Islamic Dictionary

A contract — a binding agreement formed by offer and acceptance between two parties.

5:1

The Throne of Allah — the greatest of created things, above the seven heavens, over which He is established.

20:5

In inheritance, the proportional reduction of heirs’ shares when the fixed portions exceed the whole estate.

The original, standard ruling that applies in the absence of any excuse or hardship, as opposed to a concession.

A subtle hidden defect that undermines a hadith which outwardly appears sound.

Self-admiration — conceit over one’s deeds or qualities, forgetting they are a favour from Allah.

A tithe of one-tenth (or one-twentieth) levied on agricultural produce as a form of zakat.

The call to prayer, proclaimed aloud before each of the five obligatory prayers.

A report transmitted through chains not reaching the level of mass transmission (tawatur).

The household of the Prophet ﷺ, held in special honour and love by the Muslims.

33:33

A scholar — a person of deep, grounded knowledge in the Islamic religious sciences.

Trustworthiness — faithfully discharging the trusts, duties, and responsibilities placed upon one.

33:72

The Helpers — the Muslims of Madinah who welcomed and supported the Prophet ﷺ and the emigrants.

9:100

The occasions of revelation — the events and circumstances in which particular verses were revealed.

Asbab al-Nuzul of al-Wahidi

The names and attributes of Allah — affirming them as He described Himself, without distortion or likening to creation.

7:180

A report from a Companion or Successor; sometimes used broadly for any transmitted narration.

The parts of the body that must be covered from others according to Islamic law.

24:31

A verse of the Qur’an; the word also means a sign or proof of Allah.

The first major battle of Islam (2 AH), in which the small Muslim force gained a decisive victory.

3:123

Divine blessing — an increase of good and benefit placed by Allah in time, wealth, or provision.

The intermediate realm between death and resurrection, where souls remain until the Day of Judgement.

23:100

A pledge of allegiance given to a leader, promising loyalty and obedience within the bounds of Islam.

48:10

The pledge given by the Companions to the Prophet ﷺ at Hudaybiyyah, praised by Allah in the Qur’an.

48:18

The public treasury of the Muslim state, managing collective revenues and expenditures.

Innovation in religion — introducing beliefs or practices in worship without basis in the Qur’an or Sunnah.

Muslim 867

Miserliness — withholding wealth from where it is due, whether obligatory rights or good uses.

3:180

A weak hadith — one whose chain or narrators fail to meet the conditions of authenticity.

Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah

The false messiah, a great trial to appear near the end of time, claiming divinity and spreading corruption.

The house in Makkah that served as the first secret centre for teaching Islam in its early days.

The complete way of life and religion revealed by Allah, encompassing belief, worship, and conduct.

5:3

Remembrance of Allah through repeated words of praise, glorification, and gratitude.

13:28

A non-Muslim living under Muslim rule with a covenant of protection for life, property, and worship.

Blood-money — the prescribed compensation paid to the victim’s heirs for killing or bodily injury.

4:92

Supplication — calling upon Allah with one’s needs, praise, and hopes; the essence of worship.

40:60

The forenoon voluntary prayer, offered after sunrise until shortly before noon.

The science of the fixed shares of inheritance prescribed in the Qur’an and Sunnah.

4:11

Obligatory — a duty established by decisive proof; abandoning it is sinful.

The annulment or dissolution of a contract or marriage by lawful cause or judicial decree.

The peaceful conquest of Makkah (8 AH), when the Prophet ﷺ entered the city and cleansed the Kaʿbah.

110:1

A formal, non-binding legal opinion issued by a qualified scholar in response to a question.

4:176

Wealth acquired from an enemy without fighting; it is directed to public and communal welfare.

59:7

A compensation, usually feeding the poor, given by those unable to fast or complete certain acts of worship.

2:184

The innate, natural disposition upon which every human is created, inclined towards recognising its Creator.

30:30

Spiritual chivalry — nobility of character marked by generosity, altruism, and selfless service.

War booty lawfully acquired in battle, distributed according to the shares fixed in Islamic law.

8:41

Excessive uncertainty or ambiguity in a contract, which renders certain transactions invalid.

Muslim 1513

A hadith narrated by only a single narrator at some point in its chain.

