Glossary of Islam

The following list consists of notable concepts that are derived from Islamic and associated cultural (Arab, Persian, Turkish) traditions, which are expressed as words in Arabic or Persian language. The main purpose of this list is to disambiguate multiple spellings, to make note of spellings no longer in use for these concepts, to define the concept in one or two lines, to make it easy for one to find and pin down specific concepts, and to provide a guide to unique concepts of Islam all in one place.

Separating concepts in Islam from concepts specific to Arab culture, or from the language itself, can be difficult. Many Arabic concepts have an Arabic secular meaning as well as an Islamic meaning. One example is the concept of dawah. Arabic, like all languages, contains words whose meanings differ across various contexts.

Arabic is written in its own alphabet, with letters, symbols, and orthographic conventions that do not have exact equivalents in the Latin alphabet (see Arabic alphabet). The following list contains transliterations of Arabic terms and phrases; variations exist, e.g. din instead of deen and aqidah instead of aqeedah. Most items in the list also contain their actual Arabic spelling.

A

ʿAbd (عبد) (for male) ʾAmah (أمة) (for female)

Servant or worshipper. Muslims consider themselves servants and worshippers of God as per Islam. Common Muslim names such as Abdullah (Servant of God), Abdul-Malik (Servant of the King), Abdur-Rahmān (Slave of the Most Beneficent), Abdus-Salām (Slave of [the originator of] Peace), Abdur-Rahîm (Slave of the Most Merciful), all refer to names of Allah.

ʾAdab (أدب)

Traditionally describes good manners, as in etiquette. For example, being courteous is good ʾadab. However, the term can be used very broadly, and the proper translation would be "the proper way to go about something," as in the example, ʾĀdāb al Qitāl, or, "The Proper Ways of Fighting in War," (Qitāl in Arabic means mortal combat) in which the word "etiquette" does not befit the context. A secondary meaning of ʾAdab is "literature".

ʾAdhān (أذان)

call to salah (prayer), sometimes alternatively spelled and pronounced Azaan, Athaan and Adhan.

ʿAdl (عدل)

justice, especially distributive justice: social, economic, political, proprietary.

AH (هجرية)

Anno Hegirae The Islamic calendar starts counting years starting from the time when Muhammad had to leave Mecca and go to Medina, an event known as the Hijrah. The first day of the first Islamic year is 1 Muḥarram 1 (AH) and corresponds to 16 July 622 (CE).

ʾAḥad (أحد)

literally "one." Islamically, ahad means One Alone, unique, none like God. Al-Ahad is one of the names of God.

ʾAḥkām (أحكام)

These are rulings and orders of the Qu'ran and Sunnah. A single ruling is called a Ḥukm. Five kinds of orders: Wajib or Fard (obligatory), Mustahabb (preferred and recommended), Halal or Mubah (permissible), Makruh (disliked and not recommended), and Haram (forbidden)

ʾAhl al-Bayt (أهل البيت)

members of Muhammad's Household. Also known among Shia as the Maʿṣūmūn (معصومون) (infallibles; spiritually pure).

ʾAhl al-Fatrah (أهل الفطرة)

people who live in ignorance of the teachings of a revealed religion, but according to the "Fitra", the "Natural Religion" innate to human nature as created by God.

ʾAhl al-Kitāb (أهل الكتاب)

"People of the Book", or followers of pre-Islamic monotheistic religions with some form of scripture believed to be of divine origin which were mentioned in Quran: Jews, Christians and Sabians.

ʾĀkhirah (الآخرة)

hereafter or eternal life

ʾAkhlāq (أخلاق)

The practice of virtue. Morals.

Al-ʾIkhlāṣ (الإخلاص)

Sincerity and genuineness in religious beliefs.

Al-Bir (البّر)

Piety and righteousness and every act of obedience to Allah.

ʿĀlamīn (عالمين)

Literally "worlds", humankind, jinn, angels and all that exists.

Al Hijr (Kaaba) (الكعبة)

A semi-circular wall north-west of Kaaba.

ʿalayhi -s-salām (عليه السلام)

"Peace be upon him" This expression normally follows after naming a prophet (other than Muhammad), or one of the noble Angels (i.e. Jibreel (Gabriel), Mika'il (Michael), etc.)

al-ḥamdu li-llāh (الحمد لله)

"Praise be to God!" Qur'anic exclamation and also same meaning as hallelujah.

Allāh (الله)

The name of God according to Islam. Also used as the Arabic word for God in general.

