an armistice, or treaty. It is related to the word muṣālaḥah (مصالحة) which means peace, conciliation, or compromise.
Sunnah (السنّة) or sunnat an-Nabī (سنّة النبي)
the "path" or "example" of Muhammad, i.e., what he did or said or agreed to during his life. He is considered by Muslims to be the best human moral example, the best man to follow.
Sunni (سنّي)
the largest denomination of Islam. The word Sunni comes from the word Sunnah (Arabic: سنة), which means the words and actions or example of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.
Sūrah (سورة)
chapter; the Qur'an is composed of 114 suras
T[edit]
Taʿāla (تعالى)
Almighty
Tābiʿīn (تابعون|تابعين)
followers of the Ṣaḥābah
Tafsīr (تفسير)
exegesis, particularly such commentary on the Qur'an
Ṭāghūt (طاغوت) (taghout)
originally Aramaic, meaning "false god"; also tyranny.
Tahajjud (تهجُّد)
optional (supererogatory), late-night (pre-dawn) prayer
Ṭahārah (طهارة)
purification from ritual impurities by means of wudu or ghusl
Ṭāhir (طاهر)
pure, ritually clean
Tahlīl (تهليل)
Uttering the formula of faith: "Lā ilāha illā -llāh", (i.e. "There is no god but God")
Taḥnīk (تحنيك)
'Tahnik' is an Islamic ceremony of touching the lips of a newborn baby with honey, sweet juice or pressed dates.
Taḥrīf (تحريف)
corruption, forgery. Muslims believe the Bible Scriptures were corrupted but the Qur'an is in its original form.
Tajdīd (تجديد)
to purify and reform society in order to move it toward greater equity and justice, literally meaning to make new in present tense
Tajdīf (تجديف)
blasphemy
Tajwīd (تجويد)
a special manner of reciting the Qur'an according to prescribed rules of pronunciation and intonation.
Takāful ( التكتاقل)
Based on sharia Islamic law, it is a form of mutual insurance. See retakaful.
Takbīr (تكبير)
a proclamation of the greatness of Allah; a Muslim invocation.
Takfīr (تكفير)
declaration of individual or group of previously considered Muslim as kaffir.
Takhrīj (تخريج الحديث )
The science of hadith extraction and authentication, including validation of chains of transmitters of a hadith by this science's scholars and grading hadith validity.
Takweeni (تکوینیة)
Ontological
Ṭalāq (الطلاق)
divorce
Taqdīr (تقدير)
fate, predestination
Taqlīd (تقليد)
to follow the scholarly opinion of one of the four Imams of Islamic Jurisprudence.
Taqīyyah (تقيّة)
'precaution', that one is allowed to hide his true beliefs in certain circumstances or to lie to save himself of being killed or harmed.
Taqwa (تقوى)
righteousness; goodness; Piety: Taqwa is taken from the verbe Ittaqua, which means Avoiding, Fearing the punishment from Allah for committing sins. It is piety obtained by fearing the punishment of Allah.
Tarāwīḥ (تراويح)
extra prayers in Ramadan after the Isha prayer.
Tarkīb (تَرْكِيب)
the study of Arabic grammar issued from the Qur'an
Ṭarīqah (طريقة)
a Muslim religious order, particularly a Sufi order
Tartīl (ترتيل)
slow, meditative recitation of the Qur'an
Taṣawwuf (التصوّف) or Sufism
Tasbīḥ (تسبيح)
Uttering the formula: "Subhan Allah", i.e. (Glory be to Allah)
Tashkīl (تشكيل)
vocalization of Arabic text by means of diacritical marks. An integral part of the Arabic writing system. Literally meaning to form or arrange
Taslīm (تسليم)
salutation at the end of prayer
Taṭbīr (تطبير)
Shia Ashura ceremony of self-flagellation by hitting head with sword.
Tawakkul (توکل)
total reliance on Allah.
Tawassul (توسُّل)
asking Allah Almighty through the medium and intercession of another person.
Ṭawāf (طواف)
circumambulating the Ka'bah during Hajj.
Tawfiq (توفیق)
Divine help in getting to the purpose to one who deserves.
Tawbah (توبة)
repentance
Tawḥīd (توحيد)
monotheism; affirmation of the Oneness of Allah. Muslims regard this as the first part of the Pillar of Islam, the second part is accepting Muhammad as rasoul (messenger). The opposite of Tawheed is shirk
Tawrāh (توراة)
the Torah as revealed to Musa (Moses.)
Ṭayyib (طيِّب)
all that is good as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc. Means "pure." The Shahaddath is tayyib.
Taʿzīr (تعزير)
Discretionary punishment – a sentence or punishment whose measure is not fixed by the Shari'ah. (See hudud, qisas)
Tazkīyah (تزكية)
Purification of the Soul.
Thawāb (ثواب)
Reward for good deeds that is tallied on qiyamah (judgment day.) Opposite of ithim.
Tilāwah (تلاوة)
ritual recitation of passages of the Qur'an.
Ṭumaʾnīnah (طمأنينة)
state of motionlessness, calm
U[edit]
ʿUbūdīyah (عبودية)
worship
ʾUḍḥīyah (أضحية)
sacrifice
ʿUlamāʾ (علماء) or ulema
the leaders of Islamic society, including teachers, Imams and judges. Singular alim.
ʾUmmah (الاُمّة) or umma
(literally 'nation') the global community of all Muslim believers
ʿUmrah (عمرة)
the lesser pilgrimage performed in Mecca. Unlike hajj, ʿumrah can be performed throughout the year.
ʿUqūbah (عقوبة)
the branch of sharia that deals with punishment. (See hudud, qisas, tazeer)
ʿUrf (عرف)
custom of a given society, leading to change in the fiqh
ʾUṣūl (أُصول) (sing. ʾaṣl)(أصل)
Principles, origins.
ʾUṣūl al-Fiqh (أصول الفقه)
the study of the origins and practice of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh)
W[edit]
Wa ʿalaykum as-salām (وعليكم السلام)
Wa 'Alaykum as-Salaam!, meaning "and upon you be peace". (see As-Salamu Alaykum)
Wafāt (وفاة)
death. (Barah-wafat) Muhammad was born on the twelfth day of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Muslim year. His death anniversary also falls on the same day, the word 'barah' standing for the twelve days of Muhammad's sickness.
Waḥdat al-wujūd (وحدة الوجود)
"unity of being". Philosophical term used by some Sufis. Related to fanaa
Waḥy (وحی)
revelation or inspiration of God to His prophets for all humankind
Wahn (وهن)
literal meaning is "weakness" or "feebleness". According to one hadith,[10] Muhammad explained it as "love of the world and dislike of death"
Wājib (واجب)
obligatory or mandatory see fard
Walī (ولي)
friend, protector, guardian, supporter, helper
Waqf (وقف)
An endowment of money or property: the return or yield is typically dedicated toward a certain end, for example, to the maintenance of the poor, a family, a village, or a mosque. Plural: awqaf
Warrāq (ورّاق)
traditional scribe, publisher, printer, notary and book copier
Wasaṭ (وسط)
the middle way, justly balanced, avoiding extremes, moderation
Wasīlah (وسيلة)
the means by which one achieves nearness to Allah (see tawassul )
Witr (وتر)
a voluntary, optional night prayer of odd numbers rakaats.
Wuḍūʾ (الوضوء)
ablution for ritual purification from minor impurities before salat (see ghusl)
Y[edit]
Yā Allāh (یا الله)
O, God!
Ya Rasūl Allāh (یا رسول الله)
O, Messenger of God!. Term used by companions when interacting with Mohammad.
Yaʾjūj wa-Maʾjūj (يأجوج ومأجوج )
Gog and Magog
Yaqīn (يقين)
certainty, that which is certain
Yarḥamuk-Allāh (يرحمك الله)
"May God have mercy on you", said when someone sneezes; the same as "(God) bless you" in English
Allāh Yarḥamuhu (الله يرحمه), fem. yarḥamuhā(يرحمها)
"May God have mercy of his/her soul", (said when someone dies)
Yawm ad-Dīn (يوم الدين)
Day of Reckoning, Awe
Yawm al-Ghaḍab (يوم الغضب)
Day of Rage, Wrath
Yawm al-Qiyāmah (يوم القيامة)
"Day of the Resurrection"; Day of Judgement
Z[edit]
Zabūr (زبور)
the Psalms revealed to King Daoud (David) عليه السلام
Zabīḥa (Dhabīḥah) (ذَبِيْحَة) see dhabiha
Islamic method of slaughtering an animal. Using a sharp knife the animal's windpipe, throat and blood vessels of the neck are severed without cutting the spinal cord to ensure that the blood is thoroughly drained before removing the head. See halal
Ẓāhir(ظاهر)
Exterior meaning
Zaidi (الزيدية)
Islamic sub-sect of Shi'ah, popularly found in Yemen, with similarities to Sunni
Zakāt (زكاة), Al-Māl
tax, alms, tithe as a Muslim duty; Sunnis regard this as the fourth Pillar of Islam. Neither charity nor derived from Islamic economics, but a religious duty and social obligation.
Zakāt al-Fiṭr (زكاة الفطر)
Charity given at the end of Ramadan.
Ẓālimūn (ظالمون)
polytheists, wrong-doers, and unjust.
Zandaqa (زندقة)
heresy
Zināʾ (زناء, زنى)
sexual activity outside of marriage (covering the English words adultery and fornication)
Zindīq (زنديق)
heretic, atheist
Zulfiqar (Dhu-l-fiqār) (ذو الفقار)
Sword of Ali رضي الله عنه, presented to him by Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم


6 Words Everyone Should Know: Muslim Slang 101
Do you speak Muslim? Muslims get this question many times. A lot of people think all Muslims have a common language. Fortunately, that is not the case. The official liturgical language of Islam is Arabic, but that does not mean all Muslims actually speak it. Even though many Muslims speak other languages than Arabic, there are a few words that we all know and that we use on a daily basis. This is an article for all the people out there who once got confused when their Muslim friend used ‘Muslim slang’.
As-salamu Alaikum
This one is very well known by both Muslims and non-Muslims. It means ‘peace be upon you’. You might think: When do you guys even use this? ‘As-salamu Alaikum’ basically replaces the classic ‘hello’ or ‘whassuuuuuuup bro?!’. We use it when meeting or greeting people and we also use this one when saying goodbye. Depending on where you live and on whether you are a man or a woman, it can be accompanied by a handshake, a hug or 24 kisses.
Fun fact: for the more advanced people there is also ‘Asalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh’, which is used in the same situation. But you add something more to the meaning. This extended version means ‘May the peace, the mercy, and the blessings of Allah be upon you.’

Mash’Allah
‘Mash’Allah’, mainly used by girls when being around each other. It basically means ‘What Allah wants, He gives.’ Muslims use this to praise people when Allah has blessed or honoured them with something. Many people overuse this word a lot.
‘Mash’Allah your manicure is so pretty’
‘Mash’Allah you finished that computer game!’
‘Mash’Allah your new shoes look so nice’

Insh’Allah
This one can be used in two different situations. The actual use of this word is when you make resolutions or when you plan on doing something. Because ‘Insh’Allah’ means ‘if Allah wills’. But parents all over the world have inherited this word to train their kids not to whine when asking for something.
‘Mom, dad can I go to the movies tomorrow?’
‘Insh’Allah.’
We used to think that this means that they put the trust in the hands of Allah, but growing up we all know that it actually means no.
Subhanallah
If you are Muslim and you’ve ever watched National Geographic with your grandparents you have probably heard of this word before. SubhanAllah means ‘glory to Allah’, which is used in many situations. For example when you witness something beautiful, this is where you praise God for His Creation. But it can also be used when witnessing someone who is being very ignorant towards something that was created by Allah.

