Adhān: The formal Muslim call to the compulsary five daily prayers or Ṣalāt.
Aḥādīth: Traditions pertinent to the sayings or deeds of the Holy Prophet(sa) as recorded by his faithful companions. Ḥadith is the singular form of this word.
Amīr: A term in Islāmic phraseology, which refers to a leader or commander. Islām has put great emphasis in obeying the Amīr in order to maintain unity.
Allāh: The personal name of God in Islām.
Amīrul-Mu’minīn: Means ‘Leader of the Believers’, and is used to refer to the Caliph of the time. This term was first coined in the era of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar(ra) as a term for the office of Caliphate in Islam.
Anṣār: Literally means ‘The Helpers’, which was a title of veneration given to the Muslims of Madīnah, on account of their giving protection to the Holy Prophet(sa) and his companions of Makkah, when they migrated to Madīnah. ‘Anṣārī’ is the singular form of this word.
Anṣārī: Refer to ‘Anṣār’
Auqiyah: A silver coin used as a form of currency in Arabia. 40 Auqiyah were equivalent to 1 Dirham. It also refers to a unit of weight among the Arabs in general, usually to measure gold or silver. One Auqiyyah is equivalent to 213.6 grammes.
Azwāj-e-Mutahharāt: A title of honour for the wives of the Holy Prophet(sa) and literally means, ‘spouses who have been purified.’
Bai‘at: Oath of allegiance to a religious leader; initiation at the hands of a prophet or his caliph. Literally means ‘to be sold’.
Baitul-Māl: National Treasury of the Islamic State.
Dārun-Nadwah: Established by Qusaiyy bin Kilāb, this was the council hall of Makkah, where the Quraish would gather to deliberate upon issues of national importance.
Dhabīḥullāh: A term used to refer to Ishmael(as) the son of Abraham(as) and literally means ‘Sacrificial Offering of Allāh’. Abraham(as) intended to slaughter him under Divine instruction.
Dhul-Ḥijjah: The twelfth month of the Islāmic calendar and the last of the ‘Four Sacred Months.’
Dhul-Qa‘dah: The eleventh month of the Islāmic calendar and the third of the ‘Four Sacred Months’.
Dīnār: A gold coin used among the Arabs as a form of currency.
Dirāyat: A term used to describe the phenomenon by which a narration is analysed by way of rationalization and common sense, in order to determine the validity of that tradition.
Dirham: A silver coin used among the Arabs as a form of currency and was equivalent to 40 Awqiyah.
Ghazwah: A military expedition, campaign or war in which the Holy Prophet(sa) participated himself. The plural is Ghazwāt.
Ḥajj: Pilgrimage to the Ka‘bah, which takes place once a year. All Muslims who are financially able must perform the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime as a pillar of faith.
Ḥaram: A term which refers to the sacred proximity of the Ka‘bah and literally means ‘unlawful’, as bloodshed and violence of all types is strictly prohibited in this sacred proximity.
Hijrah: Literally means ‘migration’ and refers to the migration of the Holy Prophet(sa) from Makkah to Madīnah. The Islāmic calendar is also referred to as Hijrah which commences from the time of the Holy Prophet’s(sa) migration to Madīnah.
Ḥuffāẓ: Those who have committed the entirety of the Holy Qur’ān to memory. Ḥāfiẓ is the singular form of this word.
‘Ilmul-Kalām: Literally means, ‘the Science of Dialectics’
‘Ilm-e-Qirā‘at: Literally means, ‘the Science of Qur’ānic recitation style’.
Imāmuṣ-Ṣalāt: Literally means ‘Leader of Ṣalāt’, and is used to refer to the one who leads a congregation of Muslims in Ṣalāt.
Jāhiliyyah: Refers to a famous period in Ancient Arab History, prior to the prophethood of the Holy Prophet(sa), and literally means ‘The Ignorance’.
Jihād: Is an arabic word which means ‘to strive’ in the cause of something. As per the Holy Prophet(sa), the greatest Jihād is the striving one undertakes against the evil inclinations of the self. In Islāmic terminology a secondary meaning also infers defensive combat by the sword.
