Full Glossary

tawḥīd

The oneness of Allah — the core belief that God is one, unique, and has no partners. The foundation of Islam.

shirk

Associating partners with Allah — the opposite of tawḥīd. The gravest sin in Islam.

īmān

Faith — belief in Allah, His angels, books, messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree.

kufr

Disbelief or rejection of faith — denying what Allah has revealed.

nifāq

Hypocrisy — outwardly appearing Muslim while hiding disbelief or insincerity.

bidʿah

Innovation in religion — adding new practices to worship that were not taught by the Prophet ﷺ.

sunnah

The way of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ — his teachings, actions, and approved practices.

islām

Submission to Allah — the complete way of life revealed through the Qur'an and Sunnah.

shahādah

The testimony of faith — declaring 'There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.'

ijtihād

Scholarly effort to understand Islamic law — used when imams discuss how rulings apply today.

dunyā

This worldly life — the temporary existence before the Hereafter. Often contrasted with the akhira.

ākhira

The Hereafter — eternal life after death including resurrection, judgment, and paradise or hell.

jannah

Paradise — the eternal reward for believers who lived righteously.

jahannam

Hellfire — the punishment in the Hereafter for those who rejected faith and committed grave sins.

qiyāmah

The Day of Resurrection — when all people will be raised from their graves and judged by Allah.

barzakh

The barrier state between death and resurrection — the period in the grave.

ḥasanāt

Good deeds — righteous actions that earn reward from Allah in this life and the next.

sayyiʾāt

Bad deeds — sinful actions that bring punishment unless forgiven by Allah.

ṣalāh

Prayer — the five daily ritual prayers, the second pillar of Islam.

duʿāʾ

Supplication — personal prayer and calling upon Allah for help, guidance, or forgiveness.

dhikr

Remembrance of Allah — saying phrases like Subḥān Allāh, Alḥamdulillāh, and Allāhu Akbar.

wuḍūʾ

Ablution — ritual washing of hands, mouth, face, arms, head, and feet before prayer.

khuṭbah

The Friday sermon — a speech given by the imam before Jumu'ah prayer.

jumuʿah

Friday — the day of congregational prayer and khutba for Muslims.

imām

The prayer leader — the person who leads salah and delivers the khutba.

masjid

Mosque — the Muslim house of worship where prayers and community gatherings happen.

adhān

The call to prayer — the melodic announcement that it is time for salah.

zakāh

Obligatory charity — giving a portion of wealth to those in need, the third pillar of Islam.

Qurʾān

The Qur'an — the holy book of Islam, the literal word of Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

āyah

A verse of the Qur'an — when the imam recites or quotes from the Qur'an.

sūrah

A chapter of the Qur'an — there are 114 surahs in total.

tafsīr

Explanation of the Qur'an — scholarly interpretation that imams often draw from in khutbas.

ḥadīth

A saying or action of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ — used alongside the Qur'an to guide Muslims.

fiqh

Islamic jurisprudence — understanding the practical rules of worship, transactions, and daily life.

taqwā

God-consciousness — being aware of Allah in everything you do, fearing His displeasure and hoping for His mercy.

ṣabr

Patience and perseverance — staying steadfast through hardship while trusting Allah.

shukr

Gratitude — thanking Allah for blessings, both by words and by using blessings righteously.

iḥsān

Excellence in worship — doing good deeds as if you see Allah, knowing He sees you.

akhlāq

Good character and manners — how Muslims treat others with kindness, honesty, and respect.

niyyah

Intention — the sincere purpose behind an action, which determines its spiritual value.

tawakkul

Trust in Allah — relying on God after doing your best, knowing He controls the outcome.

ḥayāʾ

Modesty and shyness — a natural sense of dignity that keeps Muslims from shameful behavior.

ummah

The global Muslim community — all believers united as one family regardless of nationality.

ḥalāl

Permissible — what Islam allows in food, behavior, and transactions.

