Glossary of Islamic Terms - Muslim Education Board

Glossary of Islamic Terms · adab: good manners; etiquette. · adhan: the call to congregational prayers. · adl: justice. · A.H.: abbreviation for after hijrah. Menu     GlossaryofIslamicTerms ThissectionaimstoassisttheteachersbyprovidingthemwiththemostcommonIslamictermsandphrases GlossaryofIslamicTerms ThissectionaimstoassisttheteachersbyprovidingthemwiththemostcommonIslamictermsandphrases BelowyoucanfindsomemostusedtermsfromtheArabiclanguageandtheirmeanings. adab:goodmanners;etiquette. adhan:thecalltocongregationalprayers.InsomeMuslimcountriesthiscallisissuedfromaminaret.adl:justice. A.H.:abbreviationforafterhijrah.A.H.referstothemigrationofProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim)andhiscompanionsfromMeccatoMedinaintheyear622.TheIslamiclunarcalendarstartsfromthishistoricalevent. akhirah:lifeinthehereafter. akhlaq:moralsandmanners Alaihisalam:maypeacebeuponhim. Alhamdulillah:allpraiseisforGod. alim:alearned,knowledgeablepersonorscholarinIslam.(pl.ulama) Allah:TheGod:AlmeansTheandilahmeansgod.Togetheritmeans"TheGod"orAllah.InArabicBibleAllahisusedtorefertoTheGod.AccordingtoMuslimbelief,thetruenameofGod,theCreatoroftheuniverse.Allahalsohas100attributeswhichdescribeHispower,gloryandcharacteristics.SomeofHisattributesaretheMerciful,theBeneficent,theWise,theAll-Knowing,theProtector,theMighty,theLoving,theFirst,theLast,theEternal. AllahuAkbar:GodistheGreatest.ThesewordsarerepeatedbyMuslimsmanytimesduringthecourseoftheday,makingthemthemostfrequentlychantedwordsonearth.MuslimssayAllahuakbarwhenissuingthecallforprayer,praying,expressingahappyfeeling,approvinganupliftingstatement,andotherwisepraisingGod. amanah:trust amir:aleaderorcommanderofagroupofMuslims. Amiral-Mumineen or Amirul-Mumineen:leaderorcommanderofthebelievers.HistoricallythistitlehasbeenreservedfortheMuslimcaliph. Assalamualaikum:peacebeuponyou;theIslamicgreetingforMuslims.Otherextendedformsareassalamualaikumwarahmatullah(maythepeaceandmercyofAllahbeuponyou)andassalamualaikumwarahmatullahiwabarakatuh(maythepeace,mercyandblessingsofAllahbeuponyou). ayah:asign;verseoftheQuran.InliteralArabic,ayahmeansmiracleorsign.TheQuranitselfbeingamiracle,eachofitsverses(sentences)iscalledanayah.Thepluralisayat. barakah:blessing C.E.:theCommonEra.InIslamictextsC.E.ispreferredoverthetermA.D.torefertotimebeforeHijrah,thestartoftheMuslimcalendar. dhimmi:Anon-MuslimcitizenofanIslamicstate.Dhimmisareexemptfrommilitaryserviceandzakah(anIslamicalmsdue)butinsteadpayataxcalledjizyah.TheirlifeandpropertyisprotectedbytheIslamicstate. deen:religionorwayoflife.Islamisreferredtoasadeen,orwayoflife,becauseitcoverseveryfacetofhumanlife. dua:supplication;callinguponGod. dunya:thislife;thisworld. faqih:anexpertonIslamicjurisprudence.(pl.fuqaha) fiqh:thebodyofIslamicjurisprudenceorlaw.InIslamitalsomeansunderstanding,comprehensionandknowledge.AjuristiscalledafaqihbecauseheorsheisanexpertinIslamiclegalmatters.AfaqihpassesverdictswithintherulesoftheIslamicLaworShariah. fard:obligatory. fatwa:alegalopinionthatisrenderedbyapersonknowledgeableinIslamicjurisprudence. fitnah:civilstrife,war,riots,anytrialortribulation. hadith:thesayings,actionsandapprovalsofProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim);theauthenticallyrecordedandreportednarrationsfromthelifeofProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim),whichismodeledaftertheteachingsoftheQuran.