Islamic terminology

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

;
; () (for male) () (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 he originator ofPeace), 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.
; 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.)
; () : "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 hegreatest". Greater than anything or anyone, imaginable or unimaginable.
; () : 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.
; () : "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)) ()
; (): "Helpers." The Muslim converts at Medina who helped the Muslims from Mecca after the Hijrah.
; () : Article of faith, tenet, creed, or dogma.
; () : Islamic practice of shaving the head of the newborn male and contributing the weight in silver for charity as well as 2 lambs.
; (): Intelligence, intellect, mind, understanding
; ʾArkān singular rukn () : The five rukn "pillars" of Islam. (See rukn)
; A.S. (ʿAlayhi s-salām) (): This acronym evokes a blessing and is appended to the names of the prophets who came before Muhammad. It will also be applied to the mothers of those prophets. When following a woman's name, the feminine form is ʿAlayha s-salām.
; aṣaḥḥ: Arabic elative term, “more correct.” Used by Muslim scholars to introduce their own view while not entirely dismissing that of others.
; ʾAṣl () (pl. ʾuṣūl) : Root, origin, source; principle.
; ʾaslim taslam (): "Submit to Islam" (See dawah)
; (): List of God's 99 names. According to a hadith, the one who enumerates them all will enter Paradise.
; (): The third salat prayer. The time of the day before sunset and after noon. Also means "era".
; () : 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 just ʿAsharatu Mubashsharah ( or ): The ten companions of Muhammad who were promised paradise (only in Sunni Islam)
; () : 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.
; (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.
; (): Friends, protectors, helpers, caretaker, maintainer. (singular: wali)
; () : 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).
; () : 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).
; () : 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 (): the abode, or land, of Islam.
; Dār al-Kufr () : means domain of disbelief; the term originally refers to the Quraish-dominated society of Mecca between Mohammed's flight to Medina (the Hijra) and the city's conquest.
;Dār aṣ-Ṣulḥ (): domain of agreement
; Dār ash-shahāda () : ''See Dar al-Amn''
; Darūd (): blessing
; Daʿwah () : the call to Islam, proselytizing.
; Darwīš () : an initiate of the Sufi Path, one who practices Sufism
; Dhikr () : A devotional practice whereby the name of God is repeated in a rhythmical manner. Remembrance of God; spiritual exercise; Muslims believe that the primary function of prophets is to remind people of God. It is also pronounced zikr.
; Dhimmi () (pl. dhimam) : "protected person"; Jews and Christians (and sometimes others, 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.
; Diyyah (): "blood money", recompense for loss of a life.
; Div (): "demon", hideous creatures in Muslim beliefs.
; Duʿāʾ () : personal prayer, supplication
; Dunya (): The physical Universe, as opposed to the Hereafter; sometimes spelled ''Dunia''.

E

Eid al-Fitr ()

:Marks the end of Ramadan amzaan the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm).

Eid al-Adha

:Honours the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ishmael or Isaac as an act of obedience to God's command.

F

; Fadl: divine grace
; Fajarah () (also fujjār ()): Wicked evil doers. Plural of "fājir" ().
; fajr (): dawn, early morning, and the morning prayer. The time of the day when there is light in the horizon before sunrise.
; (): deliverance, salvation, well-being.
; Falsafah (): "philosophy" The methods and content of Greek philosophy which were brought into Islam. A person who tries to interpret Islam through rationalist philosophy was called a faylasuf (), "philosopher".
; () : Sufi term meaning extinction – a spiritual death of the lower self (Nafs) with associated bad characteristics. Having no existence outside of God.
; Faqīh ()(pl. fuqahāʾ)() : One who has a deep understanding of Islam, its laws, and jurisprudence. (see ''fiqh'')
; Al-Faraj (): the return of the Shia Mahdi
; (), plural furūḍ () : a religious duty, or an obligatory action: ''praying 5 times a day is fard.'' Neglecting a fard will result in a punishment in the hereafter. (See wajib)
; Farḍ ʿain ( ): obligatory on every individual Muslim to aid in any way he can.
; Farḍ kifāyah (): an obligation on the Muslim community as a whole, from which some are freed if others take it up such as for jihad.
; Fāsid (): corrupt, invalid/violable (in Islamic finance)
; Fāsiq (): anyone who has violated Islamic law; usually refers to one whose character has been corrupted (plural "fāsiqūn"); in the Quran it refers to unbelievers who derided God for using similes and parables (in the Quran).
; 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'')
; Fī sabīl allāh (): for the sake of Allah; common Islamic expression for performing acts such as charity or Jihad
; Fitna (pl. fitan) () : ''trial'' or ''tribulation''; also refers to any period of disorder, such as a civil war, or the period of time before the end of the world or any civil strife.

