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.

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A

;

;Abd (Arabic)| () (for male) Amah (Arabic)| () (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 () : 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 () : call to salat (prayer), sometimes alternatively spelled and pronounced Azaan, Athaan and Adhan.

; ʿAdl () : justice, especially distributive justice: social, economic, political, proprietary.

; AH (): 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 Hijra. The first day of the first Islamic year is 1 Muḥarram 1 (AH) and corresponds to 16 July 622 (CE).

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

; ʾAḥkām (): 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), Mustahab (preferred and recommended), Halal or Mubah (permissible), Makruh (disliked and not recommended), and Haram (forbidden)

; ʾAhl al-Bayt (): members of Muhammad's Household. Also known among Shia as the Maʿṣūmūn () (infallibles; spiritually pure).

; ʾAhl al-Fatrah (): 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 () : "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 () : hereafter or eternal life

; ʾAkhlāq () : The practice of virtue. Morals.

; Al-ʾIkhlāṣ () : Sincerity and genuineness in religious beliefs.

; Al-Bir () : Piety and righteousness and every act of obedience to Allah.

; () : Literally "worlds", humankind, jinn, angels and all that exists.

; Al Hijr (Kaaba) (): A semi-circular wall north-west of Kaaba.

; ʿalayhi -s-salām () : "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.)

; Alhamdulillah| () : "Praise be to God!" Qur'anic exclamation and also same meaning as hallelujah.

; Allāh (): The name of God according to Islam. Also used as the Arabic word for God in general.

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

; Allāhu ʾAkbar () : "Allah is [the] greatest". Greater than anything or anyone, imaginable or unimaginable.

; Ulama| () : 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 (): the trust. Of all creation, only human beings & jinns carry the "trust", which is free will.

; ʾĀmīn (): Amen.

; Amir al-Muminin| () : "Commander of the Faithful" Historically the title of the Caliph. In some modern countries like Morocco, a ' or Commander of the faithful is the religious chief.

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

; Al-ʾAmr Bi'l Maʿrūf () : Islamic doctrine of enjoining right. There exists in Islam the (obligatory) principle of encouraging other people to do the right thing.

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

; Ansar (Islam)| (): "Helpers." The Muslim converts at Medina who helped the Muslims from Mecca after the Hijrah.

; ʾAṣl () (pl. ʾuṣūl) : Root, origin, source; principle.

; ʾaslim taslam (): "Submit to Islam" (See dawah)

; 99 Names of God| (): List of God's 99 names. According to a hadith, the one who enumerates them all will enter Paradise.

; Asr| (): The third salat prayer. Also means an indefinite duration of time.

; Ṣirāṭ| () : 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 ( or ): The ten companions of Muhammad who were promised paradise (only in Sunni Islam)

; Day of Ashurah| () : 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-Salamu Alaykum| (السلام عليكم): The Islamic greeting; literally "Peace be upon you"; In addition, ' () means "and the Mercy of God and His blessing". The response to this greeting is ' ()—"And on you be the Peace and Mercy of God and His Blessing".

; ʾAstaghfir allāh (): "I seek forgiveness from God." Islamic expression.

; Aʿudhu billah (ʾAʿūdhu billāh): "I seek refuge in God". This is a paraphrase on the beginnings of the two last suras in the Qur'an.

; Awliya'| (): Friends, protectors, helpers, caretaker, maintainer. (singular: wali)

; Awrah| () : 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 (), plural ʾāyāt () : A sign. More specifically, a verse in the Qur'an.

; Āyatullāh (, 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 (): See

; Baatil (): see Bāṭil

; Baitullāh (baytu -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 () : a form of blessing, thought derive from God and passed on others via prophets, angels and saints.

; Bārak Allāhu Fīkum (): may Allah bless you; response to expression of thanks.

; Barzakh (): 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 () : humankind, mankind, man, human(s), etc.

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

; Bāṭil (): void

; Bāṯin () : The interior or hidden meaning. A person who devotes himself to studying such hidden meanings is a batini.

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

; bid‘ah| () : 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 (): Inquiry prohibited in Islam.

; Bismi-llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīmi () : "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful".

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

; Bay'ah| () : an oath of allegiance to a leader, traditionally the Caliph, a Sheikh or an Imam.

C

; Caliph () khalīfah : literally successor; refers to the successor of Muhammad, the ruler of an Islamic theocracy.

D

; Dahri (): 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 () : The Islamic equivalent of the Antichrist; means "liar" or "deceiver".

; Ḍallāl (): going astray.

; Dār al-ʿAhd () : the Ottoman Empire's relationship with its Christian tributary states.

; Dār al-ʾAmn () : means house of safety.

; Dār ad-daʿwa () : a region where Islam has recently been introduced.

