Terms tagged Pillars relate to the five pillars of Islam. For Muslim names and what they mean, see our guide to Islamic names.
Showing 150 of 150 terms
A
- AdhanPrayerأَذَان
- The Islamic call to prayer, announced before each of the five daily prayers to invite people to pray. Read what the adhan means, its words and English translation.
- AdhkarWorshipأَذْكَار
- Plural of dhikr; remembrances and supplications that many Muslims recite at set times, such as morning, evening and after prayer.
- AkhirahBeliefآخِرَة
- The Hereafter or afterlife; the eternal life that follows death and the Day of Judgment.
- AlhamdulillahPhrasesالحَمْدُ لِلَّه
- "All praise is due to God." An expression of gratitude used frequently by Muslims. Read what alhamdulillah means in Arabic and Islam.
- Allahu AkbarPhrasesاللَّهُ أَكْبَر
- "God is the Greatest." A declaration of God's supremacy, used in prayer and daily life.
- AmanahEthicsأَمَانَة
- Trust or responsibility; the moral obligation to fulfill one's duties and keep promises.
- AqeedahBeliefعَقِيدَة
- Islamic creed or theology; the core beliefs of Islam.
- AsrPrayerعَصْر
- The late-afternoon prayer; the third of the five daily obligatory prayers.
- AstaghfirullahPhrasesأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّه
- "I seek forgiveness from God." An expression of repentance and humility. Read what astaghfirullah means in Arabic and Islam.
- AwrahFiqhعَوْرَة
- The parts of the body that Islamic law says should be covered in front of others. Schools of law define it slightly differently.
- AyahQur'anآيَة
- A verse of the Qur'an; literally means "sign" or "miracle."
B
- Bai'ahGovernanceبَيْعَة
- A pledge of allegiance given to a leader or authority in Islamic governance.
- BarakahSpiritualityبَرَكَة
- Divine blessing, grace, or spiritual benefit that God bestows.
- BarzakhBeliefبَرْزَخ
- The intermediate realm between death and the Day of Resurrection.
- Bid'ahFiqhبِدْعَة
- Innovation in religious matters; practices introduced into worship without precedent from the Prophet ﷺ. Scholars define its scope in different ways.
- BismillahPhrasesبِسْمِ اللَّه
- "In the name of God." Many Muslims say it before starting an action, reciting the Qur'an or eating.
D
- Da'wahCommunityدَعْوَة
- The act of inviting people to Islam; outreach and sharing the message of the faith.
- DeenFoundationsدِين
- Religion or way of life. Muslims often use it for Islam as a whole, covering belief, worship and conduct.
- DhikrWorshipذِكْر
- Remembrance of God through repeated phrases, prayers, and contemplation. Read what dhikr is in our guide to Islamic spirituality.
- DhuhrPrayerظُهْر
- The midday prayer; the second of the five daily obligatory prayers.
- Dhul HijjahCalendarذُو الحِجَّة
- The twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, during which the Hajj pilgrimage takes place.
- DuaWorshipدُعَاء
- Personal supplication or prayer to God, made at any time in one's own words or using prophetic phrases.
- DunyaBeliefدُنْيَا
- The temporal, material world; often contrasted with the akhirah (hereafter).
E
- Eid al-AdhaHolidaysعِيدُ الأَضْحَى
- The Festival of Sacrifice commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, celebrated on 10th Dhul Hijjah.
- Eid al-FitrHolidaysعِيدُ الفِطْر
- The festival marking the end of Ramadan fasting, celebrated on the first of Shawwal.
F
- FajrPrayerفَجْر
- The dawn prayer; the first of the five daily obligatory prayers, performed before sunrise.
- FardFiqhفَرْض
- An obligatory act in Islamic law; its performance is rewarded and its neglect is sinful.
- FasiqFiqhفَاسِق
- A person who openly violates Islamic law; one who commits major sins without repentance.
- FatwaFiqhفَتْوَى
- A formal legal opinion or ruling on a matter of Islamic law, issued by a qualified scholar (mufti).