Astaghfirulah
When a Muslim wants to ask Allah for forgiveness he will say ‘Astagfirullah’. It literally means ‘I ask Allah for forgiveness.’ The funny thing is that it is meant to use this word for mistakes you made yourself but many people like to use this word to judge others for their ‘mistakes’.
‘Astagfirullaaaaaaaaah sister, your hijab doesn’t cover your hair properly!’
Allahu Akbar
Many people have ruined this word for us in a way that we can no longer say it out loud in airports or in public transport. People who do not understand the meaning think it is some kind of shout terrorists use, but the actual meaning is ‘Allah is the greatest’. Muslims use this when they approve of what they hear or when they witness something beautiful. It has such a beautiful meaning, too bad some people have messed up this word and its meaning.
So next time you hear Muslims use one of these words: no need to get confused or scared. These are just sayings we use on a daily basis. If you really want to know the meaning of something your Muslim friend says, just ask. We do not bite… nor bomb. Chill.
Glossary of Muslim and Islamic Terms
I thought, given some of the feedback, that I would create a list of terms, a glossary as it were, for some of the words that get used here [many words are transliterations of Arabic terms, where if the reader does not have a background in either Arabic or Islam, they may have no idea what they mean]. The terms are listed alphabetically in English and will be an on-going process of updating and refining. To find your way back to your post, simply use your browser’s back button.
‘Adl [عدل]: justice.
Allah [الله]: the Arabic word for God. It is the definite of ilaah اله meaning “a god or deity [infinitive]”. While there are a number of grammatical opinions that look at the root of  و ل ه  there is one opinion that I hold to more and that is the root coming from the possessive, lahu له meaning, “for him or belonging to him”. This was a pre-Islamic understanding of the Arabs in which, by adding ال the definite article [تأليف] making it “all that belongs to Him” or “to Whom everything belongs”.
‘Aqidah: a creed or collection of practices and beliefs of a Muslim. There is more than one.
Bid’ah [بدعة]: in religious terms, it refers to unsanctioned innovation in the religion. As defined by Abu Is’haq Ibrahim bin Musa al-Shatibi [d.790]: “A concocted manner of proceeding in religion that mimics the scripturally mandated way, with the aim of achieving through this concocted way that which should only be sought through the scripturally mandated way”.
To demonstrate in another way, for instance, some Muslims will not kiss their wives while fasting during the month of Ramadan, notwithstanding the documented fact that the Prophet did kiss his wives while fasting. The idea is that despite this fact, some believe in “just being sure” or “keeping it safe”, insinuating that the Prophet’s own example is no longer sufficient evidence for a permissible act. Instead, even if a Muslim were to follow the example of the Prophet [i.e., his “sunnah“] he or she might end up committing an act which would be displeasing to God. This further indicts the Prophet, who was sent as a perfect example for humanity, in that he was in possession of erroneous knowledge that would lead to the displeasure of God, rendering his sunnahunreliable. Upon this thought, a Muslim must then render his or her own infallible path to salvation.
For a further explanation, see Towards Empowering the Common Muslim, “The Prophet’s Actions As A Source For Legal Rulings In Islam” by Dr. Sherman Jackson.
Fiqh [فقه]: the root of  ف ق ه  in Arabic means, “to grasp or understand”. In its relation to Muslim societies, it refers to the jurisprudence. In conjunction with language لغة, fiqh al-Lugah is philology.
Usuwl al-Fiqh [أصول الفقه]: the principles of jurisprudence. In relation to Muslim society, this is term may be called Muslim jurisprudence [I prefer “Muslim” versus “Islamic” whereby the term Muslim is far more specific and temporal whereas “Islamic” can be mistakenly conflated to overextend its scope, becoming ontological. The word أصزل being the plural of أصل meaning, “source, origin or root”.
Fitnah [فتنة]: basic meaning is “to test”. This term can be broken up into two major terms:
[1] God’s trying and testing of His servants – “Every soul shall taste death; and We visit you with good and evil, as a test [fitnah] for you,” Qur’an, 21: 35; or “Your money and your children are simply a test [fitnah] for you,” Qur’an, 64: 15.
[2] Human beings testing and trying other human beings – “And fight them until there exists no “fitnah” and religion is practiced solely out of devotion to God,” Qur’an, 2: 193; or “Verily those who test [fatana] the believing men and women and do not repent, their’s shall be the penalty of Hell and a Blazing fire,” Quran, 85: 10.
For a further explanation of fitnah, see Dr. Sherman Jackson’s, Islam and the Blackamerican, pg. 179.
Halaqah [حلقة]: literally meaning “ring”, they are informal gatherings where a guest speaker or the imam may give a talk in the masjid and the people will form a circle to listen. Not a mandatory act.
‘Ilm [علم]: knowledge or science. The verbal root ع ل م means to learn, know, study or to reason. It is used as a preceding term to refer to the science of this or that – for example, ‘ilm al-ijtimaa’ [علم الاجتماع], is sociology. Its plural is ‘uluwm [علوم]. For more on how Islam perceives knowledge, read or listen to the khutbah here.
Ijmā’ [اجماع]: I like the definition that Dr. Sherman Jackson uses to define orthodoxy and ijma’ [unanimous consensus]:
1) orthodoxy in Islamic law is made up of a) universally agreed upon (mujma’ ‘alaihi) rules and b) disputed (mukhtalaf fihi) rules;2) as long as a disputed view is endorsed by an orthodox school of law, it is orthodox — equal in effect to views supported by unanimous consensus; and 3) any disputed view endorsed by an orthodox school is authoritative when it appears in the form of a legal opinion (fatwa), and binding and unassailable when issued in the form of a judicial ruling (hukum).
Taken from Dr. Jackson’s: In Defense of Two-Tiered Orthodoxy: a Study of Shihab al-Din al-Qarafi’s Kitab al-Ihkam fi Tamyiz al-Fatawa ‘an al-Ahkam wa Tasarrufat al-Qadi wa al-Imam. A dissertation in Oriental Studies, University of Pennsylvania, 1991.
Khatīb – also spelled khateeb or khatib [خطيب]: the person who delivers the speech of the Jumu’ah [Friday] Prayer. The khatīb must be a male of adult age, sane, and competent in the ways of Muslim thinking [basic knowledge of Qur’an, Sunnah, Hadith, etc.].
Khut’bah – also spelled khutbah or kutbah [خطبة]: the sermon or speech that is delivered in the day of Jumu’ah [Friday] during the Jumu’ah Prayer. The khut’bah is mandatory for all males of a responsible age and of sound mind. And while women are not compelled to go they may do so.
Masjid [plural: masajid]: the place of worship for Muslims. Also known as a mosque.
Mālikī Madh’hab [المذهب المالكي أو مذهب إمام مالك بن أنس]: this is the school of juridical thought based on Imam Mālik ibn Anas’ [d. 796/179 AH] work. It is one of the four major schools of jurisprudence, comprising about 15% of the total Muslim population. It is most popular in North and sub-Saharan Africa. One of the things that distinguishes this school of thought from the others is the preference for the proclivities, knowledge and transmissions from the people of Madinah, who Mālik saw as a sort of “living, communal understanding” of what the Prophet Muhammad brought [i.e., the Revelation as well as non-revelatory-based things for which there was no Qur’anic precedent]. Imam Mālik’s famous work is the “Approved” [الموطأ].
Minbar [منبر]: the pulpit the imam stands on when delivering the Jumu’ah [Friday] sermon.
Muruw’ah [مروؤة]: sense of honor, chivalric sense of honor or generosity, or manliness. This is a term that is often used to describe the honorific sensibility that many of the pagan Arabs of the Prophet Muhammad’s time behaved in. As an example, the Arabic name, Marwaan [مروان] comes from this root م ر ؤ meaning one who is manly.
Salāh [صلاة]: the five-times daily prayer, performed either communally or individually by Muslims. This should be be mistaken for supplication.
Sarf [صرف]: morphology. A component of the study of Arabic language where additionally related meanings are derived from “morphing” the root of a verb through various forms [I-X approximately]. For a further explanation, see Wikipedia’s definition.
Shahādah [شهادة]: the verbal act of professing, “there is no god but God and Muhammad is His Messenger [ash’hadu an laa ilaha illa Allah wa ash’hadu anna Muhammadan rasuwlu’llah]”. This is the first “pillar of Islam” – the Testimony of Faith.
Sharī’ah [شريعة]: Islamic law. A historical process of determining rulings based on the validity or lack thereof of precedent. As described by Dr. Jackson,
“It was not theology but law that achieved primacy in classical Sunni Islam. Islamic law, however, was not the creation of the early Muslim state. Rather, private Muslims during the first two centuries after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (632 C.E.) succeeded in gaining recognition for their interpretive efforts as representing the most reliable renderings of divine intent.” — Islam and the Black American: Looking Towards the Third Resurrection, 7.
This would include interpretive processes such as interpretive methodology (usuwl al-fiqh) along with the Qur’an and Sunnah (normative practice and supplemental commentary of the Prophet Muhammad) combined with the Unanimous Consensus (ijma’) of jurists as the main source in tandem with analogy (qiyas) as the main method of using the law to address cases and issues for which there is no precedent. For a further explanation, see Dr. Jackson’s, Islam and the Blackamerican, pg. 7.
Taqwā [تقوى]: taqwā is often translated as God-consciousness, though in fact, this does not quite reflect the nature of how the word was used in the Qur’an. There, it is almost always used in an admonishing way, in which the recipient is encouraged to “defend” or “protect” his or herself from some form of Divine chastisement. Like many terms found in the Qur’an, taqwā was not unknown to the pre-Islamic Arabs, as al-Tabrizi demonstrates in his commentary on the poetry collection, al-Hamāsah:
الإتقاء أن تجعل بينك و بين ما تخافه حاجزا يحفظك
“Taqwā is the idea that you [A] place something [C] between yourself and that which you fear could destroy you [B].”
What al-Tabrīzī is demonstrating to us is that taqwā, in a sense, is a type of self-defense or self-preservation system or technique to ward off destruction by placing something between yourself and that impending doom.
Let’s take a quick look at taqwā in few lines of Jāhiliyyah poetry. In the Mu’allaqah, Zuhayr states boldly:
و قال سأقضي حاجتي ثم أتقي * عدوي بألف من روائى ملجم
“I will satisfy my vengeance [on my brother’s killer by taking his life!], then I will defend myself from their reprisal with a thousand horses, all bridled in support of my cause!”
What al-Tabrīzī is demonstrating to us is that taqwā, in a sense, is a type of self-defense or self-preservation system or technique to ward off destruction by placing something between yourself and that impending doom. For more on taqwā read here.
Zulm [ظلم]: brute tyranny or injustice. Injustice.
Everyday Islamic Words

Taken from missionislam.com and other sources

Every muslim should know these words, what they mean and when to say them because, we want the blessings from Allah.

General

Bismillah
In the name of Allah
When to say it: before we do anything

Alhamdulillah
Praise be to Allah
When to say it: for showing gratitude to Allah after success or even after completing anything

Insha Allah
If Allah wishes
When to say it: for expressing a desire to do something

Masha Allah
As Allah has willed
When to say it: for expressing appreciation of something good

Subhaanallah
Glory be to Allah
When to say it: for praising something

Astaghfirullah
I beg Allah for forgiveness
When to say it: repenting for sins before Allah

Al hamdu lillah
Praise be to Allah
When to say it: after sneezing

Yar hamukallah
May Allah have mercy on you
When to say it: someone else sneezes

Fi sabi lillah
For the sake of Allah
When to say it: giving charity

Aameen
May it be so
When to say it: the end of a Dua or prayer

Fi Amanullah
May Allah protect you
When to say it: by way of saying good-bye

Bismillahi tawakkaltu 'alal-lahi was la hawla wa la quwwata 'illa billah
In the Name of Allah, I trust in Allah and thereis no strength notr power except with Allah.
When to sat it: When leaving the home

Greeting other muslims

As salamu aleiykum
Peace be upon you
When to say it: meet a Muslim

Waleiykum assalam
And peace be upon you
When to say it: return a greeting to a Muslim

As salamu aleiykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
Peace and mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you
When to say it: meet a Muslim

Waleiykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
And peace and mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you
When to say it: return a greeting to a Muslim

When mentioning the Prophets (peace be upon them) and their Companions

Sal allahu aleihi wasallam
Peace be upon him (S.A.W.)
When to say it: whenever we say the name of Prophet Muhammad

Alaihi salaam
Peace be upon him (A.S.)
When to say it: whenever we say the name of a prophet or an angel

Radi Allah Anhu
May Allah be pleased with him (R.A.)
When to say it: whenever we say name of male companion of the Prophet (Sahabi)

Radi Allah Anha
May Allah be pleased with her (R.A.)
When to say it: whenever we say name of female companion of the Prophet