; Dār al-ḥarb () :means house of war; refers to areas outside Muslim rule which a Muslim state can go to war with

; Dār al-Islām (): "Home of peace." A country ruled by Islamic Law (see sharia), where both Muslims and non-Muslims (see dhimam) practice religious tolerance. such as Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, and Zoroastrians), living in an Islamic state who must pay a separate tax (jizya) instead of the zakah paid by Muslims and this exempts non-Muslims from military service under Islamic law.

; Dhuhr () (ẓuhr): the second obligatory daily prayer.

; Dīn () : (literally 'religion') the way of life based on Islamic revelation; the sum total of a Muslim's faith and practice. Dīn is often used to mean the faith and religion of Islam.

; Fātiḥa (): the short, opening sura of the Qur'an, which begins "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds..." These words hold an important place in Muslim liturgies and forms the core of the salat.

; Fatwā () : a non-binding legal opinion of a scholar (alim). However, binding on him for those who follow his taqlid

; Fī ʾAmān allāh (): "In the protection of God". Said when a person departs. Cf. aman.

; Fiqh () : jurisprudence built around the shariah by custom (al-urf). Literally means "deep understanding", refers to understanding the Islamic laws. (see faqih)

; Fir'aun (): Literally means Pharoah. also "the sale of what is not present" such as fish not yet caught, crops not yet harvested.

; Ghasbi () : possessed unlawfully

; Ghāzi () : (archaic) roughly, "raider": used for whose who participated in war. Later a title for veterans.

; Ghusl (): full ablution of the whole body (see wudu). Ghusl janaba is the mandatory shower after having sexual discharge.

H

;Ḥadath akbar (): major ritual impurity which requires Niyyat for cleaning.

;Ḥadath aṣghar () : minor ritual impurity

;Hādhā min faḍl rabbī (): Qur'anic expression and phrase meaning This is by the Grace of my Lord.

;Hādī (): a guide, one who guides; A Muslim name for God is The Guide, or Al-Hadi.

;Ḥadīth (ḥadīth) plural ahādīth : literally "speech"; recorded saying or tradition of Muhammad validated by isnad; with sira these comprise the sunnah and reveal shariah

; Ḥadīth mashhūr () : Well-known hadith; a hadith which reported by one, two, or more Companions from Muhammad or from another Companion, but has later become well-known and transmitted by an indefinite number of people during the first and second generation of Muslims.

;Hafiz (Quran)| () : someone who memorized the entire Qur'an. Literal translation = memorizer or Protector.

; Ḥaiḍ () : menstruation

;Ḥājj (ّ) plural Ḥujjāj () and Ḥajīj (): Pilgrim, one who has made the Hajj.

;Ḥajj (ّ) and Ḥijjah (plurals Ḥijjāt () and Ḥijaj ()): One-time pilgrimage to Mecca during Dhu'l-Hijja. Sunnis regard this as the fifth Pillar of Islam. Obligatory upon every Muslim who is financially and physically capable of completing all necessary rites.

;Hanif| () : pre-Islamic non-Jewish or non-Christian monotheists. Plural: ().

;Ḥaqq (ّ): truth, reality, right, righteousness. Al-Haqq is one of 99 names of God.

;Haraam| () : sinful

;Haram (site)| () : sanctuary or sacred, used for land in Makkah and its surrounding areas.

; ʾIḥtiyāṭ mustaḥabb(ّ) : A preferred precaution.

;ʾIslām : "submission to God". The Arabic root word for Islam means submission, obedience, peace, and purity.

;ʾIsnād (): chain of transmitters of any given hadith

;ʾIsrāʾ (): the night journey during which Muhammad (محمّد)is said to have visited Heaven. See miraj.

;ʾIstighfār (): requesting forgiveness

;ʾIstiḥādah (): vaginal bleeding except Haid and Nifas

;ʾIstiṣlāḥ (): public interest – a source of Islamic Law.

;ʾIstishhād (): martyrdom.

;ʾIthm (): Negative reward for bad deeds that is tallied on qiyamah (judgment day.) Opposite of thawab.

;ʾIʿtikāf (): seclusion in the masjid for the purpose of worship usually performed during the last 10 days of Ramadan.

;ʾItmām al-hujjah ():clarification of truth in its ultimate form.

;Ittaqullah ():command to fear God or to be pious to Allah.

J

; Jāʾiz (): That which is allowed or permissible. As a rule, everything that is not prohibited is allowed. (See halal, mustahabb, mandub)

;Jahannam () : Hell; purgatory

;Jāhilīyyah (الجاهليّة) : the time of ignorance before Islam was realized. Describes polytheistic religions.

;Jahl () : ignorance, foolishness.

;Jalsa () : sitting.

;Jamia| () : "gathering"; i.e. a university, a mosque, or more generally, a community or association.