- FiqhFiqhفِقْه
- Islamic jurisprudence; the human understanding and application of Shariah derived from Qur'an and Sunnah. Read what fiqh is and how the four schools differ.
- FitnahEthicsفِتْنَة
- Trial, temptation, or civil strife; a test of faith or a source of discord.
- FitrahBeliefفِطْرَة
- The innate human disposition toward recognizing and worshipping God; the natural state of purity.
G
- GhuslPurificationغُسْل
- The full-body ritual washing that Muslims perform in certain situations, such as after sexual intercourse or when menstruation ends. Read how ghusl is performed in our prayer guide.
H
- HadithSourcesحَدِيث
- A recorded saying, action, or approval of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, forming a primary source of Islamic law.
- HafizQur'anحَافِظ
- A person who has memorized the entire Qur'an by heart.
- HajjPillarsحَجّ
- The annual pilgrimage to Makkah; one of the Five Pillars of Islam, obligatory once in a lifetime for those who are able. Read about Hajj and the other pillars of Islam.
- HalalFiqhحَلَال
- Permissible or lawful according to Islamic law; commonly used regarding food and drink. Read what halal means in Arabic and Islam.
- HaramFiqhحَرَام
- Forbidden or unlawful according to Islamic law.
- HasanHadithحَسَن
- "Good"; a grading of hadith indicating it is acceptable though not at the highest level of authenticity (sahih).
- HasanatBeliefحَسَنَات
- Good deeds; rewards recorded by angels for virtuous actions.
- HidayahSpiritualityهِدَايَة
- Divine guidance that God grants to whomever He wills.
- HijabFiqhحِجَاب
- Modest covering; commonly refers to the headscarf worn by Muslim women, but broadly encompasses modest dress and behavior.
- HijrahHistoryهِجْرَة
- The migration of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE; marks the start of the Islamic calendar.
- HukmFiqhحُكْم
- A ruling or judgment in Islamic law; the legal value assigned to an action (obligatory, recommended, etc.).
I
- IbadahWorshipعِبَادَة
- Worship; any act of devotion or obedience performed for the sake of God.
- IftarRamadanإِفْطَار
- The meal eaten to break the fast at sunset during Ramadan.
- IhramHajjإِحْرَام
- The sacred state entered for Hajj or Umrah, marked by special garments and ritual restrictions.
- IhsanSpiritualityإِحْسَان
- Excellence in worship; to worship God as though you see Him, knowing that He sees you. It is described as the highest of the three levels of faith. Read more about ihsan in our guide to Islamic spirituality.
- IjmaFiqhإِجْمَاع
- Scholarly consensus; one of the four sources of Islamic jurisprudence.
- IjtihadFiqhاجْتِهَاد
- Independent legal reasoning by a qualified scholar to derive rulings on new issues.
- IkhlasSpiritualityإِخْلَاص
- Sincerity; performing deeds purely for the sake of God without seeking human approval.
- ImamCommunityإِمَام
- A leader in prayer; also used for distinguished Islamic scholars and community leaders.
- ImanBeliefإِيمَان
- Faith or belief; encompasses belief in God, angels, books, prophets, the Last Day, and divine decree.
- InjilSourcesإِنْجِيل
- The Gospel; the scripture revealed to Prophet Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him.
- Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'unPhrasesإِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُون
- "Indeed, to God we belong and to Him we shall return." Said upon hearing of a death or calamity.
- InshallahPhrasesإن شاء الله
- "If God wills"; said when speaking about plans, hopes or promises for the future. Read what inshallah means in Arabic and Islam.
- IqamahPrayerإِقَامَة
- The second call to prayer, given immediately before the congregational prayer begins.
- IshaPrayerعِشَاء
- The night prayer; the fifth and final obligatory prayer of the day.
- IslamFoundationsإِسْلَام
- Submission to God; the word comes from the same Arabic root as salam (peace). The religion of surrendering one's will to the One God (Allah). Read the difference between Islam and Muslim.