Fitnah:
(n) temptation, discord, civil war, trial

; (): innate disposition towards virtue, knowledge, and beauty. Muslims believe every child is born with fitrah.
; Furqān (): the criterion (of right and wrong, true and false); for example, the Qur'an as furqan.
; Fuwaysiqah (): vermin, evil from the root fasaqa meaning to deviate from the right way

G

; Ghafara (): (verb in past tense) to forgive, to cover up (sins). A characteristic of God.
; Ghaflah (): heedlessness, forgetfulness of God, indifference
; Ghayb (): the unseen, unknown.
; Ghanīmah (): spoils of war, booty.
; Gharar (): excessive uncertainty; 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.
; () : 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 ()): pilgrimage to Mecca. Sunnis regard this as the fifth Pillar of Islam. See Dhu al-Hijjah.
;Ḥajj at-Tamattuʿ (): performing ʿUmrah during the Hajj season, and on the Day of Tarwiah a pilgrim gets into the state of Ihram for Hajj. Before making ʿUmrah, approach the Miqat and declare the intention. End by sacrificing an animal.
; Ḥajj al-Qirān () : At Miqat, declare intention to perform both Hajj and 'Umrah together. After throwing the Jamrah of Al-'Aqabah, and getting hair shaved or cut that take off his Ihram garments and sacrifice animal.
; Ḥajj al-ʾIfrād () : At Miqat, declare intention for Hajj only. Maintain Ihram garments up to the Day of Sacrifice. No offering is required from him.
; () : a ruler's or governor's title; in some Muslim states, a judge. See Ahkam.
; Ḥākimīya () : sovereignty, governance.
; () : lawful, permitted, good, beneficial, free from sin praiseworthy, honourable. Doing a halal action won't result in punishment in the hereafter (See mustahabb, mandub)
; Ḥalaqah () : A gathering or meeting for the primary purpose of learning about Islam.
;Ḥalq () : Shaving of the head, particularly associated with pilgrimage to Mecca
; () : pre-Islamic non-Jewish or non-Christian monotheists. Plural: ().
; Ḥaqq (ّ): truth, reality, right, righteousness. Al-Haqq is one of 99 names of God.
; () : sinful
; () : sanctuary.
; (): Good, beautiful, admirable. Also a categorization of a hadith's authenticity as "acceptable". (other categorizations include authentic and fabricated).
; Hawa () (pl. ʾahwāʾ ()) : Vain or egotistical desire; individual passion; impulsiveness.
; Hidāyah () : guidance from God.
; () : literally "cover". It describes the covering of the body for the purposes of modesty and dignity; broadly, a prescribed system of attitudes and behaviour regarding modesty and dignity. (See abayah, al-amira, burqa, chador, jilbab, khimar, milfeh, niqab, purdah, shayla)
; Hijra () : Muhammad and his followers' emigration from Mecca to Medina. Literally, "migration". This holiday marks the beginning of the Muslim New Year on the first day of the month of Muharram. See '' Rabi' al-awwal'' and abbreviation '' AH''.
; Ḥikmah (also ''Hikmat'') () : Literally this means "wisdom" and refers to the highest possible level of understanding attainable by a Muslim. In particular, it refers to the illuminative, mystical sort of wisdom that a Gnostic or Sufi might attain.
; Hilāl () : Crescent moon.
; () : wilderness reserve, protected forest, grazing commons; a concept of stewardship
; () : One half of a juz', or roughly 1/60th of the Qur'an
; Hudā () : Guidance.
; Hudna () : Truce. Cease-fire (often temporary)
; () (sing. hadd) : Literally, limits or boundaries. Usually refers to limits placed by Allah on man; penalties of the Islamic law (sharia) for particular crimes described in the Qur'an – intoxication, theft, rebellion, adultery and fornication, false accusation of adultery, and apostasy. (See ''ta'zeer'')
; (): ruling in the Qur'an or Sunnah. Also spelled Hukum.
; Ḥūrī ('; pl. ') : beautiful and pure young men and women that Muslims believe inhabit Paradise, or Heaven.