;Janābah () : A state of spiritual impurity that occur due to sexual intercourse or ejaculation and necessitates major ritual ablution (ghusl),

; Janāzah () : Funeral. Ṣalāt al-Janāzah is a funeral prayer.

;Jannah () : Paradise, Heaven, the Garden

; Jazāka-llāhu khayran () : "May God reward you with good." Islamic expression of gratitude.

;Jihād () : struggle. Any earnest striving in the way of God, involving personal, physical, for righteousness and against wrongdoing;

; al-khulafāʾ ar-rāshidūn () : four first caliphs, believed by most Muslims to be most righteous rulers in history

;Khimār () (pl. khumur () or ʾakhmirah ()) : headcovering (Q. 24:31).

;Khitān () : Male circumcision.

;Khuluq () pl. ʾakhlāq () : ethics

; Khushūʿ (): humility, devotion, concentration (especially in prayer).

;Khutbah| (): the sermon at Jumu'ah prayer.

; Kibr () : pride, arrogance

; Kibar () : old age

; Kitāb () : book; The Qurʾān is often referred to as "Al-Kitāb" (The Book).

;Kufr () : Unbelief, infidelity, blasphemy; also hubris. See Kafir and Kuffar

; Kufr al-ḥukm () : Disbelief from judgment.

; Kufr al-ʿInād () : Disbelief out of stubbornness

; Kufr al-ʾInkār () : Disbelief out of arrogance and pride.

; Kufr al-ʾIstibdāl () : Disbelief because of trying to substitute Allah's Laws.

; Kufr al-ʾIstiḥlāl () : Disbelief out of trying to make HARAM into HALAL.

; Kufrul-Istihzaha : Disbelief due to mockery and derision

; Kufr al-jahl (): Disbelief from not being aware of or not understanding.

; Kufr al-juhud (): Disbelief from obstinacy after being presented with truth.

; Kufr an-Nifāq (): Disbelief out of hypocrisy.

; Kufr al-ʾIʿrāḍ () : Disbelief due to avoidance.

;Kun () : God's command to the universe, 'Be!' is sufficient to create it.

L

;Lā ilāha illā-llāh () : "There is no god but God." The most important expression in Islam. It is part of the first pillar of Islam. According to Islam, this is the message of all the Prophets, such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.

; Labbayka -llāhumma () : God, I obey you (said during hajj)

; Laghw () : Dirty, false, evil vain talk

;La'nat| () : Curse, execration, or imprecation.

;Laylat al-Qadr () : the Night of Power, towards the end of Ramadan, when Muhammad received the first revelation of the Qur'an.

M

;Madhhab () : pl. Madhāhib () school of religious jurisprudence (fiqh), school of thought. Also see fiqh.

;Madrasah () : school, university

;Maghrib (): the fourth daily salat prayer

;Mahdi () : "a guide". More specifically al-Mahdi (the guide) is a figure who will appear with Prophet Jesus before the end of time, when God allows it, to bring world peace, order and justice, after it has been overcome with injustice and aggression.

;Mahdūr ad-damm (): he whose blood must be wasted

;Maḥram () : a relative of the opposite gender usually described as being "within the forbidden limits"; a better description is "within the protected limits". means relatives who one can appear before without observing hijab and who one cannot marry.

;Maisir () : gambling, game of chance

;Makrūh () : Means "detested", though not haraam (forbidden); something that is disliked or offensive. If a person commits the Makruh, he does not accumulate ithim but avoiding the Makhruh is rewarded with thawab.

;Malaikah| () : angels (Sing. Malak). Belief in angels is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and required for Muslims to believe in.

;Mā malakat ʾaymānukum () : one's rightful spouse (literally: what your right hands possess)

;Manāsik () : the rules specifying the requirements of a legally valid hajj

;Mandūb () : commendable or recommended. Failure to do it would not be a sin. (See halal mustahabb)

; (): the methodology by which truth is reached

;Mansūkh () : That which is abrogated. The doctrine of al-Nasikh wal-Mansukh (abrogation) of certain parts of the Qur'anic revelation by others. The principle is mentioned in the Qur'an (2:106) see naskh

;Manzil (): one of seven equal parts of the Qur'an

;Ma'ruf| () : consensus of the community

;Maqasid| () sing. maqṣid () : goals or purposes; such as the purposes of Islamic law

;Maṣāliḥ () sing. maṣlaḥah (): public interests

;Masbuq (مَسْبُوق) :A person who is late for salat and has not joined the imam in the first rak’at.

;Mā shāʾa -llāh () : Allah has willed it

;Masih| () : the (Biblical) Messiah, Jesus Christ

;Masjid () pl. masājid, : place of prayer; mosque

;Masjid al-Ḥarām () : the mosque surrounding the Kaʿbah in Mecca.

