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.__NOTOC__
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 [the originator of] Peace), 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 salah (prayer), sometimes alternatively spelled and pronounced as Azaan, Athaan and Adhan. ʿAdl () Justice, especially distributive justice: social, economic, political, proprietary. AH () Anno Hegirae. The Islamic calendar which starts counting years starting from the time when Muhammad had to leave Makkah (Mecca) and go to Medina, an event known as the Hijrah. 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 99 names of God. ʾAḥkām () The rulings and orders of the Qur'an and Sunnah. A singular ruling is called a Ḥukm. There are five kinds of orders: or Fard (obligatory), Mustahabb (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 the Shi'a 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 Qur'an: Jews, Christians and Sabians. 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 the Ka'aba. 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, similar to "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 [the] greatest". Greater than anything or anyone, imaginable or unimaginable. () Literally: "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 Literally: "safety, protection, safe conduct". ʾAmānah () The trust. Of all creation, only human beings & jinnss carry the "trust", which is free will. ʾĀmīn () Amen. () "Commander of the Faithful." Historically, it was the title of the Caliph. In some modern countries like Morocco, an or Commander of the Faithful is the religious chief. ʾĀminah () Muhammad's mother. Aminah fell sick and died in Abwa, near Medina (then Yathrib) when Muhammad was six years old. Al-ʾAmr Bi'l Maʿrūf () Islamic doctrine of enjoining right, the (obligatory) principle of encouraging other people to do the right thing. ʾAnfāl () Spoils of war. (See Sūrat al-ʾAnfāl (8:1)) ()Sūrat al-ʾAnfāl corpus.quran.com () "Helpers." The Muslim converts at Medina who helped the Muslims from Makkah (Mecca) after the Hijrah. () Article of faith, tenet, creed, or dogma. () The Islamic practice of shaving the head of the newborn male and contributing the weight in silver for charity as well as two lambs. () Intelligence, intellect, mind, understanding ʾArkān singular rukn () The five rukn (English: pillars) of Islam. A'raf () Literally: "an elevated piece of earth", used to refer to the walls that divide Paradise (Jannah) and Hell (Jahannam). A.S. (ʿAlayhi s-salām) () This acronym evokes a blessing and is appended to the names of the prophets who came before Muhammad. It is 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.Reynolds, GS Introduction: Qur'anic studies and its controversies ʾAṣl () (pl. ʾuṣūl) Root, origin, source; principle. ʾaslim taslam () "Submit to Islam", (See: dawah). () The list of God's 99 names. According to a hadith, the one who enumerates them all will enter Paradise (Jannah). () The third salat prayer. Also means an indefinite duration of time. () The bridge by crossing which it is determined (judged) whether a person would go to Heaven (Jannah) or Hell (Jahannam). 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 Asharatu Mubashsharah ( or ) The ten Companions of Muhammad who were promised Paradise (Jannah), (only in Sunni Islam). () Tenth day of the month of Muharram. It is the day God saved Musa (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 Shi'a, it is also a day on which they mourn the death of the third Shi'a Imam, Husayn ibn Ali, along with his family and companions, who were killed in the famous battle in Karbala. They mourn and organize lamentating programmes where they learn how to live a proper Islamic life and improve their Spiritual Self. This also includes crying at the end of the ritual to show their faith towards Imam Husayn. (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", an Islamic expression. Aʿudhu billah (ʾAʿūdhu billāh) "I seek refuge in God", a paraphrase on the beginnings of the two last surahs in the Qur'an. () Friends, protectors, helpers, caretaker, maintainer. (Singular: wali) () The parts of the body, male or female, which must be covered in public but not between spouses. Also refers to the body parts that women must concealed before non-related men. ("Non-related men" means those she can marry lawfully, see mahram for non-marriable men). ʾĀyah (), plural ʾāyāt () A sign. More specifically, a verse in the Qur'an. Āyatullāh (, also spelled Ayatollah) Sign of God. A title given to highly ranked religious scholars in the Shi'a 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 masjid (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 derived from God and passed on others via prophets, angels and saints. Bārak Allāhu Fīkum () "May Allah bless you"; a response to an expression of thanks. Barzakh () Barrier. Used in the Qur'an to describe the barrier between sweet and salty water. In theology, it is 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, an 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".First line in Qurʾān Also called the Basmala, it is the phrase that is written or recited before each surah (except for the 9th surah, At-Tawbah). Burda () In general terms, it means a "cloak" or an "outer garment". A specific reference is to the "burda" of Muḥammad (see 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; meaning "liar" or "deceiver". Ḍallāl () Going astray. Dār al-ʿAhd () The Ottoman Empire's relationship with its Christian tributary states. Dār al-ʾAmn () Meaning a "house of safety". Dār ad-daʿwa () A region where Islam has recently been introduced. Dār al-ḥarb () "House of war"; refers to areas outside Muslim rule which a Muslim state can go to war with. Dār al-Islām () "Home of peace." A country ruled by Islamic Law (see: Shari'ah), where both Muslims and non-Muslims (see: dhimam) practice religious tolerance. 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. A remembrance of God; a spiritual exercise; Muslims believe that the primary function of prophets is to remind people of God. It is also pronounced as zikr.