I

; (): submission, worship, but not limited to ritual: all expressions of servitude to Allah, including the pursuit of knowledge, living a pious life, helping, charity, and humility, can be considered ibadah.
; ʾIblīs (): Devil banished to Hell for his arrogance and disobedience; aka Satan.
; ʿId (): festival or celebration. Alternatively transliterated Eid.
; (): "the Festival of Sacrifice." The four-day celebration starting on the tenth day of Dhul-Hijja.
; (): "the Festival of Fitr (Breaking the fast)." A religious festival that marks the end of the fast of Ramadan.
; (): a meal eaten by Muslims breaking their fast after sunset during the month of Ramadan.
; (): state of consecration for hajj. Includes dress and or prayer.
; (): perfection in worship, such that Muslims try to worship God as if they see Him, and although they cannot see Him, they undoubtedly believe He is constantly watching over them.
; ʾIḥtiyāṭ (): Also Ahwat. A Precaution, either obligatory or optional.
; ʾIḥtiyāṭ mustaḥabb(ّ) : A preferred precaution.
; ʾIḥtiyāṭ wājib(): An obligatory precaution.
; ʾIʿjāz (): miracle, the character of the Qur'an in both form and content.
; ʾIjāzah (): a certificate authorizing one to transmit a subject or text of Islamic knowledge
; (): the consensus of either the ummah (or just the ulema) – one of four bases of Islamic Law. More generally, political consensus itself. Shi'a substitute obedience to the Imam; opposite of ikhtilaf
; ʾIjtihād (): During the early times of Islam, the possibility of finding a new solution to a juridical problem. Has not been allowed in conservative Islam since the Middle Ages. However, Liberal movements within Islam generally argue that any Muslim can perform ijtihad, given that Islam has no generally accepted clerical hierarchy or bureaucratic organization. The opposite of ijtihad is taqlid (), Arabic for "imitation".
; ʾIkhtilāf (): disagreement among the madhhabs (scholars) of a religious principle; opposite of ijma.
;ʾIkrām (): honouring, hospitality, generosity – Dhul jalaali wal ikraam is one of the 99 names of Allah.
; ʾIkrāh () : mental or physical force.
; ʾIlāh (): deity, a god; including gods worshiped by polytheists.
; (): all varieties of knowledge, usually a synonym for science
; ʾImām (): literally, leader; e.g. a man who ''leads'' a community or ''leads'' the prayer; the Shi'a sect use the term only as a title for one of the twelve Allah-appointed successors of Muhammad.
; ʾImāmah () or imamate : successorship of Muhammad and the leadership of mankind.
; ʾImān (): personal faith
; ʾInna lilāhi wa ʾinna ʾilaihi rājiʿūn () : To Allah we belong and to Him is our return – said to mourners
; ʾInfāq (): the habitual inclination to give rather than take in life; the basis for charity
; ʾInjīl (): Arabic term for the holy book called The Gospel said to have been given to Jesus, who is known as Isa in Arabic; Muslims believe the holy book has been corrupted and modified, and the New Testament gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are not the word of Allah, only Christian stories about Jesus.
; ʾIn shāʾa -llāh (): "If God wills"; Inshallah is "resigned, accepting, neutral, passive. It is neither optimistic nor pessimistic