;Mawali| or (): Non-Arab Muslims

;Mawlā [mawlan ()] [pl. mawālin (ٍ)] : protector or master

;Mawlānā () : an Arabic word meaning "our master" (not literally). It is used mostly as a title preceding the name of a respected religious leader, in particular graduates of religious institutions. The term is sometimes used to refer to Rumi.

;Maulvi () : an honorific Islamic religious title often, but not exclusively, given to Muslim religious scholars or Ulema preceding their names. Maulvi generally means any religious cleric or teacher

;Mecca ( Makkah) : the holiest city in Islam

;Medina ( Madīnah) : "city"; Medinat-un-Nabi means "the City of the Prophet." See Hijra (Islam)

;Mi'ād (): the Resurrection; God will resurrect all of humankind to be judged. Shi'as regard this as the fifth Pillar of Islam.

;Miḥrāb () : a niche in the wall of all mosques, indicating the direction of prayer

;Millah (): In Arabic, millah means "religion," but it has only been used to refer to religions other than Islam, which is din.

;Millet: (see Millah) (Turkish word also meaning a nation, community, or a people). In an Islamic state, "Ahl al Kitab" may continue to practice their former religion in a semi-autonomous community termed the millet.

;Minaret () : a tower built onto a mosque from the top of which the call to prayer is made

;Minbar () : a raised pulpit in the mosque where the Imam stands to deliver sermons

;Minhaj () : methodology, e.g. methods, rules, system, procedures.

;Mīqāt () : intended place

;Miʿrāj () : the Ascension to the Seven Heavens during the Night Journey (See also: Al-Isra)

;Mohyeddin (): a religious title given to people for their efforts to bring new life to the spiritual aspects of Islam

;Mosque () : a Muslim place of worship.

;Muʾadhdhin (): a person who performs the call to prayer

;Muʿāhadāt () : treaties

;Al-Mu'awwidhatayn| () : suras Al-Falaq and an-Nas, the "Surahs of refuge", should be said to relieve suffering (also protect from Black Magic)

;Mubah| () : literally permissible; neither forbidden nor commended. Neutral. (See halal)

;Mubaligh () : person who recites Qur'an

;Mufassir () : Qualified exegete of the Qur'an.

;Muftī () : an Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law (Sharia), capable of issuing fatawa (plural of "fatwa").

;Muḥajjabah () : woman who wears hijab.

;Muḥkamāt : unequivocal verses of Qur'an. (See mutashabehat.)

;Muḥāribah () : a person who wages war against God

;Muḥammadun rasūl allāh () : "Muhammad is the messenger of God." This statement is the second part of the first pillar of Islam. This is the second most important statement in Islam.

;Mufsid () : evil-doer a person who spreads corruption not in accordance with Islam. Plural mufsideen.

;Muḥsin () : a person who performs good deed. Plural muhsineen. Opposite of Mufsidun.

;Muhājirūn () : The first Muslims that accompanied Muhammad when he traveled to Medina.

;Muharṭiq () : heretic.

;Mujāhid () : a fighter for Islam. Plural Mujāhidūn ().

;Mujtahid () : a scholar who uses reason for the purpose of forming an opinion or making a ruling on a religious issue. Plural: Mujtahidun.

;Mullah () : are Islamic clergy. Ideally, they should have studied the Qur'an, Islamic traditions (hadith), and Islamic law (fiqh).

;Muʾmin () : A Muslim who observes the commandments of the Qur'an.

;Munāfiq () : hypocrite. Plural: Munafiqun

;Muntaiabah () pl. muntaqibāt () : woman who wears niqab

;Muqarrabin () : "those who are near", archangel.

;Murābaḥah ( ) : a type of sharia-compliant mortgage (see Ijara)

;Murshid () : a Sufi teacher

;Murtadd () female apostate is Murtaddah: apostate (see irtidad see mahdur ad-damm.)

;Muṣḥaf (): a copy, codex or redaction of the Qur'an.

;Mushrik ()(pl. mushrikūn) (): One who associates others in worship with God; a polytheist.

;Muslim () : a follower of the religion of Islam. One who submits their will to God (Allah)

;Mustahabb| (ّ) : commendable or recommended. (See halal, mandub)

;Mutʿah () : literally enjoyment; compensation paid to a divorced woman; when used in the phrase nikāḥ al-mutʿah () it refers to temporary marriage that is practiced in Twelver Shia Islam.

;Mutashābihāt (): equivocal verses of Qur'an. (See Muhakkamat.)

;Mutaʿaṣṣibūn () : fanatics

;Muṭawwaʿ () plural muṭawwaʿūn () : religious man in certain regions, a volunteer teacher

;Muṭawwaʿūn () () (singular muṭawwaʿ): Religious police.

