Glossary of key terms

Justice; fairness

Giving each person and thing its due, and treating people equitably regardless of status, relationship or feelings.

Pardon; forgiveness

Letting go of a right to retaliate. The Qur'an praises those who restrain anger and pardon others.

The Hereafter

Life after death, including accountability before God. Belief in it gives moral weight to how a person lives now.

God

The Arabic word for the one God. Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews also use it. Muslims use it to refer to the Creator, who has no partner or equal.

Trust; trustworthiness

Something entrusted to a person, and the quality of being trustworthy with it. It covers property, secrets, responsibilities, roles at work, and the earth itself.

Verse; sign

A verse of the Qur'an. The same word also means 'sign', and the Qur'an uses it for signs in nature that invite reflection. References such as 2:153 mean surah 2, verse 153.

Weak

A hadith whose chain or text has a weakness, so its attribution to the Prophet is not established. This site does not cite weak hadith as evidence.

Supplication; personal prayer

Calling on God in one's own words, at any time and in any language.

Scholarly legal opinion

A non-binding opinion given by a qualified scholar in response to a specific question. This site does not issue fatwas; personal questions should go to a qualified, trusted scholar.

Report; narration

A report of what the Prophet Muhammad said, did or approved. Each hadith has a chain of narrators (isnad) and a text (matn). Scholars assess hadith for reliability and grade them.

Good

An acceptable grade of hadith, slightly below sahih, usually because a narrator's precision is rated a little lower. Hasan hadith are generally accepted as evidence.

Wisdom

Sound judgement: putting knowledge into practice in the right way, at the right time and with the right manner. Classical scholars gave it several related meanings.

Forbearance; calm self-control

The ability to stay composed and gentle when provoked, choosing a measured response over an angry one.

Worship; devoted service

Worship in a broad sense. It includes formal rituals such as prayer, and any good action done sincerely for God's sake, such as honest work or caring for others.

Excellence; doing good beautifully

Going beyond the minimum: doing things well, with care and kindness, as though conscious that God sees you.

Sincerity; purity of purpose

Doing something for God alone, free from showing off. It is also the name of Surah 112, which describes God's oneness.

Knowledge

Knowledge gained through learning, study and experience. The Qur'an repeatedly praises those who know and reflect.

Chain of transmission

The list of people who passed a hadith down, from the Prophet to the compiler. Hadith scholars examine each narrator's reliability and whether they could have met.

Seeking forgiveness

Asking God for forgiveness, often with phrases such as 'astaghfirullah' ('I seek Allah's forgiveness'). The Prophet practised it many times a day.

Steadfastness; uprightness

Remaining consistently on the right course over time, rather than in occasional bursts.

Neighbour

A neighbour. Islamic teaching gives neighbours strong rights, whatever their religion.

Successor; steward; trustee

In Qur'an 2:30, a role given to human beings on earth. Many scholars understand it as entrusted responsibility, which underpins Islamic ideas of stewardship.

Self-accountability

Taking account of oneself: honestly reviewing one's intentions and actions in order to improve.

Intention

The purpose behind an action. In Islamic teaching, intention shapes the moral and spiritual value of what we do.

The recitation

The scripture that Muslims believe was revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad over about 23 years, preserved in Arabic. Translations are understood as interpretations of its meaning, not the Qur'an itself.

Mercy; compassion

Compassion that seeks the good of others. Two names of God at the opening of the Qur'an, ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim, come from the same root.

Patience; steadfastness

Holding oneself steady: persevering in doing good, restraining oneself from wrong and enduring hardship without despair. It is active endurance, not passive resignation.

Charity

Voluntary giving. Hadith extend it beyond money to include a kind word, a smile, helping someone and removing harm from a path. The word shares its root with sidq (truthfulness).

Sound; authentic

The highest grade of hadith: an unbroken chain of reliable, precise narrators with no hidden defect. Gradings are made by scholars and are sometimes debated, so this site records who graded each hadith.

Prayer

The formal prayer that Muslims perform five times a day. Surah Al-Fatihah is recited in every unit of the prayer.

Gratitude

Thankfulness shown in the heart (recognising a blessing), on the tongue (acknowledging it) and in action (using it well).

Truthfulness

Truthfulness in speech, and also consistency between what a person says, intends and does.

Keeping ties of kinship

Maintaining good relations with relatives through contact, kindness and support. The word rahim (womb, kinship) shares its root with rahmah (mercy).

Way; practice

The example and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, known mainly through hadith. Together with the Qur'an, it is a primary source of Islamic teaching.

Chapter

One of the 114 chapters of the Qur'an. Surahs vary from three verses to 286 verses in length.

Explanation; commentary

Scholarly explanation of the Qur'an, drawing on language, the Prophet's teachings, historical context and earlier scholars. Tafsir is human interpretation and is distinct from the Qur'an itself.

God-consciousness

Awareness of God that guards a person from wrongdoing. Translations render it as 'fear of God', 'piety' or 'mindfulness of God'.

Reliance on God

Trusting God with the outcome after doing what one reasonably can. It is not a substitute for effort.

Repentance; turning back

Turning back to God after a mistake: recognising the wrong, regretting it, stopping it and resolving not to return to it, and putting right any harm done to others.

Affirming God's oneness

The central belief of Islam: that God is one, unique and without partner, and that worship is for God alone.

Purifying alms

The obligatory annual giving of a portion of qualifying wealth to specified groups in need. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. Its detailed rules are a matter for qualified scholars.

Injustice; oppression; wrongdoing

Putting something where it does not belong; taking or withholding what is due. It is the opposite of 'adl.