ḥarām

Forbidden — what Islam prohibits. Also used for the sacred area around the Kaaba in Makkah.

fitnah

Trials, discord, or temptation — anything that tests faith or causes division in the community.

daʿwah

Calling people to Islam — sharing the message of faith through words and good example.

muslim jadīd

A new Muslim — someone who recently embraced Islam. Many prefer 'revert' as all souls are born Muslim.

muslim

A Muslim — one who submits to Allah and follows the teachings of Islam.

hijrah

Migration for the sake of Allah — historically the Prophet's ﷺ move to Madinah; today, any major life change for faith.

ṣadaqah

Voluntary charity — any act of giving beyond the obligatory zakāh.

tawbah

Repentance — sincerely returning to Allah after sinning, with regret and intention not to repeat.

rasūl

Messenger — a prophet sent by Allah with a revealed book or law, like Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

nabī

Prophet — someone chosen by Allah to convey His message to people.

qadar

Divine decree — Allah's preordained plan for everything that happens, part of faith in Islam.

munāfiq

Hypocrite — someone who outwardly claims faith but hides disbelief or insincerity inside.

shayṭān

Satan — the devil who whispers evil and tries to lead people away from Allah.

mīzān

The Scales — on the Day of Judgment, good and bad deeds are weighed to determine one's fate.

ṣirāṭ

The Bridge — a path over Hell that every soul must cross on the Day of Judgment.

nār

The Fire — another name for Hell, used in the Qur'an and khutbas to warn against sin.

ramaḍān

Ramadan — the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.

ṣawm

Fasting — abstaining from food, drink, and intimacy from dawn to sunset, especially in Ramadan.

ḥajj

Pilgrimage to Makkah — a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for Muslims who are able.

ʿumrah

Minor pilgrimage — a visit to the Kaaba in Makkah that can be done any time of year.

qiblah

The direction of prayer — facing the Kaaba in Makkah when performing salah.

rakʿah

A unit of prayer — one cycle of standing, bowing, and prostrating in salah.

khushūʿ

Humility and focus in prayer — being fully present and reverent before Allah during salah.

ghusl

Full-body ritual washing — required after major impurity before prayer.

janāzah

Funeral prayer — a communal prayer performed for a deceased Muslim before burial.

ʿīd

Islamic festival — a day of celebration after Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr) or after Hajj (Eid al-Adha).

tarāwīḥ

Night prayers in Ramadan — extra voluntary prayers performed after Isha during the holy month.

tayammum

Dry ablution — using clean earth or dust to purify oneself when water is unavailable.

waḥy

Revelation — divine guidance sent by Allah to His prophets, especially the Qur'an to Muhammad ﷺ.

tilāwah

Recitation of the Qur'an — reading or chanting the holy book with proper pronunciation.

raḥmah

Mercy and compassion — showing kindness to others, reflecting Allah's mercy toward creation.

ʿadl

Justice and fairness — treating people equitably and standing up for what is right.

ghībah

Backbiting — speaking badly about someone behind their back; strongly condemned in Islam.

ḥasad

Envy — wishing for someone else's blessings to be taken away; a disease of the heart.

riyāʾ

Showing off in worship — doing good deeds to impress people rather than for Allah alone.

istighfār

Seeking forgiveness — asking Allah to pardon your sins, often said as 'Astaghfirullah'.

kibr

Arrogance and pride — rejecting truth or looking down on others; warned against strongly in khutbas.

amānah

Trustworthiness — fulfilling responsibilities and keeping promises honestly.

ẓulm

Oppression and injustice — wronging others by taking their rights or treating them unfairly.

jihād

Striving for Allah — primarily the inner struggle against sin, and also standing for justice and truth.

ribā

Interest/usury — earning money from lending at interest; strictly forbidden in Islam.

ukhuwwah

Brotherhood — the bond of faith that connects all Muslims as one family.

in shāʾ Allāh

God willing — said when speaking about the future, acknowledging that only Allah controls outcomes.

al-ḥamdu lillāh

All praise is due to Allah — an expression of gratitude said throughout the day and in khutbas.

subḥān Allāh

Glory be to Allah — declaring Allah's perfection, free from any flaw or imperfection.

bi-smi llāh

In the name of Allah — said before starting any action, meal, or recitation.

astaghfiru llāh

I seek forgiveness from Allah — said when regretting a mistake or hearing something shocking.