Jumu‘ah Prayer: The special prayer service of the Muslims held every Friday. On Friday, Muslims offer the Jumu‘ah prayer consisting of two Rak‘āt instead of the Ẓuhr prayer.
Ka‘bah: A cube-like structure situated within Masjid-e-Ḥarām, erected by Abraham(as) and his son Ishmael(as). Muslims undertake a pilgrimage to this sacred house every year. This literally means ‘cube’ or ‘square’.
Kalimah: An Islāmic creed: ‘There is none worthy of worship except Allāh and Muḥammad(sa) is His Messenger.’
Khalīlullāh: An appellation given to Abraham(as) as mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān and literally means ‘Friend of Allāh’.
Khātamun-Nabiyyīn: A title of veneration endowed to the Holy Prophet(sa), by God Almighty in the Holy Qur’ān, which literally means, ‘Seal of the Prophets’.
Khiyārul-Bulūgh: The legal right endowed to a girl in the Islāmic Sharī‘at to terminate her marriage through a judge if her Walī [gaurdian] has settled her marriage prior to her reaching an age of maturity.
Khulafā’-e-Rāshidīn: A term used to refer to one of the first four Caliphs of the Holy Prophet(sa) who continued his mission and literally means ‘Rightly Guided Successors’.
Khula‘: The legal right endowed to a girl in the Islāmic Sharī‘at to seek a divorce through a judge.
Khumus: A portion of the spoils of war which were separated in the cause of Allāh, His messenger, and close relatives of the Prophet(sa).
Maghāzī: A term used to describe the history of the battles of the Holy Prophet(sa) and his military expeditions.
Mukātabah: An agreement between a slave and his/her master, where the slave offers to pay his/her own monetary value in order to be set free, by working the number of hours required to pay the settled amount.
Masjid-e-Nabawī: The famous mosque built by the Holy Prophet(sa) when he migrated to Madīnah, and literally means ‘The Prophet’s Mosque’.
Madīnatur-Rasūl: Literally means ‘City of the Messenger’ and refers to the city of Madīnah or Yathrib where the Prophet Muhammad(sa) made his home after the migration.
Manzil: A distance equivalent to 19 miles or 25 kilometers.
Muḥaddith: Refer to ‘Muḥaddithīn’.
Muḥaddithīn: A title used to refer to those who possess profound knowledge of the traditions of the Holy Prophet(sa) and can differentiate between true and forged Aḥādīth. Muḥaddith is the singular form of this word.
Muhājirīn: Literally means ‘The Emigrants’, which was a title of veneration given to the Muslims who left Makkah, their beloved homeland, to live in Madīnah. ‘Muhājir’ is the singular form of this word.
Muḥarram: The first month of the Islāmic calendar and the first of the ‘Four Sacred Months’.
Nikāḥ: The formal announcement of marriage in Islam.
Nikāḥ-e-Bāṭil: A Nikāḥ which is not permitted by the Sharī‘at, for example, marrying someone who is already tied to someone else in a bond of matrimony, etc.
Nikāḥ-e-Fāsid: A Nikāḥ, which lacks certain conditions as stipulated in the Sharī‘at, for example, if at the time of Nikāḥ, permission of the Walī has not been sought, or if witnesses were not present at the time of announcement, or if a man marries a woman during her ‘Iddat, etc.
Pardah: Literally means ‘a veil’ and refers to the segregation of male and female. It also refers to the clothes or head coverings by which this segregation or concealment is actualized.
Qiblah: Direction to be faced during the Ṣalāt.
Rāhib: An arabic word for a monk or recluse.
Raḥmatullil-‘Ālamīn: A title of the Holy Prophet(sa), endowed upon him by God Almighty in the Holy Qur’ān, which literally means ‘A Mercy to Mankind’.
Rajab: The seventh month of the Islāmic Calendar and the second of the ‘Four Sacred Months’.