The unseen — realities beyond human perception, such as Allah, the angels, Paradise, and Hell, known only through revelation.

2:3

Backbiting — mentioning something about an absent person that they would dislike, even if true.

49:12

The full ritual bath required to remove major impurity and restore a state of purity for worship.

A recorded report of the sayings, actions, or tacit approvals of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

The pilgrimage to Makkah performed in the appointed days of Dhul-Hijjah; obligatory once for those able, and the fifth pillar of Islam.

3:97

Permissible — that which Islamic law allows to be done, used, or consumed.

Bukhari 52

Forbidden — that which Islamic law strictly prohibits; committing it is sinful and punishable.

Bukhari 52

Envy — resenting a blessing another enjoys and wishing it removed from them.

113:5

A hadith of good grade — sound in chain but with narrators of slightly lesser precision than the sahih.

Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah

The transfer of a debt from one debtor to another who assumes the obligation.

The Pool of the Prophet ﷺ (al-Kawthar) from which believers will drink on the Day of Judgement.

108:1

The Prophet’s migration from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE, marking the start of the Islamic calendar.

9:40

Forbearance — calm self-restraint and gentleness when provoked or wronged.

The Reckoning — the questioning of every soul on the Day of Judgement about its beliefs and deeds.

Half of a juz; the Qur’an is divided into sixty hizb sections to aid recitation.

The treaty concluded at Hudaybiyyah (6 AH), a truce that proved a turning point for the spread of Islam.

48:1

The fixed penalties prescribed by Allah for certain grave offences, defined in the Qur’an and Sunnah.

2:187

The inimitability of the Qur’an — its miraculous nature that no human speech can match.

17:88

Spiritual retreat in the mosque, devoting oneself to worship, especially in the last ten nights of Ramadan.

2:187

The devil who refused to prostrate to Adam out of arrogance and became the leader of the disobedient jinn.

2:34

Resuming recitation after a pause; the rules govern where it is proper to begin again.

The waiting period a woman observes after divorce or widowhood before she may remarry.

65:1

The sacred state of consecration for Hajj or Umrah, entered with intention and marked by specific restrictions.

A lawful contract of hire or lease, exchanging the usufruct of an asset or labour for a set payment.

Consensus — the agreement of the qualified scholars of an age on a legal ruling; a source of Islamic law.

The scholarly effort of a qualified jurist to derive a ruling from the primary sources.

Sincerity — performing deeds purely for Allah’s sake, free of any desire for show or praise.

98:5

A husband’s oath to abstain from intimacy with his wife; if prolonged, it has legal consequences.

2:226

Faith — belief in Allah, His angels, books, messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree, affirmed by the heart, tongue, and deeds.

2:285

The second, shorter call announced immediately before the congregational prayer begins.

The chain of narrators through whom a hadith is transmitted, used to assess its authenticity.

Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah

The Prophet’s night journey from Makkah to Jerusalem, granted by Allah as a miracle.

17:1

Seeking Allah’s forgiveness by asking Him to pardon one’s sins and shortcomings.

71:10

A contract to manufacture or construct a specified item for an agreed price, delivered in the future.

Hellfire — the abode of punishment prepared for the disbelievers and the wrongdoers.

67:6

The Islamic funeral, including the special prayer offered for the deceased before burial.

Paradise — the eternal abode of reward and bliss promised to the believers and the righteous.

2:25

The science of critically evaluating narrators — declaring them reliable or discrediting them.

Striving in the way of Allah — including struggle against one’s own soul, and legitimate, regulated defence.

22:78

Unseen beings created from smokeless fire, endowed with free will and accountable like humans.

55:15

A protection tax historically levied on able non-Muslim men under Muslim rule, in lieu of military service.

9:29

One of the thirty roughly equal parts into which the Qur’an is divided for ease of recitation.

Guarantee or suretyship — assuming responsibility for another’s debt or obligation.

The simple white shroud in which a Muslim’s body is wrapped for burial.

A caliph — the successor who leads the Muslim community after the Prophet ﷺ.

The Battle of the Trench (5 AH), when the Muslims dug a defensive trench to protect Madinah.

33:10

Reverential fear of Allah born of knowledge of His majesty, driving one to obedience.

