Islamic Vocabulary

Adab (أدب)

Abd (عبد) 

Ghafara (غفر)

(verb in past tense) to forgive, to cover up (sins). A characteristic of Allah.

Ghaflah (غفلة)

heedlessness, forgetfulness of Allah, indifference

Ghaib (غيب)

the unseen, unknown.

Ghusl (غسل)

full ablution of the whole body

Hadi (هادي)

a guide, one who guides; A Muslim name for Allah is The Guide, or Al-Hadi.

Hidaya(هداية) 

guidance from Allah.

Hadith (حديث) 

literally "speech"; recorded saying or tradition of the prophet Muhammad validated by isnad; with sira these comprise the sunnah and reveal shariah

Halal (حلال) 

lawful, permitted, good, beneficial, praiseworthy, honourable

Hafith (حافظ) 

someone who knows the Qur'an by heart. Literal translation = memorizer or Protector.

Hajj (الحجّ)or haj 

pilgrimage to Mecca. Sunnis regard this as the fifth Pillar of Islam

Hakim a ruler's or gubernatorial title

Hanif (حنيف) 

one of the five prophets; namely, Prophet Adam, Prophet Abraham/Ibrahim, Prophet Moses/Musa, Prophet Isa (Jesus), and Prophet Muhammad. Plural hunafa' (حنفاء).

Haqq (حک)

truth, reality, right, righteousness. An Islamic name for Allah is al-haqq.

Haraam (حرام) 

(stress on final syllable) forbidden. Antonym: halal.

Haram (حرم) 

(stress on initial syllable) sanctuary.

Hasan (حسن)

Good, beautiful, admirable. Also a categorization of a hadith's authenticity as "acceptable". (other categorizations include authenic and fabricated).

Hijab (حجاب) 

literally "cover". It describes the self-covering of the body for the purposes of modesty and dignity; broadly, a prescribed system of attitudes and behaviour regarding modesty and dignity.

Hijra (الهجرة) 

Muhammad and his followers' emigration from Mecca to Medina. Literally, "migration".

Hima 

wilderness reserve, protected forest, grazing commons, important to khalifa

Hizb (حزب) 

one half of a juz', or roughly 1/60th of the Qur'an

Huda (حدا)

guidance

Hudna (هدنة) 

Truce. Cease-fire (often temporary)

Hudud (حدود) 

Literally, limits or boundaries. Usually refers to limits placed by Allah on man; penalties of the Islamic law which are described in the Qur'an.

Hukm (حكم)

ruling in the Qur'an or Sunnah

Ibadah (عبادة) 

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.

Iblis(إبليس) 

a jinn banished to Hell for his arrogance and disobedience; Shaytan 

Iftaar (إفطار)

a light meal eaten by Muslims breaking their fast after sunset.

Ihram (إحرام) 

state of consecration for hajj. Includes dress and or prayer.

Ihsan (إحسان)

perfection in worship, such that Muslims try to worship Allah as if they see Him, and although they cannot see Him, they undoubtedly believe He is constantly watching over them.

Ijaz 

how Muslims describe the character of the Qur'an in both form and content

Ijma (إجماع) 

the consensus of either the ummah (or just the ulema) - one of four bases of Islamic Law. More generally, political consensus itself.

Ijtihad (إجتهاد) 

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, Arabic for "imitation".

Ilah (إله)

deity, lord, Allah; not necessarily The Allah.

Ilm (علم) 

all varieties of knowledge, usually a synonym for science

Imam (إمام) 

literally, leader; e.g. a man who leads a community or leads the prayer.

Imamah (إمامة) or imamate 

successorship of Prophet Muhammad and the leadership of mankind.

Iman (إيمان) 

personal faith

Infaq 

the habitual inclination to give rather than take in life; the basis for charity

Injeel (الإنجيل) 

Muslim term for the holy book said to have been given to Jesus, who is known as Isa to Muslims; 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 Isa

Insha'Allah (إن شاء الله) 

Allah Willing.

Iqamah 

the second call to prayer. Similar to the azhan.

Isha (عشاء)

night; the fifth salat prayer

Islam (الإسلام) 

"submission to Allah". The Arabic root word for Islam means submission, obedience, peace, and purity.

Isnad (إسناد) 

chain of transmitters of any given hadith

Isra (الإسراء) 

the night journey during which Muhammad (محمّد)is said to have visited Heaven. See miraj.

Istislah (إستصلاح) 

public interest - a source of Islamic Law.

