|
Term |
Explanation |
|
Abd |
Servant. As in Abdullah,
servant of Allah. |
|
Abu Bakr |
The first Khalifah,
successor to the leadership of the Muslim community after the death of
the Prophet Muhammad. |
|
Adam |
The first man, and first Prophet of Allah. |
|
Adhan |
Call to prayer. From the same root, Mu'adhin (one who makes the call to prayer). |
|
Aishah |
One of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad, and daughter of Abu
Bakr. |
|
Akhirah |
Everlasting life after death - the
hereafter. |
|
Akhlaq |
Conduct, character, attitudes and
ethics. |
|
al-Amin |
The Trustworthy. The name by
which Prophet Muhammad was
generally known, even before the revelation of Islam. |
|
al-Aqsa |
Masjid-ul-Aqsa (The Farthest
Mosque) in Jerusalem, often known as the Dome of the Rock. |
|
al-Fatihah |
The Opener. Surah 1 of the Qur'an.
Recited at least 1 7 times daily during the five times of salah. Also known as 'The Essence' of the Qur'an. |
|
al-hamdu-li-Liah |
All praise belongs to Allah. Frequently
used as an expression of thanks to Allah. |
|
al-Kafi |
The title of the books of Hadith compiled by Muhammad ibn-Yaqub Koleini,
a Shi'ah scholar. |
|
al-Khulafa-ur-Rashidun |
The Rightly Guided Khalifahs. The first four
successors to the leadership role of the Prophet Muhammad. They were Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and
Ali. |
|
al-Madinah |
Madinatu'n-Nabi (The City of the
Prophet). The name given to Yathrib
after the Prophet Muhammad migrated there
in 622 CE and founded the first Islamic state. |
|
Ali |
Cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet
Muhammad; husband of Fatimah Zahrah;
father of Hassan, Hussein, and Zainab; the fourth of 'al-Khulafa ur Rashidun' according to Sunnis, and the first successor accepted by Shi'ah Islam. |
|
Allah |
The Islamic name for God in the Arabic
language. Used in preference to the word God, this Arabic term is
singular, has no plural, nor is it associated with masculine, feminine
or neuter characteristics. |
|
Allahu Akbar |
Allah is most great. |
|
Angels |
Beings created by Allah from light. They have no free will and
are completely obedient to Allah. |
|
Ansar |
Supporters. The Muslims of al-Madinah, who welcomed, helped and supported
the Muslims who migrated from Makkah. |
|
Arafat |
A plain, a few kilometres from Makkah, where pilgrims gather to worship, pray
and ask for forgiveness. This takes place on the ninth day of the
Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah, the day
before Id-ul-Adha. |
|
Asr (Salat-ul-Asr) |
Mid-afternoon salah
which may be performed from late afternoon until a short while before
sunset. |
|
As-Salamu-Alaykum |
Peace be upon you. An Islamic
greeting. |
|
Ayah (sing.) |
A unit within a Surah
of the Qur'an. |
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Barakah |
Blessings. |
|
Bilal |
The first Mu'adhin
of Islam (see Adhan), a companion
of Prophet Muhammad * formerly an Abyssinian slave. |
|
Bismillah |
In the name of Allah. |
|
Bismillah-ir-Rahman- ir-Rahim |
In the name of Allah - All
Gracious, All Merciful. The preface to all Surahs
of the Qur'an except the ninth
one. It is usually said by Muslims before eating or beginning any
action. |
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Dar-ul-Islam |
House or abode of Islam. Sometimes
used to refer to lands ruled by Islamic Shari'ah. |
|
Da'wah |
Call. Inviting people to Islam,
whether by literal invitation and preaching, or by the example of good
actions. |
|
Dawud |
David. A Prophet of Allah to whom the
Zabur (the Book of Psalms) was given. |
|
Dhikr |
Remembrance. Remembrance of Allah in one's heart or by reciting His names
or sections from the Qur'an. |
|
Dhimmi |
A non-Muslim living freely under the
protection of an Islamic state. |
|
Dhul-Hiijah |
The month of the Hajj,
last month of the Islamic year, |
|
Din |
Way of life, religion together with
its practices. |
|
Din-ul-Fitrah |
A description of Islam
as the natural way of life. |
|
Du'a |
Varying forms of personal prayer and
supplication. |
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Fajr (Salat-ul-Fajr) |
Dawn salah
which may be performed from dawn until just before sunrise. |
|
Fard |
Obligatory duty according to divine
