Islamic Glossary
Plain definitions for the Arabic words and Islamic concepts you meet in prayer, study, and everyday Muslim life. Each of the 100 entries gives the meaning, word origin, daily context, and related terms.
the public call announcing that the time for a prescribed prayer has begun.
Adhan comes from the Arabic root a-dh-n, connected with announcing and giving notice.
A muadhin recites its familiar phrases from a mosque or prayer space before each of the five daily prayers.
a full ritual washing used to return to a state of major ritual purity.
Ghusl comes from the Arabic root gh-s-l, meaning to wash.
Muslims perform it in circumstances such as after marital relations or the end of menstruation, and may also do so before communal occasions.
the pilgrimage to Mecca performed in the appointed days of the Islamic year.
Hajj comes from an Arabic root associated with setting out for or intending a revered destination.
Pilgrims enter ihram and complete rites connected with the Kaaba, Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina.
the meal or act that ends a daily fast at sunset.
Iftar comes from the Arabic root f-t-r, associated with breaking or opening a fast.
In Ramadan, Muslims commonly break the fast at Maghrib time, often beginning with dates and water before eating a meal.
the shorter call made immediately before a congregational prayer begins.
Iqamah comes from the Arabic root q-w-m, associated with standing and establishing.
Worshippers form rows when it is called, marking the transition from waiting to the formal prayer.
the Islamic funeral and, by common usage, the funeral prayer for a deceased Muslim.
Janazah is an Arabic word used for the deceased, the bier, or the funeral context.
Communities gather for a standing congregational prayer, then accompany the deceased for burial.
one complete unit of the formal Islamic prayer.
Rakah comes from the Arabic root r-k-ayn, associated with bowing.
Each unit normally includes standing, recitation, bowing, and two prostrations; different prayers contain different numbers of units.
the bowing posture within a unit of salah.
Ruku comes from the Arabic root r-k-ayn, meaning to bow or bend.
During prayer, a worshipper bends with hands placed near the knees, praises Allah, and then returns to standing.
the formal ritual prayer Muslims perform five times each day.
Salah is an Arabic word for the prescribed prayer; it is often rendered in English as prayer or worship.
Muslims arrange the day around Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha, facing the qibla in a state of ritual purity.
fasting from dawn until sunset with the intention of worship.
Sawm is the Quranic Arabic term for fasting or abstaining.
During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from food, drink, and marital relations during daylight, then break the fast at iftar.
the testimony that there is no deity but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.
Shahada comes from the Arabic root sh-h-d, associated with witnessing or testifying.
Muslims say it as the central statement of faith, and its words are heard in the call to prayer and daily worship.
the pre-dawn meal eaten before a day of fasting.
Suhoor is related to sahar, the Arabic word for the final part of the night before dawn.
Fasting Muslims eat and drink before Fajr, then begin the daylight fast when dawn enters.
prostration before Allah, especially the prostrating posture within salah.
Sujud comes from the Arabic root s-j-d, meaning to bow down or prostrate.
A worshipper places the forehead and nose on the ground with the hands, knees, and toes, and each rakah normally has two prostrations.
a voluntary prayer offered during the night after sleeping.
Tahajjud is related to an Arabic verb concerning wakefulness after sleep.
Muslims may rise before Fajr for quiet units of prayer, Quran recitation, and personal dua.
a dry form of ritual purification used when water is unavailable or cannot be used.
Tayammum comes from an Arabic root conveying the idea of intending or directing oneself toward something.
It provides a recognized way to prepare for prayer with clean earth or a related natural surface when ordinary washing is not possible.
the ritual washing normally made before salah and certain other acts of worship.
Wudu is an Arabic term for ritual ablution and is connected in usage with cleanliness and brightness.
A Muslim washes the face, arms, and feet and wipes the head in a familiar sequence before prayer when wudu is needed.
the obligatory giving of a defined share of qualifying wealth to eligible recipients.
Zakat comes from the Arabic root z-k-w, carrying senses of growth and purification.
Eligible Muslims calculate it on particular forms of wealth, commonly once a lunar year, and distribute it through recognized recipient categories.
a verse of the Quran and, more broadly in Arabic, a sign.
Ayah comes from an Arabic word meaning sign, evidence, or remarkable indication.
Readers identify Quran passages by surah and ayah number, such as 2:255, and recite individual ayat in prayer and reflection.
the phrase Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim: In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
Basmala is a shortened Arabic label formed from the opening words bismillah.
It appears at the opening of nearly every surah and Muslims commonly say it before everyday actions.
a person who has memorized the entire Quran.
