Islamic Glossary

Common terms explained simply.

Dhikr — Remembrance of Allah, often through repeated phrases of praise or gratitude.
Dua — A personal supplication or prayer of request made to Allah, distinct from the formal ritual prayer.
Fiqh — Islamic jurisprudence, the human understanding and application of Islamic law.
Ghusl — A full-body ritual purification required after certain events, such as before Friday prayer or after major impurity.
Hadith — A recorded saying or report of the Prophet Muhammad, distinct from the Quran itself.
Hajj — The pilgrimage to Mecca, obligatory once in a lifetime for Muslims who are physically and financially able.
Halal — Permissible according to Islamic law.
Haram — Forbidden according to Islamic law.
Iftar — The meal eaten to break the fast at sunset during Ramadan.
Imam — A person who leads congregational prayer, often also a community religious leader.
Iman — Faith or belief, inner conviction in the core tenets of Islam.
Jahannam — Hell, the place of punishment in the afterlife.
Jannah — Paradise, the eternal reward promised to the righteous in the afterlife.
Jumu'ah — The Friday congregational prayer, performed in place of the regular midday prayer.
Khutbah — A sermon, most commonly the one delivered before Friday congregational prayer.
Kufr — Disbelief or rejection of the core truths of Islam.
Masjid — A mosque, the place of Muslim congregational worship.
Qibla — The direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, faced during prayer.
Sadaqah — Voluntary charity given beyond the obligatory Zakat.
Salah — The five daily ritual prayers performed by Muslims, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Sawm — Fasting, particularly the obligatory fast observed throughout the month of Ramadan.
Shahada — The declaration of faith affirming the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad.
Shirk — Associating partners with Allah, considered the gravest sin in Islam.
Suhoor — The meal eaten before dawn to prepare for the day's fast during Ramadan.
Sunnah — The sayings, actions, and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad, serving as a model for Muslim life.
Taqwa — God-consciousness; mindfulness of Allah that guides a person's actions and choices.
Tawhid — The Islamic concept of the absolute oneness of Allah.
Ummah — The global community of Muslims, considered one body regardless of nationality or background.
Wudu — The ritual washing performed before prayer.
Zakat — The obligatory annual charity given by Muslims who meet the Nisab threshold, typically 2.5% of eligible savings.
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