;Mutawātir () : "agreed upon"—used to describe hadith that were narrated by many witnesses through different narration chains (isnads) leading back to Muhammad

N

;Nabī () : literally, prophets. In the Islamic context, a Nabi is a man sent by God to give guidance to man, but not given scripture. The Prophet Abraham was a Nabi. This is in contrast to Rasul, or Messenger. Plural: Anbiya. See: Rasul.

;Nafs () : soul, the lower self, the ego/id

;Nāfilah () : An optional, supererogatory practice of worship, in contrast to farida

;Najāsah (): Impurity

; Nājis (): impure

;Nakīr and Munkar () : two angels who test the faith of the dead in their graves

;Namāz (): Ritual Prayer in Turkish and Persian language.: Nashīd (): A popular type of a cappella in Islamic culture

;Naṣīḥa () : advice

;Naskh () : The doctrine of al-Nasikh wal-Mansukh (abrogation) of certain parts of the Qur'anic revelation by others. The principle is mentioned in the Qur'an (2:106) see mansukh.

;Naṣṣ (ّ) : a known, clear legal injunction

; Nifās (): the bleeding after childbirth (see Haid)

;Nifāq (): falsehood; dishonesty; hypocrisy

;Nihāļ () : Nihal is an Arabic name meaning "joyful."

;Nikāḥ (): the matrimonial contract between a bride and bridegroom within Islamic marriage

;Niqāb () : veil covering the face

;Niyyah (): intention

;Nubūwwah () : prophethood. Shi'a regard this as the third Pillar of Islam.

; Nukrah: a great munkar – prohibited, evil, dreadful thing.

; Nūr () : Light, more theological connoted than daw, the proper term for light in Arabic. Nur is often associated with benevolence, as Light of Muhammad and angels of mercy as created from nur. The term is closely associated with nar, which denotes the burning light of fire, often associated with fierce forces, like angels of punishment, demons and hell.

P

; P.B.U.H. : an acronym that stands for "peace be upon him" a blessing which is affixed to Muhammad's name whenever it is written. In some circles and English writings, Sufis regard PBUH to signify "Peace and Blessings Upon Him" (the Rasul or Messenger of Allah). These are the primary English explications of the P.B.U.H. acronym. The Arabic version is S.A.W.

Q

;Qadhf (): false imputation of unchastity specifically punished by sharia.

;Qadar () : predestination.

;Qāḍī () : judge of Islamic Law

;Qalb () : Heart, considered the center of the self in Islamic anthropology

;Qiblah () : the direction Muslims face during prayer

; Qitāl fī sabīl allāh ( ) : fight in the cause of Allah.

;Qiyāmah (): resurrection; return of the dead for the Day of Judgment

;Qisas| () : equitable retribution – a fine for murder if the heirs forgive the perpetrator. (See hudud, tazeer)

;Qiyām () : to stand, a position of salat prayer

;Qiyās () : analogy – foundation of legal reasoning and thus fiqh

;Qudsī () : classification of a hadith that are believed to be narrated by Muhammad from God.

;Qurbah () : closeness to God. Term is associated with Sufism.

;Qurʾān () : The word Qur'an means recitation. Muslims believe the Qur'an (Koran) to be the literal word of God and the culmination of God's revelation to mankind, revealed to Muhammad in the year AD 610 in the cave Hira by the angel Jibril.

R

;Rabb (ّ): Lord, Sustainer, Cherisher, Master.

;R. A., raḍiya -llāhu ʿanhu (): May Allah be pleased with him. Variants are ʿanhā (her) and ʿanhum (them).

;Raḥmān (): Merciful; Ar-Rahman () means "The Most Merciful"

;Raḥīm (): compassionate; Ar-Rahim () means "The Most Compassionate" as in the Basmala

;Raḥimaḥullāh (): May Allah have mercy on him. Usually used after mentioning the companions of Muhammad

;Raḥmatullāh (): Mercy of Allah. Sometimes used as an alternative to Rahimahullah after mentioning a righteous person by saying, rahmatullahi ʿilayh (): Mercy of Allah be upon him/her

;Rajm () : stoning or banishment, used as an epithet for devils in some Islamic prayers.

;Rakʿah () : one unit of Islamic prayer, or Salat. Each daily prayer is made up of a different number of raka'ah.

;Ramaḍān () : month of fasting when the Qur'an was first revealed. Spelt as Ramzaan, Ramadhan, or Ramathan as well.

; Rāshidūn () : Sunnis consider the first four caliphs as the "orthodox" or "rightly guided" caliphs. They were Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and 'Ali.

;Rasūl (): messenger; Unlike prophets (Nabi), messengers are given scripture. Moses, David, Jesus and Mohammed are considered messengers. All messengers are considered prophets, but not all prophets are given scripture. See: Nabi.

;Riba () : interest, the charging and paying of which is forbidden by the Qur'an

;Ribat : Guarding Muslims from infidels

;Riddah (): apostasy, in which a person abandons Islam for another faith or no faith at all.