Radi Allah Anhum
May Allah be pleased with them (R.A.)
When to say it: Plural form of saying companions of the Prophet

Expressing Thanks

Jazakallah
May Allah reward you
When to say it: when we want to express thanks

JazakAllahu khair
May Allah reward you for the good
When to say it: for expression of thanks

BarakAllahu feekum
May Allah bless you
When to say it: responding to someone’s thanks

Expression of sympathy

Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji'oon
To Allah we belong and to Him is our return
When to say it: this is uttered as an expression of sympathy of the news of loss or some one's death

La hawla wala quwata illah billah
There is no strength nor power except Allah
When to say it: during the time of hardship
The Islamic Glossary: An Explanation of Names, Terms and Symbols
AUTHORS(S):
Hasnain Kassamali

You might have noticed unfamiliar Arabic terms or English abbreviations/titles/names. An attempt at explaining them follows. If there is still some term that is unclear, please do not hesitate to contact us through the Site Information section of Al-Islam.org/
The definitions are by no means comprehensive, and serve as an introduction to the term. A full definition of each term would surely require more disk space than available in all the world.
• Aaron see Harun
• Abar Ali the name of a place where Masjidu Shajarah is situated, 7 km. outside of Medinah.
• Abbas b. Ali b. Abi Talib was the brother of Imam Hussein (A.S.). His mother was Umm al-Banin. Abbas was killed at Karbala.
• Abu Dharr al-Ghiffari (Jundub b. Junada) was a companion of the Prophet (S.A.W.) who was loyal to Imam Ali (A.S.) He died in 32 (A.H.) 651 (A.D.) after being expilled by Uthman.
• Abu Talib was the father of Ali (A.S.). He looked after the Prophet (S.A.W.) when the latter was a child.
• 'Adl is Justice
• Adam was the first man and the first prophet of Allah.
• Adhan is the call for daily ritual prayers (Salat).
• Ahlul-Bayt refers to the Household of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.).
• Ahwat is a precaution. This can be obligatory or optional as ruled by the Mujtahid.
• Akhirah is the Hereafter
• A'lam is the top ranking jurist
• Ale Muhammad Blood kin, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.).
• Ali b. Abi Talib (A.S.) is the first Imam (A.S.), the cousin and son-in-law of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). He is referred to as Ameer al-Mu'mineen, the Leader of the Faithful. He was poisoned in 661 A.D.
• Ali b. al-Husayn b. Ali b. Abi Talib (A.S.) is the fourth Imam.
• Ali b. Muhammad b. Ali b. Musa al-Hadi, Abu al-Hasan (A.S.) is the 10th Imam.
• Ali b. Musa al-Rida, Abu al-Hasan (A.S.) is the eighth Imam.
• 'Alim is a scholar
• Allah refers to God, glory be to Him, there is no god but He. Allah is a Divine name of God. It is the perfect name for God as it truly denotes the absolute Oneness of God. The name has no plural and no feminine form.
• A'maal is an act of worship.
• Amirul Mu'mineen The commander of the faithful, Imam Ali (A.S.).
• Amr bil Ma-roof ordering to goods
• Arafah is the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah.
• Arafat is the area about 25 km. away from Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
• A.H. refers to After Hijrah.
• A.S. refers to 'Alayhis-salaam, (God's) peace be with him. It is said after the names of all previous prophets, their mothers (e.g. Bibi Maryam [Mary] A.S.), the twelve divine Imams from the household of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and Bib i Fatima (A.S.). It will change to 'Alayhas-salaam (peace be with her) if it follows a lady's name. After any two names we say 'Alayhimas-salaam and after more than two names or when referring a group of people we say 'Alayhimus-salaam. Thus, we sa y Imams Hasan and Husayn (A.S.='alayhimas-salaam) and the Ahul-Bayt (A.S.'alayhimus-salaam).
• Ashura the day Iman Hussai (sa) was killed in Karbala land
• 'Asr is the afternoon, and the prayer of the afternoon
• Ayah is a sign of Allah or a verse of the Qur'an (pl. Ayat)
• Ayatul Kursi Verse No. 255 in Suratul Baqarah
• Baab-al-Salaam is one of the famous gates of Masjidul Haraam.
• Baligh is one who is an adult
• Batil is void
• Bilal was a companion of the Prophet (S.A.W.)
• Bismillah means In the Name of Allah or I begin in the Name of Allah
• Bulugh is puberty
• David see Dawood
• Dawood was a Prophet of Allah mentioned in the Qur'an and the Old Testament.
• Deen is religion
• Dhikr is remembrance, the recitation of special invocations during and after ritual prayers.
• Dhuhr prayers are the afternoon prayers
• Dhul Hijjah is the last month (12th) of the Islamic calendar.
• Dhul Qidah is the 11th month of the Islamic calendar.
• Du'a is supplication
• Ehtiaat see Ahwat
• Ehtiaat-Mustahabbi is a preferable precaution
• Ehtiaat-Waajib is an obligatory precaution which must be followed
• Eid is an Islamic holiday. The four Eids are listed below.
    • Eid ul-Adha falls on the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah.
    • Eid ul-Fitr falls on the 1st day of Shawwal.
    • Eid-e Ghadeer
    • Eid-e Mubahala
• Fajr is dawn, and denotes Subhe-Sadiq, the prime time for prayer
• Farsakh is a distance of five and a half kilometers
• Fatiha is the opening chapter of the Holy Qur'an.
• Fatima or Fatema (A.S.), the Chief of the women of the worlds, is the daughter of the Prophet (S.A.W.) and the wife of Ali b. Abi Talib (A.S.), the mother of Hasan and Hussein (A.S.)
• Fatwa is a verdict, especially of a Mujtahid
• Fidyah is a sacrifice of an animal for expiation
• Fiqh is a science of religious jurispudence
• Fitrah is the charity due on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, on the night after Ramadhan.
• Foroo-e-Din are the branches of Islam
• Ghadeer is the name of a place near Mecca, and the great holiday named after the event that occurred at that place.
• Ghasbi is usurpation
• Ghusl is a spiritual bath required after sexual intercourse, menstruation, seminal discharge, and other conditions.
• Hadath-Akbar is something that needs wudhu or ghusl
• Hadath-Asghar is a minor hadath that needs wudhu
• Hadeeth is a narration/tradition reported from the Prophet (S) and the Imams (a)
• Hajarul Aswad is the Black Stone.
• Hajj is the Islamic pilgrimage
• Hajjatul Tamatu is the secnod session of the Hajj for those who are not resident in Mecca or its vicinity.
• Halal is something that is lawful and permissible to use/consume in Islam
• Halq is to shave off the hair from the head (during Hajj)
• Hamza was an uncle of the Prophet who became a Muslim and was martyred at the battle of Uhud.
• Haq is the right or claim to something
• Haram is that which is unlawful in Islam. It is necessary to abstain from the acts which are haram.
• Harun was the brother of Musa (Moses) and Prophet of Allah mentioned in the Qur'an.
• Hasan b. Ali b. Abi Talib (A.S.) was the secnd Imam.
• Hasan b. Ali b. Muhammad, Abu Muhammad al-Askari (A.S.) was the 11th Imam.
• Hijab is the screening between non-mahram men and women
• Hijra is the day the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) left Mecca for Medina. In particular, it was the Prophet's (S.A.W.) abandoning Mecca because of its mounting hostility, and transferring himself and his followers to Yathrib (200 miles north) whose people had invited him. He arrived on the 20th of September 622 AD, and the city proudly changed its name to Medinatu'l-Nabi (the Prophet's (S.A.W.) city). On Imam Ali's (A.S.) advice, Omar, reproached for not dating documents, took this event as the start o f the Muslim era, dubbing the year of the Hijrah year as Year 1 and starting it on the Lunar New Year's Day, the 1st of Muharram 622 AD.
• Hijr-e-Ismaaeel is a small wall in an arc shape adjoining the Ka'ba on one side
• Hira is the cave wherein Prophet Muhammad (S) sat for worshipping Allah
• Husain b. Ali b. Abi Talib (A.S.) was the third Imam.
• Ibadah is devotion or worship
• Ibrahim
• Iftar is the breaking of the fast
• Ihram is the state in which every pilgrim in Hajj has to perform his/her Hajj, consisting of two modest clothes and 25 restrictions.
• Ihtiyat is a precautionary action which usually requires repetition.
• Ihtiyat Wajib means precautionarily obligatory. Its significance is the same as that of wajib with the difference that in the problems where a mujtahid says it is “precautionarily obligatory”, one has the option of leaving his taqlid in this particular problem and following the rulings of the second-best mujtahid in that problem.
• Imam means Leader in Arabic. The term is generally applied to religious leaders. However, there are 12 infallible and noble Imams, the descendants of Muhammad (S.A.W.).
• Iman is full, deep belief or faith.
• Injil is the New Testament.
• Inshallah means with the will of Allah
• Iqamah is the announcement of the beginning of prayer.
• Isa was the son of Mariam (Mary). He is a prophet of Allah.
• Isha is the commencement of darkness, and the prayer of that time.
• Ishmael see Ismaeel
• Islam was revealed to the Prophet (Sura III: Ali-Imran--The Family of Imran, verse 19) “The Religion of Allah is Al-Islam,” and again (Sura V: Ma'idah--The Table Spread, verse 3) “This day I have approved al-Islam for you as a religion.” Islam is the verbal noun of “asalama”--to submit oneself to God.
• Ismaeel was the son of Abraham, Prophet of Allah and the father of the Arabs.
• Istighfar is to seek the forgiveness of Allah
• Ja'far b. Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn, al-Sadiq, Abu Abd Allah (A.S.) was the 6th Imam.
• Ja'iz see Halal
• Jacob see Yaqub
• Jama'at is a group or a congregation
• Jesus see Isa.
• Jihad is a holy war (striving or fighting in the way of Allah) by the order of the Imam.
• Jinn is a type of creature having, like humans, free will
• Joseph see Yusuf
• Jum'ah is Friday
• Ka'bah is the cubic house built by Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) and his son Ismaeel (A.S.) more than 3000 years ago in Mecca, towards which all Muslims face for their Salat. It contains the Hajarul Aswad or the Black Stone.
• Kafa is the shroud for the dead
• Kaffarah are alms to be given as penance on different occasions.
• Karbala a holey city In Iraq where Imam Hussain (sa) was killed there in day Ashura
• Khadija was the daughter of Khuwaylid and the wife of the Prophet (S.A.W.). She was the mother of Fatima (A.S.).
• Khums is “a fifth”, obligatory tax-like charity
• Kifie is an obligatory Islamic rule. If one person performs the act, then it is not required for others to perform. For example, the burial of a deceased Muslim is obligatory on any one person to perform.
• Labbaik literally means a response to the call
• Madina means city, and Medinatu'l Nabi (the city of the Prophet) was the name taken by the citizens of Yathrib, the town to which the Prophet (S.A.W.) and his companions migrated during Hijrah.
• Maghrib is sun-down and the prayer associated with it
• Mahram is a person with whom marriage is forbidden
• Makruh is something abominable
• Maqame-e-Ibrahim is a place near the Ka'bah, where there is a stone bearing the footprint of Prophet Ibrahim (a)
• Marwah is a remnant of a mountain in Mecca.
• Masjid is a mosque, a place of Islamic worship.
• Masjid-u-Shajarah is a mosque outside Madinah, where most of the Hajis go there for wearing Ihram; a Meeqat
• Masjid-ul-Haram is the Grand mosque in Makkah, where the Holy Ka'ba is situated
• Mayyit is a corpse, a dead body of a human being
• Mecca is a holy city in Arabia
• Medina see Madina
• Meeqat are appointed places for wearing Ihram before entering Makkah
• Mina is an area about 12 km. from Mecca.
• Moses see Musa
• Muhammad (S.A.W.) is the Last of the Messengers of Allah to mankind.
• Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn al Baqir, Abu Ja'far (A.S.) is the 5th Imam.
• Muhammad b. Ali b. Musa, al-Jawad, is the 9th Imam.
• Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Askari (A.S.) is the 12th Imam.
• Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar.
• Mujtahid is s specialist on the deduction of the Islamic rules from four major sources: the Qur'an, Hadith, conscience of the community, and reasoning.
• Mu'min is a believer, one who has Iman (pl. Mu'mineen)
• Muqallid is a follower of a qualified specialist on religious matters.
• Musa was a Prophet of Allah mentioned in the Qur'an and the Old Testament.
• Musa b. Ja'far b. Muhammad al-Kadhim, Abu al-Hasan (A.S.) is the 7th Imam.
• Muslim is one who believes in Allah, his Prophet (S.A.W.), the day of Resurrection (Qiyamat), recites the Kalemah, and accepts the commandments of Allah and His Prophet (S.A.W.) as the Truth.
• Mustahab or Sunnat is something that is recommended and performed in desire for (divine) love
• Muzdalafah (also called Mash'ar) is the area between Mina and Arafat, about 20 km. form Mecca.
• Nabi is a Prophet
• Nabuwwat is prophet-hood
• Nadhr is one of the three types of vows to Almighty Allah.
• Nafilah are the recommended prayers after or before the daily obligatory Salat.
• Nahi anil Munkar interdicting from ugly (sin)
• Najasat is an impurity
• Najis is something that is impure
• Naar is the fire of Hell
• Nikah is a pronouncement of marriage according to Shari'ah
• Niyyah is an intention to perform an activity.
• Noah see Nuh
• Non-mehram is one with whom marriage is permitted
• Nuh was a prophet of Allah mentioned in the Qur'and and the Old Testament
• Pak is something that is clean, not najis
• Prophet refers to a Messenger sent by Allah to mankind, such as: Adam, Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus)(A.S.), and the Last Messenger, the Seal of the Prophethood, Muhammad (S.A.W.).
• Qadha is the duty that is required for a missed ritual activity, such as prayers or fasting.
• Qamar is the moon
• Qiblah is the direction of Salat (towards the Ka'bah).
• Qira-at is the reading of the prayer
• Qiyam is the standing during the Salat for recitation of Suratul Hamd and the second Surah, and the standing after the Ruku'.
• Qiyamat is the day of Resurrection
• Qunut is the act of raising both palms in fornt of the face while praying in the second Rakat of Salat.
• Qur'an is the Holy Book, the Living Miracle, revealed from Allah as a guidance to mankind.
• Quraysh is the tribe of Mecca to which Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) belonged. All his descendants are also called Qurayshi.
• Qurbani is a sacrifice
• Qurbat is the niyyah of nearness to Allah
• Rajab is the seventh month of the Islamic calendar.
• Ramadhan is the ninth and the holiest month of the islamic calendar. It is the month of fasting from sunrise to sunset.
• Rasool is messenger
• Rukn literally means a “pillar”. It is also a basis of the prayer.
• Ruku' is the act of bowing in the Salat
• S.A.W. stands for Sallal-lahu 'alayhi wa-alihi wa-sallam in Arabic, and means Blessings and peace of God be with him and his household. It is a prayer which is said after the name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.).
• Sadaqah is the charity given to the poor.
• Saee means walking between the rocks of Safa and Marwah
• Safa is the part of a mountain in Mecca.
• Saheefa-Kamila is a collection of supplications by our 4th Imam (a), Zainul Abideen.
• Sajdah is the act of prostration in the Salat, when seven portions of the body touch the earth: the forehead on pure ground, two palms, two knees, and the two big toes. The two Sajdahs together are called sajdatain.
• Salam is a salutation. It is also the last recitation at the end of Salat.
• Salat are the obligatory prayers
• Salawat are invocation of blessings, specifically the recitation of Allahumma Sali 'Ala Muhammadin Wa Aali Muhammad, meaning O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.
• Salman (al-Farsi) was the Persion Companion of the Prophet (S.A.W.)
• Sawm is the act of fasting
• Sayyid is a descendant of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)
• Shaabaan is the eighth month of the Islamic calendar.
• Shahadah is declaration
• Shaheed is a martyr in the way of Islam (pl. Shuhada).
• Shaitan is Satan, the enemy of mankind
• Shari'ah are the rules and regulations of Islam, the divine Law. Shari'ah is the totality of of Allah's Commandments relating to man's activities.
• Shams is the sun
• Shawwal is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.
• Shi'a is a follower of the twelve Imams (A.S.).
• Sunnat or Mustahab means recommendable, desirable. The acts whose neglect is not punished, but whose performance is rewarded, e.g., the call for prayers (adhan).
• Surah is any chapter of the 114 in the Holy Qur'an. It literally means a sign, or a revelation. Each Surah in the Qur'an is named from some subject or word which is particularly striking.
• Tabarra opposite of Tawalla, avoiding and eluding enemies of Allah and prophet and Imams
• Tafseer is a term used for a commentary of any book, specifically the Holy Qur'an.
• Taharat is the state of being clean and not impure
• Tahur is the cave wherein Prophet Muhammad (S) stayed before finally migrating to Madinah
• Takbirah is saying “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest).
• Talbiyah is the formula of response to the Call of Allah, which must be pronounced immediately after Niyyah of Ihram
• Tawaf is part of the worship of Hajj and Umrah
• Tawalla is loving and supporting and following (Allah and prophet and Imams and their allies)
• Tawbah is repentance
• Tawheed is Divine Unity
• Tayammum means spiritual cleansing which is sometimes a substitute for wudhu and ghusl
• Thawab is a Divine blessing
• Turbah is earth, especially from the shrines of the Holy Imams (A.S.), on which Muslims place their heads during Sajdah
• Umm Kulthum see Zaynab
• 'Umra is the “little” pilgrimage, performed in ritual purity wearing the Ihram, the seamless ceremonial garments consisting of a white sheet from the navel to the knees and a white sheet covering the left shoulder, back and breast, knotted on t he right.
• Usule Din are the principles of Islam.
• Wafat is a death
• Wajib is obligatory (pl. Wajibat). An act which must be performed.
• Wudhu is a spiritual wash of the face and hands before Salat
• Yaqub was a prophet of Allah, mentioned in the Qur'an and the Old Testament.
• Yusuf was a prophet of Allah, mentioned the Qur'an and the Old Testament.
• Zakat is an obligatory charity
• Zamzam is the name of a well at Makkah
• Zaynab (Umm Kulthum) was the younger daughter of Ali and Fatima (A.S.).
• Ziyarat is to visit and/or to recite special salutations for the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and his household (A.S.).