Hafiz comes from the Arabic root h-f-z, meaning to preserve, guard, or memorize.
A hafiz regularly reviews the text to retain it and may lead extended recitation, especially during Ramadan.
one of sixty reading divisions of the Quran.
Hizb is an Arabic word that can mean a group, section, or portion.
Each juz contains two ahzab, allowing readers and reciters to mark smaller stages in a regular reading schedule.
one of thirty approximately equal reading divisions of the Quran.
Juz is an Arabic word meaning a part or portion.
The division helps readers plan a complete reading over a month, especially one portion per day in Ramadan.
the completion of a full reading or recitation of the Quran.
Khatm comes from the Arabic root kh-t-m, meaning to seal, conclude, or complete.
Individuals and groups may set a khatm goal during Ramadan or over another period and make dua upon completion.
the isolated Arabic letters that open twenty-nine surahs of the Quran.
Muqattaat means separated or disconnected letters in Arabic.
Readers recite letters such as Alif Lam Mim by their letter names; their ultimate meaning is not stated explicitly in the Quran.
a physical written copy of the Quranic text.
Mushaf is an Arabic term for a collection of written sheets gathered between covers.
Muslims use a mushaf for recitation and study, while distinguishing the physical volume from the Quran as divine revelation.
a person recognized for reciting the Quran.
Qari comes from the Arabic root q-r-a, meaning to read or recite.
A qari may lead prayer, teach pronunciation, or recite publicly; the term does not by itself mean the person has memorized the whole Quran.
Islam's scripture, believed by Muslims to be the word of Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad.
Quran comes from the Arabic root q-r-a, associated with reading or reciting.
Muslims recite it in prayer, listen to it, study its meanings, and read it in Arabic and translation.
a prostration connected with reciting or hearing particular Quran verses.
The phrase combines sajdah, prostration, with tilawah, recitation.
Printed mushafs often mark the relevant verses, and a reader may pause to perform the recitation prostration.
a chapter of the Quran.
Surah is the Quran's own Arabic term for one of its major divisions.
Muslims refer to chapters by names such as Al-Fatihah or Al-Baqarah and often memorize shorter surahs for prayer.
explanation and interpretation of the Quran.
Tafsir comes from the Arabic root f-s-r, meaning to explain or make clear.
Readers consult tafsir works for language, context, cross-references, and scholarly explanations beyond what a translation alone can provide.
the discipline of reciting the Quran with its established pronunciation rules.
Tajweed comes from the Arabic root j-w-d, carrying the sense of making something good or excellent.
Students learn articulation points, letter qualities, elongation, and stopping rules from a teacher or guided course.
measured, clear, and deliberate recitation of the Quran.
Tarteel comes from an Arabic root conveying orderly arrangement and measured delivery.
A reader slows enough to pronounce distinctly, observe the text, and reflect rather than rushing through verses.
the act of reciting or reading the Quran.
Tilawah comes from the Arabic root t-l-w, associated with following and reciting.
Muslims practice it privately, in study circles, during prayer, and in communal Ramadan gatherings.
a person recognized as a scholar of Islamic knowledge.
Alim comes from the Arabic root ayn-l-m, meaning knowledge or knowing.
The term may describe scholars with different specialties, so communities often name a person's field rather than assuming expertise in every subject.
a hadith classification indicating weakness in a report's chain, text, or both.
Daif is the Arabic word for weak.
The label covers different kinds and degrees of weakness, so scholars consider the specific defect and context rather than treating every weak report identically.
a nonbinding scholarly answer to a question about Islamic law or practice.
Fatwa comes from an Arabic root associated with giving a considered answer or clarification.
A qualified scholar or institution issues it for a particular question and context; it is not automatically a court judgment or universal rule.
the human scholarly understanding of practical Islamic law.
Fiqh comes from the Arabic root f-q-h, meaning deep understanding.
Muslims encounter fiqh in discussions of worship and daily conduct, with schools and scholars sometimes reaching different reasoned conclusions.
a report transmitting words, actions, approvals, or descriptions connected to Prophet Muhammad.
Hadith comes from an Arabic root associated with speech, news, and narration.
Scholars preserve reports with chains of transmitters and texts, and readers encounter them in collections and teaching.
a hadith classification generally translated as good.
Hasan is the Arabic word for good or beautiful.
Hadith specialists use it for reports accepted through criteria that are sound but not necessarily at the highest sahih level.
scholarly consensus, especially as a recognized source in Islamic legal theory.
Ijma comes from the Arabic root j-m-ayn, associated with gathering and agreement.