;Risālah (): literally, message or letter. Used both in common parlance for mail correspondences, and in religious context as divine message.

;Rūḥ (): spirit; the divine breath which God blew into the clay of Adam. Sometimes used interchangeable with nafs; otherwise distinguished and identified with the sublime parts of human's soul.

;Rukn () plural ʾArkān () : means what is inevitable. One of the five pillars of Islam. (See fard, wajib)

;Rukūʿ () : the bowing performed during salat.

S

;Sabb (): blasphemy: insulting God (sabb Allah) or Muhammad (sabb ar-rasūl or sabb an-nabī).

;Sabr (Islamic term)| (): patience, endurance, self-restraint

;Ṣadaqah (): charity; voluntary alms above the amount for zakat.

;Ṣaḥābah () (sing. Ṣāḥib) (): companions of Muhammad. A list of the best-known Companions can be found at List of companions of Muhammad.

;Ṣāḥīḥ () : "Sound in isnad." A technical attribute applied to the "isnad" of a hadith.

;Sakīnah () : divine "tranquility" or "peace" which descends upon a person when the Qur'an is recited.

;Salaf () : (righteous) predecessors/ancestors. In Islam, Salaf is generally used to refer to the first three generations of Muslims. Anyone who died after this is one of the khalaf or "latter-day Muslims".

;Salafism: a reform movement, basing Islamic teachings on Quran and Sunnah alone. Contrary to Classical Sunnism, it disregards former established consensus and the opinions of the Sahaba.

;Ṣalāt () sala(t): any one of the daily five obligatory prayers. Sunnis regard this as the second Pillar of Islam

; Salaat al-Istikharah: Prayer for guidance is done in conjunction with two rakaahs of supererogatory prayer.

;Salām () : peace (see sulh)

;Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam () : "May Allah bless him and grant him peace." The expression is often used after Muhammad's name. See abbreviation: S.A.W. or S.A.W.S. also P.B.U.H.

;Ṣamad () : eternal, absolute; Muslims believe Allah is "The Eternal."

;Salsabīl (): a river in heaven (al-firdaus)

; Sawa : awakening, revival

; S.A.W. (or S.A.W.S.) : Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam (). See P.B.U.H.

;Sawm| () : fasting during the month of Ramadhan. The word sawm is derived from Syriac sawmo.

;Sayyid (, also spelled Seyed): (in everyday usage, equivalent to 'Mr.') a descendant of a relative of Muhammad, usually via Husayn.

; Seghatoleslam (),(): Trustworthy of Islam, Title given to religious scholars in Sh'ia sect.

;Sema : refer to some of the ceremonies used by various Sufi orders

;Shahādah () : The testimony of faith: La ilaha illa Allah. Muhammadun rasulullah. ("There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."). Sunnis regard this as the first Pillar of Islam. Also may be used as a synonym for the term Istish'hād meaning martyrdom.

;Shahīd () pl. shuhadāʾ () : witness, martyr. Usually refers to a person killed whilst fighting in "jihād fī sabīl Allāh" (jihad for the sake of Allah). Often used in modern times for deaths in a political cause (including victims of soldiers, deaths in battle, et cetera) which are viewed by some Muslims as a spiritual cause not just a political cause. But the real meaning of Jihad is to defend Islam in any way; thus, it could be in an economic way or could refer to fighting for the rights of the oppressed or the believers; most often it refers to mastering one's own inclination for evil and shirk.

;Shaykh () : a spiritual master, Muslim clergy

;Sharia| () : "the path to a watering hole"; Islamic law; the eternal ethical code and moral code based on the Qur'an, Sunnah, Ijma, and Qiyas; basis of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh)

;Sharīf () : a title bestowed upon the descendants of Muhammad through Hasan, son of his daughter Fatima Zahra and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib

;Shayṭān () : Evil being; a devil. With the article Al- it designates Satan (Iblis) in particular. In plural, it designates an indefined host of evil spirits; devils. Also applied to evil humans and evil jinn.

;Shi'a| () :A branch of Islam who believe in Imam Ali and his sons (Hassan and Hussayn) as custodians of Islam by the will of Mohammed.

;Shirk () : idolatry; polytheism; the sin of believing in any divinity except God and of associating other gods with God.

;Shūrā () : consultation

:; Majlis ash-shūrā () : advisory council in a Caliphate

;Sidrat al-Muntaha (): a lotus tree that marks the end of the seventh heaven, the boundary where no creation can pass.

; Sīrah () : life or biography of Muhammad; his moral example – with hadith this comprises the sunnah

;aṣ-Ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm ( ) : the Straight Path

;Subah Sadiq : true dawn

; Subḥānahu wa taʿāla ()(abbreviated S.W.T.) : expression used following written name or vocalization of Allah in Arabic meaning highly praised and glorified is He.