Popular Islamic Terms


Allah: The Islamic term for god. Allah is the creator of the universe. He is considered to be merciful, beneficent, protective, mighty, a provider, the exalted one, lord, all knowing, all hearing, all seeing, magnificent, wise, and eternal. The Qur'an states 99 characteristic names for Allah.
Allahu Akbar: Arabic for "Allah is most great," or "God is great." It is used as a call to prayer.
Assalaamu Álaikum: A general greeting in Islamic culture, which means, "Peace be upon you."
Ayatollah: A spiritual leader among the Shi'ites.
Barakah: Means blessing or divine grace.
Bismillahir rahmanir rahim: A phrase recited before doing any daily activity. It means,"In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful."
Caliph: Successor of Muhammad as leader of the Muslim community.
Daa'i: A missionary in Islam.
Dar-al-harb: A term used for the non-Muslim world and means "House of War."
Dar-al-Islam: A term that refers to the Islamic world and means "House of Islam."
Da'wah: Its literal meaning is to invite others to Islam and is the Islamic equivalent to the Christian word, "mission."
Dhimmis: These are conquered peoples living under Muslim rule, generally the Jews and Christians who are called "people of the Book."  They are protected and can have certain rights such as privately worshipping according to their religion.  However, they must pay protection money and are never considered citizens.
Eid: Means a festivity, a celebration, a feast.
Fatwa: This is an Islamic legal ruling or edict.
Hadith: A collection of Muhammad's sayings and deeds, known as the Traditions, which is commonly taught as a part of Islamic theology. Hadiths are explanations and interpretations of Muhammad's living example.
Hajj: * Pilgrimage to Mecca during the twelfth month of the Muslim lunar calendar. Muslims are required to perform hajj at least once in their lifetime, if means and health allow.
Hijra: The flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in A.D. 622 because of increasing opposition. It is also calledhegira or hejira.
Imam: A religious leader or head of a local community, or a spiritually qualified leader. He also leads in community political affairs.
Iman: This is a belief or faith in god (Allah).
Injil: It is the Gospel of Jesus and one of Islam's Holy Books.
Islam: The root words of Islam are silm and salam which mean submission.
Jihad: This is a struggle or effort in god's cause. The great jihad is the inward struggle against the passions. Thelesser jihad is a defensive or legal war, to protect the interest of Islam. It is mistakenly called holy war. Jihad is the Muslim obligation to strive to teach, explain, spread, and protect the message of Islam.
Jinn: These are unseen or spiritual beings who are required to follow the orders of Allah and are accountable for their deeds. Like humans, they are given the power to choose between right and wrong.
Ka'ba: A cubic stone structure where the black stone is housed. Located in the center of the Great Mosque at Mecca, Muslims believe that it was the first house of worship built by Adam, which was later reconstructed by Abraham and Isma'il. It is also spelled ka'aba or ka'bah.
Kafir: This is a person who refuses to submit to Allah. This term is generally used by Muslims to refer to those who do not believe in Muhammad and the Qur'an, and who do not believe in god.
Koran: The anglicized form of Qur'an-holy book or sacred scripture. Muslims believe that it was revealed to Muhammad through angel Gabriel, or Jibril. The Koran was not fully composed at one time. Rather, it was revealed piecemeal over a period of 23 years. It is composed of 114 surahs.
Madinah: Originally this city was called Yathrib, and was located about 200 km north of Mecca. This was the first city-state that was established under the banner of Islam.
Mahdi: This term means the guided one.
Masjid: Arabic word translated as mosque.
Mosque: A place or house of prayer-literally, a place of prostration.
Muhammad: This is the prophet of the Islamic faith. He was born A.D. 570. and died in A.D. 632. Also spelled Mohammad.
Muharram: Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar and a festival commemorating the martyrdom of the third Imam.
Mullah: A learned leader, especially in Iran.
Murtad: This term means an apostate or an Islamic person who is converted to another religion.
Muslim: A person who submits to Allah and practices the religion of Islam.
Qibla: Direction toward Mecca that is designated in a place of prayer.
Qur'an: The Arabic word for recitation. See Koran.
Ramadan: Month of fasting which is observed in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims believe that it was during this month that the Quranic revelations began.
Salaam: A salutation, greeting, or blessing which means peace.
Salat: * Worship in the form of ritual prayer that is repeated five times daily.
Sawm: * Fasting, especially during Ramadan. Sawm means total abstinence from food, liquids, and sexual relationships from dawn to sunset, for one lunar month. Also called slyam.
Shahada: * Confessing or bearing witness to god's unity and Muhammad's role as messenger. "I testify that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his Prophet. A person must recite the shahadah to convert to Islam.
Shari'ah: Shari'ah is Islamic law-the way or divine path of obedience to god. It comprises the writings of the Qur'an and hadith and serves as the guide for worship and ethical living.
Shi'ite: Partisan or follower who believes that leadership should come from descendants of Muhammad's family.The plural is Shi'a.
Shirk: The act (sin) of regarding anything as equal with god. This includes idolatry, polytheism, or attributing divinity to a person.
Sufi: A Muslim mystic who emphasizes strong denial of self for the purpose of communion with god.
Sunni: Ninety percent of Muslims are Sunni. This name is derived from sunna (tradition) for one who follows the tradition of Muhammad (who did not designate a successor). It is the belief that leadership should come from among the Quraish Arabs (Muhammad's tribe).The plural is Sunnites.
Sura: Chapter of the Qur'an, of which there are 114.The plural of surah is suwar, which means chapters. Also spelledsurah.
Umma: The whole community of Islam or the ideal society god creates from those who practice and submit to Islam.
Zakat: * The alms or contributions to charity required as a duty to god. Zakat constitutes about 2.5 percent of one's annual wealth.
*Indicates one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Word In Arabic Definition
Abdullah
عبدالله Full name: Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib (عبدالله بن عبد المطلب‎‎). Father of Islam's prophet, Muhammad. The name literally means "Slave of Allah".
Abu Bakr أبو بكر Close Companion of Muhammad, who was also the father Muhammad’s wife Aisha. Abu Bakr was the first Caliph of Islam after Muhammad’s death.
Abu Hanifa أبو حنيفة Real name: Numan bin Tabith (نعمان بن ثابت). Founder of one of the famous Fiqhi schools in Islam, the Hanafi school. Born in Kufa of Iraq in 698 A.D. He was jailed by the Abbasid Caliph Abu Jafar Mansur and tortured until his death.
Abu Hurayrah أبو هريرة A close Companion of the Prophet from the battle of Khaybar (7/629), he was reputed to have a phenomenal memory, transmitting over 3,000 prophetic traditions.He is known as Abu Hurayrah because when he worked as a goatherd he kept a small kitten to play with.
Abu Lahab
أبو لهب Full name: Abu Lahab Abd al-Uzza Bin Abdul Muttalib. Uncle of Muhammad, but was a staunch critic of Islam. His name is mentioned in Qur'an 111:1-5as condemned to Hell along with his wife for their opposition to Muhammad and Islam.
Abrogation(Naskh)
نسخ The doctrine, based on Qur'an 2:106, Qur'an 13:39, Qur'an 16:101, Qur'an 17:86, Qur'an 87:6-7, that Allah rescinded some previous revelations. The most crucial topic for any infidel is the rule of abrogations through which Allah allowed Himself to change His mind. Apart from this silliness stands the fact that most of the peaceful verses (written in Mecca) likely quoted by Islamic apologists, were, in fact, substituted by others (later written in Medina): mainly all the bloody verses found in chapters 3 (-Chr.89-), 5 (-Chr.112-), 8 (-Chr.88-) and chapter 9 (-Chr.113-), particularly its 'Verse of the Sword' (9.5).
Adhan ‎أَذَان A call to prayer in Arabic, often made from a minaret and/or through a loudspeaker by a person known as Muadhin. Muslims hear this call five times a day, and prepare themselves for the prayer.
Ahl al-Bait أهل البيت Literal meaning: "People of the House". This term occurs twice in the Quran Qur'an 11:73 Qur'an 33:33. In Quran. 11:73 it refers to the “house” or family of the prophet Abraham, while in Quran 33:33 it has a more general sense. In its pre-Islamic usage, the term was applied to the ruling family of a clan or tribe, and thus it implies a certain nobility and right to rule.
Ahl al-Kitab
أهل الكتاب Literal meaning: People of the book, a term originated in the Qur'an to represent Jews and Christians who received earlier revelations from God.
Ahmed bin Hanbal احمد بن حنبل Hadith expert and theologian. He was the founder of the Hanbalı Madhhab, a prominent Fiqhi School in Islam. Ahmed bin Hanbal was persecuted by the Abbasids during their inquisition because he refused to admit that the Qur'an was created.
Aisha
عائشة The daughter of Abu Bakr. She was Muhammad's third and favorite wife whom he married after the death of Khadıjah, his first wife. Aisha was only six years old at the time of her marriage to Muhammad.
Al-‘ayn
العين Arabic word meaning "the (evil) eye". Witchcraft and the effects of the "evil eye" are mainstream Islamic beliefs, supported by sahih hadith.
Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ "Praise be to the God, the Lord of the worlds."
Allah
الله The Arabic name for God. The name "Allah" was known in pre-Islamic Arabia as the head of the pantheon. It is always written al-Ilah (The God) in the Qur'an, never Allah. Some non-Muslims believe Allah to be Muhammad's alter-ego. Allah existed before Mohammed, since his father was named Abdullah (slave of Allah). Its most probable origin is the Arabic moon god II-ilah, but we find in Mt.5.8 the name Alaha, Syriac for God from the Aramaic Alôh-ô, and Eloi in Mc.15.34 and Mt.27.46. Both Alaha and Yah find an ancestor in the Egyptian Yah (Iah or Lah: the moon proper). To reject al-Ilah (Allah) or to assign partners with him (see shirk) is considered the greatest of sins.
Allahu Akbar
الله اكبر Often said to mean “God is great”, but actually means “Allah is greater”.
Al Wala' Wal Bara'
الولاء والبراء Meaning "loyalty and disavowal". An Islamic concept that requires one to love what Allah loves, and hate what Allah hates.
Antisemitism
معاداة السامية Hatred of Jews. The Quran is extremely antisemitic. See Craig Winn's comparison of Muhammad and Hitler.

