(of
terms as used in this book)
-
`an: In Hadeeth, "on the authority
of".
- `Asr:
the Afternoon Prayer.
- aayah
(pl. aayaat): "sign", a verse
of the Qur'aan.
- Companion
(Ar. Sahaabi): a Muslim who met the
Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam).
- da`eef:
"weak", inauthentic (narration).
- Deen:
the way of life prescribed by Allaah.
- dhikr
(pl. adhkaar): "remembrance",
words by which Allaah is remembered
and supplicated on doing various actions,
including in prayer.
- Fajr:
the Dawn Prayer.
- faqeeh
(pl. fuqahaa'): a scholar
of fiqh, jurist.
- fatwaa
(pl. fataawaa): religious
verdict.
- fiqh:
the understanding and application of
Sharee`ah (divine law) from
its sources.
- hadeeth
(pl. ahaadeeth): a saying narrated
from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi
wa sallam) (whether authentic or not),
regarding his words, actions, or attributes.
- hadeeth
qudsi: a narration by the Prophet
(sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) on
behalf of Allaah.
- Hajj:
Pilgrimage to Makkah.
- halaal:
permitted under the Sharee`ah.
- haraam:
prohibited under the Sharee`ah.
- hasan:
"fine", used for a hadeeth which is
authentic but does not reach the higher
category of saheeh.
- hasan
li dhaatihi: a narration which
is hasan in itself.
- hasan
li ghairihi: a narration which
is hasan due to other supporting
narrations.
- iftiraash:
to sit muftarishan.
- ijmaa`:
"consensus"; a unified opinion of scholars
regarding a certain issue.
- ijtihaad:
"exertion"; the process of arising
at a reasoned decision by a scholar
on an issue.
- iq`aa':
"squatting".
- `Ishaa':
the Night Prayer.
- isnaad:
the chain of reporters for a narrated
saying, linking the collector of the
saying with the person quoted.
- isti`aadhah:
"seeking of refuge" (with Allaah from
Shaytaan).
- istighfaar:
to seek forgiveness (from Allaah).
- madhhab:
"position (opinion)" of a scholar.
- Madhhab:
"school of thought", the sum total
of the legal rulings of the founder
of that Madhhab, as well as those of
his students and all scholars who adhered
to his approach.
- maqloob:
"reversed", used for the text of a
hadeeth in which an expression
has been changed to its opposite, or
for an isnaad in which names
of reporters have been interchanged.
- Maghrib:
the Sunset prayer.
- makrooh:
"disliked"; fiqh terminology
denoting an action which is discouraged,
and one is rewarded for abstaining
from it.
- marfoo`:
"raised"; a narration attributed to
the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa
sallam).
- masaa'il
(sing. mas'alah): "that which
is asked about"; an issue in fiqh.
- mawdoo`:
fabricated, spurious, invented (narration).
- mawqoof:
"stopped"; a narration from a Companion.
- mawsool:
"connected"; a continuous isnaad.
- mu`allaq:
"suspended"; a narration in which its
collector omits part of the isnaad
to previous authorities.
- mudallis:
one who practises tadlees.
- muftarishan:
(sitting) on the left foot, which is
spread along the ground, with the right
foot upright.
- mufti:
one who gives fataawaa.
- muhaddith
(pl. muhadditheen): scholar
of the science of Hadeeth.
- mujtahid:
one who is qualified to pass judgments
using ijtihaad.
- munkar:
"rejected"; a narration which is inauthentic
in itself and also contradicts other
authentic ones.
- muqallid:
one who practises taqleed.
- mursal:
"loose"; a narration in which a Successor
narrates from the Prophet (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam) directly, i.e. omitting
the Companion from whom he
heard it.
- mutawaatir:
a hadeeth which is narrated
by a very large number of reporters,
such that it cannot be supposed that
they all agreed on a lie.
- qiyaas:
Analogical deduction of Islaamic laws.
New laws are deduced from old laws
based on a similarity between their
causes.
- qunoot:
"devotion"; a special supplication
while standing in Prayer.
- radi
Allaahu `anhu/`anhaa/`anhum:
"May Allaah be pleased with him/her/them".
- rahimahullaah:
"May Allaah bestow His Mercy on him."
- rak`ah:
one cycle of standing, bowing and prostrations
during Prayer.
- saheeh:
"correct"; an authentic narration.
- saheeh
li dhaatihi: a narration which
is saheeh in itself.
- saheeh
li ghairihi: a narration which
is saheeh due to other supporting
narrations.
- Salaf:
"previous"; the early Muslims, of the
first three eras: the Companions,
Successors, and their successors.
- sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam: "May Allaah
send blessings and peace on him", used
for the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi
wa sallam).
- sanad:
same as isnaad.
- shaadhdh:
"unusual"; a narration which is authentic
in itself but inconsistent with other
authentic ones.
- shaikh:
teacher of a scholar or narrator of
hadeeth.
- Sharee`ah:
The divine code of Law.
- sharh:
commentary on, or explanation of, a
text other than the Qur'aan.
- Successor
(Ar. Taabi`i): a Muslim (other than
a Companion) who met a Companion.
- Sunnah:
"Example, Practice"; the way of life
of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi
wa sallam), consisting of his words,
actions and silent approvals. The Sunnah
is contained in the various authentic
ahaadeeth.
- sunnah:
an action of the Prophet (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam).
- surah:
a chapter of the Qur'aan.
- sutrah:
"screen, covering"; an object ahead
of the place of prostration, only beyond
which may anyone pass.
- tadlees:
"concealment"; to mask the identity
of one's immediate authority in narration,
e.g. by using a less well-known name,
or by saying "on the authority of ..."
the next narrator along.
- tafseer:
explanation of the words and meanings
of the Qur'aan.
- tahajjud:
voluntary, recommended prayer between
the compulsory prayers of `Ishaa'
and Fajr.
- tahleel:
to declare that there is no true deity
except Allaah.
- tahmeed:
"declare the praise of", esp. to declare
the Praise of Allaah.
- ta`leeq:
same as mu`allaq.
- takbeer:
"magnification"; to declare the Greatness
of Allaah.
- takhreej:
to reference a hadeeth to its source
and analyse its isnaads.
- tarjamah:
notes about a reporter of Hadeeth.
- tasbeeh:
to glorify Allaah, rejecting any imperfections
attributed to Him.
- tashahhud:
from shahaadah (to witness);
the sitting in Prayer, in which one
bears witness that there is no true
god except Allaah, and that Muhammad
is His messenger.
- tasleem:
"to send peace on"; the Muslim salutation
of peace.
- taqleed:
to follow someone's opinion; to follow
a Madhhab.
- Ummah:
"nation"; the Muslims as a group.
- `Umrah:
the lesser pilgrimage to Makkah.
- Witr:
"Odd"; the last prayer at night, consisting
of an odd number of rak`ahs.
- Zuhr:
the post-noon prayer.
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