Allāhumma (اللَّهُمَّ)

"O Allah, my Lord" - used in a phrase or salutation, invocations or supplications (dua).

Allāhu ʾAkbar (أكبر)

"Allah is [the] greatest". Greater than anything or anyone, imaginable or unimaginable.

ʿĀlim (عالِم)

lit. One who knows. A scholar (in any field of knowledge); a jurist or scientist (who knows science) or a theologian (who knows religion); similar to Japanese sensei, "teacher".

Amān

lit. 'safety, protection, safe conduct'

ʾAmānah (أمانة)

the trust. Of all creation, only human beings & jinns carry the "trust", which is free will.

ʾĀmīn (آمين)

Amen.

ʾAmīr ul-Muʾminīn (المؤمنين)

"Commander of the Faithful" Historically the title of the Caliph. In some modern countries like Morocco, a ʾAmīr ul-Muʾminīn or Commander of the faithful is the religious chief.

ʾĀminah (آمنة)

Muhammad's mother. Aminah fell sick and died in Abwa, near Medina (then Yathrib) when Muhammad was six years old.

Al-ʾAmr Bi'l Maʿrūf (بالمعروف)

Islamic doctrine of enjoining right. There exists in Islam the (obligatory) principle of encouraging other people to do the right thing.

ʾAnfāl (أنفال)

Spoils of war. (See Sūrat al-ʾAnfāl (8:1)) (الأنفال)

ʾAnṣār (أنصار)

"Helpers." The Muslim converts at Medina who helped the Muslims from Mecca after the Hijrah.

ʿAqīdah (عقيدة)

Article of faith, tenet, creed, or dogma.

ʿAqīqah (عقيقة)

Islamic practice of shaving the head of the newborn male and contributing the weight in silver for charity as well as 2 lambs.

ʿAql (عقل)

Intelligence, intellect, mind, understanding

ʾArkān singular rukn (ركن/أركان)

The five rukn "pillars" of Islam.

A'raf (الأعراف)

Literally means an elevated piece of earth, used to refer to the walls that divide Paradise and Hell.

A.S. (ʿAlayhi s-salām) (السلام)

This acronym evokes a blessing and is appended to the names of the prophets who came before Muhammad. It will also be applied to the mothers of those prophets. When following a woman's name, the feminine form is ʿAlayha s-salām.

aṣaḥḥ

Arabic elative term, "more correct." Used by Muslim scholars to introduce their own view while not entirely dismissing that of others.

ʾAṣl (أصل) (pl. ʾuṣūl)

Root, origin, source; principle.

ʾaslim taslam (أسلِم تسلَم)

"Submit to Islam" (See dawah)

ʾAsmāʾ Allāh al-Ḥusnā (الحسنى)

List of God's 99 names. According to a hadith, the one who enumerates them all will enter Paradise.

ʿAṣr (العصر)

The third salat prayer. Also means an indefinite duration of time.

Aṣ-Ṣirāṭ (الصراط)

The bridge by crossing which it is determined (judged) whether a person would go to heaven or hell. How a person crosses the Sirat depends on what they have done in their life and what they have believed in.

al-ʿAsharatu Mubashsharun bil-Jannah or Asharatu Mubashsharah (Arabic: العشرة المبشّرون بالجنة, romanized: ʿAsharatu l-mubashshirūn or Arabic: عشرة المبشّر, romanized: Asharatul-mubashshirūna bil Jannah)

The ten companions of Muhammad who were promised paradise (only in Sunni Islam)

ʿĀshūrāʾ (عاشوراء)

Tenth day of the month of Muharram. It is the day God saved Moses and the children of Israel from the Pharaoh. The grandson of Muhammad, Imam Hussayn sacrificed his life along with 72 of his companions on the sand dunes of Karbala. Sunni Scholars recommended to fast during this day. To the Shias, it is also a day on which they mourn the death of the third Shia Imam, Husayn ibn Ali, along with his family and companions, who were killed in the famous battle in Karbala. They cry and weep and organize lamentating programmes where they not only learn how to live a proper Islamic life and improve their Spiritual Self but also cry at the end of the ritual to show their true love and faith towards imam Hussayn.

As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum (السلام عليكم)

The Islamic greeting; literally "Peace be upon you"; In addition, wa-Raḥmatullāhi wa-Barakātuhu (وبركاته) means "and the Mercy of God and His blessing". The response to this greeting is wa-ʿAlaykum as-Salām wa-Raḥmatullāhi wa-Barakātuhu (وبركاته)—"And on you be the Peace and Mercy of God and His Blessing".

