Adam (AS)
The first man created by Allah.
Adhan / Azan
The call to prayer, made using the human voice rather than
a horn or bell, etc.
AH
After Hijrah. The Hijrah, when Muhammad (peace and blessings
be upon him) emigrated from
Mecca to Medinah, signifies the beginning of the Islamic
calendar. We are currently in the year
1429 AH.
Ahadith
A verified saying of the prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings b
e upon him). Also referred to
as Hadith.
Al
-Fatihah
The Opening Chapter
–
the first Surat (chapter) of the Qur
’
an.
Allah
The Supreme Creator of the universe and all that exists, who
m all Muslims worship. The word
Allah is derived from the Arabic word Ilah (meaning god), but as
the word
‘
god
’
has a plural
form (gods) and a feminine form (goddess), the word Allah shou
ld always be used in its place.
Arafat
A plain and mountain situated to the north of Mecca. Pi
lgrims gather here between midday and
sunset on the ninth day of Hajj to pray for Allah
’
s forgiveness.
AS
Alaihi Salaam
–
peace be upon him.
Alaiha Salaam
–
peace be upon her.
Alaihum Salaam
–
peace be upon them.
This should always be said whenever mentioning any of the Pr
ophets from Adam through to
Jesus, or any of the women regarded as being the most notabl
e women created (namely Eve, wife
of Adam
–
Hajar, wife of Abraham
–
Asiya, one of Pharaoh
’
s wives who joined Moses on his
exodu
s
–
Mary, mother of Jesus
–
Khadija, Muhammad
’
s first wife
–
and Fatima, Muhammad
’
s
youngest daughter).
Ashura
Also Yawm Al-Ashura. The tenth day of Muharram (the first
month of the Islamic calendar).
Muslims fast on this day to commemorate the crossing of
the Red Sea by Moses (AS) and his
followers during their flight from Egypt.
Asr
The mid-afternoon prayer, consisting of four rak
’
at as Sunnah prayer, followed by four rak
’
at as
Fard.
Assalamu Alaikum
Peace Be Upon You. This is the greeting one should give to your
fellow Muslims. The reply to
this is
“
Walaikum Salaam
”
(And upon you be peace).
Ayah / Ayat
A verse from the Qur
’
an. Literally meaning
‘
revelation
’
, it can also describe a piece of evidence
or proof, or a sign which leads or directs you to something impo
rtant.
Ayat Al-Kursi
Verse 2:255 of the Qur
’
an. This is regarded as the greatest verse in the Qur
’
an
–
whoever recites
this after each and every prayer is guaranteed a place in
Paradise.
Bismillah
In the name of Allah.
Da
’
ud / Dawud / Dawood (AS)
Da
vid, the prophet to whom the Zabur (Psalms) were revealed.
Da
’
wah
Inviting others to Islam through words or actions.
Dhikr
Remembrance of Allah, either through thought or speech.
Diin / Deen
One
’
s religion, faith or way of life.
Du
’
a
Supplication.
Eid Ul-A
dha
The
‘
Feast of Sacrifice
’
. This takes place on the tenth day of Hajj, and commemo
rates the
prophet Ibrahim (AS) offering his son Ismail (AS) in sacrif
ice as an act of obedience to Allah.
Eid Ul-Fitr
The
‘
Feast of Charity
’
. This three day festival marks the end of Ramadan.
Fajr
The daybreak prayer, consisting of two rak
’
at of Sunnah prayer followed by two rak
’
at as Fard.
Fard
Obligatory, such as the five daily prayers.
Fatwa
A legal verdict or opinion given by one or more people well-v
ersed in Islamic law, i.e. a cleric or
scholar. It is NOT obligatory to follow a fatwa, as this is
merely an opinion.
Fitrah
A person
’
s pure state of being before it is corrupted by outside influ
ences. This term is
commonly attributed to young children, and those new converts to Is
lam who have just made
their shahada.
Ghusl
1. A full ablution, necessary for praying after sexual inte
rcourse or a period, for example.
Instructions for this can be found on the Preparing to Pray
section of this site.
2. The act of washing the deceased
’
s body prior to the funeral.
Hadith
A verified statement describing the words or actions of the
Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Hajj
The fifth pillar of Islam, Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecc
a which every Muslim must take once in
their lifetime, but only if they are healthy enough and able
to afford it.
Halal
Lawful or permissible according to Islamic law, especially w
ith regards to food and drink.
Haram
Forbidden or prohibited according to Islamic law, especially wit
h regards to food and drink.
Hijab
The required Islamic dress code for women, in which the bod
y is covered so that only the face
and hands are exposed.
Hijrah
The emigration to Abysinnia and Medina that Muhammad (SAW) a
nd his followers undertook in
order to escape the persecution they were suffering in Mec
ca.
Hijri
The Islamic lunar calendar, which began from the Hijrah.
Each year lasts for approximately 355
days, and is comprised of 12 months
–
1.
