Arabic Dictionary

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The words in this "dictionary" have been transliterated into English characters by a commonly used scheme. They are words commonly used by Muslims to define things Islamic.

Adhan call to prayer
Allah God in the Arabic language, the same word that Arabic speaking Christians use to mean God
Allahu Akbar Allah is the greater
AS Alaihi Salaam--Peace be upon him, spoken after the names of the Prophets except Muhammed
Assalaam alaikum peace be upon you
Asr afternoon prayer
Batil void
Bismillar With Allah's name, invocation for beginning anything
Dhikr recitation, remembrance of Allah; see below
Du'a a form of prayer
Fajr the morning prayer
Ghasbi posessed unlawfully
Ghusl bath that produces a clean state of body
Hadath unclean things which require Niyyat for cleaning
Hadith the sayings and the lifestyle of the Prophet Mohammad
Haid menstruation
Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam
Halal permitted, allowed
Haram forbidden, not allowed (to be eaten)
InshaAllah God willing, spoken whenever one says what they intend to do in the future
Isha the night time prayer
Islam submission to God, Peace
Istihada vaginal bleeding except haid and Nifas
Imam leader in the prayer service
Junub an unclean state of body as in breaking Wudu
Janabat an unclean state of body caused by discharge of semen or sexual intercourse
Kaaba house of worship that Abraham and his son built in Mecca
Makrooh reprehensible disliked
Maghrib evening prayer, dusk
Masjidul Haram the area around the Kaaba
Masjid Mosque, place of worship for Muslims
Mubah allowed, lawful
Muslim one who submits their will to the will of Allah
Najasat, Najis an unclean thing
Nifas the bleeding after childbirth
Niyyat intention
PBUH Peace Be Upon Him, spoken after the name of Prophet Muhammed, same as SAW
Qibla in the direction of the Holy Kaaba
Qiyam to stand, a position of prayer
Qur'an "recitation" Islamic scripture, revealed to Prophet Muhammed by the angel Gabriel
Rakaats one unit of prayer, complete movements of prayer positions
Rukn must have, will invalidate the prayer if left out
Ruku bending down, a position of Salat
Ramadan holy month of fasting when the Qur'an was 1st revealed
SAW Sallallahu alaihi wa salaam -- may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, spoken after the name of the Prophet Muhammed, same as PBUH
Sajdah kneeling down, a position of Salat
Salat the ritual prayer of Muslims, one of the five pillars of Islam
Sawm fasting; prescribed during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam
Shahadah declaration of faith, to declare that there is no God but God and that Muhammed was His messenger, first of the five pillars of faith; see below
Shari'a the way of Islam including law and governance
Sunna the custom of the Prophet Mohammad
Sunnat optional
Sura a chapter of the Qur'an
SWT Subhanah wa tÕala -- highly glorified is he, said after the name of God or Allah
Tahir clean
Tamaninat to be motionless
Umma community of belevers
Wajib obligatory, necesary, mandatory
Wudu ablution
Zuhr midday prayer beginning at noon

Shahada: Declaration of faith

Ash-hadu alla ilaaha il-lallah
I bear witness that there is no God but Allah

Ash-hadu an-na Muhammeder rasoolullah
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah

Dhikr:

Subhanallah--glory be to Allah (repeated 33 times)
Al Hamdu lillaa--all praise is due to Allah(repeated 33 times)
Allahu Akbar--Allah is greater(repeated 33 times)
Laa ilaha illallah--there is no God but Allah (spoken once)
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