35:28

The institution of leadership over the Muslim community that upholds the implementation of Islam.

The option to confirm or cancel a contract under certain conditions, protecting the parties from harm.

Divorce initiated by the wife, typically by returning the mahr, with the husband’s agreement.

2:229

The one-fifth portion of certain gains, such as war booty, allocated for specified beneficiaries.

8:41

The sermon delivered before the Friday and Eid prayers, offering counsel and reminder.

Arrogance — rejecting the truth and looking down upon others; a destructive disease of the heart.

Muslim 91

Disbelief — the rejection or denial of faith in Allah and the fundamental truths brought by the Prophets.

The Footstool of Allah, which encompasses the heavens and the earth; it is beneath the Throne.

2:255

The Preserved Tablet — the record with Allah in which the decree of all things is written.

85:22

The mutual sworn testimony between spouses when a husband accuses his wife of adultery without witnesses.

24:6

Verses or surahs revealed after the Hijra, often addressing law, community, and social matters.

A school of Islamic jurisprudence, such as the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafiʿi, or Hanbali.

Love of Allah — the heart’s devotion to Him above all, which drives sincere worship and obedience.

The obligatory marriage gift given by the husband to the wife, which becomes her exclusive right.

4:4

A relative whom one may never marry, and in whose presence certain rulings of veiling are relaxed.

4:23

Verses or surahs revealed before the Hijra, generally focusing on creed and the Hereafter.

Disliked — an act discouraged by Islamic law, though not sinful; avoiding it is rewarded.

The angels — creatures of light created by Allah, who never disobey Him and carry out His commands.

An abrogated verse or ruling whose legal force has been replaced by a later revelation.

One of the seven divisions of the Qur’an, allowing its completion over a week.

A report attributed to a Successor (Tabiʿi), recording their statement or action.

A report attributed to the Prophet ﷺ — his statement, act, or approval — regardless of the chain’s continuity.

The actual text or content of a hadith, as distinct from its chain of narration.

A fabricated report falsely attributed to the Prophet ﷺ; it is not a valid hadith.

Bukhari 110

A report whose chain stops at a Companion, recording that Companion’s own statement or act.

The ascension of the Prophet ﷺ through the heavens, during which the five daily prayers were ordained.

53:13

The Scale on the Day of Judgement by which the deeds of every person are weighed with perfect justice.

A hadith in which one or more narrators are omitted from the beginning of the chain.

A hadith with concealed defect in its chain, where a narrator obscures a weakness or a missing link.

A partnership in which one party provides capital and the other labour, sharing profit by agreed ratio.

A qualified scholar authorised to issue formal legal opinions (fatwas) on religious questions.

The Emigrants — the Companions who migrated from Makkah to Madinah for the sake of their faith.

Self-accounting — regularly examining one’s deeds and intentions to correct and improve oneself.

A verse whose meaning is clear and precise, admitting no ambiguity.

3:7

A hadith whose chain is broken by the absence of one narrator at any point other than the beginning or end.

The disjointed letters opening certain surahs (such as Alif-Lam-Mim), whose full meaning is known to Allah.

2:1

Watchfulness — the constant awareness that Allah observes one, inspiring vigilance over the heart.

Muslim 8

A report in which a Successor narrates directly from the Prophet ﷺ, omitting the Companion in the chain.

A joint venture in which partners contribute capital and share profit and loss in agreed proportions.

A hadith with a connected chain going back to the Prophet ﷺ; also a hadith collection arranged by narrator.

Recommended — an act rewarded when done but not sinful if left; also called mandub or sunnah.

A verse whose meaning is not fully clear and requires interpretation or is known only to Allah.

3:7

A report transmitted by so many narrators in every generation that collusion on a lie is impossible.

Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah

A prophet — a man chosen by Allah to receive revelation and guide people to His worship.

Ritual impurity — a substance deemed unclean in law, which must be removed for validity of prayer.

Tale-bearing — carrying words between people to sow discord and enmity.

68:11

An abrogating verse or ruling that supersedes an earlier one revealed before it.

2:106

Hypocrisy — outwardly professing Islam while inwardly harbouring disbelief, or a mismatch between one’s words and deeds.

