‘
A
Adab
الأدبEtiquette and proper conduct.
Ahl us-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah
أهل السنة والجماعةThe people of the Sunnah and the unified body of Muslims.
Ahl us-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah
أهل السنة والجماعةThe People of the Sunnah and the United Body.
Akhlāq
الأخلاقCharacter and manners.
Al-Ḥamdu lillāh
الحمد للهAll praise belongs to Allah.
Al-Ḥawḍ
الحوضThe Pond of the Prophet ﷺ on the Day of Judgement.
Al-Jarḥ wa at-Ta‘dīl
الجرح والتعديلThe science of criticising and validating narrators.
Al-Kutub as-Sittah
الكتب الستةThe Six Books — the major hadith collections.
Al-Walā' wa al-Barā'
الولاء والبراءLoyalty to Islam and disassociation from disbelief.
Allāh
اللهThe proper name of God in Arabic.
As-Salāmu ‘alaykum
السلام عليكمPeace be upon you — the Islamic greeting.
Ā
B
Barakah
البركةDivine blessing — increase from Allah.
Barzakh
البرزخThe intermediate realm between death and resurrection.
Bid‘ah
البدعةAn innovation in religion not from the Prophet ﷺ.
Bid‘ah
البدعةAn innovation in the religion.
Bismi-llāh
بسم اللهIn the name of Allah.
D
Ḍ
F
G
H
Ḥ
Ḥadīth
الحديثA narration of the Prophet's ﷺ words or actions.
Ḥajj
الحجPilgrimage to Makkah — fifth pillar of Islam.
Ḥalāl
حلالPermissible in the Sharī‘ah.
Ḥalāl
الحلالPermissible according to the Sharī‘ah.
Ḥalaqah
الحلقةA sitting/circle of knowledge.
Ḥarām
حرامForbidden in the Sharī‘ah.
Ḥarām
الحرامForbidden by the Sharī‘ah.
Ḥasan
حسنGood — second grade of authentic hadith.
I
Ifṭār
الإفطارBreaking the fast at sunset.
Iḥrām
الإحرامThe state of consecration entered into for hajj or umrah.
Ihsān
الإحسانWorshipping Allah as if you see Him.
Iḥsān
الإحسانWorshipping Allah as if you see Him.
Ijmā‘
الإجماعConsensus of qualified scholars.
Ijtihād
الاجتهادScholarly effort to derive rulings from evidence.
Ikhlāṣ
الإخلاصSincerity — purifying intent for Allah alone.
Imām
الإمامLeader — in prayer, scholarship, or community.
Imān
الإيمانFaith — statement, action, and belief.
In shā' Allāh
إن شاء اللهIf Allah wills.
Islām
الإسلامSubmission to Allah with Tawheed.
Islām
الإسلامSubmission to Allah upon tawheed.
Isnād
الإسنادThe chain of narrators of a hadith.
Istighfār
الاستغفارSeeking Allah's forgiveness.
Ī
J
Jahannam
جهنمHellfire.
Jamā‘ah
الجماعةThe unified body of Muslims upon the truth.
Jannah
الجنةParadise — the eternal reward of the believers.
Jihād
الجهادStriving in the path of Allah.
Jinn
الجنBeings created from smokeless fire.
Jumu‘ah
الجمعةFriday — the weekly congregational prayer.
K
Ka‘bah
الكعبةThe cubic structure in the Sacred Mosque, Makkah.
Kāfir
الكافرDisbeliever.
Khabar al-Wāḥid (Aḥād)
خبر الواحدSingular reports — not mutawātir.
Khalīfah
الخليفةCaliph — successor and leader of the Muslims.
Khuṭbah
الخطبةA sermon — particularly the Friday sermon.
Kufr
الكفرDisbelief — rejecting Allah or what He revealed.
Kunyah
الكنيةHonorific by-name (Abū /Umm + child's name).
L
M
Mā shā' Allāh
ما شاء اللهWhat Allah has willed (has come to pass).
Maghfirah
المغفرةForgiveness from Allah.
Makrūh
مكروهDisliked but not forbidden.
Malā'ikah
الملائكةThe angels — created from light.
Manhaj
المنهجMethodology — the path of understanding and applying Islam.
Maqṭū‘
المقطوعAttributed to a Tābi‘ī only.
Marfū‘
المرفوعAttributed directly to the Prophet ﷺ.
Masjid
المسجدMosque — place of prostration.
Matn
المتنThe text/wording of the hadith.
Mawḍū‘
موضوعFabricated — falsely attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.
Mawlid
المولدCelebration of the Prophet's ﷺ birthday.
