Definitions of common terms used in Islam
Allah -
Islamic idea of God. The supreme being
with sovereignty over all other forms of beliefs, teachings.
Caliph – considered a successor to Muhammad.
The head of state for Islamic governments
Caliphate – system of government run by the “caliph” based on
religious principles
Din – complete obedience to Allah.
Submission to prophet’s teaching.
Fatwa – ruling by a religious scholar based on Islamic law
Fiqh – Islamic jurisprudence
Hadith –
reports, accounts, beliefs, records of Muhammad’s actions or teachings. Also includes accounts of those who knew
Muhammad.
Hajj – pilgrimage to Mecca. One of
the five pillars of Islam
Ijithad –
applying principles of legal theory in order to discover God’s law. Preached by Rationalists and deemed necessary
to issue judgments on cases
Imam – leader of mosques/legal scholars/community leaders/highest rank of
cleric
Jihad –
armed struggle against enemies of Islam.
Issuing jihad means a declaration of war in order to enforce the laws of
Islam
Maddahb – a school of thought
Madrassa – university/school that preaches specific school of
thought
Mahdi – said
to be the lost 12th Imam.
Believed to eventually return someday.
Many charismatic leaders claim to be the Mahdi in order to gain support.
Mujtahid – religious scholar that practices ijithad
Mullah – local Islamic clergy members/legal scholars
Qur’an –
explicit word of Allah. Muslim equivalent
of the Bible. The highest and truest
source of knowledge.
Ramaddan – month of fasting based on Islamic belief
Shaykh – spiritual leader of a Muslim clergy
Takfir – declaring another Muslim to be an infidel/enemy/or unbeliever in
true Islam
Taqlid – following
the orders of religious authorities without any personal exploration or discovery. Complete submission to higher scholars of
Islam
Taqwa – fear of God
Ulama - legal
scholars that issue rulings based on Islamic law. Collective community of high ranking clerics
Ummah - Muslim community
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