- IsnadHadithإِسْنَاد
- The chain of narrators through which a hadith is transmitted, critical for determining its authenticity.
- IsraHistoryإِسْرَاء
- The Night Journey of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Makkah to Jerusalem.
- IstighfarWorshipاسْتِغْفَار
- Seeking forgiveness from God; a core practice of spiritual purification and humility.
- IstikharaPrayerاسْتِخَارَة
- A prayer seeking God's guidance when making an important decision.
J
- JahannamBeliefجَهَنَّم
- Hellfire; the place of punishment in the afterlife for those who reject God and persist in sin.
- JanazahPrayerجَنَازَة
- The funeral prayer performed over a deceased Muslim before burial.
- JannahBeliefجَنَّة
- Paradise; the eternal abode of bliss promised to the righteous believers.
- Jazakallah khairPhrasesجَزَاكَ اللهُ خَيْرا
- "May God reward you with good." An Islamic phrase of thanks and a prayer for the person. Read what jazakallah khair means in Arabic and Islam.
- JihadEthicsجِهَاد
- Striving or struggling in the way of God, including the inner struggle against one's own ego. Classical Islamic law also discusses armed jihad, and scholars explain its conditions in different ways.
- JinnBeliefجِنّ
- Beings created from smokeless fire; invisible to humans, possessing free will like mankind.
- Jumu'ahPrayerجُمُعَة
- Friday; the day of the weekly congregational prayer, held in place of Dhuhr and accompanied by a sermon (khutbah).
- JuzQur'anجُزْء
- One of the 30 equal parts into which the Qur'an is divided, facilitating its recitation over a month.
K
- Ka'bahHajjكَعْبَة
- The cube-shaped structure in Makkah; the qiblah (direction of prayer) for all Muslims, which Muslims believe was built by Prophet Ibrahim.
- KafirBeliefكَافِر
- One who rejects or covers the truth; a disbeliever in God and His message.
- KhalifahGovernanceخَلِيفَة
- Caliph; a steward or successor, referring both to human stewardship of the earth and historical Muslim leaders.
- KhushooSpiritualityخُشُوع
- Deep concentration, humility, and presence of heart during worship, especially prayer.
- KhutbahCommunityخُطْبَة
- A sermon, particularly the one delivered before the Friday congregational prayer.
- KufrBeliefكُفْر
- Disbelief; the rejection of God, His prophets, or core tenets of Islam.
L
- La ilaha illallahPhrasesلَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّه
- "There is no deity worthy of worship except God." The first half of the Islamic testimony of faith.
- Laylat al-QadrRamadanلَيْلَةُ القَدْر
- The Night of Decree or Power; a blessed night that Muslims seek in the last ten nights of Ramadan, described in the Qur'an as better than a thousand months.
M
- MadhabFiqhمَذْهَب
- A school of Islamic jurisprudence (e.g., Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali).
- MaghribPrayerمَغْرِب
- The sunset prayer; the fourth of the five daily obligatory prayers.
- MahrFiqhمَهْر
- The gift the groom gives the bride at marriage, which is her property.
- MakruhFiqhمَكْرُوه
- Disliked but not sinful; an action better avoided but not punishable if performed.
- MashallahPhrasesما شاء الله
- "What God has willed"; said to show appreciation for something good while crediting God as its source. Read what mashallah means in Arabic and Islam.
- MasjidCommunityمَسْجِد
- A mosque; literally "place of prostration," where Muslims gather for prayer and worship.
- Mi'rajHistoryمِعْرَاج
- The Ascension of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through the heavens to the divine presence.
- MubahFiqhمُبَاح
- Permissible; an action that is neither rewarded nor punished in Islamic law.
- MuftiCommunityمُفْتِي
- A qualified Islamic scholar authorized to issue fatwas (legal opinions).
- MuharramCalendarمُحَرَّم
- The first month of the Islamic calendar; one of the four sacred months.
- MunafiqBeliefمُنَافِق
- A hypocrite; one who outwardly professes Islam but conceals disbelief.