Legal scholars discuss whose agreement counts, how it is established, and how consensus relates to Quran and Sunnah.
disciplined scholarly reasoning used to derive a judgment where direct application is not straightforward.
Ijtihad comes from the Arabic root j-h-d, associated with exerting serious effort.
Qualified scholars use source texts, language, legal principles, and precedent when addressing new or contested questions.
the chain of people who transmitted a hadith report.
Isnad comes from the Arabic root s-n-d, associated with support or attribution.
Hadith scholars examine whether narrators met, were reliable, and accurately carried a report from one generation to the next.
a recognized school or method of Islamic legal interpretation.
Madhhab comes from the Arabic root dh-h-b and literally suggests a way or course followed.
Many Muslims study practice through a school such as the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafii, or Hanbali tradition, while respecting other established approaches.
the actual wording or main text of a hadith report.
Matn is an Arabic word for the body or substantive text of something.
Scholars assess it together with the isnad, comparing wording, meaning, and parallel narrations across sources.
a scholar who specializes in hadith.
Muhaddith is formed from the Arabic word hadith and refers to one who transmits or studies reports.
Such scholars may work on narrator biographies, chains, textual variants, classification, and the teaching of hadith collections.
analogical reasoning that extends an established ruling to a comparable case.
Qiyas comes from the Arabic root q-y-s, meaning to measure or compare.
Jurists identify a shared effective reason between a source case and a new case as part of structured legal analysis.
a hadith classification indicating that a report meets established standards of authenticity.
Sahih comes from the Arabic root s-h-h, meaning sound, correct, or healthy.
Readers see it used for individual reports and in the titles of famous collections, while detailed grading remains a scholarly discipline.
the broad Islamic path of guidance grounded in the Quran and Sunnah.
Sharia comes from an Arabic root associated with a clear path to water.
The word can include worship, ethics, family and social duties; fiqh is the human scholarly effort to understand its practical application.
the normative example and practice of Prophet Muhammad as preserved in Islamic sources.
Sunnah comes from an Arabic word meaning a path, way, or established practice.
Muslims look to the Prophet's example for worship, character, and daily conduct alongside the Quran.
the principles and methods used to derive Islamic legal interpretations.
The Arabic phrase means the foundations or roots of fiqh.
Students examine language, scriptural evidence, consensus, analogy, and interpretive rules before working through detailed legal questions.
the life to come after death.
Akhirah comes from an Arabic root meaning last, later, or final.
Belief in resurrection, judgment, accountability, Paradise, and Hell gives daily actions an enduring moral horizon.
a creed or structured account of Islamic beliefs.
Aqidah comes from the Arabic root ayn-q-d, meaning to tie or bind firmly.
Students use aqidah texts to organize teachings about Allah, revelation, prophets, the unseen, and the afterlife.
a barrier or intermediate state, commonly the period between death and resurrection.
Barzakh is an Arabic word for a barrier or partition between two things.
Muslims encounter it in Quran commentary and teachings about death, while many details of the unseen are left to revelation.
the original human disposition upon which Allah creates people.
Fitrah comes from the Arabic root f-t-r, meaning to originate or bring forth.
Muslims use it when discussing the natural recognition of God, moral receptivity, and the way upbringing shapes a person.
spiritual excellence: worshipping Allah with deep awareness and doing what is beautiful and good.
Ihsan comes from the Arabic root h-s-n, associated with goodness and beauty.
The term guides attention, sincerity, generosity, and character beyond merely completing an outward action.
faith or believing trust in the core truths taught by Islam.
Iman comes from the Arabic root a-m-n, linked with faith, trust, and security.
Muslims speak of iman as conviction expressed through the heart, words, and life, and as something that can be strengthened.
submission to Allah and the name of the monotheistic faith taught by the Quran and Prophet Muhammad.
Islam comes from the Arabic root s-l-m, associated with peace, safety, and willing submission.
Muslims express this submission through belief, worship, ethics, and ordinary responsibilities.
Hell, the place of punishment in the afterlife.
Jahannam is the standard Arabic and Quranic name for Hell.
References to it accompany teachings about judgment, justice, repentance, and moral accountability.
Paradise, the lasting garden promised in the afterlife.
Jannah comes from the Arabic root j-n-n, connected with being covered or hidden, and literally denotes a garden.
Muslims pray for Jannah and understand its Quranic descriptions as reward, peace, nearness, and freedom from grief.
disbelief or rejection, with meaning determined by its scriptural and conversational context.
Kufr comes from the Arabic root k-f-r, whose basic sense includes covering or concealing.
