New Muslims · Words
Muslim words and what they mean
The Arabic terms and phrases you will hear every day in a Muslim community, what they mean, and roughly how to say them.
Nobody expects you to arrive knowing these. People will use them around you from day one, in conversation, in messages, in the khutbah. Here is a plain-English key to the common ones.
- Alhamdulillahالحمد لله
- al-ham-du-lil-LAH: “All praise is for Allah.” Said for anything good, and when asked how you are.
- Allahu akbarالله أكبر
- al-LAH-u AK-bar: “Allah is the greatest.” Said moving between positions in prayer, and at moments of awe.
- Assalamu alaykumالسلام عليكم
- as-sa-LAM-u a-LAY-kum: “Peace be upon you.” The Muslim greeting. Reply: wa alaykum as-salam, “and upon you peace.”
- Ameenآمين
- a-MEEN: “O Allah, answer.” Said after a dua and after Al-Fatihah in prayer.
- Bismillahبسم الله
- bis-mil-LAH: “In the name of Allah.” Said before eating, wudu, and starting almost anything.
- Dawahدعوة
- DAA-wah: Inviting people to Islam, or teaching about it.
- Deenدين
- DEEN: Your religion and your whole way of life, belief included.
- Duaدعاء
- du-AA: Personal supplication, talking to Allah, asking Him, in any language.
- Eidعيد
- EED: One of the two yearly festivals: Eid al-Fitr after Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha.
- Fatwaفتوى
- FAT-waa: A scholar’s ruling on a specific religious question, given by someone qualified to answer it.
- Fiqhفقه
- FIQH: The scholarship of working out practical Islamic rulings from the sources.
- Ghuslغسل
- GHUSL: The full-body ritual wash, needed after intimacy, a wet dream, the end of a period, and taken after shahada.
- Halal / Haramحلال / حرام
- ha-LAAL / ha-RAAM: Permitted / forbidden.
- Hadithحديث
- ha-DEETH: A reported saying or action of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
- Imamإمام
- i-MAAM: The person who leads a congregational prayer; also a mosque’s religious leader.
- InshaAllahإن شاء الله
- in-shaa-al-LAH: “If Allah wills.” Said about anything in the future.
- Jazak Allahu khayranجزاك الله خيرًا
- ja-ZAAK al-LAH-u KHAY-ran: “May Allah reward you with good.” The Muslim way of saying thank you. Reply: wa iyyak.
- Jumuahجمعة
- JU-mu-ah: The Friday congregational prayer that replaces Dhuhr for men.
- Kaabaكعبة
- KAA-bah: The cube-shaped house of worship in Makkah that Muslims face in prayer.
- MashaAllahما شاء الله
- maa-shaa-al-LAH: “What Allah has willed.” Said admiring something, to acknowledge the blessing is from Allah.
- Niyyahنية
- NIY-yah: Intention. Held in the heart before an act of worship; no set words.
- Qiblahقبلة
- QIB-lah: The direction of the Kaaba in Makkah, which you face to pray.
- Rakahركعة
- RAK-ah: One unit of prayer: a stand, a bow, and two prostrations.
- Revert
- A person who has come to Islam. People say “revert” instead of “convert” because everyone is born in a natural state of submission to God and is returning to it.
- Sadaqahصدقة
- sa-DA-qah: Voluntary charity, of any size, given to seek Allah’s pleasure.
- Salahصلاة
- sa-LAAH: The formal five-times-daily prayer. Also called namaz.
- Sawmصوم
- SAWM: Fasting, especially the obligatory fast of Ramadan.
- Shahadaشهادة
- sha-HAA-dah: The testimony of faith: there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger. Saying it with belief makes you a Muslim.
- SubhanAllahسبحان الله
- sub-HAAN-al-LAH: “Glory be to Allah.” Said in wonder, or to push back a bad thought.
- Sunnahسنة
- SUN-nah: The example of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, his words, actions and approvals. Also used for recommended (not obligatory) acts.
- Surahسورة
- SOO-rah: A chapter of the Qur’an. There are 114.
- Tahajjudتهجد
- ta-HAJ-jud: Voluntary night prayer, prayed after sleeping, before Fajr.
- Ummahأمة
- UM-mah: The worldwide community of Muslims.
- Wuduوضوء
- wu-DOO: The ablution, the wash done before prayer.
- Zakatزكاة
- za-KAAH: The obligatory annual charity on wealth held above a threshold; one of the five pillars.