KEY TERMS USED IN ISLAM


NOTE: There is a wide variance of English spellings for terms used in Islam.



Al-Qur’an, Qur’an, Koran:

Qur’an literally means reading or recitation.  This refers to the holy book of Islam.  It is said to be
revealed by the Angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years.  The Arabic Quran is believed to be the perfect
replica of the original in heaven.

Ablution:

Ritual washing before the prescribed daily prayers.

Adhan:            

Call to prayer by the muezzins.

Allah:

Viewed as the proper name of the only Supreme Being (God).  The claim is that there is            no
corresponding word in any other language on earth.

(Might ask them about the Hebrew (YHWH) pronounced “Yahweh” or “Jehovah”

Angels:

They do believe that Allah has created these spirit beings.

Ayat:

The Qur’an is written in 114 chapters (Surahs) and with verses called Ayats.

Caliph:

Title of the political and spiritual leaders who follow Muhammad.

Day of resurrection:

The last day, on which the bodies of the deceased are to be resurrected and judged by Allah.

Deen or Al-Deen

Muslim religious practices.  “The way of life, as it is not a religion of rituals but a             complete way of
life including spiritual, social, economical and political systems         providing guidance for private,
public, national and international issues.

Five Pillars of Islam:

The chief duties of Muslims: Recite the creed, pray five times a day, fast during the         Month of
Ramadan, give alms (religious tax) and make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least      once.

Gabriel:

The “divine messenger,” the angel through whom Allah revealed the Qur’an to   Muhammad.

Ghazwa:

A military force lead by either an apostle or an imam.

Hadith:

A story, and oral tradition later written down of what Muhammad was said to have stated,         did, or
approved of.  To Muslims the Hadith has about the same authority as the Qur’an.

Hafiz:

One who memorizes the total Quran.

Hajj:

Pilgrimage to Mecca in the lunar month of Zul-Hajj.

Hell (fire):

The place of torment.  It is said to have seven divisions or portals.

Hijra:

Muhammad’s flight from Mecca to Medina in AD 622, the date used by Muslims to      divide all time and
begin the Muslim era.

Hira Cave:

Cave where Muhammad received the first revelations of the Quran.

Iman:

Faith, belief

Imam:

One who leads the ritual prayer and is spiritual leader of the Muslim community.

Injel:

The Gospels as originally given, before their corruption by Christian leaders, according to           Muslims;
Literally “Good News”

Isa (al-Masih):

Arabic word for (Christ/Messiah – The Anointed One)

Ishmael (Isma’il):

First son of Abraham through his wife’s maid, Hagar (Muslims believe that the promise of God came
through Ishmael, not Isaac.)

Islam:

The religion revealed to Muhammad; the word means surrender or submission to the will          of Allah.

Jihad:

An effort or strife, Holy fighting in the Cause of Allah or any other effort to make Allah’s            word
superior.  Jihad is regarded as one of the principles of al-Islam.

Jinn:

A spirit being made of smokeless flame that can be good or bad created before Adam.              Can
manifest themselves to men at will, mostly in the animal form.

Jizya:

A tax taken from non-Muslims who are under the protection of the Muslim government.

Juz:

One of thirty parts of the Quran. (This is a fairly new idea)

Ka’bah or Kaa’ba:

A cubicle stone building in the court of the Sacred Mosque in Mecca (Makkah) toward             which
Muslims pray and around which they circle during their pilgrimage (They touch or        kiss the sacred
black stone in the corner of the Ka’bah.  Muslims believe this to have    been built first by Adam and
again by Abraham (Ibrahim) and Ishmael (Isma’il) after the        flood).  It is further believed that the Ka’bah
is the place where Abraham offered Ishmael           unto Allah.  This stone building is 55 feet in length and
45 feet wide and a little over 45    feet high.

Mecca (Makkah):

City in Saudi Arabia; the birthplace of Muhammad, considered the most holy city of       Islam.

Medina (or al-Madina):

The second most holy city of Islam (It is located to the north of Mecca.  Median is the   city to which
Muhammad fled in AD 622.)

Minaret:

A tower of a mosque from which the call to prayer is made five times a day.

Mohammedan:

A term applied by unbelievers.  Never used by a Muslim as they perceive the term to be            indicative
of worshipping Muhammad.

Mosque:

Muslim place of worship.

Muazzin

The Mosque official who calls the faithful to prayer.

Muhammad:

Founder of Islam; born in Mecca around AD 570 and died there in AD 632 (He is believe        by Muslims to
be Allah’s final and greatest prophet.).  Most Muslims believe he could       neither read nor write.  It is
written in Arabic and continues to be used in that language.

Muslim:

One who submits to Allah; a follower of Muhammad.

Paradise:

Gardens of Paradise.  Place of eternal reward for faithful Muslims.

PBUH

“Peace and Blessings Upon Him” phrase used when the name of Muhammad is used.

Rabb:

English translation would be “Lord.” Stands for Master, Owner, Sustainer, Provider,     Guardian,
Sovereign, Ruler.  This term is also used to refer to the one God.

Ramadan:       

The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar devoted to fasting during the daylight         hours in
celebration of the Qur’an’s first being revealed to humanity.

Rasool or Rasul (Prophet/Apostle)

A partial list of those believed to be prophets include Ibrahim (Abraham), Lut (Lot),      Musa (Moses), Isa
(Jesus), Yahya (John the Baptist)

Ruh:

The Soul of man.  A man is a component of body and soul, when the soul leaves the body         the person
is dead.

Salat:

Prayer, primarily the five daily ritual prayers required of all Muslims where they bow      toward Mecca.

Sawm or Saum:          

Fasting during the Month of Ramadan.

Shahadah:

The recitation of the Muslim creed: “I declare there is no god but Allah, and I declare that          
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

Shaitan:

Satan.

Shites (or Shi’ites):

A major Islamic sect that believes that only Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali, was the true   successor of
Muhammad (All others through the process of succession are considered      usurpers.)  This sect is
prominent in Iran and represents a majority in southern Iraq.



Shariah:

Muslim religious/political law; the outward path that follows the Quran, the Hadith,         official traditions,
and legal decisions by Islamic jurists over the centuries.

Shirk:

The association of any other being or entity with Allah (Christians are shirkers, because they place Jesus
on a par with God)

Sufis:

A small mystical sect of Islam that renounces the world.

Sunni:

The major sect of Islam making up about 85% of the Islamic population.  Sunnis believe            that the
true line of succession from Muhammad is through the four caliphs, Abu Bakr,        ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and
“Ali.)

Surah, Sura or Surat:

Is one of 114 chapters that make up the Qur’an.  Except for the first Surah the longest is            at the
beginning of the Quran and the shortest is at the end.  The Qur’an is not written in     any historical or
sequential pattern.

Tawrat:

Torah, the first five books of the Bible written by Moses

Yahya:

John the baptist

Zakat:

Almsgiving.  The 2.5% offering. One of the five pillars of Islam.

Zaboor:

The Psalms given by God through the Prophet David.