(pl.ahadith) Hajj:oneofthefivepillarsofIslam,hajjisthepilgrimagetoMakkahthatMuslimsmustmakeatleastonceduringtheirlifetime. halal:permittedinIslam. haqq:thetruth.OneoftheattributesofAllahisAl-Haqq. hanif:Peoplewho,duringpre-Islamicdays,rejectedidolatryintheirsociety.ThesepeoplewereinsearchofthetruereligionofProphetIbraheem(Abraham). haram:1unlawfulorprohibitedinIslam.2sanctuaryorsacredterritory.MeccahasbeendeclaredaharamsincethetimeofProphetIbraheem(Abraham).Allthingswithinthelimitoftheharamareprotectedandconsideredinviolable.MedinawasalsodeclaredharambyProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim). hijrah:migrationtoseeksanctuaryoffreedomfromreligiousorotherpersecution.InIslamichistoryterms,hijrahreferstothemigrationofProphetMuhammadandhisfollowersfromMeccatoMedinatoescapepersecution.Thisjourneytookplaceinthetwelfthyearofhismission(622C.E.).TheIslamiccalendarstartsfromthishistoricalevent.Hijrahcanalsomeantoleaveabadwayoflifeforagoodormorerighteousway. ibadah:worship. ijtihad:TouncoverAllah'srulingsonanyissuebyusingone'sknowledgeoftheQuran,Sunnah,ijma(consensusofscholars)etc.OnlythemostknowledgeableaboutIslamicsourcesoflegislationcanengageinijtihad. imam:1theleaderoftheMuslimcommunity(alsocalledamirorkhalifah);2leaderofthecongregationalprayers.Animamisnotinfallible.HeisresponsibleforhismistakestoallthemembersofthecommunityandaboveallheisresponsibletoAlmightyAllah. iman:literally,belief;Islamically,faithandtrustinAllah. Injil:TherevelationsthatweresentdowntoProphetIsa(Jesus);whatisreferredtobyChristiansastheGospels. inshaAllah:ifGodwills.MuslimssayinshaAllahwhenevertheyspeakaboutsomethinginthefuture.iqamah:calltostandforcongregationalprayer. Isa:Jesus. Islam:derivedfromtheArabicrootwordsofsilmandsalam,Islammeans,amongothersthings,peace,greeting,salutation,obedience,loyalty,allegiance,andsubmissiontothewillofAllah.MuslimsbelievethatIslamisthelastandfinalreligionforallmankindtilltheendoftime,irrespectiveofcolor,race,nationality,ethnicbackground,language,orsocialposition.ThetermMohammedanismissometimesmistakenlyusedforIslam.ThisisamisnomerandisoffensivetoMuslims. jahannum:hell;fire. jama'ah:gathering;congregation. jannah:paradise;heaven. jihad:derivedfromtheArabicrootwordofjahada,jihadmeanstostriveone'sutmosttoachievesomethinggood.Thefirstandforemostjihadisagainstone'sowncarnaldesiresandsinfultemptations.Thereisalsojihadagainstatyrantruleroroppressor.ThejihadofthelatterkindisdefensiveinnatureandcanonlybecalledbyalegalIslamicauthority.ThetermHolyWardoesnotapplytojihadasitcannotbefoundanywhereinIslamichistory.Therefore,HolyWarshouldnotbeusedtodescribejihad. jilbab:along,loose-fittinggarmentwornbyMuslimwomen. jinn:spiritualbeingsthatinhabittheworldandarerequiredtofollowtheordersofAllah.Justlikehumans,jinncanbegoodorbadandareaccountablefortheirdeeds.Thewordjinn,inArabic,means'hidden,'whichindicatesthattheyareinvisiblecreatures.TheywerecreatedbyAllahfromfire. jizyah:ataxpaidbynon-MuslimslivinginaMuslimState.Sincethenon-MuslimsareexemptfrommilitaryserviceandtaxesimposedonMuslims,theymustpaythistax.TheIslamicstateguaranteesitsnon-Muslimcitizenssecurityandprotectioninreturnforjizyah. juz:oneof30partsoftheQuran. Kabah:acube-shapedstructureinthecityofMeccatowhichallMuslimsturnduringtheirprayers.Thefirsthouseofworshipbuiltformankind,itwasoriginallybuiltbyProphetAdamandlaterreconstructedbyProphetsIbraheem(Abraham)andIsma'il(Ishmael),peacebeuponthemall. kafir:apersonwhohidesorcoversupthetruthandrefusestosubmittoAllah(God);adisbelieverinGod.(pl.kuffar) khalifah:successororrepresentativeofProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim)oroneofhissuccessors.ThispersonactsastheheadofstatefortheentireMuslimcommunityoftheworld.AnothertitleforthekhalifahisAmirAl-Mumineen,whichmeanstheleaderofthebelievers. khatib:anoratororspeaker;apersonwhogivessermons,especiallyatFridaynoonprayers. khutba:aspeechorsermon;sometimesusedtorefertothesermongivenduringtheFridaynooncongregationalprayer. kufr:1theactofconcealing,denyingorrefusingtoacceptthetruthaboutAllah;2showingungratefulnesstoAllahforHisbounties. malak:angel,oneofGod'screations.