The Islamic marriage contract, establishing a lawful bond between husband and wife with mutual rights.

24:32

The inner intention that precedes an act of worship; deeds are judged by their intentions.

Bukhari 1

Divine decree — belief that Allah has knowledge and power over all that occurs, and that nothing happens except by His will.

54:49

The false accusation of unlawful sexual conduct against a chaste person; a punishable offence.

24:4

A judge who adjudicates disputes and administers justice according to Islamic law.

Contentment — a heart satisfied with what Allah has apportioned, free of greed for more.

The direction of the Kaʿbah in Makkah, towards which Muslims face during prayer.

2:144

The authentically transmitted modes of reciting the Qur’an, traced back to the Prophet ﷺ.

Lawful retaliation — equal legal retribution for intentional murder or injury, subject to strict conditions.

2:178

The standing posture in prayer during which al-Fatihah and Qur’an are recited.

The Day of Resurrection and Judgement, when all creation will be raised and held to account for their deeds.

75:1

Analogical reasoning — extending a known ruling to a new case sharing the same effective cause.

A supplication recited while standing in prayer, especially in the Witr or at times of calamity.

The ritual sacrifice of an animal offered during the days of Eid al-Adha in remembrance of Ibrahim’s trial.

108:2

In inheritance, redistributing the surplus to the fixed-share heirs when the estate exceeds their portions.

A pledge or collateral — holding property as security against a debt until it is repaid.

2:283

A messenger — a prophet sent by Allah with a new revealed law or scripture to convey to mankind.

A narrator — a person in the chain who transmits a hadith from one source to another.

Usury or interest — any unlawful, guaranteed increase in a loan or exchange; strictly forbidden in Islam.

2:275

Guarding the frontiers of Muslim lands in the way of Allah; a deed of great virtue.

Contentment with Allah’s decree — accepting His will with a peaceful and grateful heart.

Showing off — performing acts of worship to be seen and praised by people; a hidden form of shirk.

107:6

Lordship — affirming Allah alone as the Creator, Owner, Sustainer, and Controller of all that exists.

The soul — the divine breath that gives life to the body; its true nature is known only to Allah.

17:85

A legal concession — a relaxation of a ruling granted due to hardship, such as shortening prayer while travelling.

The bowing posture in prayer, in which one glorifies Allah while bent at the waist.

Seeking cure and protection by reciting Qur’an and authentic supplications over the afflicted.

Walking briskly seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah, a rite of Hajj and Umrah.

2:158

Patience — steadfast endurance of hardship, restraint from sin, and perseverance in obedience.

2:153

Voluntary charity given to seek Allah’s pleasure; it may be wealth, a kind word, or any good deed.

The charity of fast-breaking, given before the Eid prayer at the end of Ramadan on behalf of each person.

Bukhari 1503

The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ collectively — the first generation who learned Islam directly from him.

48:29

A Companion — one who met the Prophet ﷺ as a believer and died upon Islam.

A hadith graded authentic — with a continuous chain of reliable, precise narrators and free of defects.

Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah

The formal Islamic prayer performed five times daily; the second pillar of Islam and a direct link between servant and Lord.

2:43

A forward sale in which the price is paid in advance for goods to be delivered at a specified later date.

Fasting from dawn to sunset — abstaining from food, drink, and intimacy; obligatory in Ramadan and the fourth pillar of Islam.

2:183

The biography of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ — the study of his life, character, and mission.

Sirat Ibn Hisham

An anomalous report in which a reliable narrator contradicts those more reliable or more numerous.

Intercession — pleading on behalf of another on the Day of Judgement, granted only by Allah’s permission.

2:255

A martyr — one who dies in the cause of Allah, promised an elevated reward in the Hereafter.

3:169

The divine law of Islam derived from the Qur’an and Sunnah, governing belief, worship, and conduct.

45:18

Associating partners with Allah, or attributing His exclusive rights to others. It is the gravest sin in Islam and the opposite of Tawhid.

4:48

Gratitude — recognising Allah’s blessings and expressing thanks through heart, tongue, and deeds.

14:7

The Lote-Tree of the Utmost Boundary in the highest heaven, reached by the Prophet ﷺ during the Miʿraj.

