Aayah (pl. Aayaat): An aayah of the Qur’aan composed of a number of words that occur together.
Ahlul-Bid’ah: The People of Innovation, those people who introduce matters – whether beliefs, actions or principles – into the religion which do not belong in it and which the Messenger and his Companions were not upon.
Ahlul-Kalaam: The People of Theological Rhetoric, those who resort to philosophical reasoning and rationale in understanding the texts of the Book and the Sunnah, and therefore went astray.
Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah: Those who hold fast to that which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Companions were upon with regards to ‘aqeedah (belief), manhaj (methodology) and all other matters of religion and who hold onto to this way, not abandoning it for the way of the innovated and misguided sects such as the Khawaarij, the Mu’tazilah, the Ash’ariyyah, the Soofiyyah and their likes.
‘Allaamah: A title given to someone who is distinguished in his learning and knowledge of the religion.
‘Aqeedah: The principles and specific details of belief that one holds in his heart.
Ashaabul-Hadeeth: The People of Hadeeth, this is a description of whoever submits to the Prophetic Narrations in accepting and deriving his belief. As opposed to Ahlul-Kalaam and Ahlul-Bid’ah who rely upon other than this.
Athar (pl. Aathaar): Literally, a remnant or trace. It means a narration from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم or from the Companions, the Taabi’een or those after them.
Bid’ah: An innovation, something having no precedence from the Prophetic Sunnah.
Dhaahir: Apparent, manifest
Eemaan: The correct Islamic belief, which comprises firm belief in the heart, profession by the tongue and the actions of the limbs. It can increase and decrease.
Faqeeh: Someone who has good understanding of the religion, of the texts of the Book and the Sunnah and who can derive rulings from them.
Fiqh: The understanding and application of the Sharee’ah as derived from the Qur’aan and the Sunnah.
Haafidh: A preserver of the Qur’aan and Hadeeth.
Hadeeth (pl. Ahaadeeth): A narration containing the sayings of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم, his actions, his silent approvals or any descriptions of him.
Hasan: In the Science of Hadeeth, a good and acceptable hadeeth.
Haqeeqah: Real, in reality (as opposed to metaphorically).
‘Ilmul-Hadeeth: The Science of Hadeeth, which is involved with separating the correct and true ahaadeeth from the weak and fabricated ones.
Ijmaa’: Consensus, the agreement of the Companions of the Messenger upon an issue, and the agreement of the Scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah upon an issue.
Imaam: One who leads in prayer, in terms of knowledge or fiqh. Also a leader of a state.
Jamaa’ah: The body of Muslims, which is united upon adherence to the truth, which is what the Companions were upon and those following them upon that.
Khaleefah (pl. Khulafaa): The leader of the Muslim Ummah.
Khilaafah: The Muslim State, which is based upon the beliefs, actions and methodology of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and His Companions.
Khutbah: A sermon (i.e., the khutbah of Jumu’ah)
Madhhab (pl. Madhaahib): A way or a school of thought.
Manhaj: Methodology, the methodology of a Muslim in the derivation, understanding and application of his Religion.
Muhaddith: Someone well versed in the Science of Hadeeth and all its branches and who is able to separate the correct from the false ahaadeeth.
Mushaf: The printed Qur`nan.
Mushrik: A pagan, one who associates partners with Allaah, in either his beliefs or his actions.
Muwahhid (pl. Muwahhidoon): One who holds the correct belief in Allaah and His Names and Attributes, who worships Him alone, with everything that the correct meaning of worship requires. Not associating partners with Him in any form or fashion and who dies upon that state.
Qadaa: Allaah’s ordainment of everything in creation.
Qadar: Allaah’s Pre-decree and pre-ordainment of the creation.
Qiblah: The direction one faces during Prayer (i.e., towards the Ka’bah in Makkah)
Saheeh: Authentic, a hadeeth fulfilling all the conditions of authenticity.
Salaam: The greetings that a Muslim gives to another, `Assalaamu ‘alaikum,’ may Allaah protect you and keep you safe.
Salaf: Predecessors, the early Muslims, those of the first three generations specifically (i.e., the Companions, the Successors and their successors) and those who are upon their way in belief and methodology, generally.
Shirk: Associating partners with Allaah.
Sunnah: In the broadest sense the entire religion which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came with i.e., all matters of belief, rulings, manners and actions which were conveyed by the Companions. It also includes those matters, which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم established by his sayings, actions and tacit approval.
Ta’teel: The act of denying any of Allaah’s Attributes.
Ta’weel: To give a figurative explanation of any of Allaah’s Attributes, such as to say that Allaah’s Hand means `power’ or `blessing’ or that His Anger means `to intend to punish’ or to say that His Throne really means His `sovereignty’ and other similarly false interpretations.
Taabi’ee (pl. Taabi’een): The Successors, that is the successors of the Companions, the next generation after the Companions.
Tahreef: To distort the meaning of Allaah’s Attributes or any of the texts of the Book and the Sunnah such as to say that Allaah’s Mercy means `the desire to confer a favor upon someone’ or to say that Istawaa (to ascend) really means istawlaa (to conquer, dominate).
Takyeef: To enquire into exactly how Allaah’s Attributes are such as to say `How is Allaah’s Hand-‘ or `Exactly how does Allaah ascend the Throne-‘ etc. This is an innovation.
Takbeer: Allaahu Akbar … Allaah is greater.