Muharram,
2.
Safar,
3.
Rabi Al-Awwal,
4.
Rabi Al-Thani,
5.
Jumada Al-Ula,
6.
Jumada Al-Thani,
7.
Rajab,
8.
Sha
’
ban,
9.
Ramadan,
10.
Shawwal,
11.
Dhul Qa
’
adah &
12.
Dhul Hijjah.
Iblis
The jinn who disobeyed Allah by not prostrating to Adam (AS) wh
en ordered to, and so was
expelled from His mercy. Also known as Shaytan (Satan).
Ibrahim (AS)
Abraham, one of the greatest of all prophets. He, along wi
th his eldest son Ismail (AS) rebuilt the
Ka
’
bah in Mecca. All the prophets who came after Ibrahim (AS)
were directly descended from
him.
Imam
The leader of any congregational prayer. It is also som
etimes used to refer to the head of an
Islamic state.
Iman
Faith and trust in Allah.
Insha
’
Allah
If Allah wills.
Isa (AS)
Jesus, one of the greatest of all prophets. It was to Isa
(AS) that the Injeel (Gospels) were
revealed.
Isha
The nightfall prayer, consisting of two rak
’
at as Sunnah prayer, followed by four rak
’
at as Fard,
and two more as Sunnah.
Islam
Derived from the word Salam (Peace), Islam literally mean
s
‘
Peace through submission to Allah
’
.
Jibreel
Gabriel, the angel through whom Allah conveyed his words to his pr
ophets. He is also known as
Ar Ruh al-
Qu
dus (The Holy Spirit).
Jihad
Literally means to struggle or strive, and is often incorre
ctly interpreted as
‘
holy war
’
. In an
Islamic sense, Jihad is the struggle to propagate or preserve
Islam. There are four main forms of
jihad:
Jihad an-Nafs:
struggling against one
’
s own evil traits in order to become a better
person.
Jihad as-Shaytan:
struggling against the temptations of Satan.
Jihad al-Kufar:
struggling against the enemies of Islam, either by speech, we
alth or
force. There are strict laws governing the physical form of
Jihad (for example, not to be
the aggressor, not harming unarmed civilians, their property
or livestock, and accepting
the enemies call for peace immediately). Unfortunately, th
ese are largely ignored today
by those claiming to be fighting for Islam (i.e. Al-Qaida an
d other terrorist groups), thus
giving Islam
’
s opponents more ammunition with which to attack it.
Jihad ahlu ath-Thulm:
struggling against injustice and evil, including those who corrup
t
Islam with heretic ideas (for example, those who rej
ect the hadith & sunnah).
Jinn
Beings created from fire, just as angels were created f
rom light and mankind was created from
dust. Known in the Western world as spirits, demons, ghos
ts etc. Like mankind, Jinn have been
granted free will over their actions, therefore some ar
e inclined to do good and some inclined to
evil (unlike the angels, who are compelled by Allah to do his bidding,
and therefore only do
good).
If one is mentioning the jinn purely of themselves, they ar
e called Jinn (plural
–
jinni /
jinnati).
If one is mentioning the jinn that live among mankind, they
are called Aamar (plural
–
amaar).
If one is mentioning the ones that antagonize the young,
they are called Arwaah.
If one is mentioning the evil ones that antagonize humans t
hey are called Shaitan (plural
–
shayateen).
If they cause even more harm and become strong, they ar
e called Ifrit / Ifreet.
If one is mentioning the companions assigned to each and eve
ry person who encourages
that person
’
s base desires in order to make them inclined to commit evil,
they are called
Qareen.
Ka
’
bah
The structure in Mecca to which all Muslims turn to whilst praying.
It was originally built by
Adam (AS ), then subsequently rebuilt by Ibrahim (AS) and Is
mail (AS), then finally cleansed by
Muhammad (SAW) and his followers after the pagans of Mecca h
ad used it for their idol-
worship for hundreds of years.
Kafir
A disbeliever in Allah, or one who disobeys Him or joins
others in worship with Him.
Kalifa
The ruler of the Muslim nation. The most honoured Kali
fas were the four who ruled immediately
after the death of Muhammad (SAW):
1.
Abu Bakr (RA),
2.
Umar (RA),
3.
Uthman (RA), and
4.
Ali (RA).
Khutba
A sermon given at Jumu
’
ah (Friday) and Eid prayers.
Madinah
Medina. The holy city in present-day Saudi Arabia approxim
ately 250 miles north of Mecca
where Muhammad (SAW) emigrated and set up the first Islamic s
tate.
Makkah
Mecca. The holy city in present-day Saudi Arabia in which
the Ka
’
bah is situated, and where
millions of Muslims make a pilgrimage every year.
Maghrib
The sunset prayer, consisting of two rak
’
at as Sunnah prayer, three as Fard, then two more as
Sunnah.