law, e.g. offering salah five times a day |
|
Fatihah |
See al-Fatihah |
|
Fatimah (a]-Zahrah) |
Daughter of the Prophet Muhammad; wife
of Ali; mother of Hassan, Hussein and
Zainab. |
|
Fatwa |
The legal guidance of a pious, just,
knowledgeable Muslim scholar and jurist, based on the Qur'an, Sunnah and
Islamic Shari'ah. |
|
Fiqh |
Understanding. Islamic
jurisprudence. |
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Ghusl |
Greater ablution. Formal washing of
the whole body prior to worship (see Wudu). |
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Hadith |
Saying; report; account. The sayings
of the Prophet Muhammad, as recounted by his household, progeny and
companions. These are a major source of Islamic law. Some Hadith are referred to as Hadith Qudsi (sacred
Hadith) having been divinely communicated to the Prophet Muhammad. |
|
Hafiz |
Someone who knows the whole Qur'an by heart. |
|
Hajar |
Hagar. Wife of the Prophet lbrahim, and mother of the Prophet Isma'il. |
|
Hajj |
Annual pilgrimage to Makkah, which each Muslim must undertake at
least once in a lifetime if he or she has the health and wealth. A
Muslim male who has completed Hajj is called Hajji, and a female,
Hajjah. |
|
Halal |
Any action or thing which is permitted
or lawful. |
|
Haram |
Anything unlawful or not permitted. |
|
Haram Sharif |
The grand mosque in Makkah, which encompasses the Ka'bah, the hills
of Safa and Marwah
and the well of Zamzam. |
|
Hijab |
Veil. Often used to describe
the head scarf or modest dress worn by women, who are required to
cover everything except face and hands in the sight of anyone other
than immediate family. |
|
Hijrah |
Departure; exit; emigration. The
emigration of the Prophet Muhammad from Makkah
to Madinah in 622 CE. The Islamic
calendar commences from this event. |
|
Hira |
The name of a place near Makkah, where the Prophet Muhammad went for
solitude and worship. It was there that he received the first
revelation of the Qur'an. |
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Ibadah |
All acts of worship. Any permissible
action performed with the intention to obey Allah. |
|
lblis |
The jinn
who defied Allah by refusing to bow to Adam (peace be upon him), and later became the
tempter of all human beings (see Shaytan). |
|
lbrabim |
Abraham (peace be upon him). A
Prophet of Allah to whom the 'scrolls'
were given. |
|
Id |
Recurring happiness. A
religious holiday; a feast for thanking Allah
and celebrating a happy occasion. |
|
Id Mubarak |
Id blessings! Greeting exchanged
during Islamic celebrations |
|
Id-ul-Adha |
Celebration of the sacrifice,
commemorating the Prophet lbrahim's
willingness to sacrifice his son Isma'il
for Allah. Also known as Id-ul-Kabir - the
Greater Id - and Qurban Bayram (Turkish) feast of sacrifice. |
|
Id-ul-Fitr |
Celebration of breaking the fast on
the day after Ramadan ends, which is also
the first day of Shawal, the tenth Islamic month. Also known as Id-ul-Saghir
- the Lesser Id - and Sheker Bayram (Turkish) - sugar feast. |
|
lhram |
The state or condition entered into to
perform either Hajj or Umrah. During this period, many normally
permitted actions are placed out of bounds to Muslims. Also, the name
of the two plain white unsewn cloths worn by male pilgrims to indicate
the brotherhood, equality and purity of the pilgrim. For women, the
dress of lhram consists of their normal modest clothing. |
|
ljma |
General consensus of scholars,
expressed or tacit, on matters of law and practice. |
|
lmam |
Leader. A person who leads the
communal prayer, or a founder of an Islamic school of jurisprudence.
In Shi'ah Islam, lmam is also the title
of Ali and his successors. |
|
lmamah |
Office and function of an lmam. Religious authority in Shi'ah Islam; successor to the Prophet Muhammad
as leader of the Muslim community. |
|
lman |
Faith |
|
lnjil |
Gospel. A book given to Prophet
Isa. |
|
lqamah |
Call to stand up for salah. |
|
lsa |
Jesus. A Prophet of Allah, born of the virgin Mary. |
|
lsha (Salat-ul-isha) |
Evening salah
which may be performed from just over an hour after sunset, until
midnight. |
|
Islam |
Peace attained through willing
obedience to Allah's divine guidance. |
|
lsma'il |
lshmael. A Prophet of Allah.