ʾAstaghfir allāh (أستغفر الله)

"I seek forgiveness from God." Islamic expression.

Aʿudhu billah (باللهʾAʿūdhu billāh)

"I seek refuge in God". This is a paraphrase on the beginnings of the two last suras in the Qur'an.

ʾAwliyāʾ (أولياء)

Friends, protectors, helpers, caretaker, maintainer. (singular: wali)

ʿAwrah (عورة)

The parts of the body, male or female, must be covered in public but not between spouses, such as, body parts must be concealed of a woman before non-related men.(Non-related men means those she can marry lawfully).

ʾĀyah (آية), plural ʾāyāt (آيات)

A sign. More specifically, a verse in the Qur'an.

Āyatullāh (آية الله, also spelled Ayatollah)

Sign of God Title given to highly ranked religious scholars in Sh'ia sect.

Azāzīl

a name of Iblīs (Satan) in his role as a fallen angel. (Potentially etymologically related to Azazel from the Apocalypse of Abraham).

B

Baiʿa (بيعة)

See Bay'ah

Baatil (باطل)

see Bāṭil

Baitullāh (بيت اللهbaytu -llāh)

A mosque, literally "house of God". Specifically means the Ka'aba at Makkah (Mecca).

Bakka'in

a group known as the Weepers, who wept because they could not accompany Muhammad to Tabuk.

Barakah (بركة)

a form of blessing, thought derive from God and passed on others via prophets, angels and saints.

Bārak Allāhu Fīkum (فيكم)

may Allah bless you; response to expression of thanks.

Barzakh (برزخ)

Barrier. Used in the Qur'an to describe the barrier between sweet and salty water. In theology, the one-way barrier between the mortal realm and the spirit world which the deceased soul crosses and waits for qiyamah judgment.

Bashar (بشر)

humankind, mankind, man, human(s), etc.

Baṣīrah (بصيرة)

Insight, discernment, perceptivity, deep knowledge. Sometimes used by Sufis to denote the ability to directly perceive a transcendental Truth.

Bāṭil (باطل)

void

Bāṯin (باطن)

The interior or hidden meaning. A person who devotes himself to studying such hidden meanings is a batini.

B.B.H.N. (والسلام)

Blessed be His Name – acronym for S.A.W.S. See P.B.U.H (Peace Be Upon Him).

Bidʿah (بدعة)

Innovation in religion, i.e. inventing new methods of worship. Bad Bidʿahs in Islam are considered a deviation and a serious sin by many Muslims.

Bidʿah sayyiʾah (سيئة)

Inquiry prohibited in Islam.

Bismi-llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīmi (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم)

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful".

Burda (بردة)

In general terms, it means a "cloak" or "outer garment". Specific reference is to the "burda" of Muḥammad (see Al-Burda).

Bayʿah (بيعة)

an oath of allegiance to a leader, traditionally the Caliph, a Sheikh or an Imam.

C

Caliph (خَليفة) khalīfah

literally successor; refers to the successor of Muhammad, the ruler of an Islamic theocracy.

D

Dahri (دهري)

atheist – from the root ad dahr meaning time. In Islam, atheists are seen as those who think that only time can destroy, hence the term ad dahriyyah or simply dahriya for the concept of atheism.

Dajjāl (ٱلدَّجَّالُ)

The Islamic equivalent of the Antichrist; means "liar" or "deceiver".

Ḍallāl (ضلال)

going astray.

Dār al-ʿAhd (دَارُ الْعَهْدِ)

the Ottoman Empire's relationship with its Christian tributary states.

Dār al-ʾAmn (دَارُ الْأَمْنِ)

means house of safety.

Dār ad-daʿwa (دَارُ الدَّعْوَةِ)

a region where Islam has recently been introduced.

Dār al-ḥarb (دَارُ الْحَرْبِ)

means house of war; refers to areas outside Muslim rule which a Muslim state can go to war with

Dār al-Islām (دَارُ الْإِسْلَامِ)

"Home of peace." A country ruled by Islamic Law (see sharia), where both Muslims and non-Muslims (see dhimam) practice religious tolerance.

Dār aṣ-Ṣulḥ (دَارُ الصُّلْحِ)

domain of agreement

Dār ash-shahāda (دَارُ الشَّهَادَةِ)

See Dar al-Amn

Darūd (الدرود، الصلاة على النبي)

blessing

Daʿwah (الدعوة)

the call to Islam, proselytizing.