; Subḥān allāh () : "Glory to God" – this phrase is often used when praising God or exclaiming awe at His attributes, bounties, or creation.

;Sufi| () : a Muslim mystic; See: Sufism (tasawwuf).

;Suḥūr () : the meal eaten by fasting Muslims just before dawn.

;Sujūd (): kneeling down, a position of salat.

;Ṣukūk (): bond that generates revenue from sales, profits, or leases rather than interest.

;Ṣulḥ () : A condition of peace, an armistice, or treaty. It is related to the word muṣālaḥah () which means peace, conciliation, or compromise.

;Sunnah () or sunnat an-Nabī () : the "path" or "example" of Muhammad, i.e., what he did or said or agreed to during his life. He is considered by Muslims to be the best human moral example. Also referring to optional good deeds, such as pious deeds and voluntary ritual prayers.

;Sunni () : the largest denomination of Islam. The word Sunni comes from the word Sunnah (Arabic: ), which means the words and actions or example of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

;Sūrah (): chapter.

;Takfīr (): declaration of individual or group of previously considered Muslim as kaffir.

;Takhrīj (): The science of hadith extraction and authentication, including validation of chains of transmitters of a hadith by this science's scholars and grading hadith validity.

;Takweeni (): Ontological

;Ṭalāq (): divorce

;Taqalan: accountable ones; those who are responsible for their deeds (humans and jinn). They are in opposition to angels and devils, those deeds and destiny are prescribed.

;Taqdīr () : fate, predestination

;Taqlīd (): to follow the scholarly opinion of one of the four Imams of Islamic Jurisprudence.

;Taqīyyah (): 'precaution', that one is allowed to hide his true beliefs in certain circumstances or to lie to save himself of being killed or harmed.

;Taqwa (): righteousness; goodness; Piety: Taqwa is taken from the verbe Ittaqua, which means Avoiding, Fearing the punishment from Allah for committing sins. It is piety obtained by fearing the punishment of Allah.

;Tarāwīḥ (): extra prayers in Ramadan after the Isha prayer.

;Tarkīb (): the study of Arabic grammar issued from the Qur'an

;Tariqa| (): a Muslim religious order, particularly a Sufi order

;Tartīl (): slow, meditative recitation of the Qur'an

;Taṣawwuf () or Sufism

;Tasbīḥ () : Uttering the formula: "Subhan Allah", i.e. (Glory be to Allah)

;Taṣdīq (): "the evaluation of the degree of iman" (belief), "proof of iman; Tasdiq is proved by "acceptance of what the prophets brought down"; by Islamic works and deeds "which in turn are used to evaluate the level of iman".

;Tashkīl (): vocalization of Arabic text by means of diacritical marks. An integral part of the Arabic writing system. Literally meaning to form or arrange

;Taslīm (): salutation at the end of prayer

;Taṭbīr (): Shia Ashura ceremony of self-flagellation by hitting head with sword.

;Tawafuq (): God-conscious understanding of a phenomenon.

;Tawakkul (): total reliance on Allah.

;Tawassul (): asking Allah Almighty through the medium and intercession of another person.

;Ṭawāf (): circumambulating the Ka'bah during Hajj.

;Tawfiq (): Divine help in getting to the purpose to one who deserves.

;Tawbah (): repentance

;Tawḥīd (): monotheism; affirmation of the Oneness of Allah. Muslims regard this as the first part of the Pillar of Islam, the second part is accepting Muhammad as rasoul (messenger). The opposite of Tawheed is shirk

;Ta'weel (): explanation and elucidation, how something will occur and its result, or figurative interpretation.

;Tawrāh (): the Torah as revealed to Musa (Moses.)

;Ṭayyib (): all that is good as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc. Means "pure." The Shahaddath is tayyib.

; Taʿzīr (): Discretionary punishment – a sentence or punishment whose measure is not fixed by the Shari'ah. (See hudud, qisas)

;Tazkīyah (): Purification of the Soul.

; Thawāb (): Reward for good deeds that is tallied on qiyamah (judgment day.) Opposite of ithim.

; Tilāwah (): ritual recitation of passages of the Qur'an.

; Ṭumaʾnīnah () : state of motionlessness, calm

U

;ʿUbūdīyah () : worship

;ʾUḍḥīyah (): sacrifice

;Ulema| () or ulema: the leaders of Islamic society, including teachers, Imams and judges. Singular alim.

;ʾUmmah () or umma: (literally 'nation') the global community of all Muslim believers

;Umrah| () : the lesser pilgrimage performed in Mecca. Unlike hajj, can be performed throughout the year.

; ʿUqūbah () : the branch of sharia that deals with punishment. (See hudud, qisas, tazeer)

;Urf| () : custom of a given society, leading to change in the fiqh

; ʾUṣūl () (sing. ʾaṣl)() : Principles, origins.