Son of the Prophet lbrahim and Hajar. |
|
lsnad |
Chain of transmission of each Hadith |
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Jibril |
Gabriel. The angel who
delivered Allah's messages to His Prophets. |
|
Jihad |
Personal individual struggle against
evil in the way of Allah. It can also be
collective defence of the Muslim community. |
|
Jinn |
Being created by Allah
from fire. |
|
Jumu'ah (Salat-ul-jumu'ah) |
The weekly communal salah, and attendance at the khutbah performed shortly after midday on
Fridays. |
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Ka'bah |
A cube-shaped structure in the centre
of the grand mosque in Makkah. The first house built for the worship
of the One True God. |
|
Khadijah |
First wife of the Prophet Muhammad.
Mother of Fatimah Zahrah. |
|
Khalifah |
Successor; inheritor; custodian;
vice-regent (see al-Khulafa-ur-Rashidun). |
|
Khilafah |
The institution of the Khalifah |
|
Khums |
Contribution (additional to zakah) of one fifth of surplus annual income
paid by Shi'ah Muslims. Sunni Muslims only apply Khums to booty. |
|
Kbutbah |
Speech. Talk delivered on
special occasions such as the Jum'uah and
Id prayers. |
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Laylat-ul-Qadr |
The Night of Power, when the first
revelation of the Qur'an was made to Prophet Muhammad. It is believed
to be one of the last ten nights of Ramadan. |
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Madinah |
See al-Madinah. |
|
Maghrib (Salat-ul-Maghrib) |
Sunset salah
which is performed after sunset until daylight ends. |
|
Mahdi, al-Muntazar |
The (rightly) guided one who is
awaited and will appear towards the end of time to lead the Ummah and restore justice on Earth. The one
who is promised in the Judaic, Christian and Islamic traditions. |
|
Makkah |
City where the Prophet Muhammad was
born, and where the Ka'bah is located. |
|
Maryam |
Mary. The virgin mother of the Prophet lsa. |
|
Masjid |
Place of prostration. Mosque. |
|
Mihrab |
Niche or alcove in a mosque wall, indicating the Qiblah - the direction of Makkah,
towards which all Muslims face to perform salah. |
|
Mina |
Place near Makkah, where
pilgrims stay on the 1Oth, 11th and 12th of Dhul-
Hijjah and perform some of the activities of the Hajj. |
|
Minbar |
Rostrum; platform; dais. The stand from which the Imam delivers the khutbah
or speech in the mosque or praying ground. |
|
Miqat |
Place appointed, at which pilgrims enter into the
state of ihram. |
|
Mi'raj |
The ascent through the heavens of the Prophet Muhammad. |
|
Mu'adhin |
Caller to prayer (see Adhan).