; Iqamah, ʾIqāmah (): the second call to prayer. Similar to the azhan.
; ʾIrtidād (): apostasy (see murtadd). Also ''riddah''
; (): Jesus – 'Isa ibn Maryam (English: Jesus son of Mary), (a matronymic since he had no biological father). The Qur'an asserts that Allah has no sons and therefore, 'Isa is not the son of Allah. Muslims honor 'Isa as a nabi and rasul.
; (): night; the fifth salat prayer
; ʾIṣlāḥ (): "reform". This term may mean very different things, depending on the context. When used in reference to reform of Islam, it may mean modernism, such as that proposed by Muhammad Abduh; or Salafi literalism, such as that preached by Muhammad Nasiruddin al-AlbaniHabib Ali Jifri on Shaykh al-Buti
Marifah forum
; 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.
; () : "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;
; Jihād aṣ-ṣaghīr () : Offensive jihad declared by caliph.
; Jihād aṭ-ṭalab (): Offensive jihad.
; Jihād ad-dafʿa () : Defensive jihad.
; Jihād bil-māl (): Financial jihad.
; Jilbāb () : (pl. ''jalabib'') a long, flowing, garment worn by some as a more conservative means of fulfillment of sartorial hijab. (See also: abaya. burka, chador)
;Jinn (ّ) : A term referring to invisible beings (including angels, souls, foreign humans, satans, the Devil, etc.), also the name of specific type of unseen creatures capable of salvation.
;Jizya (): A tax specified in the Quran (9:29) to be paid by non-Muslim males living under Muslim political control.
;Juḥod () : To deny. Jaahid (the denier). Disbelief out of rejection. When there comes to them that which they houldhave recognized, they refuse to believe in (kafaru) it. ( 2:89) Accordingly, juhud includes rejection (kufr at-taktheeb) and resistance (kufr al-'inaad)
; () : Friday prayer or Sabbath.
; Juzʾ () : one of thirty parts of the Qur'an.

K

; () : cube-house; i.e., the cube-shaped building in Mecca which Muslims face to pray.
; Kāfir - non-Muslim (kāfir sing.; كفّار kuffār pl.) : from the word kafara, "to hide." Those who deliberately hide the truth; non-Muslims in Islamic or non-Islamic countries or states, unbelievers, truth-concealers; one who is ungrateful to God as per Islam. Common derogatory term used by different Islamic factions such as sunni and shias to denounce each other as non-Muslims. Plural: Kāfirūn. Commonly used as an offensive term for black people by white South Africans.
; Kalām () (ʿilm al-kalām) : Literally, "words" or "speech," and referring to oration. The name applied to the discipline of philosophy and theology concerned specifically with the nature of faith, determinism and freedom, and the nature of the divine attributes.
; Khair (): Every kind of good
; Khalīfah () : Caliph, more generally, one performing the duties of khilafa.
; Khalīl () : devoted friend
; Khalq () : Creation – the act of measuring; determining, estimating and calculating. Khalq is the noun form of the verb khalaqa (see bara, sawwara).
; Al-khāliq (): The Creator, Allah.
; Khamr (): Intoxicant, wine.
; (): the speaker at the Friday Muslim prayer, or Jumu'ah prayer.
; Khatm (): to finish - refers to the complete recitation of the Qur'an.
; Kharāj () : a land tax.
; Khayr : goodness. See birr (righteousness) See qist (equity) See 'adl (equilibrium and justice) See haqq (truth and right) See ma'ruf (known and approved) See taqwa (piety.)
;khilāf (): Controversy, dispute, discord.
; Khilāfah () : Man's trusteeship and stewardship of Earth; Most basic theory of the Caliphate; Flora and fauna as sacred trust; Accountability to; God for harms to nature, failure to actively care and maintain. Three specific ways in which khalifa is manifested in Muslim practice are the creation of haram to protect water, hima to protect other species (including those useful to man), and by resisting infidel domination over Muslim lands, in jihad.
; Khilwa, () : An offense consisting of being caught alone in private with a member of the opposite sex who is not an immediate family member.
; 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).
; (): 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
; () : 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.
; () : 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
; () : consensus of the community
; () 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
; () : the (Biblical) Messiah, Jesus Christ
; Masjid () pl. masājid, : place of prayer; mosque
; Masjid al-Ḥarām () : the mosque surrounding the Kaʿbah in Mecca.
; or (): Non-Arab Muslims
;Mawlā awlan () l. 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
; () : suras Al-Falaq and an-Nas, the "Surahs of refuge", should be said to relieve suffering (also protect from Black Magic)
; () : 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)
; (ّ) : 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
; () : 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'').
; (): 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.''
; () : 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
; () : "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.
; () :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.
; () : 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; the Qur'an is composed of 114 suras