Istishhaad (إستشهاد) 

martyrdom.

Itmaam-i-hujjat 

clarification of truth in its ultimate form.

Jahannam 

the Hell-fire; Hell

Jahiliya (الجاهليّة) 

the time of ignorance before Islam was realized. Describes polytheistic religions.

Jahl 

ignorance, arrogance

Jamia (جامعة) 

"gathering"; i.e. a university, a mosque, or more generally, a community or association.

Janaza 

funeral prayer

Jannah 

Paradise, Heaven, the Garden

Jazakallahu Khayran 

"May Allah reward you for the good." Islamic expression of gratitude.

Jihad (جهاد) 

struggle. Any earnest striving in the way of Allah, involving personal, physical, intellectual or military effort, for righteousness and against wrong-doing;

"Lesser Jihad": fighting to protect Islam from attack or oppression. In such fighting, no woman, child or innocent civilian is to be harmed, and no tree is to be cut down.

"Greater Jihad": internal struggle for the soul (nafs) against evil, e.g. Lust, Greed, Envy, etc. Also to thrive to do actions that have great value in islam, and that one has to overcome one's self to do it, e.g.: to overcome the temptation to sleep when it is time to pray the morning prayer is a greater jihad. Killing innocent civilians, even women and children, is also considered a form of jihad by some radical islamic groups in order to carry out the will of Allah.

Jilbāb 

(pl. jalabib) a long, flowing, baggy garment worn by some to fulfill the mandates of sartorial hijab. Some more conservative Muslims believe that jilbāb is incumbent upon Muslim women to wear this as a sign of modesty.

Jinn (جنّ) 

An invisible being of fire

Jizya (جزية)

A tax specified in the Koran (9:29) to be paid by non-Muslim males living under Muslim political control.

Jumuah (جمعة) 

Friday prayer

Juz' (جزء) 

one of thirty parts of the Qur'an

Ka'bah 

cube-house; the cube-shaped buidling i.e in Mecca toward which Muslims pray.

Kafir (كافر) 

from the word kafara - "to hide." Those who deliberately hide the truth; unbelievers, truth-concealers; one who is ungrateful. Plural: Kaffirun.

Kalam (علم الكلم) 

Islamic theology

Khalifa (خليفة) 

Caliph, more generally, one performing the duties of khilafa.

Khatib 

the speaker at the Friday Muslim prayer, or Jumu'ah prayer

Khilafa (خلافة) 

Man's trusteeship and stewardship of Earth; Most basic theory of the Caliphate; Flora and fauna as sacred trust; Accountability to Allah 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.

Kharaj (خراج) 

a land tax

Khutbah 

the sermon at Jumu'ah prayer

Kitab 

book; The Qur'an is often referred to as "Al-Kitab"

Kufr (كفر) 

In Arabic - ungratefulness and disbelief. Islamically speaking, disbelief in Allah and denial of the truth.

Kun 

"Be!" Allah's command to the universe, 'Be!' and it is.

Laghw 

Dirty, false, evil vain talk

La ilaha illallah 

"There is no Allah (ilah) except Allah (Allah)." The most important expression in Islam. It is part of the first pillar of Islam.

la'nat (لعنة) 

curse

Laylat al-Qadr 

the Night of Power, towards the end of Ramadan, when Muhammad received the first revelation of the Qur'an.

Madhab (مذهب) 

school of religious jurisprudence, school of law

Madrasa (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 Allah allows it, to bring world peace, order and justice, after it has been overcome with injustice and aggression.

Mahram (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.

Makrouh 

Though not haram (forbidden), something that is disliked or offensive.

Malaikah 

angels

Ma malakat aymanukum (ما ملكت أيمانكم or ما ملكت أيمانهم or ما ملكت أيمانهن or ما ملكت يمينك or الذين ملكت أيمانكم)

one's rightful spouse (literally: what your right hands possess)

Manzil 

one of seven parts of the Qur'an

Ma'ruf (معروف) 

consensus of the community

Maqasid 

goals or purposes; such as the purposes of Islamic law

Masha Allah (ما شاء الله) 

Allah has willed it.

Masih 

the (Biblical) Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Masjid 

place of prayer; mosque

Masum, plural Masumin 

literally, innocent or free of sin; children are considered masum.

Maulana (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. Meaning "our Leader"

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.

Me'ad 

the Resurrection; Allah will resurrect all of humankind to be judged. Shi'as regard this as the fifth Pillar of Islam.