(pl.malaikah) MashaAllah:whateverAllahwills.MuslimssaymashaAllahwhentheyhearsomethinggood masjid:calledmosqueinEnglish,theMuslimplaceofprayersandworship.ThelifeoftheearlyMuslimsusedtorevolvearoundthemasjid.Meetingswouldbeheldthere,discussionswouldtakeplacethere. minbar or mimbar:apulpitfromwhereasermonorspeechisdelivered. muhajirin:emigrants;ProphetMuhammad'scompanionswhomigratedtoescapepersecutionbythenonbelivers. Muhammad:ThenameofthelastandfinalmessengerofGod.TheQuransaysthatthecomingofProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim)wasforetoldbyeachoneoftheforegoingprophetsandthepeoplewerecommandedtofollowhimwhenheappeared.Hisdistinguishingfeaturewasthathewouldconfirmthetruthofallprophetsandrevelationsthatprecededhim.Whileotherprophetsweresenttoaparticularnationortribe,ProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim)wassenttoallmankind. muazzin:apersonwhoissuesthecallforthefivedailyprayers. mumin:someonewhohasasincerebeliefandfaithinAllahandisarighteousperson.(pl.muminoon) munafiq:hypocrite(pl.munafiqoon) mus-haf:awritten,printedcopyoftheQur'anintheformofapublishedbook. mushrik:polythiest;apersonwhoascribespartnerstoAllah.(pl.mushrikoon) Muslim:onewhobelievesinIslamandsubmitstotherulingsofIslam. muttaqeen:Godconsciousness.People,whoseactionsareGodconsciousbecausetheyfearGodmost. nabi:AProphetofGodbutnoBookhasbeenrevealedonhim.CompareitwithRasool. niyyah:intention P.B.U.H.:abbreviationforpeacebeuponhim,derivedfromtheArabicwordsalaihisalam.Muslimstraditionallysaythisafterthenameofallprophetstoshowrespectandlove.(BecauseMuslimsaresupposedtosaysallallahualaihewasallamafterthenameofProphetMuhammadandbecauseP.B.U.H.doesnotaccuratelyconveythatmeaning,manyinsteadprefertheabbreviationS.A.W.) qadi:anIslamicjudge.Apersonwhogivesahukm,orabindingverdictinadisputedmatterthatispresentedtotheIslamiccourt. qadr:God'splan;fate;predestination qiblah:thedirectionMuslimsfacewhenpraying.MuslimsturninprayerstowardtheKabah,thecube-shapedhouseofworshipthatProphetsIbraheemandhissonIsma'ilbuiltinMecca. Quran:theMuslimbookofrevelationsiscalledtheQuran.ItwasrevealedtoProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim)fromAllahthroughangelJibril(Gabriel)overaperiodof23years.ThereisonlyoneQuraninthewholeworldanditisintheArabiclanguage.TheQuranhasonetext,onelanguage,andonedialect.IthasbeenmemorizedbymillionsofMuslimsindifferentpartsoftheworld. qiyaas:amethodfordeducingorreachingalegaldecisioninIslamforwhichthereisnoclearcutevidenceintheQuran,theHadith,ortheconsensusofthecompanionsofProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim)orMuslimscholars.Theqiyaasmusthoweverbebasedonsomeprecedentsintheabovesources. Raheem:compassionate. Rahman:merciful. Ramadan:theIslamicmonthofdawn-to-duskfasting.ItfallsontheninthmonthoftheIslamiclunarcalendar.FastingisobligatoryforeveryhealthyandableMuslimmanandwoman.ItwasduringthismonththattheQur'anbegantoberevealedtoProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim).Muslimsengageinextraprayersandcharityduringthismonth. rasool:messenger;onewhoreceivesrevelationfromAllahandiscommandedtodeliverthemessagetohispeople.Allahsentmanyprophetsandmessengerstomankind.Amongstthem,thenamesoftwenty-fivearementionedintheQuran.Fiveamongthemaremajormessengers:Nuh(Noah),Ibraheem(Abraham),Musa(Moses),Isa(Jesus),andMuhammad,peacebeuponthemall.ProphetMuhammadisthelastmessenger. Rasoolallah:messengerofAllah rukoo:derivedfromtherootwordraka'a,whichmeanstobowdown.Duringprayers(salah),MuslimsmakerukootoshowrespecttoAllah.Rukooconsistsofbowingforwardatthewaistlevelandisdifferentfromprostration. S.A.W.S.:abbreviationforthewordssallallahualaihiwasallam,whichmeans"MaytheblessingandpeaceofAllahbeuponhim."WhenthenameofProphetMuhammadismentioned,Muslimsshowrespecttohimbyrecitingthisstatementofpeace.