A
ablution:
Required washing of the arms, face, head, and feet prior to praying, reading the Koran, or engaging in other acts of worship.
Adam:
The first man, created by Allah out of clay. Known as the father of humankind and the first prophet.
Adhan:
The call for prayer announced by a mosque.
Allah:
The sole Creator of the universe, and eternal Supreme Being.
Al Barzakh:
The realm in which the souls of the dead live. Literally the “partition”; that is, the time between death and the resurrection.
Al Mahdi:
A caliph who is prophesied to appear in the future and lead gruesome battles near the end of time.
Al Massih Al Dajjal:
An evil creature that will appear in the time of Al Mahdi and claim he is God. He is one of the major signs of the Last Day.
angel:
A creature of light made to obediently serve Allah.
Angel Azrael:
The Angel of Death, who captures the souls of the deceased.
Angel Gabriel:
The angel who brought down revelations to Allah's messengers, and the one holding the highest position among the angels.
Arabic:
An ancient language that is still in use today among Arabs. It is the language of the Koran.
awra:
Part of the body that must be covered, i.e., from navel to knee for a man.
aya (or ayah):
Koranic verse.
B, D
Buraq:
The creature that carried Muhammad to the Heavens and back on Isra Wal Miraj.
Dabba:
A creature that Allah will release just shortly before the Last Day. It will speak to people and mark believers from nonbelievers.
Declaration of Faith:
An oath declaring belief in Allah as the only God, and in Muhammad as His slave and messenger.
E
Eden:
One of the elite Heavens.
Eid:
Muslim celebration. They are two: Eid Al Fitr, and Eid Al Adha.
Eve:
Adam's wife, created from his body.
F
fard:
Compulsory act or practice, such as fasting Ramadan.
fasting:
Refraining from food, water, and foul behavior from the dawn prayer to the sunset prayer.
G
Gospel:
The Holy Book revealed to Jesus.
H
Hadith:
Quotes of Prophet Muhammad.
halal:
Permitted act or practice.
Hajj:
Pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca, performed at a certain time every year. Required at least once in a Muslim's lifetime unless too difficult for health or financial reasons.
haram:
Unlawful.
Hasana:
Good deed.
I
Iblis:
A creature of the jinn who was banished from the Heavens and cursed until the Last Day for refusing to obey Allah's command. Also known as Satan.
Iftar:
The meal that breaks the fast of a fasting person at sunset.
Ihram:
A pilgrim's costume, composed only of a white terrycloth, and his state of purity.
iman:
Faith.
Imam:
In mainstream Islam, an Imam is an elite Muslim scholar and the person who leads Muslims in group prayers. Shia's Imam is a Muslim supreme guide from Allah.
Islam:
The religion of the Koran, built on belief in the Six Pillars of Faith as well as prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, declaration of faith, and spending toward charity.
Isra Wal Miraj (Night Journey):
Prophet Muhammad's journey to the Heavens and back.
J, K, M
Jannah:
Heaven.
Jesus:
The prophet to whom the Gospel was revealed. Believed in Islam to be created out of nothing inside his virgin mother Mary. He was able to cure the blind and raise the dead by Allah's will. He ascended to the Heavens alive and did not die on the cross according to Islamic teachings.
Jihad:
Exerting an effort for Allah's cause.
jinn:
Creatures that were created out of fire. Among them are demons and decent Muslim jinn. They can see humans but humans can't detect them.
Kaaba:
The cube-shaped structure built by Prophet Abraham in Mecca believed to be directly aligned with Allah's throne in the Heavens.
Koran:
The Holy Book revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Believed to be 100 percent the word of Allah.
mahr:
A gift a groom offers his bride.
makrooh:
Undesirable act or behavior.
Mecca:
City in Saudi Arabia where the Kaaba is located. It is the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad, and the primary place of worship for Muslims.
Medina:
City in Saudi Arabia to which Prophet Muhammad migrated to escape the brutality of the Quraish.
Muhammad:
The last of all the prophets, to whom the Koran was revealed.
mubaah:
Permitted.
Munkar:
One of the two angels who interrogate a soul in the grave. (See also Nakir.)
Mujahid (plural, Mujahideen):
Person who strives in the cause of Allah.
Muslim:
Person who believes in the Six Pillars of Faith and practices the Five Pillars of Islam. He or she believes in Allah as the only God.
mustahab:
Desirable act or behavior.
N
Nakir:
One of the two angels who interrogate the soul in the grave. (See also Munkar.)
Night of Power:
One of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan, in which the Koran descended onto the Preserved Tablet.
P
Preserved Tablet:
A board on which the past, present, and future of everything is recorded. It also contains the Holy Koran. It is located in the Heavens where no creature can reach it.
prophet:
A messenger appointed by Allah to invite a community to believe in Him.
Q
qadar:
Fate.
qibla:
The direction of the Kaaba, which Muslims face in prayer.
Quraish:
Prophet Muhammad's tribe.
R
Rakaa:
A portion of a Muslim prayer. The shortest prayer is made up of two Rakaas.
rassool (also rasul):
Prophet.
Ramadan:
A month in the Islamic calendar during which Muslims fast.
S
salaat:
Prayer.
shariah:
Islamic jurisprudence.
shaitan (or shaytan); plural, shayateen:
An evil jinn; a devil or demon.
Shia:
A sector of Muslims with a slightly different approach from mainstream Islam. Also known as Shiites.
Suhoor:
The meal taken just before the dawn prayer during Ramadan. Charges the body with a supply of energy to help it last a day of fasting.
Sunni:
Person who follows the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.
Sunnah:
The tradition, chronicles, habits, and quotes of Prophet Muhammad. Together with the Koran, it makes up Islam.
Surah (also Sura):
A chapter in the Koran.
T, Z
Torah:
The Holy Book revealed to Prophet Moses of Judaism.
Zakat:
Obligatory charity and part of the Five Pillars of Islam.
