Some important terms used in this booklet are defined as follows.
Allah: Allah is the personal name of God in Islam. To show proper reverence to Him, Muslims often add the word Ta‘ala, meaning “the Most High,” when saying His holy name.
Adhan: The formal Islamic call to prayer.
Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jama’at: The Community of Muslims who have accepted the claims of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) of Qadian as the Promised Messiah and Mahdi. The Community was established by Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) in 1889, and is now under the leadership of his fifth khalifah—Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his help). The Community is also known as Jama’at-e-Ahmadiyyah. A member of the Community is called an Ahmadi Muslim or simply an Ahmadi.
Amir: In this booklet Amir refers to the ruler of Afghanistan who held the title of Amir. In general, the Arabic word Amir is used for a leader.
Avatar: A word that has been adopted in English from Sanskrit and which, literally translated, means incarnation. The Promised Messiah(as) used the word very strictly in the sense of a spiritual reappearance or second advent. The Islamic belief concerning these concepts does not contain any sense of physical re-birth or transmigration of souls.
Buruz: A re-advent, second coming or spiritual reappearance.
Dajjal: An Arabic word literally meaning “the great deceiver.” In Islamic terminology “dajjal” refers to those satanic forces which would be unleashed in the Latter Days to oppose the Promised Messiah(as) and al-Imam al-Mahdi. A similar prophecy in the Christian faith about the appearance of the Antichrist refers to the same phenomenon and we have therefore translated the term “dajjal ” as “Antichrist”.
Dar-ul-Harb and Dar-ul-Islam: According to certain mullahs, the world is divided into a “zone of war” (dar-ul-harb) and a “zone of Islam” (dar-ul-Islam). A country is considered dar-ul-Islam only when it is ruled by Muslims. The Promised Messiah(as) points out in this booklet that there is no basis for such a division in the Holy Qur’an or hadith.
Fatwa: A legal ruling issued by an Islamic scholar. The plural is fatawa.
Frontier Region: In this booklet the term Frontier Region refers to the North Western Frontier Province of India (now Pakistan) and contiguous regions of Afghanistan.
Ghazi: One who has participated in and survived a religious war. According to Islamic belief, such service earns one Paradise.
Hadith: The sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa). The plural is ahadith.
Hadrat: A term of respect used for a righteous and pious person.
Holy Qur’an: The book sent by Allah for the guidance of all humanity. It was revealed to the Holy Prophet(sa) over a period of twenty-three years.
Jihad: The literal meaning of this word is “striving”. The term is used to mean self-purification as well as religious wars in some instances. The true Islamic concept of jihad is explained in this booklet.
Khalifah: The literal translation of this word is “deputy” or “successor.” The word caliph is a cognate of the word “khalifah”.
Mahdi: The literal translation of this word is “the guided one”. This is the title given by the Holy Prophet(sa) to the awaited Reformer of the Latter Days.
Maulavi and Mullah: A Muslim religious cleric.
Mujaddid: Literally means, “one who rejuvenates”. The plural is mujaddidin. The Holy Prophet(sa) prophesied the coming of mujaddidin among the Muslims at the beginning of each century of the Islamic era.
Pashto: A language spoken in the Frontier Region.
Sahib: A term of respect, similar to diverse English terms like Mister, Honourable, and Revered.
Sahih al-Bukhari: A book of ahadith (the sayings) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa) compiled by Hadrat Imam Muhammad bin Isma‘il Bukhari(ra) (194H-256H). This book of ahadith is believed to be the most authentic book after the Holy Qur’an.
Salat: The five daily prayers that are obligatory for Muslims.
Shari‘ah: Divine religious law.
Tauhid: The fundamental Islamic belief that there is none worthy of worship except Allah.
The Holy Prophet: A term used exclusively for Hadrat Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam(sa).
The Promised Messiah: This term refers to the Founder of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jama’at, Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) of Qadian. He claimed that he had been sent by Allah in accordance with the prophecies of the Holy Prophet(sa) about the coming of al-Imam al-Mahdi (the Guided Leader) and Messiah.
Wali: Literally means “the friend”. In the terminology of Islamic mysticism, wali refers to a very pious person or a friend of Allah.