Arabic
العَرَبِيَّة‎‎ The largest living member of the Semitic languages family in terms of speakers. Modern Standard Arabic derives from Classical (Qur'anic) Arabic, the only surviving member of the Old North Arabian dialect group, attested epigraphically since the 6th century, which has been a literary language and the liturgical language of Islam since the 7th century CE.
Ashura
عاشوراء‎‎ A day in the Islamic month Muharram on which religious Shi'ite Muslims beat themselves bloody with swords, chains, knives and other metal objects.
Asr عصر‎‎ Late afternoon prayer.
As-salamu 'alaykum السّلامُ عليكُمْ Greetings by a Muslim to another Muslim. It means, “Peace be upon you”. The Arabic word for peace is "salam". If islam meant "peace", it would be "al-islamu alaykum", but the word "islam" means "submission".
Astaghfirullah أستغفر الله “I ask God's forgiveness”
Awliya
أَوْلِيَآءَ Meaning 'protector', or 'friend'. The Qur'an forbids Muslims from taking Christians, Jews and other disbelievers as freinds.
Al-'Azl
العزل Coitus interruptus; incomplete sexual intercourse; sexual intercourse when the man withdraws his penis and ejaculates outside the woman's body.
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Banu Qurayza
بنو قريظة The Jewish tribe of the Banu Qurayza is described in various hadith. 800-900 boys and men from this tribe were systematically beheaded on the orders of Muhammad. The women were taken captive by Muslims and sold in slave markets for horses and weapons. Not to be confused with Muhammad's tribe "Quraysh".
Bid'ah
بدعة‎‎ Innovation. In popular usage, this has come to mean heresy. The word originates from Al-Bada' meaning to create something without precedence. The first type is innovation in matters of the world in technology, medicine, computers, etc. which is not explicitly forbidden. The second kind is innovation in matters of religion and on this, Islam is harsh, intolerant and repressive.
Bucailleism
البوكايية The belief that the Qur'an prophesied the Big Bang theory, space travel and other contemporary scientific breakthroughs, and that there are more than 1200 verses (Ayat) which can be interpreted in the light of modern science. Of course, the same can be claimed for the Georgica; truly a miracle sent down from the ancient Roman gods.
Burqa (burkha, burka, burqua) برقع‎‎ An example of "full hijab", it is an enveloping outer garment worn by Muslim women for the purpose of hiding her body when out in public. (some Islamic governments make it a requirement).
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Caliph
خِلافة‎‎ The head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah (body of Muslim believers). According to Islamic theology, the first four successors of Muhammad were the "Rightly-Guided Caliphs" (Khulafaa-e-Rashidun).
Christian Missionary التبشير المسيحي In regards to criticism of Islam, it is a derogatory term, often used in debates as an ad-hominem to encourage Muslim listeners/readers to dismiss any valid points that may have been raised. It is often applied to critics regardless of their religious affiliation or occupation.
Crescent Moon
هلال‎‎ Hubal was the pagan moon god worshiped at the Ka’aba. The crescent moon was Hubal’s symbol. As with the Cross for Christianity and the Star of David for Judaism, the Crescent moon is today a universal symbol for Islam.
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Daleel
دليل Daleel is an Arabic word meaning 'evidence'. In regards to Islamic hadith (narrations concerning the actions and orders of Muhammad), Daleel can either be Da`if (weak), Hasan (good), or Sahih (authentic).
Dar'al Harb (or Dar'ul Harb arabic. House of War) دار الحرب An Islamic term used for countries which are not under Islamic rule.
Dar'al Islam (or Dar'ul Islam -arab. House of Islam) دار الإسلام‎‎ An Arabic term used to refer to lands that are under the rule of Muslim governments.
Dawa (Dawah or D'awa) دعوة Preaching; the missionary call to Islam; request to join Islam, and also the last ultimatum before 'legitimate' conquest by force.
Dhimmi
ذمي Non-Muslim communities living under Islamic law (Shariah), who enjoy legal status but are subject to many restrictions and taxes. Also described as humans of second class, referring to the 'People of the Book', i.e. Jews and Christians.
Dhul-Qarnayn
ذو القرنين A figure appearing in Qur'an 18:83-98, identified by some as Alexander the Great who built a barrier against Gog and Magog.
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Eid Al-Adha عيد الأضحى "Festival of Sacrifice", the second holiday that comes two and half months after Eid Al-Fitr. Celebrations include the unprecedented large-scale slaughter of hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of animals.
Eid Al-Fitr' عيد الفطر The first Eid that comes after a month of fasting.
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Fajr فجر‎‎ Prayer before sunrise; also the title of Sura 89 in the Quran (Al-Fajr)

Fard
فرض When something is fard, it is an obligatory duty that every Muslim is required to perform. For example; daily prayer (salah), hijab, pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj), and jihad.

Fatwa
فتوى‎‎ A Fatwa is an Islamic religious ruling, a scholarly opinion on a matter of Islamic law, issued by a recognized religious authority in Islam.
Fiqh (Fiqah)
‎فقه Name given to the Islamic rules defining what is right (halal) or wrong (haram). This covers the way Muslims have to pray, fast, run their public and private life, do business, clean themselves, use the toilet, copulate etc.
Fitna (Fitnah, disbelief/disorder) فتنة The word in the Qur’an, often translated into oppression and injustice. Fitna actually refers to disbelief and disorder. It is also the name of a short film by Geert Wilders about Islam's hatred and violence.
Five Pillars of Islam
أركان الإسلام Compulsory for all Muslims. The pillars are, the shahadah, salah, zakat, saum and hajj.
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Gazwa (Ghaswa, Qazwa) غزوة A pre-Islamic tribal practice of raiding others for a living Muhammad assimilated into Islam; name given to the 78 raids in which Muhammad himself participated. The proper translation for Gazwa is raid, not battle or 'defensive war'.
Good حسنة To be good for a Muslim is to submit to Allah's will and then follow the 'right' path established by the examples set by the Prophet, and as such can differ to the popular understanding of the word. (see "Halal")
Ghusl
غسل‎‎ "Full ablution" required in Islam for various rituals and prayers; mandatory for any adult Muslim after having sexual intercourse, any sexual discharge, completion of the menstrual cycle, giving birth, etc.
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Hadith
حديث‎‎ The Hadiths are traditions of Muhammad, giving us important information about his life. They are usually narrations about a certain incident in which he said or did something. This is how Muslims determine the Sunnah (Muhammad's way of life.) It is key to Islam since Muslims are commanded to obey Muhammad and emulate him. In fact, four out of five of Islam’s Pillars would not exist without the Hadith, therefore making Islam impossible to practice.
Hajj
حج‎‎ Annual (and often dangerous) pilgrimage to the Ka'aba in Mecca in order to participate in pagan rituals, some of them involving the black stone.

