Glossary of Islamic terms
Short, sourced explanations of the terms used across this site — from ḥadīth and isnād to madhhab and taqwā.
16 terms
- Dhikrذكر
- Remembrance of Allah through set formulas of praise.
- Duʿāʾدعاء
- Supplication: calling upon Allah with a request or praise.
- Fiqhفقه
- Applied Islamic jurisprudence: the practical rulings derived from the sources.
- Ḥadīthحديث
- A transmitted report of the Prophet's ﷺ words, actions or silent approval.
- Hijrīهجري
- The Islamic lunar calendar, counted from the migration to Medina.
- Ijmāʿإجماع
- The scholarly consensus of a generation on a legal ruling.
- Ijtihādاجتهاد
- A qualified scholar's disciplined effort to derive a ruling from the sources.
- Isnādإسناد
- The chain of narrators that carries a hadith back to its origin.
- Madhhabمذهب
- A school of Islamic legal method — Hanafi, Maliki, Shafiʿi or Hanbali.
- Qiblaقبلة
- The direction of the Kaʿba in Mecca, faced during prayer.
- Ṣaḥīḥصحيح
- A hadith grading meaning the report meets all conditions of soundness.
- Ṣalāhصلاة
- The five obligatory daily prayers with fixed times and form.
- Sunnaسنة
- The Prophet's ﷺ established way: his practice, guidance and example.
- Tafsīrتفسير
- Explanation of the Quran using narrations, language and context.
- Taqwāتقوى
- God-consciousness: guarding oneself by awareness of Allah.
- Zakāhزكاة
- The obligatory annual charity on qualifying wealth.