مُعْجَم
Glossary of Islamic terms
Common words you'll meet on Sakeenah, explained in plain language.
- ﷺ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم
- “God’s peace and blessings be upon him.” Written after the Prophet Muhammad’s name.
- Adhan أَذَان
- The call to prayer, recited aloud before each of the five daily prayers.
- Akhirah آخِرَة
- The Hereafter: life after death, judgement, and the eternal abode.
- Alhamdulillah الحَمْدُ لِلَّه
- “All praise is for God.” Said in gratitude, in good times and bad.
- Allah الله
- The Arabic word for God, the One Creator, also used by Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews.
- Allahu Akbar اللهُ أَكْبَر
- “God is greater.” Said in prayer, in joy and in wonder.
- Ayah آيَة
- A verse of the Qur’an. The word also means “sign”.
- Bismillah بِسْمِ الله
- “In the name of God.” Said before eating, reading, travelling and starting good things.
- Dhikr ذِكْر
- Remembrance of God through short phrases of praise, thanks and glorification.
- Du‘a دُعَاء
- Personal prayer or supplication, in any language, at any time.
- Eid عِيد
- Festival. Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr after Ramadan and Eid al-Adha during the Hajj season.
- Fajr فَجْر
- The dawn prayer, the first of the five daily prayers.
- Fiqh فِقْه
- Islamic jurisprudence: how scholars understand and apply the rulings of the Shari‘ah.
- Hadith حَدِيث
- A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
- Hajj حَجّ
- The pilgrimage to Makkah, required once in a lifetime of every Muslim who is able.
- Halal حَلَال
- Permitted, lawful.
- Haram حَرَام
- Forbidden. Also used for a sacred place, as in al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah.
- Hijab حِجَاب
- Modest covering; most often refers to the headscarf worn by many Muslim women.
- Hijrah هِجْرَة
- The Prophet’s migration from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE, which starts the Islamic calendar.
- Iman إِيمَان
- Faith: belief in the heart, affirmed by the tongue and lived through actions.
- In sha Allah إِنْ شَاءَ الله
- “If God wills.” Said when speaking of the future.
- Isnad إِسْنَاد
- The chain of narrators through which a hadith was passed down.
- Jannah جَنَّة
- Paradise, the Garden.
- Jihad جِهَاد
- Striving or struggle in God’s way: above all the inner struggle against one’s own ego; it also covers defending the oppressed under strict ethical rules.
- Jumu‘ah جُمُعَة
- Friday congregational prayer, with a sermon (khutbah).
- Ka‘bah كَعْبَة
- The cube-shaped house of worship in Makkah built by Abraham and Ishmael. Muslims face it in prayer.
- Mash’Allah مَا شَاءَ الله
- “What God has willed.” Said in admiration, acknowledging that blessings come from God.
- Masjid مَسْجِد
- Mosque, literally “place of prostration”.
- Qiblah قِبْلَة
- The direction of the Ka‘bah, which Muslims face in prayer.
- Ramadan رَمَضَان
- The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the month of fasting in which the Qur’an was first revealed.
- Sadaqah صَدَقَة
- Voluntary charity of any kind, even a kind word or a smile.
- Sahabah صَحَابَة
- The Companions: those who met the Prophet ﷺ as believers.
- Salah صَلَاة
- The ritual prayer offered five times a day.
- Salam سَلَام
- Peace. Muslims greet one another with “As-salamu ‘alaykum”, peace be upon you.
- Seerah سِيرَة
- The biography of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
- Shahadah شَهَادَة
- The testimony of faith: there is no god but God, and Muhammad is His messenger.
- Shari‘ah شَرِيعَة
- The path: the guidance of Islam covering worship, ethics and law.
- Subhan Allah سُبْحَانَ الله
- “Glory be to God.” Said in praise and wonder.
- Sunnah سُنَّة
- The way of the Prophet ﷺ: his teachings, practice and example.
- Surah سُورَة
- A chapter of the Qur’an. There are 114.
- Tafsir تَفْسِير
- Explanation and commentary on the meaning of the Qur’an.
- Tawhid تَوْحِيد
- The oneness of God, the central belief of Islam.
- Ummah أُمَّة
- The worldwide community of Muslims.
- Wudu وُضُوء
- Ablution: washing the hands, face, arms and feet before prayer.
- Zakah زَكَاة
- Obligatory annual charity, usually 2.5% of savings above a threshold, given to those in need.