| Islamic Review |
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| Glossary |
| A:
Adhan: the call to prayer. Ahruf: the seven modes in which the Qur'an was revealed. 'Alim: (pl. Ulama') a scholar, esp' in the Islamic Sciences. 'Asr: mid-afternoon prayer. Aya(t): literally "sign", Qur'anic verse. Al-Asma' al-Husna: the ninety nine "Most Beautiful Names of Allah". As-salamu 'alaykum: "peace be upon you", Muslim greeting. Azra'il: the angel of death. Ayyub: the Prophet Job. B: Basmala: "in the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate". Bismi'llah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim: "In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate". Barzakh: the grave, or Intermediary period, between death in this world and the Day of Rising. C: Caliph: leader of the Muslim community. Caliphate: the governance by the caliph. D: Da'if: weak hadith. Dajjal: false messiah whose appearance in the world signals the end of the world. Da'ud: the Prohpet David. Dhikru'llah: remembrance of Allah. Dhu'l-Hijja: twelfth month in the Muslim lunar callender, the month of Hajj (pilgrimage). Dhu'l-Qa'da: eleventh month in the Muslim lunar callender. Du'a: supplication to Allah. E: F: Faqih: (pl. fuqaha) learned man in the science of fiqh, authorized to pass legal judgements. Fard: obligatory. Fatiha: opening surah of the Qur'an. Fatwa: (pl. fatawa) legal judgement. Fiqh: science of Shari'ah. G: Ghusl: bath, or ablution of the whole body with water. H: Hadd: (pl. hudud) the limits set by Allah for what is lawful and unlawful. The hadd punishments are the specified penalties for their corresponding crimes. Hadith: narrations about what the Prophet Muhammad said, did, or what he indirectly authorized in other's actions. Hadith Qudsi: divinely inspired saying of the Prophet (not part of the Qur'an). Hafiz: person who has memorised the Qur'an, or a hadith master who has memorised at least 100, 000 ahadith. Hajj: one of the five obligatory acts of Muslim worship (pillars of Islam): pilgrimage to Mecca. Halal: lawful act according to Shari'ah. Haram: unlawful act according to Shari'ah. Hasan: reliable hadith. Hijrah: emigration of the Prophet and his followers from Mecca to Medina in 622 C. E., Islamic dating begins. I: Iblis: the Devil, also known as Shaytan (Satan). Ibrahim: the Prophet Abraham. Id al-Adha: Hajj festival (10th Dhu'l-hijja). Id al-Fitr: Ramadan festival marking the end of the fasting month (1st Shawwal). Ijma: consensus of opinion of fuqaha (sing. faqih) concerning a matter of fiqh. Ijtihad: the process of judging in legal matters. Imam: Muslim religious or national leader, or the leader of worship. In Shi'a - one of the succession of religious leaders going back to Ali. Injil: gospel given to Jesus ('Isa). Insha'llah: "if Allah wills". 'Isa: the Prophet Jesus. 'Isha': night prayer. Ishaq: the Prophet Issac. Islam: submission to the will of Allah. Isra: night journey of the Prophet (27th Rajab). Israfil: Archangel who will blow the trumpet of the Day of Judgement. J: Jahannam: Hell. Jami: comprehensive collection of Hadith containing ahadith relating to all the subject matters. Janna: Paradise. Jibril: the angel Gabriel (who delivered the revelations of the Qur'an to Muhammad). Jihad: to strive in the way of Allah. Jinn: spirits created from smokeless fire. Like men they will be held to account for their deeds of the Day of Judgement. Jumada al-Akhira: sixth month in the Muslim lunar callender. Jumada al-Ula: fifth month in the Muslim lunar callender. K: Kitab: book, esp' the Qur'an. Kufr: disbelief. L: Laylat al-Qadr: the Night of Power. Lut: the Prophet Lot. M: Maghrib: sunset prayer. Makruh: reprehensible but not unlawful act according to Shari'ah. Malik: the Keeper of Hell. Maryam: Mary, the mother of 'Isa. Matn: the text of the hadith. Mufti: jurist qualified to formulate matters of Shari'ah, or give fatwa. Muharram: first month of the Muslim lunar callender. Munkar and Nakir: angels who question the deceased in the grave. Musa: the Prophet Moses. Mushaf: copy of the Qur'an. Muslim: person who follows the way of Islam. N: Naskh: abrogation. Nikah: marriage. Nuh: the Prophet Noah. O: P: Q: Qadi: (pl. Quda) judge qualified to judge and enforce Shari'ah. Qibla: direction Muslims face during prayer (towards the Ka'ba in Mecca). Qur'an: the Word of God as revealed through the angel Gabriel to Muhammad and later compiled into one complete text. R: Rabi al-Awwal: third month in the Muslim lunar callender. Rabi ath-Thani: fourth month in the Muslim lunar callender. Rajab: seventh month in the Muslim lunar callender. Rak'a(t): unit of prayer. Ramadan: ninth month in the Muslim lunar callender (the month of fasting). S: Sadaqa: the giving of charity for the sake of Allah. Safar: 2nd month in the Muslim lunar calender. Sahaba: companions of the Prophet. Sahifa: (pl. suhuf) page or piece of writing. Sala(t): prayer. Sawm: fasting. Sha'ban: eighth month of the Muslim lunar callender. Shahada: bearing witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Shari'ah: Islamic law. Shawwal: 10th month in the Muslim lunar calender. Shaytan: or Iblis, names of the Devil, or an evil Jinn. Shi'a: faction of Muslims who broke away from the main body of Muslims (Sunni). Shirk: the worship of something or someone other than God. Subh: the dawn prayer. Sunan: collection of Hadith dealing with legal matters. Sunnah: early Muslims used the word to refer to the established practice of the community and later for the practice of the Prophet exclusively. Sunni: main body of Muslims. Sura: (pl. suwar) chapter of the Qur'an. T: Tabi'un: the Successors. 2nd generation of Muslims who were taught by the Sahaba. Tabi'u't-Tabi'in: the Successors of the successors (Tabi'un). Tafsir: Quran'ic commentary, or explanation of the meanings of the Qur'an. Talaq: divorce. Taqwa: fear of Allah. Tasawwuf: Sufism. Tawra: the Torah given to the Prophet Musa. Tayammum: the obligatory purification process preceeding prayer with clean earth when water is not available. U: 'Ulum al-Qur'an: sciences of the Qur'an. Umma: worldwide community of Muslims. 'Umra: the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca performed at any time during the year (see Hajj). V: W: Wahy: revelation. Wali: person responsible for another. Guardian. Walima: the wedding feast. Wu'du: the obligatory purification process preceeding prayer of washing. X: Y: Z: Zakat: religious wealth tax. Zuhr: the midday prayer. |