- MustahabFiqhمُسْتَحَبّ
- Recommended; an action whose performance is rewarded but whose omission is not sinful.
N
- NaflWorshipنَفْل
- Voluntary or supererogatory acts of worship performed beyond the obligatory duties.
- NafsSpiritualityنَفْس
- The self or soul. Many scholars describe three states of the nafs: commanding (ammara), self-reproaching (lawwama) and tranquil (mutma'innah).
- NikahFiqhنِكَاح
- The Islamic marriage contract, made through offer and acceptance. Schools of law set out its other conditions, such as witnesses and the mahr, in slightly different ways.
- NisabPillarsنِصَاب
- The minimum amount of wealth a Muslim must possess before being obligated to pay Zakat.
- NiyyahWorshipنِيَّة
- Intention; the inner resolve behind an action. Scholars teach that intention is essential to acts of worship.
Q
- QadarBeliefقَدَر
- Divine predestination and decree; belief that God has knowledge and control over all that occurs.
- QiblahPrayerقِبْلَة
- The direction of the Ka'bah in Makkah, toward which all Muslims face during prayer. Find your qibla direction with our qibla finder.
- QiyamPrayerقِيَام
- Standing; the standing position during prayer. Also refers to night prayers (Qiyam al-Layl).
- QiyasFiqhقِيَاس
- Analogical reasoning; a method of deriving legal rulings by comparing new situations to established ones.
- QunutPrayerقُنُوت
- A special supplication recited while standing in prayer, commonly in Witr or Fajr prayer.
- Qur'anSourcesقُرْآن
- The holy book of Islam, which Muslims believe is the word of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through the angel Jibreel over about 23 years.
R
- Rak'ahPrayerرَكْعَة
- A single unit of prayer consisting of standing, bowing, prostration, and sitting.
- RamadanPillarsرَمَضَان
- The ninth month of the Islamic calendar; the month of obligatory fasting and intensified worship.
- RibaFiqhرِبَا
- Interest or usury. The Qur'an forbids riba, which most scholars understand to include interest on loans.
- RisalahBeliefرِسَالَة
- Prophethood or the message; the belief that God sent prophets and messengers to guide humanity. Read about the prophets in Islam.
- RukuPrayerرُكُوع
- Bowing during prayer, with hands on knees, glorifying God.
- RuqyahSpiritualityرُقْيَة
- Spiritual healing through recitation of the Qur'an and supplications.
S
- SabrSpiritualityصَبْر
- Patience and steadfastness; enduring hardship with faith and gratitude.
- SadaqahWorshipصَدَقَة
- Voluntary charity given for the sake of God, beyond the obligatory Zakat.
- SahihHadithصَحِيح
- "Authentic"; the highest grade of hadith classification, meeting all criteria of reliability.
- SahurRamadanسَحُور
- The pre-dawn meal eaten before beginning the fast during Ramadan.
- SalahPillarsصَلَاة
- The ritual prayer performed five times daily; the second Pillar of Islam and a direct connection to God.
- SalamPhrasesسَلَام
- Peace; also the Islamic greeting "As-salamu alaykum" (Peace be upon you). Read what assalamualaikum means in Arabic and Islam.
- SawmPillarsصَوْم
- Fasting; abstaining from food, drink, and other desires from dawn to sunset, especially during Ramadan. Read about fasting and the other pillars of Islam.
- ShahadaPillarsشَهَادَة
- The testimony of faith: "There is no deity worthy of worship except God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God." The first Pillar of Islam. Read our new Muslim guide to the shahada and first steps.
- ShariahFiqhشَرِيعَة
- Islamic law; the divine guidance derived from the Qur'an and Sunnah, covering worship, ethics, and social conduct.
- ShirkBeliefشِرْك
- Associating partners with God. Muslims regard it as the most serious sin in Islam, the opposite of tawhid.
- ShukrSpiritualityشُكْر
- Gratitude; thankfulness to God for His blessings, expressed through the heart, tongue, and actions.