āmīn

O Allah, accept — said collectively at the end of a duʿāʾ, meaning 'answer our prayer'.

Allāhu akbar

Allah is the Greatest — the most common phrase in salah and adhān, declaring Allah's supremacy over everything.

ʿaqīdah

Creed — the core beliefs a Muslim holds about Allah, prophets, and the unseen.

kāfir

Disbeliever — someone who rejects faith in Allah; the noun form related to kufr.

muʾmin

Believer — a person of sincere faith who trusts in Allah and follows His guidance.

lā ilāha illā llāh

There is no god but Allah — the first part of the shahādah, the essence of tawḥīd.

shafāʿah

Intercession — asking Allah for mercy on behalf of others, especially by the Prophet ﷺ on Judgment Day.

maghfirah

Forgiveness from Allah — the mercy that wipes away sins for those who repent sincerely.

ʿibādah

Worship — all acts of devotion to Allah, including prayer, fasting, charity, and good character.

fajr

Dawn prayer — the first of the five daily prayers, performed before sunrise.

ʿishāʾ

Night prayer — the last of the five daily prayers, performed after twilight.

jamāʿah

Congregation — praying salah together in the mosque, especially emphasized for Jumuʿah.

iqāmah

Second call to prayer — the shorter announcement right before salah begins in the mosque.

minbar

The pulpit — the raised platform in the mosque where the imam stands to deliver the khutba.

kaʿbah

The Kaaba — the sacred cube-shaped building in Makkah that Muslims face during prayer.

tahajjud

Night vigil prayer — voluntary prayer in the last third of the night, highly rewarded.

ifṭār

Breaking the fast — the meal at sunset to end the daily fast in Ramadan.

iʿtikāf

Spiritual retreat — staying in the mosque for worship and reflection, especially in the last ten days of Ramadan.

muṣḥaf

The physical copy of the Qur'an — the bound book containing the revealed text.

ṣalawāt

Blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ — saying 'ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam' when his name is mentioned.

mā shāʾ Allāh

What Allah has willed — said when admiring something good, acknowledging Allah's power.

jazāka llāh

May Allah reward you — a way to thank someone, commonly shortened to 'Jazāk Allāhu khayran'.

as-salāmu ʿalaykum

Peace be upon you — the Islamic greeting; reply with 'wa ʿalaykum as-salām' (and upon you peace).

innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn

Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we return — said upon hearing news of death or great loss.

lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh

There is no power except with Allah — said when facing difficulty, seeking strength from God alone.

ḥasbunā llāh

Allah is sufficient for us — a declaration of trust in Allah during hardship or fear.

ṣidq

Truthfulness — being honest in speech and sincere in actions, a core Islamic virtue.

birr

Righteousness and kindness — especially treating parents, family, and neighbors with excellence.

ṣilatu r-raḥim

Maintaining family ties — keeping good relations with relatives, strongly encouraged in Islam.

isrāf

Wastefulness and extravagance — spending beyond need or wasting resources Allah has given.

shahīd

Martyr or witness — one who dies for faith; also means a witness to truth.

nikāḥ

Marriage — the Islamic contract uniting husband and wife, described as half of one's faith.

ḥijāb

Modest covering — the Islamic principle of dressing and behaving modestly, especially for women.

ʿāfiyah

Well-being and safety — asking Allah for health, protection, and peace in this life and the next.

namīmah

Tale-bearing — carrying gossip between people to cause discord; condemned like ghibah.

zakātu l-fiṭr

Charity of breaking the fast — obligatory charity given at the end of Ramadan before Eid prayer.