The term appears in theology and Quran commentary; careful speakers avoid using it casually as a label for particular people.
hypocrisy, especially concealing disbelief while outwardly claiming faith.
Nifaq comes from an Arabic root associated with a hidden passage or concealed exit.
The Quran also warns believers about hypocritical traits such as dishonesty, broken promises, and showing worship for appearance.
Allah's divine decree and complete knowledge of what occurs.
Qadar comes from the Arabic root q-d-r, carrying senses of measure, power, and determination.
Muslims affirm divine decree while still treating human choices and moral responsibility as meaningful.
associating partners with Allah in worship or divine attributes.
Shirk comes from the Arabic root sh-r-k, meaning to share or make a partner.
Muslims use the term when explaining why worship is directed to Allah alone and why tawhid is central to Islam.
God-consciousness that leads a person to guard against wrongdoing.
Taqwa comes from the Arabic root w-q-y, meaning to protect or guard.
Muslims cultivate it through worship, restraint, honesty, and remembering accountability in private as well as public.
reliance on Allah while taking responsible means.
Tawakkul comes from the Arabic root w-k-l, associated with entrusting an affair to another.
A Muslim may plan, work, seek help, and then place the outcome with Allah rather than treating trust as passivity.
the affirmation that Allah is one and uniquely worthy of worship.
Tawhid comes from the Arabic root w-h-d, meaning to make or affirm as one.
It shapes Muslim prayer, worship, and language about God and stands at the center of the shahada.
an expression meaning all praise belongs to Allah.
Alhamdulillah combines the Arabic words for all praise and for Allah.
Muslims say it in prayer and conversation when expressing gratitude, relief, contentment, or acknowledgment of a blessing.
an expression meaning I seek forgiveness from Allah.
Astaghfirullah comes from the Arabic root gh-f-r, associated with forgiveness and covering.
Muslims say it after mistakes, during regular dhikr, and when turning back to Allah in repentance.
blessing or divinely granted increase in goodness.
Barakah comes from the Arabic root b-r-k, associated with blessing, stability, and abundance.
Muslims ask for barakah in time, family, knowledge, work, and provision rather than measuring blessing only by quantity.
an expression meaning in the name of Allah.
Bismillah combines the Arabic words bi, ism, and Allah.
Muslims say it before eating, beginning work, traveling, reciting, and other good actions to start with remembrance.
remembrance of Allah through words, awareness, and devotional practice.
Dhikr comes from the Arabic root dh-k-r, meaning to remember or mention.
It includes phrases of praise, Quran recitation, morning and evening remembrances, and mindful recollection during ordinary life.
a personal supplication or call directed to Allah.
Dua comes from the Arabic root d-ayn-w, meaning to call or invite.
Muslims make dua in their own words and with prayers from the Quran and Sunnah, privately and at many moments of the day.
permitted or lawful in Islam.
Halal comes from the Arabic root h-l-l, associated with being allowed or untied.
Muslims use it for food and drink as well as earnings, transactions, relationships, and other areas of daily conduct.
forbidden or inviolable in an Islamic context.
Haram comes from the Arabic root h-r-m, associated with prohibition and sacred restriction.
The term can describe prohibited acts, while the related word haram can also name a sacred sanctuary depending on context.
an expression meaning if Allah wills.
Inshallah transliterates the Arabic phrase in sha Allah.
Muslims add it when speaking about a future plan or hope, recognizing that outcomes are not fully under human control.
disliked or discouraged in Islamic legal vocabulary.
Makruh comes from the Arabic root k-r-h, associated with dislike or aversion.
Muslims encounter the label in fiqh, where its precise force and subdivisions can vary by legal school.
an expression meaning what Allah has willed.
Mashallah transliterates the Arabic phrase ma sha Allah.
Muslims often say it when admiring a person, achievement, child, home, or other blessing while attributing the good to Allah's will.
permissible or morally neutral in Islamic legal vocabulary.
Mubah comes from an Arabic root conveying that something has been made open or allowed.
Many ordinary choices are described this way when they are neither required nor prohibited, though intention can still affect their value.
patient perseverance and self-restraint.
Sabr comes from the Arabic root s-b-r, meaning to restrain, endure, or remain steadfast.
Muslims practice it through hardship, consistent obedience, and resistance to wrongdoing without reducing it to passive waiting.
voluntary charity given for the sake of Allah.
Sadaqah comes from the Arabic root s-d-q, associated with truthfulness and sincerity.
It may be money, food, practical help, or another beneficial act and is distinct from the obligatory calculation of zakat.
peace and a common shortened form of the Islamic greeting.
