Glossary
B elow
are terms
related to the religion of Islam and the
reconstruction of
government in Iraq. The terms and phrases are listed
alphabetically.
Use the menu to jump to a section of terms
 Adhan:
The call for the daily prayers are called Adhan. The
person
who calls the Adhan is called a Mu'adhin. A Mu'adhin
calls
the Adhan five times a day before Muslims are to
perform their
daily salah (prayer).
>> more
Ahl ar-ra'y: People of opinion. It is
refers
to people that are consulted on Islamic matters.
These people
are highly learned in Islam.
Alim (also Aalim): Learned person
in Islam,
scholar.
Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin: Verse
recited by
Muslims many times during the day. It translates to:
"Praise
be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds."
Allah: God, the Lord. Allah is the Arabic
name of
God
Allahu akbar: This
statement
is said by Muslims numerous times. During the call
for prayer,
during prayer. Translated means, "Allah is the
Greatest."
>> more
Amin (also Aamin, Aameen, Ameen):
Custodian
or guardian. Someone who is loyal or faithful. Amir:
means
leader or commander.
Assalamu
alaikum: An
expression Muslims say whenever they meet one
another. It
is a statement of greeting with peace. It means: "Peace be upon you."
>> more
Awrah: Parts of the body that are not
supposed to
be exposed to others. For men, this is from the navel
to the
knee. For the women, it is all of her body except the
hands,
feet and face.
A'uzu billahi minashaitanir rajim: Expression
and statement Muslims recite before
reading
the Koran.
>> more
top
Batul: Ascetic. It is ascribed to
Fatimah (the
Prophet's daughter) and the Virgin Mary.
Covenant: Solemn agreement between two or
more persons
or groups, a compact between God and man. The Old
Testament
tells of the covenant the Jews made with Allah.
top
Da'wah: Inviting others to Islam.
Democracy: Government in which
the Supreme
Court is vested in the people and exercised by them
directly
or indirectly through a system of representation
usually involving
periodically held free elections.
Din: Way of life or religion.
Du'a: Prayer.
Dunya: This world or life, as opposed to the
Hereafer.
top
Fatwa: Legal opinion concerning Islamic
Law.
Fundamentalism: Movement or
attitude stressing
strict and literal adherence to a set of basic
principles.
top
Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca in modern-day Saudi Arabia.
It is one
of the five pillars of Islam. A Muslim is to perform
Hajj
at least once in his/her life, if means and health
allow.
>> more
Hijab: Scarf worn on the head
by Muslim
women.
Halqah: Group of students involved in the
study of
Islam.
top
Imam: Prayer leader of a
mosque (masjid).
Jahannam: Hell.
Jihad: Striving, effort, struggle;
striving
spiritually or physically against evil; colloquial
religious
war.
>> more
Jizyah: Tax paid by non-Muslims living in
a Muslim
State.
>> more
top
 Khalifah:
Successor or representative
of Muhammad or to one of his
successors. This
person acts as the head of state for the Muslim
Ummah.
>> more
Koran (also Qu'ran): Book composed of sacred writings accepted by Muslims
as revelations
made to Muhammad by Allah through the angel
Gabriel.
>> more
La ilaha illallah: Translates to: "There
is no lord worthy of worship except Allah."
>> more
Lunar calendar: In their
religious
duties, Muslims depend on solar and lunar calendars.
The latter
is shorter than the solar by 12 days. Fasting
the month
of Ramadan, celebrating the two major feasts ('Eid
Al-Fitr
and 'Eid Al-Adhha), performing the pilgrimage to
Mecca and
other religious activities depend upon the lunar
months.
>> more
top
|
|
|
Mihrab at the
Iridis Mosque
in Seattle.
|
Masjid (also mosque): Place of worship and
salah (prayer).
The life of the early Muslims used to revolve around
the masjid.
Meetings would be held there, discussions would take
place
there. It is called a 'mosque' in English.
Mihrab: Recess in the masjid that
indicates
the direction of salah (prayer).
Muadh-dhin: Person who performs the adhan (call to prayer).
top
Salaam: Peace, greetings.
Sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam: Translates to: "May the blessings and the peace of Allah be upon
him [Muhammad]."
>> more
Salah: Spiritual relationship and communication
between
the man and his creator. Salah is one of the
five pillars
of Islam. Salah is not to be confused with prayer;
the latter
could be interpreted as supplication (Du'a).
>> more
Sawm (also siyam): Total abstinence
of food and liquid, or fast, from dawn to sunset for one whole
lunar
month. Those who are married must also abstain from
sexual relations during that time. Takes place during the 9th
month
of the lunar calendar called Ramadan. Sawm is one
of the
five pillars of Islam.
>> more
Shaitan (also Shaitaan, Shaitan, Iblis, Satan; pl. Shayatin): Source of
evil in the world. He
always
tries to misguide and mislead people. The Koran
states that
Satan is not an angel, but a member of the Jinn.
>> more
Shariah: The revealed and
the canonical
laws of Islam.
>> more
Shiite: Muslim sect that believes Ali and the Imams are
the rightful
successors of Muhammed and the concealment and
Messianic
return of the last recognized Imam.
Sujud: Bowing during prayer. The root of
this word
is sajada, meaning one makes prostration to Allah
in his daily prayers. While in the position of
sujud, a Muslim
is to praise Almighty Allah and glorify him.
>> more
Sunni: Muslim sect that adheres to the orthodox tradition and
acknowledges the
first four caliphs as rightful successors of
Muhammed.
Surah (also sura): The
Koran
is comprised of 114 chapters, each of which is called
a Surah.
The plural of Surah is Suwar, meaning
chapters.
top
Torah: Revelation that God sent down
to Moses.
It is the Jewish Holy Book.
Ummah: Community or a people.
It is
used in reference to the community of believers or
Muslims.
top
Wa 'alaikumus
salam: Translates to: "And
upon you is the peace."
>> more
Zakah: One of the five pillars of Islam
meaning purification and increment of one's
wealth.
>> more
top
Glossary compiled by the Islam
- Faith
and Democracy group.
Glossary terms also provided by the Muslim Student
Association
(MSA) at USC: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/reference/glossary/
Related articles: Excerpts
from the Koran.
top
|
.focus())