(alternately,SAW,SAAS) sabr:patienceindifficulty sadaqah:charitybeyondthatwhichisobligatory sahabi:companionofProhetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim)(pl.sahabah) salah:anArabicwordmeaningaspiritualrelationshipandcommunicationbetweenthecreatureandhisCreator.Itiscommonlyunderstoodasritualisticprayers.SalahisoneofthefivepillarsofIslamandismandatedfivetimesaday:Fajr(dawn),Zuhr(noon),Asr(afternoon),Maghrib(sunset),andIsha(lateevening).OnFridaynoonthereisaspecialcongregationalprayercalledSalatulJumahthatincludesasermonbytheimam.Salahisnottobeconfusedwithdu'aorsupplication. salam:peace sallallahualaihiwasallam:peaceandblessingsofAllahbeonhim sawm:fasting seerah:thebiographyoftheProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim),whichincludeshispersonality,hislifestory,hisprophethood,hisleadership,andhiswaysofhandlingdifferentsituations.TheseerahofProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim)isthehighestexampleandsourceofinspirationforallMuslimsinallphasesoftheirdailylife. shahadah:tobearwitness;declarationoffaith Shaitaan:calledSataninJudaismandChristianity,Shaitaanisthesourceofevilintheworld.Healwaystriestomisguideandmisleadpeople.TheQuranstatesthatShaitaanisnotanangelbutamemberofthejinnfamily.HisothernameisIblis.ThepluralnameisShayatin,i.e.,devils. Shariah:therevealedandcanonicallawsofthereligionofIslam. sheikh:atitleoranicknameforanelderlypersonoronewhoisknowledgeableinreligion.Thistitleisalsogiventoaleaderorawiseperson. shirk:associatingpartnerswithAllah;disbelievingintheunityandonenessofAllahandbelievingthatsomeoneelsesharesauthoritywithAllahorhasthesameattributesorcharacteristicsasAllah.Thisismajorshirkanditwillnotbeforgiven.Therecanalsobeminorshirk,whichistodoagooddeedwiththepurposeofshowingoffratherthantopleaseAllah. siyam:fasting SubhanAllah:glorifiedisAllah;Allahispure.MuslimssaysubhanAllahwhentheyappreciatesomething. sujood or sujud:derivedfromtherootwordsajada,sujudistheprostrationtoAllahinthedailyprayers.InthepositionofsujudMuslimspraiseAlmightyAllahandglorifyHim.Duringsujud,Muslimsmakesurethattheforehead,nose,hands,knees,andtoes,arealltouchingthefloor.Thisisthemosthumblepositionintheprayerandmakingsupplicationsishighlyrecommended. sunnah:Ingeneral,habit,practice,customaryprocedure,oraction,norm,andusagesanctionedbytradition.Inpurelyreligiousterms,itreferstoProphetMuhammad's(s.a.w.)sayings,actionsandapprovalsasauthenticallyrecordedbyhiscompanions. surah:chapteroftheQuran.TheQuraniscomposedof114chapters.Thepluralofsurahissuwar. taharah:purification. taqwah:love,fear,andawarenessofGod. tawbah:repentance. tawheed:confirmingtheonenessandunityofAllah;tobelievethatthereisnooneworthyofworshipexceptAllah,thatHedoesnotshareHispowerorauthoritywithanyone,andthatHeistheCreator.ThisbeliefisthefoundationofIslam. Tawrat:theTorah;therevelationsthatweresentdowntoProphetMusa(Moses). ummah:communityorpeople;usedinreferencetothecommunityofbelieversorMuslims. wahi:revelation. wudu:theactofpurifying(ablution)beforedailyritualprayersorbeforereadingtheQuran. Zabur:Psalms;therevelationsthatweresentdowntoProphetDa'ud(David). zakah:purificationofwealthbygiving2.5%incharity;oneofthefivepillarsofIslam.AllMuslimswhohaveannualsavingsbeyondacertainamount,orliveofffarming,areobligatedtopayzakah.    LatestPosts Feilte2021 TeachingTransformsCampaign Eidul-Fitr2021 NewDigitalStrategyforSchoolsConsultation RamadanMubarak2021/1442 PopularTags education announcement facts media promotion ecce curriculum primaryschools MNSCabra NDMNSchool bullying, cyberbullying consultation department environment MNSClonskeagh parents teachers conference MrsBrennan religion digital strategy AsiyaAl-Tawash FardusSultan pupils CSL mentor Ramadan eid  HomeTeachers'SectionGlossaryofIslamicTerms ContactUs TelephoneEnquiry: +353(0)873693270 Email Legal PrivacyPolicy CookiesPolicy OurMission TheroleoftheMus­limPri­maryEdu­ca­tionBoardistoman­ageanddevelopMus­limpupils’edu­ca­tionthroughded­i­ca­tionandexcel­lencethroughuphold­ingIslamicval­ues.More Gallery Address: MuslimPrimaryEducationBoard,163SouthCircularRoad,Dublin8,Ireland ViewonMap ©CopyrightMuslimEducation.ie2022·AllRightsReserved·Designed,developedandmaintainedbyFarend.net   