Quranic Glossary

The Arabic word for God — the one true God in Islam. Not a name exclusive to Islam; Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews also use 'Allah.' …

Literally 'sign' or 'miracle.' Refers to a verse of the Quran. The Quran contains 6,236 ayahs divided across 114 surahs. Each ayah is considered a …

The phrase 'Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim' (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful). It opens 113 of the 114 surahs (all except …

Remembrance of Allah through phrases of praise and glorification. The Quran commands: 'Remember Allah abundantly' (33:41). Common forms include SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar.

Personal supplication and prayer to Allah — distinct from the ritual salah. Dua can be made at any time, in any language, for any need. …

The innate human nature and disposition toward recognizing God. Islam teaches that every person is born upon fitrah — an inherent inclination toward monotheism and …

A report of the sayings, actions, or approvals of Prophet Muhammad. Hadith are the second source of Islamic law after the Quran. Each hadith has …

A person who has memorized the entire Quran by heart. The tradition of hifz (memorization) has preserved the Quran unchanged since the time of the …

A half of a juz, making 60 hizb in the Quran. Each hizb is further divided into four quarters (rub'), creating 240 divisions for structured …

The chain of narration of a hadith, tracing back to the Prophet Muhammad through a series of named narrators. The reliability of each narrator determines …

One of the 30 equal parts of the Quran, designed for completing the recitation in one month (one juz per day, especially during Ramadan).

Divine decree and predestination — belief that Allah has knowledge of all events and has decreed them. One of the six articles of Islamic faith. …

Authentic — the highest grade of hadith authenticity. A sahih hadith has an unbroken chain of trustworthy narrators with no defects or irregularities.

Associating partners with Allah — the only unforgivable sin if one dies without repenting. The opposite of tawhid. The Quran repeatedly warns against shirk in …

The practice and traditions of Prophet Muhammad — his way of life, worship, and conduct. The Sunnah is preserved through hadith collections and serves as …

A chapter of the Quran. There are 114 surahs of varying lengths, from 3 ayahs (Al-Kawthar) to 286 ayahs (Al-Baqarah). Each surah has a name …

Exegesis or commentary on the Quran. Scholars of tafsir (mufassirun) explain the meaning, context, and application of Quranic verses using linguistic analysis, hadith, and historical …

The science of proper Quran recitation — rules governing pronunciation, elongation (madd), nasalization (ghunnah), and merging (idgham) of letters. Tajwid ensures the Quran is recited …

Reliance upon Allah while taking practical action. Not passive resignation but active trust — doing one's best and leaving the outcome to Allah. 'And whoever …

The global community of Muslims, united by faith regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or language. The Quran describes the Muslim ummah as 'the best nation produced …