Adhan- The call to prayer
Adab- Customs and traditions
Caliphate- The line of Caliphs starting with Abu Bakr in 632 AD and ending with Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1924, it is most important within the Sunni school of Islam
Dhimmi- Protected minorities, particularly people of the book, popular in Iran and was called the millet system in the Ottoman Empire
Fatwa- A legal decision rendered by a Mufti who is qualified to make religious decisions.
5 Pillars of Islam- Generally thought of as the five most important actions a Muslim must do. The first is to believe and testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God (shahada). The second is to perform the five daily prayers (salah). Next is regular charity (zakat), followed by fasting during Ramadan (saum) and pilgrimage to Makkah (hajj) if the believer is financially and physically able.
Ghayba- The unseen, or occultation according to Shi'a beliefs
Hadith- Oral traditions attributed to the Prophet Muhammad or close associates of his. Sunnis and Shi’ias have different collections of Hadith. A minority of Muslims reject the Hadith all together, only believing that the Qur’an is the only source of Islam.
Hajj- A pilgrimage to Mecca. One of the five pillars of Islam requiring all Muslims (who are physically and financially able to) to make a trip to Mecca to visit a number of sacred sites including Kaaba, which is the most important of the religious sites.
Halal/Haram- Different acts, foods, traditions, beliefs, words etc. that are allowed or forbidden according to the rules in the Qu'ran and Hadith
Itjihad/Ijma- Itjihad is the process of reasoning in deciding a legal religious ruling, Ijama is the verdict of the ijtihad
Imam- This word can have several meanings, the most basic of which is a person leading a congregational prayer, in which case any Muslim can be an imam for a specific prayer. However, it can also be used to describe a full-time professional ‘alim, who performs functions similar to a rabbi, or in the Shi’a context, to describe the descendents of the Prophet and Ali who are said to be infallible (Imam Ali, Imam Hassan, Imam Husayn, etc.)
Islam- The submission or self-surrender to God. Derived from the root seen-lam-mim, which carries the connotation of peace and tranquility. One who practices Islam is called a Muslim.
Jihad- Meaning personal struggle. It can encompass military struggle, but has a much broader meaning and can include many types of struggle that are performed for God.
Ka'ba- The symbolic throne of God on Earth. A cubed shaped structure in Mecca, which Muslims face during daily prayers. Built by Abraham and Ishmael, it housed various idols until Muhammad destroyed them in 631AD after conquering Mecca. The structure is circled 7 times pilgrims during the Hajj and Umrah and houses a black stone.
Madrassa- An Islamic religious school
Tawhid- Monotheism, this is Allah's absolute oneness, the key component of Islam
Mosque- In essence it is a place of worship for Muslims. Prayers and sermons are held here
Muslim- One who submits to God, a follower of the Islamic faith
Sunni- The major sect of Islam, which attempts to follow the Sunna of Prophet Muhammad and his companions. This school of Islam came from those who believed that Abu Bakr and his successors were supposed to lead the Muslim community after the Prophet’s death.
Shi'a-The largest minority sect of Islam, Shi’as believe that Ali bin Abi Talib was divinely appointed to be Muhammad’s successor, and that his right was usurped by Abu Bakr and Umar.
Sufi- Often described as “the mystical trend of Islam”, Sufism is about cleansing the heart and focuses more on experiencing God rather than having an academic understanding of Him
Qu'ran- “Recitation”- the verses revealed to Muhammad and written during his lifetime. Comprising 114 suras or, roughly translated, chapters, it is believed to be quite literally the Word of God by Muslims.
Shahada- To testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Sharia- The Divine Law as it exists in the mind of God- however, it is often used as if it were synonymous with fiqh, which is humanity’s attempt to understand Shari’a.
Ulama- Muslim religious scholar, these are the men that are key to itjihad
Wahhabism- 18th century reform movement from the Hijaz, attempting to reconstruct Islam as it was practiced in the time of the Prophet. Founded by Ibn Abd al Wahhab and co-opted by the Saud family and is the state ideology of Saudi Arabia. It is criticized for producing extremists and fundamentalist thoughts while rejecting the four legal schools. It is now more or less synonymous with Salafism. Inspired such movements as Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
Zakat- This is the third pillar of Islam, regular charity generally considered to the annual payment of 1/40th of ones wealth.
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