Rak‘at: A single cycle in the Ṣalāt. Every Ṣalāt is composed of two or more Rak‘āt.
Riwāyat: The chain of narrators in any tradition of the Holy Prophet(sa) by which the authenticity of a tradition can be determined.
Rukū‘: The bowing position in the Ṣalāt.
Rukhsatānah: A ceremony held after the Nikāḥ, in which the lady officially begins her married life with her husband and begins to practically live with him. It is after the Rukhsatānah that a marriage is consummated.
Ṣā‘: A famous unit of measurement utilised by the Arabs.
Ṣadaqatul-Fiṭr: See Section ‘Īdul-Fiṭr for details.
Ṣaḥīḥ: This is the most authentic type of Ḥadīth which is categorized by the attributes of its narrators. Its narrators must be renowned for their high level of honesty, trustworthiness, worship and fasting, adherence to religious law, memory and understanding. No narrators should be missing from the chain of narrators. It literally means, ‘authentic’ or ‘correct’.
Sariyyah: A military campaign, expedition or war in which the Holy Prophet(sa) did not participate.
Ṣalāt: The prescribed formal prayers offered by Muslims as their primary form of worship.
Shahīd: Generally refers to a martyr, who gives his life for the sake of Allāh, and dies fighting for a noble cause. However, this word also refers to such a person who witnesses something.
Shirk: Associating partners with Allāh.
Ṣiḥāḥ Sittah: Refers to the six authentic books of Ḥadith: Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhāri, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Jam‘i Tirmidhī, Sunan Abū Dā‘wūd, Sunan Nasa’ī and Sunan Ibni Mājah.
Sīrat: A term used to describe ‘prophetic disposition’ – particularly the life and character of the Holy Prophet(sa).
Sunnat: The actions, deeds or customs practiced by the Holy Prophet(sa), which were followed by his companions and thus transferred from generation to generation.
Sayyid: Refers to the descendants of the Holy Prophet(sa) through his daughter Fāṭimah(ra).
Ta‘ziyyah: A non-Islamic custom of wailing and beating oneself as an extreme expression of grief. This belief is common among Shia Muslims.
Taba‘ Tābi‘īn: Such people as were fortunate to have seen and met such people who had seen or met Companions of the Holy Prophet(sa).
Tābi‘īn: Such people who were fortunate enough to have seen and met Companions of the Holy Prophet(sa).
Tahajjud: Voluntary pre-dawn prayer.
Takbīr: Glorification of Allāh by saying, Allāhu Akbar, which means, ‘Allah is the Greatest.’
Ṭalāq: Permission granted in the Islamic Sharī‘at to a husband to divorce his wife.
Tasbīḥ: Glorification of Allāh by reciting Subḥānallāh (Holy is Allāh).
Ṭawāf: A fundamental rite to be performed during the Ḥajj or ‘Umrah in which 7 circuits are made around the Holy Ka‘bah in Makkah.
Thār: Refers to the Arab concept of retribution or seeking revenge for their murdered tribesmen.
Tharīd: An Arab dish in which pieces of bread were dipped in soup.
Ṭuhr: A term of Islāmic jurisprudence, which refers to the specific period of the month, in which the Sharī‘at permits husband and wife to engage in intercourse.
Ummahātul-Mu’minīn: A term of respect and reverence for the wives of the Holy Prophet(sa) and literally means, ‘the mothers of the believers.’
Ummul-Walad: A term used to refer to a bond-woman who bears a child to her master, and is then, by virtue of this, set free by default according to the Islāmic teaching.
‘Umrah: A lesser Pilgrimage to the Holy Ka‘bah in which some of the rites of the Ḥajj are left out. ‘Umrah can be performed at any time during the year.
Walī: A guardian of the bride.
Walīmah: A wedding reception held by the husband when the marriage has been consumated.
Zakāt: The fourth pillar in Islām known as obligatory almsgiving, which constitutes the social support system in Islām for the distribution of wealth. The poor and needy are provided for by the contributions of the rich and affluent. Literally means, ‘increase’ or ‘purification’.