The bridge spanning over Hell that all must cross on the Day of Judgement; also the straight path of guidance.

1:6

The shaded platform in the Prophet’s Mosque where poor, devoted Companions lived and studied Islam.

Prostration in prayer, placing the forehead on the ground — the posture of nearest closeness to Allah.

The prostrations of forgetfulness, performed to compensate for a mistake or omission in the prayer.

The established way, teachings, and example of the Prophet ﷺ; the second source of Islamic law.

33:21

A chapter of the Qur’an; the Qur’an comprises 114 surahs of varying length.

2:23

A barrier placed before a person praying, marking the limit of their prayer space.

Interpretation that seeks the deeper or intended meaning of a text beyond its literal wording.

3:7

Discretionary punishment set by the judge for offences that have no fixed penalty in the law.

A Successor — a believer of the generation that met the Companions but not the Prophet ﷺ.

Exegesis — the scholarly explanation and interpretation of the meanings of the Qur’an.

The voluntary night prayer offered after sleep in the latter part of the night; a source of great reward.

17:79

Ritual purity — the state of cleanliness required for prayer, attained by wudu, ghusl, or tayammum.

The science of the correct pronunciation and rules for reciting the Qur’an properly.

73:4

Proclaiming Allah’s greatness by saying "Allahu Akbar", such as the opening takbir of the prayer.

Divorce initiated by the husband, ending the marriage contract according to Islamic law.

2:229

Following a qualified scholar or school of law in matters of religious practice without demanding the evidence oneself.

God-consciousness — mindfulness of Allah that inspires obedience to Him and avoidance of what displeases Him.

49:13

The special congregational night prayers offered during the nights of Ramadan.

The sitting recitation in prayer bearing witness to Allah’s oneness and the messengership of the Prophet ﷺ.

Circumambulation of the Kaʿbah seven times, a central rite of Hajj and Umrah.

22:29

Reliance upon Allah — trusting fully in Him while taking the lawful means to one’s goals.

65:3

Seeking nearness to Allah through a lawful means, such as His names, good deeds, or the supplication of the living righteous.

5:35

Repentance — turning back to Allah with remorse, ceasing the sin, and resolving not to return to it.

66:8

The absolute oneness of Allah — belief that He alone is the Creator, Sustainer, and the only one worthy of worship. It is the foundation of Islam.

112:1

Dry ablution using clean earth, permitted when water is unavailable or its use is harmful.

A trustworthy narrator who is both upright in character and precise in transmission.

The battle near Mount Uhud (3 AH), a severe trial for the Muslims and a source of enduring lessons.

The oneness of worship — directing all acts of devotion to Allah alone and to none besides Him.

51:56

The global community of Muslims, united by faith beyond ties of race, language, or nation.

3:110

The lesser pilgrimage to Makkah, which may be performed at any time of the year and is not obligatory.

2:196

The principles of jurisprudence — the methodology by which legal rulings are derived from the sources.

al-Risalah of al-Shafi'i

A trust deposit — entrusting property to another for safekeeping, to be returned on demand.

Divine revelation — the message conveyed by Allah to His prophets, of which the Qur’an is the final form.

42:51

Necessary — an obligation established by strong but not decisive proof; often used synonymously with fard.

An endowment — dedicating an asset permanently so its benefit serves a charitable or religious cause.

A pause in recitation at a permitted place, governed by the rules of proper stopping in tajwid.

Scrupulous piety — abstaining from doubtful matters out of caution to protect one’s religion.

Tirmidhi 2518

A means of drawing closer to Allah; also the highest rank in Paradise, promised to the Prophet ﷺ.

An emphasised night prayer of an odd number of units, performed after the Isha prayer.

Ritual ablution with water, purifying the face, arms, head, and feet in preparation for prayer.

5:6

Certainty — firm, unwavering conviction of faith in which no doubt remains.

Obligatory almsgiving — a fixed portion of accumulated wealth given yearly to the eligible poor; the third pillar of Islam.

9:103

A prohibited pre-Islamic form of divorce in which a husband likened his wife to his mother; it requires expiation.

58:2

Detachment from worldly excess — placing little value on the transient life in favour of the Hereafter.

Ibn Majah 4102