Mawqūf
الموقوفAttributed to a Companion only.
Mubāḥ
مباحPermissible — neither commanded nor forbidden.
Munqaṭi‘
المنقطعDisconnected — a narrator missing in the chain.
Mursal
المرسلA Tābi‘ī narrates directly from the Prophet ﷺ — skipping the Companion.
Mushrik
المشركOne who associates partners with Allah.
Muslim
المسلمOne who submits to Allah.
Mustaḥabb
مستحبRecommended.
Mutawātir
المتواترMass-transmitted — beyond doubt.
Muttafaq ‘alayh
متفق عليهAgreed upon by Bukhārī and Muslim.
N
Q
Qabr
القبرThe grave — first abode of the ākhirah.
Qadar
القدرAllah's decree and predestination.
Qadr
القدرAllah's divine decree — good and evil.
Qiblah
القبلةThe direction of the Ka‘bah faced in prayer.
Qiyāmah
القيامةThe Day of Resurrection and Judgement.
Qiyās
القياسAnalogical reasoning in fiqh.
Qur'ān
القرآنThe final revealed Book — the Speech of Allah.
R
Raḥmah
الرحمةMercy — Allah's overarching attribute.
Ramaḍān
رمضانThe ninth month of the Islamic calendar — month of obligatory fasting.
Ramaḍān
رمضانThe ninth month — month of obligatory fasting.
Rasūl
الرسولMessenger of Allah.
Rāwī
الراويA narrator of hadith.
Riyā'
الرياءShowing off in worship — the lesser shirk.
Rizq
الرزقProvision — what Allah apportions to His creation.
S
Salaf
السلفThe pious predecessors — first three generations.
Salaf
السلفThe first three generations of Muslims.
Sayyid
السيدMaster / leader — used for descendants of the Prophet ﷺ.
Shafā‘ah
الشفاعةIntercession on the Day of Judgement.
Shafā‘ah
الشفاعةIntercession on the Day of Judgement.
Shahādah
الشهادةThe testimony of faith.
Shahīd
الشهيدMartyr — one who dies in Allah's cause.
Sharī‘ah
الشريعةThe complete revealed law of Allah.
Shayṭān
الشيطانSatan — the sworn enemy of mankind.
Shirk
الشركAssociating partners with Allah.
Shukr
الشكرGratitude to Allah.
Suḥūr
السحورThe pre-dawn meal before fasting.
Sunnah
السنةThe way of the Prophet ﷺ — words, actions, approvals.
Sunnah
السنةThe way of the Prophet ﷺ.
Ṣ
Ṣabr
الصبرPatience and steadfastness.
Ṣadaqah
الصدقةVoluntary charity.
Ṣaḥābah
الصحابةThe Companions of the Prophet ﷺ.
Ṣaḥābī
الصحابيA Companion of the Prophet ﷺ.
Ṣaḥīḥ
صحيحAuthentic — the highest grade of hadith.
Ṣalāh
الصلاةThe five daily prayers — second pillar of Islam.
Ṣawm / Ṣiyām
الصوم / الصيامFasting — fourth pillar of Islam.
Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm
الصراط المستقيمThe Straight Path.
T
Ta‘ṭīl
التعطيلStripping Allah of His attributes.
Ta'wīl
التأويلInterpretation — sometimes the actual outcome of a matter.
Tabarruk
التبركSeeking blessing.
Tābi‘ūn
التابعونThe generation that met the Companions.
Tafsīr
التفسيرExplanation/exegesis of the Qur'an.
Taḥrīf
التحريفDistorting the texts of revelation.
Taqlīd
التقليدFollowing a scholar's ruling without knowing the evidence.
Taqwā
التقوىGod-consciousness — fearful awareness of Allah.
Tarbiyah
التربيةCultivation — especially upon authentic knowledge.
Tasbīḥ
التسبيحGlorifying Allah — saying Subḥān Allāh.
Tawakkul
التوكلReliance upon Allah.
Tawassul
التوسلSeeking nearness to Allah by a means.
Tawbah
التوبةRepentance.
Tawheed
التوحيدSingling Allah out for worship.
Tawheed al-Asma was-Sifat
توحيد الأسماء والصفاتAffirming Allah's names and attributes as He affirmed them.
Tawheed al-Uluhiyyah
توحيد الألوهيةDirecting all worship to Allah alone.
Tawheed ar-Rububiyyah
توحيد الربوبيةAllah alone is the Creator and Sustainer.
Tayammum
التيممDry purification with clean earth when water is unavailable.
The Ṣirāṭ (Bridge)
الصراطThe bridge over Hellfire on the Day of Judgement.