Halal حلال What is permitted if not mandatory. It defines all that is good or acceptable for a Muslim.
Hanif حنيف‎‎ An Arabic term that refers to pre-Islamic non-Jewish or non-Christian Arabian monotheists. Many Qur'anic verses talk about Ibrahim (Abraham) the Hanif (i.e. apostate of idolatry).
Haraam حَرَام‎‎ (opposite of halal); sinful; unlawful; forbidden
Harbi حربي‎‎ A non-Muslim living in an area regarded as Dar Al-harb, the 'domain of war,' in which Islam does not dominate and must therefore be fought until Islam dominates it.
Hijab
حجاب‎‎ Observance of Hijab by female Muslims can consist of the Jilbāb; any long and loose-fitting garment, the Khimar; a scarf or wrap (often referred to simply as 'hijab') used to cover the head and neck, and the Niqāb; a piece of cloth which veils the face.
Hijra هجرة Due to growing animosity between the pagan and Muslim Meccans in 622 AD, Muhammad and his followers fled to Medina, marking the beginning of the Hijra (Migration) era of the Islamic lunar calender and Muhammad's metamorphosis from a preacher to a political and military leader.
Honor Killings
القتل الشرف The 'right' of a family to wash its spoiled 'honor' by the 'misconduct' of another family member. This misbehaving includes being raped, thus loosing her hymen to a stranger, among the most horrible thing possible in an Islamic mindset. Refusing to engage into an arranged marriage is also such a dishonor. Said not to be Islamic by western apologists only, but understood by Muslims as the correct application of many Qur'anic verses: Q.24.31 (-Chr.102-); 33.32-36 59 (-Chr.90-); 65.1-6 (-Chr.95-); 66.5 (-Chr107-) and 4.34 (-Chr.92-).
Hubal
هبل‎‎ A moon god worshipped at Mecca by the pre-Islamic Arabians
Hudna
هدنة Arabic term meaning a temporary "truce" or "armistice". The prophet made a ten-year treaty with the Quraysh. Two years later though it was broken unilaterely to strike the Quraysh and Muhammad entered Mecca. Since that time the term “Hudna” designates a strategic cessation of hostilities, which has alone the sense of a forced misalignment.
Hurriyya
حرية Arabic term corresponding to the word 'freedom'. However, it was defined by the philosopher Ibn Arabi (d. 1240) as "perfect slavery to Allah". According to the late American scholar of Islam, Franz Rosenthal (d. 2003), Islamic culture historically has nothing corresponding to the Western concept of freedom.
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Iblis إبليس‎‎ see Shaytan
Idolatry
شرك Although most will not admit it, Idolatry is rampant within Islam, as all Muslims idolize Muhammad. Undeniably, Islam is in fact Muhammadanism. In Semitic religions idolatry is related to the monopolization of God through some sacred books held to represent The 'One' Truth: God's Words or Laws.
Ibrahim
إبراهيم According to all three Abrahamic faiths, he is considered to be the patriarch of the Israelites. In Islam, however, he is also considered to be a prophet and a Hanif. The Israelites descended from Abraham's son Isaac (through his first wife Sarah), and Arabs believe they descended from Abraham's sonIshmael (through his concubine-wife Hagar).

Ijtihad
اجتهاد‎‎ A technical term of Islamic law that describes the process of making a legal decision by independent interpretation of the legal sources
Injil (Arabic)
إنجيل Derived from the Greek evangelion; a holy book given to Isa by Allah that Muslims claim is the "true" Gospel whereas the gospels of the New Testament are generally considered by them to be corrupted.
Innocent
برئ In Islam, only Muslims are viewed as innocent. Non-Muslims have not accepted Islam, therefore they are seen as guilty of a crime against Allah. (see If Anyone Slew a Person (Qur'an 5:32))

In sha' allah
إن شاء الله "Allah willing".
Irhab / Irhaab إرهاب Arabic word for "terrorism". Derived form the root رهب (r-h-b). From the same root the Qur'an uses a verb: تُرْهِبُونَ (turhiboona) in the verse 8:60, commanding Muslims to "terrorize the enemies of Allah".
Isa
عيسى The Messiah described in the Qur'an born of the virgin Mariam. Muslims generally believe that 'Isa is the same person as Jesus of Nazareth described in the New Testament. The actual Arabic term for Jesus used by Arab Christians is Yasū‘
Isha عشاء‎‎ Nightly prayer.
Islam
الإسلام Submission, the actual meaning behind the word Islam. (Also, "Submission" is the name of Theo van Gogh's movie for which he was assassinated.) Not to be confused with "salam" (peace).
Islam (the religion) الإسلام Totalitarian ideology propounding Arabic imperialism, based on the alleged teachings of Muhammad, which determines the entire social, political and legal life of the Muslims and the non-Muslims dominated by them.
Islamofascism الفاشية الإسلامية Like Nazism was a National-Socialism, Islam is such a Religious-Socialism since its Khalifat is meant to be imposed worldwide, including its lifestyle, through forced conversion.
Islamophobia
الخوف من الإسلام The neologism itself is a logical fallacy, and it is frequently used to inhibit very valid criticism of Islam.
Iqamat-ud-Deen إقامة الدين Establishment of the Islamic system of life–an Islamic social, economic and political order.
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Jahannam
جهنم‎‎ Jahannam (Hell) was specifically created and prepared with eternal fire by Allah, so that he could torture disbelievers, most of whom are women.
Janazah الجنازة‎‎ Burial prayer. When a Muslim dies, other Muslims gather to offer a special prayer.
Jibreel(Gabriel)
جبريل According to Islamic scriptures, Jibreel is the angel who first appeared to Muhammad in the cave of Hijra and taught him the Qur'an. According to the Qur'an, he was also sent by Allah to blow into Mary's vagina.

Jihad (Djihad: struggle) جهاد A religious struggle. Most often referring to the waging of wars of aggression and conquest against non-Muslims in order to bring them and their territories under Islamic rule. (see Lesser vs Greater Jihad)

Jinn (Genies)
جن Muhammad was sent to both "humanity and the jinn". Frequenting toilets, they feed on feces and bones. Jinn can also choose to become Muslims, will be judged on the Day of Judgment, and will accordingly be sent to Paradise or Hell.
Jizyah (Jizhya)
الجزية The extra tax imposed on non-Muslims (Dhimmis) who live under Muslim rule. The Qur'an readily admits that it is a form of humiliation, meant to display the superior status of Muslims and the subdued state of non-Muslims. Qur'an 9:29

Jumma الجمعة Friday. Every week on Friday Zuhr, the mid-day prayer, is substituted by a congressional prayer held in the mosque.
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Ka'aba
الكعبة‎‎ The holiest shrine in Islam and the first of many non-Muslim worship place to be forcibly converted by Muslims into a mosque. During Muhamad's time, Mecca was a center of idol-worship, with the Ka'aba housing 360 idols. Muhammad discarded the 360 idols but retained for Islam, the Ka’aba with its Black Stone, justifying it with the mythical claim that Abraham and Ishmael originally constructed it.
Kafir(plural Kuffar) كافر (pl. كفّار) A disbeliever. Someone who does not believe in Allah, or someone who does believe in Allah but does not believe Muhammad is his prophet. Its use differs from that of the word "disbeliever" or "Infidel" in the West. It is one of the most offensive curse words a Muslim can hurl at a fellow Muslim.
Khalifat (Caliphate) خِلافة‎‎ Refers to the first system of governance established in Islam, headed by Muhammad's companions, the Rightly-guided Caliphs.
Khutbah خطبة A speech delivered by a Muslim cleric before Friday prayers.
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Madh'hab
مذهب‎‎ A Muslim school of law or fiqh (religious jurisprudence). Within orthodox Sunni Islam there are four mainstream schools of thought, which are accepted by one another.
Madrassa مدرسة‎‎ The Arabic word for an educational institution. Usually refers to an Islamic school.
Maghrib المغرب‎‎ Evening prayer, right after sunset.
Mahdi مهدي‎‎ Is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on Earth for seven, nine or nineteen years (according to various interpretations) before the Day of Judgment (yawm al-qiyamah / literally, the Day of Resurrection) and, alongside Jesus, will rid the world of wrongdoing, injustice and tyranny.
Mahr (Dowry)
مهر The mahr is payment for the use of a woman's vagina in sexual intercourse. (see also Nikah)

Makr (Arabic)
ماكر Deceiver. Someone who makes a person believe something that is not true; a liar. According to the Qur'an, Allah is the best of deceivers. Muhammad was also a deceiver.

Mischief("fasad" in Arabic) فساد As defined by Islamic scripture and understood by Muslims, a Mischief maker can be someone who simply refuses to accept Islam. Thus, they are liable for physical punishment and even death. The verse 5:32 about "killing one person is like killing humanity" permits killing those who do mischief (fasad).
Mosque(masjid) مسجد‎‎ A place of worship for followers of Islam. See Ka'aba.

Muhammad
محمد Muhammad ibn Abdullah, according to the religion of Islam which he founded, is the last prophet of Allah.
Muhammadan
المحمدية Another term for "Muslim". Some Muslims object to the term, saying it is offensive as it implies a devotion to Muhammad.
Mujtahid
مجتهد A Muslim jurist who is qualified to interpret the law and thus to generate Ijtihad.
Munafiq منافق A munafiq is a hypocrite. In particular, this term applies to apostates who hides their apostasy, and peaceful Muslims who refuse to participate in jihad. This is made clear in Q.4.150-151. See also 4.66 , 4.74, and 4.88.
Murtad
مرتد A murtad is an apostate of Islam.
Musa موسى Moses. The most frequently mentioned prophet in the Qur'an.
Muslimah
مسلمة A Muslim woman.
Mutah (Mut'ah) المتعة‎‎ Religiously sanctioned prostitution. A temporary arrangement whereby a man and a woman enter into a contractual arrangement to marry each other for a specified period of time. The man gives the woman something of value, and in exchange he is allowed to enter into sexual relations with her, legally, without committing fornication, since they are "married." At the end of the period specified in the contract, usually a few days at most, each party walks separate ways and neither is indebted to the other. Endorsed by Muhammad at one time; see Sahih Bukhari 6:60:139 and Sahih Bukhari 7:62:52. Shi'ites still practice Mut'ah, Sunnis believe Muhammad abrogated Mut'ah Sahih Bukhari 5:59:527.

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Najis نجس‎‎ Things which are considered impure or unclean, these include; urine, faeces, semen, dead bodies, blood, dogs, pigs, kuffar (unbelievers), alcoholic liquors, and the sweat of an animal who persistently eats something that is considered unclean.
Nikah
نكاح The Islamic equivalent of a marriage. Literally meaning "fuck" or "sexual intercourse". Jabiri-Arablu, a contemporary Islamic scholar, defines nikah as “a contract for the ownership, tamlik, of the use of [the] vagina”. The actual Arabic term for marriage is “Zawaj”. (see also Mahr, the payment received by the "bride" for nikah)

Niqab نقاب Veil that covers the face worn by some Muslim women (some Islamic governments make it a requirement).
Nun ن/ نون Nun (read as "noon") in Islam refers either to a whale or to the Arabic letter ن. The Islamic whale supposedly carries the Earth on its back. Also a whale supposedly swallowed Jonah (called Dhu'n-Noon, "man of the whale"), who then prayed inside it.
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Oppression ظلم See "Fitnah"
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Peace
السلام Salaam. Not to be confused with the non-related Arabic term, 'Islam', meaning 'submission'.
Piety تقوى A pious Muslim is one who follows the laws and examples set by Muhammad.
Political correctness تصحيح سياسي First coined in communist Russia as an 'a priori' censorship of genuine diversity. Mandatory dishonesty hiding factual informations when contrary to the line held by a party.
Purity طاهر In Islam, only Muslims are considered pure (tahir, pak). Non-Muslims are considered najis (impure, unclean).
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Qatal
قتل The Arabic word "Qatal" translates as "fight" in an English language Qur'an, but more accurately translates as "kill", "massacre", or "slaughter".
Qudsi القدسي A classification of ahadith in which words or deeds of Muhammad are considered to be the inspired words of Allah, by which they can still be emulated, even though they may contradict the Qur'an (ie. stoning). This is a 'workaround' solution to the otherwise violation of Bukhari's 3rd criteria for a Sahih narration.