Masjid
Mosque
–
any place for worship or prayer. The three holiest masjids
are:
Al Masjid al-Haaram
(The Mosque of Sanctuary, located in Mecca).
Al Masjid al-Nabawi
(The Prophet
’
s Mosque, located in Medina).
Al Masjid al-Aqsa
(The Furthest Mosque, located in Jerusalem).
Miraj
The
‘
night journey
’
undertaken by Muhammad (SAW), during which he traveled to Jerus
alem to
the site of The Dome On The Rock, ascended to paradise, m
et other prophets residing there, and
received the command from Allah that all Muslims should pra
y five times a day.
Muhammad (SAW)
The last prophet to be sent by Allah, to whom the Qur
’
an was revealed.
Musa (AS)
Moses, one of the greatest of all prophets, who lead the
Israelites from Egypt and to whom the
Torah was revealed.
Muslim
One who fully submits to the commandments of Allah.
Qiblah
The direction facing towards the Ka
’
bah in Mecca, which all Muslims face during prayer.
Qiyamah
The Day of Judgment, or Day of Resurrection. The day when a
ll mankind will be brought forth
to answer for their deeds.
Qur
’
an
The final divine revelation sent to mankind via Muhammad (S
AW). The word Qur
’
an literally
means
‘
repeatedly recited
’
.
RA
Radi Allahu Anh
a
–
May Allah be pleased with him
Radi Allahu Anhi
–
May Allah be pleased with her
Radi Allahu Anhum
–
May Allah be pleased with them.
This is customarily said whenever mentioning the names of
any of Muhammad
’
s (SAW) family
or followers.
Raka
Plural: Raka
’
at. Units of prayers consisting of a series of standing, b
owing, sitting and
prostrating positions. See How to Pray for more details.
Ramadan
The ninth month of the Hijri calendar. It was during this m
onth that the revelation of the Qur
’
an
began, and the bloodless conquest of Mecca occurred.
Rasul
A prophet to whom Allah revealed divine texts, i.e. Musa, Dawud, I
sa & Muhammad.
Salam
Peace.
Salat
The five obligatory prayers that Muslims must perform every
day. See When to Pray for more
details.
SAW
“
Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
”
–
“
Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him
”
. This is said / written
whenever Muhammad (SAW) is mentioned.
Sawm
The obligatory fast during Ramadan, one of the pillars of
Islam. See Fasting for more details.
Shahadah
A declaration of faith, specifically
“
Ashadu Allah ilah ha illallah, Wa Ashadu ana Muhammadur
Rasulullah
”
(I testify that there are no gods besides Allah, and I
testify that Muhammad is the
messenger of Allah).
Shariah
Islamic law, derived from the Qur
’
an & Sunnah. The Shariah is final and absolute, and cannot
be
changed.
Shaytan
1. Satan
2. A devil
–
any Jinn who is inclined to commit evil.
Shirk
Associating, invoking or worshipping anyone or anything besides Alla
h. This is the worst sin a
Muslim can commit; in fact, anyone who commits this sin cann
ot be described as a Muslim.
More details on this subject can be found at the Tawhid & S
hirk section of this site.
Siwak
A branch or root from the al-Arak tree which is traditiona
lly used as a toothbrush. It contains
natural antiseptic, and is used by shaving the bark off the en
d, chewing the end lightly to soften
it, then using it as you would normally use a toothbrush (it ha
s a bit of a funny taste, but you
soon get used to it!).
Subhan
’
Allah
Glory be to Allah.
Sunnah
The sayings, practises and living habits of the Prophet Muha
mmad (SAW), as recording in the
various hadith collections. Along with the Qur
’
an, the sunnah is a source of Islamic law and
practice.
Surah / Surat
A chapter of the Qur
’
an, of which there are 114.
SWT
Subhana Wa Ta
’
Al
a. Often said when mentioning Allah, this is the most comm
on way of
glorifying Him. It means
‘
Glory to Him, the Highest
’
.
Tahajud
An optional prayer performed during the last half of the nig
ht.
Taqwa
The love and fear that a Muslim feels for Allah, which
drives him / her to avoid things that
displeases Him.
Tawhid
The belief in the absolute uniqueness of Allah, His attribut
es and His actions, with no equals or
associates. In short, this is the very fundamental co
ncept of Islam.
Ummah
A single united Muslim nation.
Umrah
Any pilgrimage to Mecca outside of Hajj.
Wa
’
alaikum Salam
And upon you be peace
–
this is the proper reply when someone greets you with
‘
Asslamu
Alaikum
’
.
Wudu
The ritual washing with water which must be performed before pr
ayer. See Preparing to Pray for
more details.
Zakat
An obligatory charity given by all but the poorest Muslims at
the end of Ramadan.
Zam Zam
A sacred well in Mecca.
Zuhr
The midday prayer, this consists of four rak
’
at of Sunnah prayer, followed by four rak
’
at as Fard,
then four more as Sunnah.
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