New Muslims · Words
Muslim words, explained
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 way of life - the whole of it, not just belief.
- 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. Not a threat - a considered answer from someone qualified to give one.
- 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. “Revert” rather than “convert,” on the idea that 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.