Quraysh / Quraish قريش The Meccan tribe Muhammad was born into. Not to be confused with "Banu Qurayza".
Qur'an (also Koran, Quran, Coran) القرآن Holy book of the Muslims, which they claim was revealed by Allah to Muhammad through Jibreel (Angel Gabriel). According to Muslims, it was written in Heaven by none other than Allah.
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Rajm
رجم According to Shari'ah (Islamic Law), stoning to death, or Rajm, is primarily a punishment for persons who engage in illegal sexual intercourse.
Revelation
وحي‎‎ Revelation is the medium by which Allah claims to communicate his word to his prophets so that they may inform the people of his will, what he wants from them and what they must do for him in order to be saved from eternal damnation.
Ruqya رقية‎‎ Islamic exorcism. The exorcist usually shouts Qur'anic verses to heal the possessed Muslim. Possession is when the Muslim has some thoughts against Islam or when he is acting strange.
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Sahabah
الصحابة‎‎ Companions of Muhammad. To be still considered a Sahabah today, the individual must have seen Muhammad, believed in his prophethood and died as a believer.
Sahih
صَحِيْح Arabic for authentic. It is used to describes a Hadith as being genuine and credible.
Saifullah
سيف الله "Sword of Allah". A title originally given by Muhammad to Khalid ibin al-Walid, the most celebrated and loved warrior in Islamic history. It was also awarded to Shaykh Osama bin Laden in 2007.
Salaf
سلف‎‎ Arabic noun which translates to "predecessor", or "forefather". In Islam it refers to the first three generations of Muslims, the so-called "Pious Predecessors". Salafis (or "Wahhabis") are not a part of a deviant or innovative Islamic sect, but strict orthodox followers of the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Salah (or Salat) صلاة One of the Five Pillars of Islam. It is the practice of formal prayer in Islam, and is compulsory (fard) for all Muslims.
Salam / Salaam / Al-Salam / As-Salam سلام / السلام "Peace". Can be also used as a greeting. It is derived from the same root letters سلم (s-l-m) as the words sallam (ladder) or islam (submission). Just because two words share the same root doesn't mean that they necessarily share the same meaning.
Salb
صلب Crucifixion, typically refers to the inhumane and painful method of execution and/or torture by tying and/or nailing someone to a cross, stake or tree. It can also refer to the method of public display of a body after execution. It is still being used in some Islamic countries, as it is endorsed by the Qur'an.
Satanic Verses
آيات شيطانية Verses that Muhammad proclaimed elevating Allah's three goddess-daughters as intercessors. These verses were later abrogated/removed/forgotten. (Also, the title of Salman Rushdie's work of fiction that earned him a fatwa calling for his assassination.)
Sawm
صوم Fasting (Arabic: Saum, Persian: Rozah) A period of 30 days, in the month of Ramadan, of every year. Consumption of food or water, sexual relations with ones husband/wife is forbidden from sunrise till sunset.
Shahadah
شهادة‎‎ Islamic profession of faith, "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of the Allah."
Shahid
شهيد‎‎ Martyr. Used as a title for Muslims who have died fulfilling a religious commandment, or waging war for Islam.
Shari'ah / Sharia شريعة‎‎ Archaic religious judicial system, which regulates the entire social life of Muslims and non-Muslims under Islamic dominance. Believed by Muslims to be God-given, it is immutable. Bid'ah, Fard, Fiqh, Ahadith, Hudd and Tafsir are part of the jurisprudence.
Shaytan (also Iblis, Satan) شيطان‎‎ The Islamic rendition of the devil. A rebellious jinn who leads men astray. See also Jinn.

Shirk شرك Taking other gods besides Allah (i.e. Polytheism), and this is considered the most heinous crime against the Islamic god. Belief in the Trinity is concidered Shirk.
Shura شورى "Consultation". Muslims practice shura by discussing together about public affairs. They can however discuss only things that are not already decided by sharia (laws from the Qur'an and sunnah). So it is still a theocracy and not a democracy.
Sira (or Sirat)
سيرة‎‎ The term used for biographies of Muhammad. The earliest and most accurate being the Sirat Rasul Allah, by Ibn Ishaq.
Slavery
عبودية Slavery is halal (permitted) in Islam. Slaves can be used like indulgences—free a slave and it will atone for some heinous crime you may have committed.
Sunnah
سنة Arabic word that means "habit" "way" or "usual practice". Within the context of Islam it refers to the words and actions or example of Muhammad. The closer one emulates Muhammad's Sunnah, the more pious they are considered.
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Word In Arabic Definition
Tabi' al-Tabi'un
تابع التابعين The generation after the Tabi'un. Tabi' al-Tabi'un is a Muslim who had seen at least one of the Tabi‘un, was rightly guided, and died in that state.
Tabi'un
التابعون The generation of Muslims who were born after the death of Muhammad, but who were contemporaries of the Sahaba (Companions of Muhammad).
Tafsir
تفسير‎ Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. An author of tafsīr is a mufassir.
Taghoot طاغوت The term referring to various evils in an Islamic sense, such as worshiping associates alongside Allah (shirk akbar) or ruling besides the laws (Akham) of Islam, and rejecting Islamic terms, evidences (Quran, Sunnat, Usul-ul-fiqh), and Islamic faith (Kufr).
Taqiyya(taqqiya)
تقیة‎‎ A form of religious dissimulation whereby a Muslim can deny his faith or commit otherwise illegal or blasphemous acts while they are at risk of significant persecution. It is explicitly supported by Qur'anic verses that instruct Muslims not to "take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers... except by way of precaution," and to not utter unbelief "except [while] under compulsion". Critics of Islam often conflate the doctrine of taqiyyah with that of lying in general, mislabelling all forms of lying as an example of "taqiyya". However, taqiyya is only a single aspect of lying within Islam, not the entirety of the subject itself.

Tahrif
تحريف Meaning distortion, corruption, alteration. The vast majority of today's Muslims assume the Taurat and Injil have been corrupted, but the Qur'an never says the physical scriptures of the previous revelations were corrupted, only their interpretations. Many early and contemporary Muslim scholars (e.g. Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn al-Layth, Ibn Rabban, Ibn Qutayba, Al-Ya'qubi, Al-Tabari, Al-Baqillani, Al-Mas'udi,) agree with the conclusion.
Taurat
توراة‎‎ The Qur'an talks of the Taurat revealed to Musa (Moses), referring to the Torah - the first five books of the Jewish Bible; found in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. Some Muslims and scholars believe it refers to the entire Old Testament, but this view is not widely held.
Theo van Gogh(1957-2004)
ثيو فان غوخ Theo van Gogh was an outspoken Dutch film director and columnist, who was murdered in retaliation for his short-film "Submission" which was deemed blasphemous. In the trial, his killer said to Theo's mother:I don’t feel your pain, because I was driven by my religious conviction. If I were released and would have the chance to do it again…I would do exactly the same thing. I have to admit I don’t have sympathy for you. I can’t feel for you because I think you are a non-believer..
Thought crime (crime without victim) جريمة فكر The criminalization of people holding divergent opinions. In Islam, blasphemy or rejecting Allah and his Prophet is the equivalent of High Treason.
Tayammum
تيمم Tayammum is the act of dry ablution (ritual purification) using sand or dust, which may be performed in place of wudu or ghusl if no clean water is readily available.
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Word In Arabic Definition
Ummah(Umma)
أمة‎‎ The collective worldwide body of Muslim believers.
Useful idiot غبي نافع Said of people not conscious of being manipulated in order to agree with a political agenda. Those convinced by the media and other influences that Islam is indeed a 'religion of Peace'. Sometimes referred to as a Dhimwit (dïm-wît)

