ู ุนุงูู ุงูููู ุงุช ุงูุนุฑุจูุฉ
Meaning of the Arabic Words
A Guide to Common Islamic Terms and Their Meanings
"We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an so that you may understand." โ Surah Yusuf (12:2)
Introduction
Arabic is the language of the Noble Qur'an โ a language of profound depth and beauty, chosen by Almighty Allah to convey His final message to humanity. Understanding the meaning of common Arabic words and Islamic terms helps us to connect more deeply with our prayers, our reading of the Qur'an, and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ.
This glossary is a helpful reference for Muslims of all levels โ especially new Muslims and young learners who are beginning their journey with the Arabic language of Islam.
๐ก For New Muslims
You do not need to learn Arabic overnight. Begin with the words you hear most often in salah and daily Islamic life โ Bismillah, Alhamdulillah, Insha'Allah, Subhanallah โ and gradually your understanding will grow, insha'Allah.
The Glossary โ A to Z
Adhkaar
Remembrance of God; plural of dhikr
Alaihi Salaam (AS)
On him be peace โ said after the name of a Prophet or angel
Allah
Almighty God, Most High โ the personal name of the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists
Amaanah
Trust; a sacred responsibility. All gifts from Allah are an amaanah โ a trust to be used correctly
Assalamu Alaykum
Peace be upon you โ the Islamic greeting
Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah
Peace, blessings and mercy of Almighty Allah be upon you
Awrah
Modesty; the most intimate parts of the body which must be covered
Dhikr
Remembrance of Almighty Allah; the act of mentioning and glorifying His names
Dhikrullah
The remembrance of Almighty Allah
Du'a
Prayer or invocation; calling upon Allah directly with one's needs, hopes and gratitude
Dunya
This temporary world; the material dimension of existence
Fajr
Dawn; often refers to the Fajr (dawn) prayer โ the first of the five daily prayers
Hadith
The recorded sayings, actions and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ; the Sunnah in narrated form
Hadith Qudsi
Divine utterance narrated by the noble Messenger Muhammad ๏ทบ โ words of Allah conveyed through the Prophet ๏ทบ outside the Qur'an
Hafiz
One who has committed the entire Noble Qur'an to memory
Hajj
Pilgrimage to Makkah; the fifth pillar of Islam, obligatory once in a lifetime for those who are able
Halal
That which is permissible according to Islamic law
Haqq
Truth; also one of the 99 beautiful names of Allah
Ibrahim (AS)
Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him)
Iblees
Satan; the accursed one who refused to bow to Adam and vowed to mislead humankind
Imaan
The conviction and belief that Almighty Allah is One and that Nabi Muhammad ๏ทบ is His last Messenger
Imam
Religious leader; the person who leads the congregation in prayer
Insha'Allah
If Almighty Allah wills; said whenever one refers to a future event or intention โ "God Willing"
Jannah
Paradise; the eternal abode of the righteous in the Hereafter
Kalima Shahadah
The Islamic creed: "There is no God but Allah, Muhammad ๏ทบ is His servant and Messenger"
Mi'raj
The Ascent; refers to the miraculous night journey and ascension of the Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ to Heaven
Muslim
One who submits oneself to Almighty God
Nafs
The self, ego or soul; the aspect of a person primarily influenced by desires and passions
The Noble Qur'an
Revealed directly to the Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ over 23 years; contains over 6,000 verses in 114 Surahs (chapters)
Ramadan
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar; the blessed month of fasting, prayer and the Noble Qur'an
Rasool
The noble Messenger; refers to the Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ
Sahih
Authentic; used to describe a hadith verified as reliable by scholars of hadith science
Salaam
Peace; also one of the 99 beautiful names of Allah
Salat
The five daily obligatory prayers; the second pillar of Islam and the direct link between the believer and Allah
(S) โ Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam
"The peace and blessings of Almighty Allah be upon him" โ said whenever the Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ is mentioned
Shaikh
A religious leader or Islamic scholar
Shariah
The Islamic Law derived from the Noble Qur'an and Sunnah
Sulaiman (AS)
The Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him)
Sunnah
That which was customarily said, done or approved by the Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ
Surah
A chapter of the Noble Qur'an; there are 114 Surahs in total
SWT โ Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
"Glorified and Exalted be He" โ said after the name of Allah as an expression of reverence
Tafsir
Commentary and explanation of the Noble Qur'an, including background information on the circumstances of revelation
Taqwa
The combination of piety, faith, loyalty and God-consciousness. From the root word wiqaya (protection) โ a person with taqwa is under the protective canopy of Almighty Allah
Tasbih
A string of prayer beads used for the remembrance and counting of the names of Allah
Ummah
The worldwide Muslim community; the global family of Islam
Wa Alaykum Salaam
And upon you be peace โ the reply to the Islamic greeting
Wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu
And the mercy and blessings of Almighty Allah โ added to complete the full Islamic greeting
Zakat
Purification of one's accumulated wealth through obligatory charity; the third pillar of Islam
Zina
Adultery or fornication โ forbidden in Islam
Zuhr
Midday prayer; the second of the five daily obligatory prayers
๐ฟ Common Daily Phrases Every Muslim Should Know
- Bismillah โ In the name of Allah (said before any action)
- Alhamdulillah โ All praise is due to Allah (said in gratitude)
- Subhanallah โ Glory be to Allah (said in wonder or amazement)
- Allahu Akbar โ Allah is the Greatest
- Insha'Allah โ If Allah wills (said when speaking of the future)
- Mashaa'Allah โ What Allah has willed (said to express admiration)
- Jazakallahu Khayran โ May Allah reward you with goodness (said as thanks)
- Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un โ To Allah we belong and to Him we return (said at news of death)