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Islamic words explained simply: Allah, inshallah, halal, hijab, jihad, sharia, tawhid and more.
Articles
Allah — Meaning and Use
Allah is the Arabic word for God — the one Creator worshipped by Muslims, and the word Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews also use.
Read articleHadith — Meaning and Use
A hadith is a report of what the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, did or approved, passed on through a checked chain of narrators.
Read articleHajj — The Pilgrimage to Makkah
Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah that every able Muslim makes once in a lifetime. It is the fifth Pillar of Islam and recalls Abraham.
Read articleIslam — Meaning of the Word
Islam is an Arabic word meaning willing submission to God, from the same root as salam, peace. It is also the name of the religion.
Read articleMuslim — Meaning of the Word
A Muslim is a person who submits to the One God and follows Islam. Muslims come from every race, nation and language.
Read articleQur'an — Meaning and Use
The Qur'an is the holy book of Islam, which Muslims believe is the word of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Its name means the recitation.
Read articleSalah — The Muslim Prayer
Salah is the ritual prayer Muslims perform five times a day, facing Makkah. It is the second of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Read articleSawm — Fasting in Islam
Sawm is the Islamic fast: no food, drink or marital relations from dawn to sunset. Fasting in Ramadan is the fourth Pillar of Islam.
Read articleSunnah — Meaning and Use
The Sunnah is the way of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ — his words, actions and example — and the second source of guidance in Islam.
Read articleWhat Does Alhamdulillah Mean?
Alhamdulillah means "all praise is for God". Muslims say it to express gratitude many times a day — in good times and in hard times.
Read articleWhat Does Halal Mean?
Halal means permitted or lawful in Islam. It applies to food, but also to work, money, relationships and every part of life.
Read articleWhat Does Haram Mean?
Haram means forbidden in Islam — things God has prohibited, like lying, theft and alcohol. The same root also means sacred.
Read articleWhat Does Hijab Mean?
Hijab means covering. It usually refers to the headscarf many Muslim women wear, and more broadly to modesty for men and women.
Read articleWhat Does Inshallah Mean?
Inshallah means "if God wills". Muslims say it when talking about the future, as a sign of humility and trust in God.
Read articleWhat Does Jihad Really Mean?
Jihad means striving or struggling in God's way — above all against one's own ego. It never means terrorism or harming innocent people.
Read articleWhat Does Mashallah Mean?
Mashallah means "what God has willed". Muslims say it when they admire something good, giving credit to God for every blessing.
Read articleWhat Does Sharia Mean?
Sharia means God's guidance for life in Islam — covering worship, ethics, family, business and justice. It is much more than criminal law.
Read articleWhat Does Tawhid Mean?
Tawhid is the Islamic belief in the absolute oneness of God — the foundation of Islam and the message of every prophet.
Read articleWhat Does Ummah Mean?
Ummah means community or nation. Muslims use it for the worldwide community of believers, across every race, nation and language.
Read articleZakat — The Obligatory Charity
Zakat is the yearly charity every Muslim with enough savings must give to people in need. It is the third of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Read articleWhat Does Assalamu Alaikum Mean?
Assalamu alaikum means "peace be upon you". It is the everyday Muslim greeting, and the usual reply is wa alaikum assalam.
Read articleWhat Does Bismillah Mean?
Bismillah means "in the name of God". Muslims say it before eating, travelling, reading the Qur'an and starting almost anything.
Read articleWhat Does Deen Mean?
Deen is the Arabic word for religion, but it means more: a complete way of life, obedience to God, and the final judgment. Islam is described as a deen.
Read articleWhat Does Khalifah Mean?
Khalifah means steward or successor. The Qur'an calls humanity God's stewards on earth; historically, the word also meant caliph, a leader of the Muslims.
Read articleWhat Does Nafs Mean?
Nafs means the self or soul — the inner self with its desires and conscience. Islam calls believers to purify the nafs, not to destroy it.
Read articleWhat Does Ruh (Spirit) Mean?
Ruh means spirit or soul — the life God breathed into Adam. The Qur'an teaches that its true nature is known only to God.
Read articleWhat Does Sabr (Patience) Mean?
Sabr means patience and steadfastness: holding firm in hardship, in doing good and in avoiding wrong. Muslims see it as half of faith in practice.
Read articleWhat Does Sahih Mean?
Sahih means authentic. Scholars use it for a hadith that meets strict conditions of reliability, like those in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
Read articleWhat Does Shukr (Gratitude) Mean?
Shukr means gratitude to God — felt in the heart, spoken with the tongue and shown through actions. The Qur'an promises that gratitude brings more blessings.
Read articleWhat Does Subhanallah Mean?
Subhanallah means "glory be to God". Muslims say it in wonder, in prayer and in daily remembrance, declaring God free of every flaw.
Read articleWhat Is a Fatwa?
A fatwa is a scholarly answer to a question about Islamic belief or practice, given by a qualified scholar called a mufti.