;ʾUṣūl al-Fiqh () : the study of the origins and practice of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh)

W

;Wa ʿalaykum as-salām (): Wa 'Alaykum as-Salaam!, meaning "and upon you be peace", is the answer to the greeting As-Salamu Alaykum

;Wafāt (): death. (Barah-wafat) Muhammad was born on the twelfth day of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Muslim year. His death anniversary also falls on the same day, the word 'barah' standing for the twelve days of Muhammad's sickness.

;Wahdat al-wujud| (): "unity of being". Philosophical term used by some Sufis. Related to fanaa

;Waḥy (): revelation of God to His prophets for all humankind

;Wahn (): literal meaning is "weakness" or "feebleness". According to one hadith, Muhammad explained it as "love of the world and dislike of death"

;Wājib (): obligatory or mandatory see fard

;Walī (): friend, protector, guardian, supporter, helper

;Waqf (): An endowment of money or property: the return or yield is typically dedicated toward a certain end, for example, to the maintenance of the poor, a family, a village, or a mosque. Plural: awqaf

;Warrāq (): traditional scribe, publisher, printer, notary and book copier

;Wasaṭ (): the middle way, justly balanced, avoiding extremes, moderation

;Wasīlah (): the means by which one achieves nearness to Allah (see tawassul)

;Witr (): a voluntary, optional night prayer of odd numbers rakaats

;Wuḍūʾ (): ablution for ritual purification from minor impurities before salat (see ghusl)

Y

;Yā Allāh () : O, God!

;Ya Rasūl Allāh () : O, Messenger of God!. Term used by companions when interacting with Muhammad.

;Yaʾjūj wa-Maʾjūj (): Ya'jūj wa-Ma'jūj is the Islamic counterpart of Gog and Magog

;Yaqīn () : certainty, that which is certain

; Yarḥamuk-Allāh (): "May God have mercy on you", said when someone sneezes; the same as "(God) bless you" in English

; Allāh Yarḥamuhu (), fem. yarḥamuhā (): "May God have mercy of his/her soul", (said when someone dies)

; Yawm ad-Dīn () : Day of Reckoning, Awe

; Yawm al-Ghaḍab () : Day of Rage, Wrath

;Yawm al-Qiyāmah () : "Day of the Resurrection"; Day of Judgement

Z

;Zabūr () : the Psalms revealed to Daoud (King David)

; Zabīḥa (Dhabīḥah) () see dhabiha : Islamic method of slaughtering an animal, required for the meat to be halal. Using a sharp knife, the animal's windpipe, throat, and blood vessels of the neck are severed without cutting the spinal cord to ensure that the blood is thoroughly drained before removing the head.

;Ẓāhir () : Exterior meaning

;Zaidi () : Islamic sub-sect of Shi'ah, popularly found in Yemen, with similarities to Sunni

;Zakāt (), Al-Māl : tax, alms, tithe as a Muslim duty; Sunnis regard this as the fourth Pillar of Islam. Neither charity nor derived from Islamic economics, but a religious duty and social obligation.

;Zakāt al-Fiṭr (): Charity given at the end of Ramadan.

;Ẓālimūn () : polytheists, wrong-doers, and unjust.

;Zandaqa (): heresy

;Zināʾ () : sexual activity outside of marriage (covering the English words adultery and fornication)

;Zindīq () : heretic, atheist

;Zulfiqar (Dhu-l-fiqār) () : Sword of Ali, presented to him by Muhammad

;Zuhr : midday Islamic prayer

Explanatory notes

Arabic words are created from three-letter "roots" which convey a basic idea. For example, k-t-b conveys the idea of writing. Addition of other letters before, between, or after the root letters produces many associated words: not only "write", but also "book", "office", "library", and "author". The abstract consonantal root for Islam is s-l-m.
The English word algorithm is derived from the name of the inventor of algebra; similarly Arabic words like alchemy, alcohol, azimuth, nadir, zenith and oasis, which mean the same as in English. Arabic numerals are what we use in English ("0", "1", "2",...)
Some Islamic concepts are usually referred to in Persian or Turkic. Those are typically of later origin than the concepts listed here; for completeness it may be best to list Persian terms and those unique to Shi'a on their own page, likewise Turkic terms and those unique to the Ottoman period on their own page, as these are culturally very distinct.
The word "crusade" in English is usually translated in Arabic as "ḥamlah ṣalībīyah" which means literally "campaign of Cross-holders" (or close to that meaning). In Arabic text it is "" and the second word comes from "ṣalīb" which means "cross."

References

External links

Voiced Dictionary of Islamic and Arabic Key Words
Glossary of Islamic terms

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Explanatory notes

See also

References

Further reading

External links