Al Fatiha: Meaning ‘the opening’, this is the title for the first chapter of the Holy Qur’an which is recited as a fundamental part of Muslims’ daily prayers.
Allah: The Arabic Name for God.
Aqida: Creed; this refers to the theological and doctrinal beliefs of Muslims.
Ash’ari: The school of Sunni Orthodoxy named after the followers of the 9th century scholar Abu al Hasan al Ash’ari (874-936 CE).
Azaan/Adhan: The call to prayer.
Bid’a: Literally ‘innovation’; this refers to the act of creating superfluous, or non-prescribed traditions in the practice of Islam. It is used in common speech as a denunciation toward those not acting in accordance with the prescriptions of Islam. The prescriptions of Islam are however open to scholarly interpretation due to perceived ambiguities in the Qur’an, or to scientific or technological innovations which present new questions to scholars.
Caliph: The head of the entire community of Muslims, either current or in the past. Is also used by certain sects to refer to their own leader.
Chador: A loose cloth traditionally worn by Muslim women which usually covers the body from head to foot.
Da’i/ Da’ee: Missionary.
Da’wa: Islamic missionary work; literally ‘making an invitation’ to the religion.
Emir/Ameer: A title accorded to a leader, prince, or commander-in-chief.
Fatwa : Islamic legal ruling, or legal pronouncement. It is not synonymous with a death sentence as is sometimes thought in the West.
Fiqh: Islamic jurisprudence (the philosophy of law). This is the scholarly pursuit that enables individuals to have an educated understanding of Islamic law.
Hadith: Literally ‘sayings’. These are a set of references to the life of the Prophet Muhammad. There are numerous Hadith, and the practice of verifying them is an Islamic scholarly practice of its own that has been carried out since the life of the Prophet.
Hafiz (or Hafiza) al Qur’an: A person who has committed the entire Qur’an to memory, and can recite the Qur’an at will. This is important in Islam because the Qur’an was originally revealed as an oral text.
Hajj: The pilgrimage to Mecca. It is mandatory for every Muslim who is able to do it, and can afford to do so. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar.
Haram: Sanctuary.
Hijab : Headscarf worn traditionally by Muslim women.
Hijaz: The region along the west coast of the Arabian Peninsula.
Ibadi: The Ibadi school has origins in and is linked to the Kharijites, but the modern day community is distinct from the 7th century Islamic sect. It was founded after the death of Prophet Muhammad and is currently practiced by a majority of Oman’s Muslim population. Also found across parts of Africa.
Ihsan : Virtue through constant regard to, and awareness of God.
Ijaza: Certification.
Ijtihad: Independent reasoning.
Imam: (1) In both Sunni and Shi‘a Islam this the leader of congregational prayers who may also deliver the Friday prayer (Jum’a) sermon; more generally, a person of authority within the community. (2) In Shi‘a Islam this exclusively refers to a series of people, descended from the Prophet Muhammad, who by lineage are considered divinely guided spiritual leaders.
Imamate: The position or institution, in Shi‘a Islam, that is comprised of a series of divinely guided Imams.
Iman: Faith in God.
Islam: Submission to God’s will.
Ka’ba: The large cubic building in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, adorned in gold embroidered black fabric, referred to by Muslims as the ‘House of God’. This structure marks the direction in which Muslims pray and is central to the Hajj pilgrimage when it is circumambulated, a practice rooted in pre-Islamic Arabia when it contained idols subsequently removed by the Prophet Muhammad.
Khateeb: One who traditionally delivers a sermon; orator.
Khawerij : A group of Muslims in early Islamic history who went against the larger community and became outsiders. A term used to describe political deviants.
Khums: Literally, 1/5 in Arabic; a religious tax of 1/5 of one’s income owed by followers of Usuli Twelver Shi‘a to a very senior cleric.
Madhabs: Traditional schools of Islamic legal methodology (e.g. Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanafi, Jafari), that draw on the teachings and followers of four highly regarded scholars.
Madrassa: The Arabic word for ‘school’. Can refer to a religious school.
Marja/Marjaiyya: The highest position of authority in the Usuli school of Twelver Shi’i fiqh. Also referred to as marja taqlid, meaning literally one who is worthy of being imitated.
Masjid: Arabic word for ‘mosque’.
Maturidi: The school of Sunni Orthodoxy named after the followers of the 9th century scholar Muhammad Abu Mansur al Maturidi (853-944 CE).
Mufti: A Muslim legal expert who is empowered to give rulings on religious matters.
Muqri: A reciter of Qur’an.
Murid: Follower of a Sufi guide or order.
Mutabarrik: Supporter or affiliate of a Sufi guide or order.
Mu’tazili: An almost obsolete school of Sunni Islam, popular in the 8th century, that advocates the belief that the Qur’an was created—as opposed to the Orthodox Sunni view that it is eternal and uncreated.
Nasheed: Religious song traditionally performed without musical instruments.
Qibla: The direction in which Muslims make their five daily prayers; the direction of the Ka’ba in Mecca.
Ramadan: Holy month of fasting.
Salafi: A movement of Sunni Muslims that places great emphasis on literal interpretation of the Qur’an and Hadith, with skepticism towards the role of human.
Shahadatayn: Testimony of faith.
Sharia: Literally, ‘the way to the source’, this refers to Islamic law. Islamic law is not, as is widely perceived, a standard set of written rules, but is rather an unwritten text that is interpreted by legal scholars in specific instances, drawing on the Qur’an and other reliable religious sources relevant to the tradition followed.
Sheikh: (1) A position of authority granted to people who are respected in society. (2) A religious official.
Shi‘a: The second-largest denomination of Muslims referred to as Shi‘atu ‘Ali or ‘the party of ‘Ali,’ the fourth caliph of Islam and first Imam in Shi’ism.
Sunna: Literally ‘the trodden path’; this refers to the ways and practices of the Prophet Muhammad. Reference to these practices can be found in the Qur’an and in the Hadith.
Sunni: The largest denomination of Muslims referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘h or ‘people of the prophetic tradition and community’—with emphasis on emulating the life of the last Prophet, Muhammad.
Tafsir: Interpretation of the Qur’an, either by commentary or exegesis.
Taqlid: The practice of following rulings without questioning the religious authority. This is a core tenet of the Usuli school of Islamic law.
Velayat-e Faqih: A position of both spiritual and temporal powers in the Republic of Iran. Literally, Guardianship of the Jurists, referring to the fact that while the Mahdi (awaited one) is in occultation, the jurists should have guardianship over the earth.
Waqf: A religious endowment or charitable trust.
Zakat: Alms-giving that amounts to one-fortieth of one’s income and savings designated for the poor and destitute.
From The 500 most influential muslims in the world 2009