Known in English as 'muezzin', |
|
Muhammad |
Praised. Name of the final Prophet. |
|
Muharram |
First month in the Islamic calendar, which is calculated
from the time the Prophet Muhammad migrated to Yathrib
(Madinah). |
|
Musa |
Moses. A Prophet of Allah to
whom the Tawrah (Torah) was given. |
|
Mumin |
Faithful. A believer, a practising Muslim who
wholeheartedly yields to Allah's guiding
wisdom and is thus in harmony with His will and at peace with himself
and fellow creatures. |
|
Muslim |
One who claims to have accepted Islam by
professing the Shahadah. |
|
Muzdalifah |
Place where pilgrims on Hajj stop
for a time during the night of the day they spend at Arafat. |
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Nabi |
Prophet of Allah. |
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Niyyah |
Intention. A legally required statement of intent, made
prior to all acts of devotion such as salah,
Hajj or sawm. |
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Qadar |
Allah's complete and final
control over the fulfilment of events or destiny. |
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Qiblah |
Direction which Muslims face when performing salah - towards the Ka'bah
(see Mihrab). |
|
Qur'an |
That which is read or recited. The Divine Book revealed
to the Prophet Muhammad. Allah's final
revelation to humankind. |
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Rak'ah |
A unit of salah, made up of
recitation, standing, bowing and two prostrations. |
|
Ramadan |
The ninth month of the lslamic calendar, during which
fasting is required from just before dawn until sunset, as ordered by Allah in the Qur'an. |
|
Rasul |
Messenger of Allah. |
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Sa'y |
Walking and hastening between Safa
and Marwah, as part of the Hajj, in remembrance of Hajar's
search for water for her son lsma'il. |
|
Sadaqah |
Voluntary payment or good action for charitable purposes, |
|
Safa & Marwah |
Two hills in Makkah, near
the Ka'bah, now included within the grand
mosque (see Sa'y). |
|
Sahih al-Bukhari |
The title of the books of Hadith
compiled by Muhammad ibn lsma'il al- Bukhari, a Sunni
scholar. The collection is described as Sahih (authentic). |
|
Sahih Muslim |
The title of the books of Hadith
compiled by Abul Husayn Muslim ibn al- Hajjaj, a Sunni
scholar. The collection is described as Sahih (authentic). |
|
Salah |
Prescribed communication with, and worship of Allah, performed under specific conditions, in
the manner taught by the Prophet Muhammad, and recited in the Arabic
language. The five daily times of salah
are fixed by Allah. |
|
Sawm |
Fasting from just before dawn until sunset. Abstinence is
required from all food and drink (including water) as well as smoking
and conjugal relations. |
|
Shahadah |
Declaration of faith, which consists of the statement,
'There is no god except Allah, Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allah'. |
|
Shari'ah |
Islamic law based upon the Qur'an
and Sunnah. |
|
Shaytan |
Rebellious; proud. The devil (see lblis), |
|
Shi'ah |
Followers. Muslims who believe in the lmamah, successorship of Ali
after the Prophet Muhammad and 11 of his most pious, knowledgeable
descendants. |
|
Shirk |
Association. Regarding anything as being equal or
partner to Allah. Shirk is forbidden in ]slam. |
|
Shura |
Consultation of the people in the management of religious
and worldly affairs. A duty prescribed in the Qur'an
to leaders at all levels, from family to government. |
|
Sirah |
Biographical writings about the conduct and example of
the Prophet Muhammad. |
|
Subhah |
String of beads used to count recitations in worship. |
|
Sunnah |
Model practices, customs and traditions of the Prophet
Muhammad. This is found in both Hadith
and Sirah. |
|
Sunni |
Muslims who believe in the successorship of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali after
the Prophet Muhammad. |
|
Surah |
Division of the Qur'an (114
in all). |
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Takbir |
Saying 'Allahu Akbar!' Recited during salah, Id and
other celebratory occasions. |
|
Tawaf |
Walking seven times around the Ka'bah
in worship of Allah. Also, a part of Hajj and Umrah. |
|
Tawhid |
Belief in the Oneness of Allah
- absolute monotheism as practised in Islam, |
|
Tawrah |
The Torah. The book given to the Prophet Musa (Moses). |
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Ulama |
Scholars of Islamic law and jurisprudence (singular -
Alim). |
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Umar ibn ul-Khattab |
Second Khalifah of Islam |
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Ummah |
Community. World-wide community of Muslims; the nation of
Islam. |
|
Umrah |
Lesser pilgrimage which can be performed at any time of
the year. |
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Uthman |
The third Khalifah of Islam, |
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Wudu |
Ablution before salah |
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Yathrib |
Town to which the Prophet Muhammad migrated from Makkah (see al-Madinah). |
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Zabur |
The Book of Psalms given to Prophet Dawud (David). |
|
Zakah |
Purification of wealth by payment of annual welfare due.
An obligatory act of worship. |
|
Zakat-ul-Fitr |
Welfare payment at the end of Ramadan. |
|
Zamzam |
Name of the well adjacent to the Ka'bah
in Makkah. The water first sprang
in answer to Hajar's search and
prayers. (see Hajar and Sa'y). |
|
Zuhr (Salat-ul-Zuhr) |
Salah which can be performed
after midday until afternoon. |
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- "Peace and blessings of Allah upon
him". Similar respect is
shown to other prophets. However, as this glossary is a general
reference source that will be used by people of various faiths or
none, we have decided on grounds of procedural neutrality not to use
this convention in the text.