- SirahHistoryسِيرَة
- The biography and life history of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
- SubhanAllahPhrasesسُبْحَانَ اللَّه
- "Glory be to God." An expression of praise and wonder at God's perfection. Read what subhanallah means in Arabic and Islam.
- SujudPrayerسُجُود
- Prostration; placing the forehead on the ground during prayer.
- SunnahSourcesسُنَّة
- The way and practices of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ; a primary source of Islamic law alongside the Qur'an.
- SurahQur'anسُورَة
- A chapter of the Qur'an; there are 114 surahs of varying length.
T
- TafsirQur'anتَفْسِير
- Exegesis or interpretation of the Qur'an, explaining its meanings, contexts, and rulings.
- TahajjudPrayerتَهَجُّد
- The voluntary night prayer, which many Muslims pray in the last third of the night. Many scholars describe it as strongly recommended.
- TajweedQur'anتَجْوِيد
- The science of proper Qur'anic recitation, ensuring each letter is pronounced correctly.
- TakbirPrayerتَكْبِير
- Saying "Allahu Akbar" (God is the Greatest); marks transitions within the prayer.
- TaqwaSpiritualityتَقْوَى
- God-consciousness; awareness of God that leads to obedience and avoidance of sin.
- TarawihRamadanتَرَاوِيح
- Special voluntary night prayers performed in congregation during Ramadan.
- TashahhudPrayerتَشَهُّد
- The testimony recited while sitting during the prayer, bearing witness to God's oneness and the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ.
- TawafHajjطَوَاف
- Circumambulation of the Ka'bah; walking around it seven times as part of Hajj and Umrah rituals.
- TawakkulSpiritualityتَوَكُّل
- Reliance on God; trusting in His plan while taking practical means and action.
- TawbahSpiritualityتَوْبَة
- Repentance; sincerely turning back to God after committing a sin, with the intention not to repeat it.
- TawhidBeliefتَوْحِيد
- The oneness of God; the central principle of Islamic belief.
U
- UlamaCommunityعُلَمَاء
- Plural of alim; Islamic scholars who are deeply versed in religious knowledge.
- UmmahCommunityأُمَّة
- The global Muslim community; the collective body of believers united by faith.
- UmrahHajjعُمْرَة
- The lesser pilgrimage to Makkah, which can be performed at any time of year.
- Usul al-FiqhFiqhأُصُولُ الفِقْه
- The principles and methodology of Islamic jurisprudence used to derive legal rulings.
W
- WahySourcesوَحْي
- Divine revelation; the communication of God's message to His prophets.
- WajibFiqhوَاجِب
- Obligatory; a duty whose performance is rewarded and neglect is sinful (used synonymously with fard in most schools).
- WaliSpiritualityوَلِيّ
- A guardian or close friend; in spiritual context, a person close to God ("friend of God").
- WallahiPhrasesوالله
- "By God" or "I swear by God"; an Arabic oath phrase used to stress that a statement is true. Read what wallahi means in Arabic and Islam.
- WitrPrayerوِتْر
- An odd-numbered prayer performed after Isha. Scholars differ on whether it is required or strongly recommended.
- WuduPurificationوُضُوء
- Ritual ablution; washing specific body parts before prayer as an act of purification.
Y
- YaqeenSpiritualityيَقِين
- Certainty; firm, unwavering conviction in God and the truth of Islam.
- Yawm al-QiyamahBeliefيَوْمُ القِيَامَة
- The Day of Resurrection; when all humanity will be raised and held accountable before God.
Z
- ZakatPillarsزَكَاة
- Obligatory almsgiving and one of the five pillars of Islam: commonly 2.5% of savings above the nisab, given to those in need. Read about zakat and the other pillars of Islam.
- Zakat al-FitrRamadanزَكَاةُ الفِطْر
- A special charity given before Eid al-Fitr prayer to ensure the poor can also celebrate the festival.
- ZuhdSpiritualityزُهْد
- Asceticism; detachment from worldly pleasures and focus on the hereafter.
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This page is a general guide. For your own situation, please consult a qualified scholar.