Uswa Hasana
أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ The "perfect human". In Islam, this honor is given to Muhammad -the perfect model of conduct for all Muslims to follow. This Islamic doctrine requires the Muslims of today to emulate Muhammad and his (7th century) actions as closely as they can, as a form of devotion to Allah.
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Word In Arabic Definition
Waliyu 'llah
ولي الله An Islamic phrase, meaning 'friend of Allah'.
Waswas
وسوس "Whispering" of Satan. Whenever a Muslim has any thoughts against Islam (including rational criticism), he tries to disregard them as waswas, or whispering of Satan. Many Muslims "suffer" from waswas and try to heal themselves with ruqya - Islamic exorcism.
Wudu
الوضوء‎‎ "Partial ablution" is the procedure for washing parts of the body using water in preparation for formal prayers (salah) or handling and reading the Qur'an.
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Word In Arabic Definition
Zabur
زبور‎‎ The Zabur mentioned in the Qur'an refers to the Psalms of the Old Testament. The Qur'an asserts that the Zabur is one of the three Previous Revelations of Allah
Zakat
زكاة‎‎ A charity tax, and one of the five pillars of Islam. The majority of Islamic scholars agree that non-Muslims should not benefit from this alms giving.
Zamzam
زمزم‎‎ Name of the well located in Mecca, as well as the water it pumps. Muslims believe both to be miraculous. In reality, Zamzam water contains arsenic levels three times the legal limit, increasing the risk of cancer to those who drink it, in addition to high levels of nitrate and potentially harmful bacteria.
Zina
زِنَاء The Arabic word for "unlawful sexual relations." It is used to refer to both adultery and fornication. Adultery for a man in Islam, is the consensual sex with a woman who does not qualify as his wife, his concubine or his slave.
Zuhr ظهر‎‎ Mid-day prayer as sun moves away from its peak position.
ISLAMIC TERMS
The Arabic language is central to the Islamic faith. When reading about Islam and Muslims you will encounter terms of Arabic origin. To facilitate proper articulation, a pronunciation key has been provided in brackets next to the most-preferred spellings of the terms.
- A -
Adhan [ad-haan]: The Muslim call to prayer. The adhan consists of specific phrases, recited aloud in Arabic prior to each of the five daily prayers times. Upon hearing the adhan, Muslims discontinue all activity and assemble at a local masjid for formal communal worship.
Allah [al-lah]: Literally, "The God." Muslims use this Arabic term as the proper name for God. Muslims view Allah as the Creator and Sustainer of everything in the universe, Who is transcendent, has no physical form, and has no associates who share in His divinity. In the Qur’an, God is described as having at least ninety-nine Divine Names, which describe His attributes.
“Allahu Akbar” [al-lahoo ukbar]: “God is Most Great”.
"As-Salaamu Alaykum": The traditional, time-honored greeting of Muslims, meaning "Peace be upon you." The appropriate response is "Wa Alaykum As-Salaam," meaning, "And upon you be peace also."
- B -
“Bismillah” [bis-mil- lah]: “In the name of God”.
- E -
Eid [eed]: Eid is an Arabic term meaning "festivity" or "celebration." Muslims celebrate two major religious holidays, known as Eid al-Fitr (which takes place after Ramadan), and Eid al-Adha (which occurs at the time of the Hajj). A traditional greeting used by Muslims around the time of Eid is "Eid Mubarak," meaning "May your holiday be blessed." A special congregational Eid worship, visitation of family and friends, new clothing, specially-prepared foods and sweets, and gifts for children characterize these holidays.
- F -
Fasting: See Sawm.
Five Pillars of Islam, The: A term referring to the five core religious practices incumbent upon all Muslims, and which demonstrate a Muslim’s commitment to God in word and in deed. They are as follows: Shahadah (declaration of faith), Salah (formal worship), Zakah (mandatory alms-giving tax), Sawm (fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah).
- G -
God: See Allah.
- H -
Hadith [ha-deeth]: Unlike the verses contained in the Qur’an, Hadith are the sayings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad himself, and form part of the record of the Prophet’s Sunnah (way of life and example). The Hadith record the words and deeds, explanations, and interpretations of the Prophet concerning all aspects of life. Hadith are found in various collections compiled by Muslim scholars in the early centuries of the Muslim civilization. Six such collections are considered most authentic.
Hajj [huj]: The pilgrimage (journey) to Makkah (in modern-day Saudi Arabia) undertaken by Muslims in commemoration of the Abrahamic roots of Islam. The Hajj rites symbolically reenact the trials and sacrifices of Prophet Abraham, his wife Hajar, and their son Isma’il over 4,000 years ago. Muslims must perform the Hajj at least once in their lives, provided their health permits and they are financially capable. The Hajj is performed annually by over 2,000,000 people during the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Dhul-Hijjah.
Hijab [hee-jaab]: Commonly, the term hijab is used to denote the scarf or other type of head-covering worn by Muslim women throughout the world. However, the broader definition of the term refers to a state of modesty and covering that encompasses a woman’s entire body, excluding hands and face.
Hijrah [hij-rah]: The migration in 622 C.E. of Prophet Muhammad and members of the Muslim community from the city of Makkah to the city of Yathrib, later renamed Madinah an-Nabi (city of the Prophet) in honor of Muhammad. The Islamic lunar calendar, often called the Hijri calendar, is dated from this important event, which marks the beginning of an Islamic state (in Madinah) in which the Shari’ah (Islamic Law) was implemented.
- I -
Imam [ee-maam]: Generally, the term imam refers to one who leads congregational worship. More broadly, the term also applies to religious leaders within the Muslim community. While imams lead worship, give sermons, and perform other duties such as officiating marriages, they are not ordained clergy, nor do they belong to any kind of hierarchy. Also, imams do not act as intermediaries between individual worshippers and God. The term Imam has specific authoritative connotations for Shi’ah Muslims.
“Insha Allah” [in-sha al-lah]: “God-Willing”.
Islam [iss-laam]: Islam is an Arabic word derived from the three-letter root s-l-m. Its meaning encompasses the concepts of peace, greeting, surrender, and commitment, and refers commonly to an individual’s surrender and commitment to God the Creator through adherence to the religion by the same name.
- J -
Jihad [ji-haad]: Jihad is an Arabic word which derives from the three-letter root j-h-d, and means "to exert oneself" or "to strive." Other meanings include endeavor, strain, effort, diligence, struggle. Usually understood in terms of personal betterment, jihad may also mean fighting to defend one’s (or another’s) life, property, and faith. Because jihad is a highly nuanced concept, it should not be understood to mean "holy war," a common misrepresentation.
Jum’ah [joom-ah]: The congregational worship performed on Fridays in place of the midday worship. On this special day, Muslims make a extra effort to go to their local masjid to listen to the khutbah (community address) by the imam (worship leader) and to perform the formal worship with their fellow Muslim brothers and sisters.
- K -
Ka’bah: An empty cube-shaped structure located in the city of Makkah (in modern-day Saudi Arabia). Built by Prophet Abraham and his son Prophet Ishma’il about 4,000 years ago, the Ka’bah stands as the first building dedicated to the worship of the One God. The Ka’bah is made of stone, and is covered by a black and gold cloth embroidered with verses from the Qur’an.
Koran: See Qur’an.
- M -
Madinah [ma-dee-nah]: Formerly named Yathrib, Madinah became the center of the first Islamic community and political state after Prophet Muhammad migrated there from Makkah in 622 C.E. The people of Madinah welcomed the persecuted Muslims of Makkah with open arms, establishing a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood viewed as a tangible ideal for Muslims today. Prophet Muhammad died in Madinah in 632 C.E. and was buried in his room adjacent to the city’s central masjid, which he established.
Makkah [muck-ah]: An ancient city where Abraham and Ishma’il built the Ka’bah. Muhammad, a member of the Quraysh tribe, which traced its lineage back to Abraham, was born in Makkah in 570 C.E. After migrating to Madinah to further the message of Islam, Muhammad returned to Makkah in 629 C.E. with fellow Muslims to reinstitute the age-old monotheistic Hajj. In 630 C.E., after the Quraysh violated a peace treaty, Muhammad marched on Makkah and gained control of the city peacefully, thereafter clearing the Ka’bah of idols and reintegrating the city into the fold of Islam.
Masjid [mus-jid]: A term meaning "place of prostration," masjid designates a building where Muslims congregate for communal worship. The term comes from the same Arabic root as the word sujud, designating the important worship position in which Muslims touch their forehead to the ground. Often, the French word mosque is used interchangeably with masjid, though the latter term is preferred by Muslims. The masjid also serves various social, educational, and religious purposes. There are three sacred masjids in the world which Muslims hope to visit and pray within: Masjid al-Haram in Makkah; Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah; and Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.
Mecca: See Makkah
Medina: See Madinah
Moslem: See Muslim
Mosque: See Masjid
Muhammad [moo-hum-mud]: The prophet and righteous person believed by Muslims to be the final messenger of God, whose predecessors are believed to include the Prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus and others. Born in 570 C.E., Muhammad grew up to become a well-respected member of Makkan society. In 610 C.E., he received the first of many revelations that would eventually form the content of the Qur’an. He then began calling people to righteousness and belief in One God. Muhammad died in 632 C.E., after successfully (re)establishing the religion known as Islam and providing Muslims with a model for ideal human behaviour.
Muslim [moos-lim]: Literally (and in the broadest sense), the term means "one who submits to God." More commonly, the term describes any person who accepts the creed and the teachings of Islam. The word "Muhammadan" is a pejorative and offensive misnomer, as it violates Muslims’ most basic understanding of their creed — Muslims do not worship Muhammad, nor do they view him as the founder of the religion. The word "Moslem" is also incorrect, since it is a corruption of the word "Muslim."
- P -
Pilgrimage: See Hajj.
Prayer: See Salah and Du’a.
- Q -
Qur’an: The word Qur’an means "the recitation" or "the reading," and refers to the divinely revealed scripture of Islam. It consists of 114 surahs (chapters) revealed by God to Muhammad over a period of twenty-three years. The Qur’an continues to be recited by Muslims throughout the world in the language of its revelation, Arabic, exactly as it was recited by Prophet Muhammad nearly fourteen hundred years ago. The Qur’an is viewed as the authoritative guide for human beings, along with the Sunnah of Muhammad. Translations of the Qur’an are considered explanations of the meaning of the Qur’an, but not the Qur’an itself. The spelling "Koran" is phonetically incorrect; the more accurate Qur’an should be used.
- R -
Ramadan [ra-ma-daan]: The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Ramadan is important because it is the month in which the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Muhammad. Thus, it is considered a blessed and holy month. Furthermore, Ramadan is the month in which Muslims fast daily from dawn to sunset to develop piety and self-restraint.
- S -
Salah [sa-laah]: Salah refers to the prescribed form of worship in Islam, and is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Muslims perform the salah five times throughout each day as a means of maintaining God-consciousness, to thank Him for His blessings and bounty, and to seek His assistance and support in one’s daily life. All five prayers are spread out throughout the day and shift in time as the sun’s relative position changes. The first prayer (Fajr), is before sunrise, the second (Zuhr) occurs shortly after the sun reaches its zenith, the third (Asr) occurs in the afternoon, the fourth (Maghrib) is prayed after sunset, and the fifth (Isha) is at night.
Salaam: Peace, See As-Salamu Alaykum.
Sawm [so-um]: Sawm refers to the daily fast Muslims undertake during the month of Ramadan, and is one of the "five pillars" of Islam. For Muslims, fasting means total abstinence from all food, drink, and marital sexual relations from dawn to sunset. Muslims fast for many reasons, including to build a sense of will-power against temptation, to feel compassion for less fortunate persons, and to reevaluate their lives in spiritual terms.
Shahadah [sha-haa-duh]: An Arabic word meaning "witnessing," Shahadah refers to the declaration of faith ("La-Ilaha-Illa-Lah Muhammadur-Rasul-Allah") which all Muslims take as their creed — namely, that there is no deity but God and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God. The Shahadah constitutes the first of the "five pillars" of Islam.
Shari’ah [sha-ree-ah]: Literally "the path to water," this term refers to guidance from God to be used by Muslims to regulate their societal and personal affairs. The Shari’ah is based upon the Qur’an and the Sunnah of Muhammad, and is interpreted by scholars in deliberating and deciding upon questions and issues of a legal nature.
Sunnah [soon-nah]: Literally, this term means habit, practice, customary procedure, action, norm, or usage sanctioned by tradition. More specifically, Sunnah refers to Prophet Muhammad’s sayings, practices, and habits. The Hadith of the Prophet constitute a written record of his Sunnah. Sunnah prayers are extra prayer, apart from the five compulsory daily prayers. (Also called Nafl prayers)
- V -
Veil: See Hijab.
- Z -
Zakah [za-kaah]: Zakah literally means "purification," and refers to an alms-giving tax, roughly 2.5% of one’s accumulated wealth, that eligible Muslims pay annually. Zakah is one of the "five pillars" of Islam, and is usually collected by local masjids or charitable organizations. The funds are distributed to poor and needy persons in the Muslim community. Paying the zakah reminds Muslims of the duty to help those less fortunate, and that wealth is a trust from God rather than something to be taken for granted.
Islam: A Glossary
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Over the past several weeks, the news has been filled with words and terms relating to Islam and Islamic culture. Here's a short guide.
Allah: The Arabic name for "God"; the word refers to the same God worshipped by Jews and Christians.
Caliph: The prophet Muhammad's successors were known as caliphs, and their empire was the caliphate. (Muhammad was a political as well as a religious leader.) The first four caliphs are known as the rashidun (the "rightly guided" caliphs). Sunni Muslims consider the rule of the rashidun to be the golden age of Islam. Shii Muslims believe that the fourth caliph, Ali, was usurped by the first three caliphs and that his descendants were the proper heirs to the caliphate. (One sect of Shiis set up a rival caliphate in Egypt in 983. It lasted nearly 200 years.) Umar, the second caliph, decreed that Jews and Christians should be removed from Arabia. (Such an expulsion was much rarer than the evictions of Jews and Muslims from medieval Christendom.) Since Umar's decree, Islam's holiest sites have been off-limits to non-Muslims.
Hajj: The pilgrimage to Mecca, which Muslims with the physical ability and financial means should perform at least once in their lives. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. The others are shahada (profession of faith), salat (prayer), zakat(alms giving), and sawm (fasting).The hajj takes place during the 12th lunar month of the Islamic calendar and focuses on rituals around the Kaaba. A pilgrimage that takes place at another time is called the umra. Around 2 million Muslims carry out the hajj each year.
Islam: In Arabic, the word means "surrender" or "submission" to the will of God. Most Westerners think of Islam as one of the three major monotheistic world religions (the others being Judaism and Christianity). But the historian Bernard Lewis observes that "Islam" means both a religion (analogous to "Christianity") and the civilization that developed under that religion (analogous to "Christendom").
Islamic calendar: The first year of the Muslim calendar is 622 A.D., the year of Muhammad's flight to Medina. The Islamic calendar consists of 12 lunar months. Common years last 354 days, and leap years last 355 days.
Jihad: An Arabic word meaning "to struggle" or "to exhaust one's effort." The "effort" can mean preaching Islam and living virtuously in accordance with God's commands. But it can also apply to actual fighting to defend Muslims. Even military jihad, however, is supposed to be fought with respect for the rules of war.
Kaaba: The most sacred shrine of Islam, it is a cube-shaped stone structure in Mecca. Traditionally, Muslims believe the Kaaba was built by Abraham and his son Ismail. On the outside of one corner is the sacred Black Stone, kissed by pilgrims. The angel Gabriel gave the Black Stone to Abraham, according to one Islamic tradition; according to another, the stone was set in place by Adam.
Koran/Qu'ran: The holy book of Islam, recorded by the prophet Muhammad beginning in the year 610 A.D. Muslims consider it to be the word of God. Islam teaches that the Christian and Hebrew scriptures are also holy books, though they had become distorted over time. The Koran is the primary source of Islamic law, followed by hadith (teachings attributed to Muhammad that are not recorded in the Koran) and the sunna (the habits and practices of Muhammad's life). The word Koran means "recitation."
Mecca: Islam's most sacred city, located in what is now western Saudi Arabia. Mecca is the birthplace of Muhammad and the site of the Kaaba.
Medina: Also located in western Saudi Arabia, Medina is Islam's second-holiest place. Muhammad migrated to Medina with 70 Muslim families in 622 after being persecuted by the Meccan establishment. It is also the site of Muhammad's tomb.
Mosque: The Arabic word is masjid, meaning "place of prostration" before God. Muhammad built the first mosque in Medina. A mosque should be oriented toward Mecca. In many Islamic societies, mosques serve social and political functions in addition to religious ones.
Muslim: In Arabic, "one who surrenders to God"; a follower of Islam. There are 1 billion Muslims in the world and 6 million in the United States.
Shii: The "partisans" of Ali, the fourth caliph, the Shiis eventually became a distinct Muslim sect. The largest Shii Muslim sect is the "Twelver Shii," named after the first 12 leaders (or imams) of Shii Muslims. Twelver Shii believe that the descendants of Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, were the legitimate leaders of Islam. Shiis believe the last imam is in hiding, and they await his return. Shiis are the majority in Iran, and many can be found in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Pakistan. There are more than 165 million Shii Muslims in the world. (Also known as Shia or Shiite Muslims.)
Sunni: Unlike Shii Muslims, Sunni Muslims believe that Islamic leadership is vested in the consensus of the community, not in religious and political authorities. Their name comes from the word sunna, which is thought to mean "middle of the road." The religious scholar Karen Armstrong emphasizes that, despite their differences, Sunnis and Shiites alike observe the five pillars of Islam. "Like Judaism, Islam is a religion that requires people to live a certain way, rather than to accept certain credal propositions," she writes. "It stresses orthopraxy rather than orthodoxy."
Umma: The worldwide community of Muslims.
Wahabbism: A puritanical form of Islam that flourishes primarily in Saudi Arabia. It is named after Muhammad ibn al-Wahhab, an 18th-century Islamic reformer who wanted to return Islam to its beginnings by emphasizing a fundamentalist approach to the Koran.