Mecca (مكّة) 

the holiest city in Islam

Medina 

"city"; Medinat-un-Nabi means "the City of the Prophet." See hijrah.

Mihrab 

a niche in the wall of all mosques, indicating the direction of prayer

Minaret 

a tower built onto a mosque from the top of which the call to prayer is made

Minbar (منبر) 

a pulpit in the mosque where the Imam stands to deliver sermons

Minhaj 

methodology, e.g. methods, rules, system, procedures.

Miraj (المعراج) 

the Ascension to the Seven Heavens during the Night Journey See also: isra

Mu'awwidhatayn (المعوذتين) 

suras Al-Falaq and an-Nas, the "Surahs of refuge", should be said to relieve suffering (also protect from Black Magic)

Mubah 

literally permissible; neither forbidden nor commended. Neutral.

Mufti (مفتى) 

an Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law (Sharia), capable of issuing fataawa (plural of "fatwa").

Muhajabah 

woman who wears hijab

Muhammadun rasulullah 

"Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." This statement is the second part of the first pillar of Islam. This is the second most important statement in Islam.

Muezzin 

a person who performs the call to prayer

Muhajireen 

The first Muslims that traveled to Medina.

Mujahid (مجاهد) 

a fighter for Islam. Plural mujahideen.

Mujtahid 

a scholar who uses reason for the purpose of forming an opinion or making a ruling on a religious issue. Plural: Mujtahidun.

Mullah (مل) 

are Islamic clergy. Ideally, they should have studied the Qur'an, Islamic traditions (hadith), and Islamic law (fiqh).

Mu'min 

believer

Munafiq 

hypocrite. Plural: Munafiqun

Munaqabah 

woman who wears niqab

Murshid (مرشد) 

a Sufi teacher

Murtadd 

apostate

Muslim 

a follower of the religion of Islam.

Mut'ah 

joy, a type of marriage or a practice between Umrah and Hajj.

Mutawatir  

"agreed upon"--used to describe hadith that were narrated by many witnesses through different narration chains (isnads) leading back to Muhammad

Nabi 

literally, prophet. In the Islamic context, a Nabi is a man sent by Allah to give guidance to man, but not given scripture. This is in contrast to Rasul, or Messenger. Plural: Anbiya.

Nafs (النفس) 

soul, one's self

Najaasah 

Impurity

Nakir and Munkar 

two malaikah who test the faith of the dead in their graves

Nifaq 

falsehood; dishonesty

Niqab (نقاب) 

veil covering the face

Naseeha 

advice

Nass (نصّ) 

a known, clear legal injunction

Nubuwwah (نبوّة) 

prophethood.

Noor 

light. Muslims believe angels were created from light.

Qadar 

destiny

Qadi (قاضي) 

judge of Islamic Law

Qiblah 

the direction Muslims face during prayer

Qiyamah 

resurrection; return of the dead for the Day of Judgment

Qisas (?) 

blood money

Qiyas (القياس) 

analogy - foundation of legal reasoning and thus fiqh

Qudsi 

classification of a hadith that are believed to be narrated by Muhammad (SAW) from Allah.

Qur'an (القرآن) 

Muslims believe that the Qur'an is the literal word of Allah and culmination of Allah's revelation to mankind, revealed to Prophet Muhammad in the year 610 A.D.

Rabb 

Lord, Sustainer, Cherisher, Master.

Rahman 

Merciful; Ar-Rahman means "The Most Merciful"

Rahim 

compassionate; Ar-Rahim means "The Most Compassionate" as in the Basmala

Rajm  

the practice of stoning

Rakaat 

one unit of Islamic prayer, or Salat. Each daily prayer is made up of a different number of rakaat.

Rasul 

messenger; Unlike prophets (Nabi), messengers are given scripture. Moses, David, Jesus and Mohammed are considered messengers. All messengers are considered prophets, but not all prophets are given scripture. See: Nabi.

Riba (ربا) 

interest, the charging of which is forbidden by the Qur'an

Risalah 

literally, message or letter. Used both in common parlance for mail correspondences, and in religious context as divine message.

Ruh 

spirit; the divine breath which Allah blew into the clay of Adam.

Rukn 

the five pillars of the Islamic faith, also arkan.

Ruk'u 

the bowing performed during Muslim prayer

Sabr 

patience, endurance, self-restraint

Sadaqah 

charity; voluntary alms

Sahabah 

companions of Muhammad. In Islam, the Sahāba (الصحابه) were the companions of the prophet Muhammad. This form is plural; the singular is Sahābi, which is