Understand the words used every day
57 commonly used Islamic terms, searchable by name or meaning.
Word of the day
Alhamdulillah
57 terms
Adhan
The Islamic call to prayer, announced from the mosque five times a day.
Akhirah
The hereafter — life after death and the Day of Judgment.
Alhamdulillah
"Praise be to Allah" — an expression of gratitude used often in daily speech.
Allah
The Arabic word for God, used by Muslims and Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews alike.
Aqeedah
The core creed or set of beliefs that define a Muslim's faith.
Bismillah
"In the name of Allah" — said before beginning an action, such as eating or reading.
Deen
Often translated as "religion," but more broadly meaning a complete way of life.
Dhikr
The remembrance of Allah through repeated phrases of praise and glorification.
Dua
A personal supplication or prayer made directly to Allah, outside of formal ritual prayer.
Eid al-Adha
The "Festival of Sacrifice," commemorating Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah.
Eid al-Fitr
The festival marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
Fajr
The dawn prayer, the first of the five daily prayers.
Fard
An obligatory duty in Islam, such as the five daily prayers.
Fiqh
Islamic jurisprudence — the human interpretation and application of Islamic law.
Fitrah
The innate, natural disposition of humans to recognize and worship God.
Ghusl
A full-body ritual purification required after certain events, such as before Friday prayer or after major impurity.
Hadith
A recorded saying, action, or approval attributed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Hafiz
A person who has fully memorized the Quran.
Hajj
The pilgrimage to Mecca, obligatory once in a lifetime for able Muslims.
Halal
Permissible under Islamic law — often used to describe food and drink.
Haram
Forbidden under Islamic law.
Hijab
A modest head covering worn by many Muslim women; also refers more broadly to modest dress.
Hijrah
The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, which marks the start of the Islamic calendar.
Iftar
The meal that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan, eaten at sunset.
Ihram
The simple, seamless white clothing worn by pilgrims during Hajj and Umrah, and the sacred state it represents.
Iman
Faith — belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Day of Judgment, and divine decree.
Insha'Allah
"God willing" — said when referring to future plans or hopes.
Islam
"Submission" to the will of God — the monotheistic faith revealed through the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Jannah
Paradise — the eternal reward for the righteous in the afterlife.
Jihad
Struggle or striving — most commonly the inner struggle to live righteously, though the term has broader meanings.
Jumu'ah
The congregational Friday prayer, performed in place of the midday prayer.
Ka'bah
The cube-shaped structure at the center of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, toward which Muslims pray.
Khutbah
A sermon, most commonly the one delivered before the Friday congregational prayer.
Madhhab
A school of thought within Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh).
Masjid
A mosque — a place of worship and community for Muslims.
Mihrab
A niche in a mosque's wall indicating the direction of prayer (Qibla).
Muezzin
The person who calls the adhan, the call to prayer.
Niyyah
Intention — the inward resolve that must precede acts of worship for them to be valid.
Qibla
The direction of the Ka'bah in Mecca, faced by Muslims during prayer.
Quran
The central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be the literal word of Allah revealed to Muhammad ﷺ.
Rakah
A single unit of the ritual prayer, consisting of a set sequence of standing, bowing, and prostration.
Ramadan
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.
Riba
Usury or interest, which is forbidden in Islamic financial dealings.
Sahaba
The companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who knew him during his lifetime.
Salah
The ritual prayer performed five times a day, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Sawm
Fasting, particularly the obligatory fast observed during Ramadan.
Shahada
The declaration of faith: that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.
Sharia
Islamic law, derived from the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.
Shia
The second-largest denomination of Islam, whose adherents believe leadership passed to Ali, the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law.
Sunnah
The recorded practices, sayings, and habits of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, followed as a model for Muslim life.
Sunni
The largest denomination of Islam.
Surah
A chapter of the Quran; there are 114 in total.
Tawaf
The ritual of circling the Ka'bah seven times, performed during Hajj and Umrah.
Tawheed
The concept of the absolute oneness and uniqueness of Allah.
Ummah
The global community of Muslims, united by faith regardless of nationality or background.
Wudu
The ritual washing performed before prayer.
Zakat
Obligatory almsgiving — one of the Five Pillars of Islam, requiring giving a portion of one's wealth to those in need.