Salam comes from the Arabic root s-l-m, associated with peace and safety.
Muslims greet one another with as-salamu alaykum and reply with wa alaykum as-salam in homes, mosques, messages, and public life.
gratitude and thankful recognition of a blessing.
Shukr comes from the Arabic root sh-k-r, meaning thankfulness or acknowledgment.
It is expressed by the heart, by words such as alhamdulillah, and by using blessings responsibly.
an expression declaring Allah's perfection and freedom from deficiency.
Subhanallah is built from the Arabic word subhan and the name Allah.
It is repeated in prayer and dhikr and is also said when a person witnesses something striking or reflects on creation.
glorifying Allah, especially by saying Subhanallah.
Tasbih comes from the Arabic root s-b-h and in devotional use means declaring Allah's perfection.
Muslims count repeated phrases on fingers or prayer beads, and the beads themselves are also commonly called a tasbih.
a recurring festival or celebration.
Eid comes from an Arabic root associated with returning or recurring.
Muslims observe Eid al-Fitr after Ramadan and Eid al-Adha during the Hajj season with prayer, greetings, food, and community.
a leader, especially the person who leads congregational prayer.
Imam comes from an Arabic root connected with being in front and being followed.
In a mosque an imam may lead salah, teach, or serve the community, but the role and training vary widely by place.
the Friday congregational prayer and gathering.
Jumuah comes from the Arabic root j-m-ayn, meaning to gather.
Muslims assemble around midday on Friday for a khutbah followed by a two-unit congregational prayer.
the cube-shaped sanctuary at the center of al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.
Kaaba comes from an Arabic word connected with a raised or cube-like form.
Muslims face it for salah and pilgrims circle it during Hajj and Umrah; Muslims worship Allah, not the building.
a formal sermon or address, especially the sermon before Friday prayer.
Khutbah comes from the Arabic root kh-t-b, associated with addressing an audience.
Worshippers listen to two sermon portions before the congregational Jumuah prayer, and sermons are also given for the two Eids.
a mosque or place of prostration and Muslim worship.
Masjid comes from the Arabic root s-j-d, meaning to prostrate.
Communities gather there for the five prayers, Friday worship, Quran learning, charity, and social support.
the sacred city in present-day Saudi Arabia that contains the Kaaba.
Mecca is the common English spelling of Makkah, the city's Arabic name.
Muslims face toward it in prayer and travel there for Hajj and Umrah, while entry to its sacred precinct is regulated.
the city to which Prophet Muhammad migrated and where his mosque and grave are located.
Medina is the common English form of al-Madinah, meaning the city.
Muslims visit the Prophet's Mosque there, and study the city as the setting of the first organized Muslim community.
a niche or architectural marker showing the qibla wall of a mosque.
Mihrab is an Arabic word used historically for a special or enclosed place and later for the prayer niche.
It helps worshippers see which direction to face and often marks where the imam stands.
the raised pulpit from which a mosque sermon is delivered.
Minbar comes from an Arabic root associated with rising or being elevated.
The speaker stands on or near it for the Friday khutbah and other formal addresses.
the person who calls the adhan.
Muadhin comes from the Arabic root a-dh-n, associated with announcing or giving notice.
At a mosque the muadhin announces each prayer time and may also call the iqamah just before congregational prayer.
the direction Muslims face in formal prayer.
Qibla comes from the Arabic root q-b-l, associated with facing or being opposite.
Muslims determine the direction of the Kaaba from their location when arranging prayer spaces or beginning salah.
the ninth Islamic month, during which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.
Ramadan is the Arabic name of the lunar month and is traditionally linked to a root conveying intense heat.
The month centers fasting, Quran recitation, charity, night prayer, shared iftar, and the search for Laylat al-Qadr.
the companions of Prophet Muhammad who met him as believers and died as Muslims.
Sahaba is the Arabic plural associated with companionship; the singular is sahabi.
Muslims learn the Quran's transmission, hadith, and early Islamic history through reports involving many different companions.
a community or people, commonly the worldwide Muslim community.
Ummah comes from an Arabic root related to a people, source, or shared direction.
Muslims use it when speaking about bonds and responsibilities that cross ethnicity, nationality, language, and local custom.
the lesser pilgrimage to the Kaaba that can be performed through most of the year.
Umrah comes from an Arabic root associated with visiting and inhabiting.
Pilgrims enter ihram, circle the Kaaba, walk between Safa and Marwah, and complete the rite by cutting or shortening the hair.
No terms match that search. Try a shorter word such as "wudu" or "taqwa".