Glossary

A

Aqeedah refers to core beliefs, and the detailed level at which a person believes in the 6 pillars of iman. Aqeedah is more fundamental than fiqh as having the wrong beliefs can lead a person in kufr. However, it is perfectly normal to learn more about fiqh than aqeedah as aqeedah discussions tend to be more abstract or even philosophical whereas fiqh tends to be more practical.

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Da'wah meaning "invitation", it means to preach Islamic knowledge to both Muslims and non-Muslims, with the intention of inviting the latter to Islam. It comes in all forms, including by verbal communication, written materials and by setting a good example

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F

Fard is a religious obligation

Fiqh is Islamic jurisprudence, or law. It is the interpretation of the Quran and sunnah, complemented by other sources according to the methodology of a faqih

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H

Hadith are oral (and later on written) transmissions of the speech and actions of Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)

I

Ibadah is an act of worship to Allah

Iman generally means belief. It has levels and is something that can fluctuate in a person

InshaAllah translates to God willing. Muslims are encouraged to use it when describing future events as something can only come to pass if Allah wills it.

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M

Manhaj refers to methodology or doctrine of a group It is generally not used as commonly as "madhab" or the schools of aqeedah as it is an umbrella term to mean the group's intepretation of both fiqh and aqeedah

Mizan is a scale that is used to weigh good and bad deeds

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S

Salah is a form of worship for Muslims. There are obligatory (which are performed 5 times a day) and non-obligatory salah

Seerah the biography of Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessing be upon him)

Shaytan means 'one who is distant', but it can also be referred to as 'rebelliousness'. Therefore, the shayateen (plural of shaytan) are those who incite rebelliousness against Allah's commands. Shaytan (as an improper noun) can be both from jinn and Mankind, while Shaytan (as a proper noun / with a capital 'S') refers to Iblis, the first jinn who rebelled against Allah's command

T

Tafsir is the exegesis, interpretation or commentary of the Quran

Taqwa is often referred to as 'God-consciousness', 'piety' or 'God-fearing', but it is more accurately be described as "avoiding all types of sin by thinking about Allah and fearing Him constantly".

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Z

Zakat is charity, and it is obligatory if a Muslim has reached a certain level of wealth. There are 8 groups of recipients of zakat, such as the poor and those overburdened by debt. Literal meanings of zakat is 'increase' (in faith and reward) and 'purify' (to purify of one's sins and to purify one's wealth of inevitable haram elements). Zakat can be seen as a "tax of the rich" or a sort of light "punishment" for withholding wealth. In any case, zakat helps to redistribute or move wealth around, which is beneficial to a society's economics.