Read articleWhat Is a Masjid? The Mosque in Islam
A masjid is a mosque — literally "a place of prostration". It is a house of prayer, learning and community, open for worship five times a day.
Read articleWhat Is a Surah?
A surah is a chapter of the Qur'an. There are 114 surahs, from very long to just three verses, and almost all begin with the Bismillah.
Read articleWhat Is an Ayah?
An ayah is a verse of the Qur'an. The word also means 'sign' — Muslims see both the verses and the wonders of nature as signs of God.
Read articleWhat Is an Imam? Leading the Prayer
An imam is the person who leads Muslims in prayer. Islam has no priesthood — an imam is a worshipper chosen for knowledge, not an intermediary.
Read articleWhat Is Barakah (Blessing)?
Barakah is God-given blessing that makes a little go a long way — in time, money, food or family. Honesty and gratitude attract it.
Read articleWhat Is Dhikr? Remembering God
Dhikr means remembrance of God — repeating short phrases of praise and keeping God in mind throughout the day. It brings the heart peace.
Read articleWhat Is Dua? Personal Prayer in Islam
Dua is personal prayer — speaking to God in your own words, in any language, at any time, asking for help, guidance or forgiveness.
Read articleWhat Is Eid? The Two Muslim Festivals
Eid means festival. Muslims celebrate two: Eid al-Fitr after Ramadan and Eid al-Adha during the Hajj season, with prayer, family, food and charity.
Read articleWhat Is Fitrah? Our Natural Disposition
Fitrah is the pure, natural disposition every person is born with — an inborn sense that God exists and that goodness is worth pursuing.
Read articleWhat Is Ihsan? Excellence in Faith
Ihsan means excellence: worshipping God as though you see Him, and doing every good deed — to people and creatures — as beautifully as you can.
Read articleWhat Is Ijma (Scholarly Consensus)?
Ijma means the consensus of qualified Muslim scholars on a religious ruling. It is a key source of Islamic law after the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Read articleWhat Is Iman? Faith in Islam
Iman means faith: belief in God, His angels, scriptures, messengers, the Last Day and divine decree — held in the heart and shown in deeds.
Read articleWhat Is Jahannam? Hell in Islam
Jahannam is the Arabic name for Hell. Islam teaches that it is real and just — and that God's mercy and the door of repentance are open to all.
Read articleWhat Is Jannah? Paradise in Islam
Jannah means Paradise: the eternal home of joy and peace God has prepared for those who believe and do good — beyond anything we can imagine.
Read articleWhat Is Jumu'ah (Friday Prayer)?
Jumu'ah is the weekly Friday congregational prayer, held at midday in the mosque with a short sermon. It is the most important gathering of the Muslim week.
Read articleWhat Is Rahmah? Mercy in Islam
Rahmah means mercy — the quality God names Himself by most often. Muslims are called to show it to people, animals and all creation.
Read articleWhat Is Ramadan? The Month of Fasting
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset and celebrate the revelation of the Qur'an.
Read articleWhat Is Riba (Interest)?
Riba means interest or usury — a guaranteed increase charged on a loan. Islam forbids it and encourages fair trade and shared risk instead.
Read articleWhat Is Sadaqah (Voluntary Charity)?
Sadaqah is voluntary charity in Islam — any gift or kindness given for God's sake, in any amount, at any time. Even a smile can be sadaqah.
Read articleWhat Is Shirk? Associating Partners with God
Shirk means associating partners with God — worshipping anything besides Him. It is the opposite of tawhid, and the door of repentance is always open.
Read articleWhat Is Taqwa? God-Consciousness
Taqwa means God-consciousness: living with awareness of God, avoiding what displeases Him out of love, reverence and hope.
Read articleWhat Is Tawbah (Repentance)?
Tawbah means repentance — turning back to God after a sin. In Islam anyone can repent directly to God, at any time, and no sin is too great to be forgiven.
Read articleWhat Is the Adhan (Call to Prayer)?
The adhan is the Muslim call to prayer, proclaimed five times a day. It announces that prayer time has come and invites everyone to God.
Read articleWhat Is the Akhirah? The Hereafter in Islam
Akhirah means the Hereafter: the life after death, the Day of Judgment and the eternal home that follows. Belief in it gives this life meaning.
Read articleWhat Is the Kaaba? The House of God in Mecca
The Kaaba is the cube-shaped building in Mecca that Muslims face in prayer. Muslims worship God alone — not the Kaaba itself.
Read articleWhat Is the Qiblah?
The qiblah is the direction Muslims face in prayer — towards the Kaaba in Makkah. It unites Muslims worldwide; they worship God, not the building.
Read articleWhat Is the Sirah?
The sirah is the biography of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ — his life, character and mission, from his birth in Makkah to his death in Madinah.
Read articleWhat Is Umrah? The Lesser Pilgrimage
Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj, it can be made at any time of year, and it takes only a few hours to complete.
Read articleWhat Is Wudu (Ablution)?
Wudu is the washing Muslims perform before prayer: the face, arms, head and feet. It cleans the body and prepares the heart to stand before God.
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