T

;Taʿāla (): Almighty
; Tābiʿīn (): followers of the Ṣaḥābah
; Tafsīr (): exegesis, particularly such commentary on the Qur'an
; Ṭāghūt () (taghout): "false god" or idol; also tyranny.
; Tahajjud (): optional (supererogatory), late-night (pre-dawn) prayer
; Ṭahārah (): purification from ritual impurities by means of wudu or ghusl
; Ṭāhir (): pure, ritually clean
; Tahlīl () : Uttering the formula of faith: "Lā ilāha illā -llāh", (i.e. "There is no god but God"); Tahmid ():Tahmid means to praise Allah or saying "Alhamdillah".It derives from the same root as Muhammad, mahmud and hamid(hmd) which means praise in Arabic.
; Taḥnīk (): 'Tahnik' is an Islamic ceremony of touching the lips of a newborn baby with honey, sweet juice or pressed dates.
; (): corruption, forgery. Muslims believe the Bible Scriptures were corrupted but the Qur'an is in its original form.
; Tajdīd (): to purify and reform society in order to move it toward greater equity and justice, literally meaning to make new in present tense
; Tajdīf (): blasphemy
; Tajwīd (): a special manner of reciting the Qur'an according to prescribed rules of pronunciation and intonation.
; Takāful ( ): Based on sharia Islamic law, it is a form of mutual insurance. See retakaful.
; Takbīr (): a proclamation of the greatness of Allah; a Muslim invocation.
; takhsis (, also ''takhsees''): in ''fiqh'', a qualification of a general ruling ''aam'' so that it only applies in certain cases.
; 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
; (): 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
; () 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
; () : 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)
; () : 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". (see 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.
; () : "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,hadith about ''wahn''
searchtruth.com 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, and 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 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."

See also

* 99 Names of God
* Arabic Ontology
* History of Islam
* Islamic eschatology
* List of Christian terms in Arabic
* List of English words of Arabic origin
* Prophets of Islam

References

Further reading

* Suzanne Haneef, ''What Everyone Should Know about Islam and Muslims'', (Kazi Publications, Chicago), popular introduction
* Muzaffar Haleem, ''The Sun is Rising In the West'', (Amana Publications, Beltsville, MD 1999).
* Ziauddin Sardar, ''Muhammad for Beginners'', Icon Books, 1994, some fun, from very modern Sufi point of view.
* Hans Wehr, '' A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic'' (Spoken Language Services, Ithaca, NY, 1976). ed. J. Milton Cowan. .
* Islam in the World by Malise Ruthven (Gantra Publications, 2006)

External links

Voiced Dictionary of Islamic and Arabic Key Words



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