Quran Vocabulary
Shahada
Witnessing to God..."Am I not your lord?" "Yes, I/we testify"
' Aisha
One of Muhammad's wives.
Hafsa
One of Muhammad's wives. Umar's daughter. Has primitive copy of Quran under Abu Bakr
Byzantine Empire
One of the empires surrounding ancient Arabia 6th century CE. Byzantines were located to the North West. They were Orthodox Christians.
Tarjama
Translation.. relates to the discussion of whether it's possible to translate without interpretation
Twahid
Unity/oneness of God. Literally means "unification"...probably refers to the unification of all dieties into one overarching diety. "No ther god but God." Also alludes to this idea that Muhammad was just a man.
Sasanaian Empire
One of the empires surrounding ancient Arabia 6th century CE. To the North East. They were zoroastrians.
Khilafa
community through social interactions representation of God/divine qualities i.e. truth, justice, mercy.
Kharijis
early school of Islamic thought largely disappeared today
Ta 'wil
esoteric interpretation hidden, mystical, few can access it.
Riba
interest on a loan/usury - considered haram
Dunya
literally means the "near life" (refers to earthly life); marked my morality, moral responsibility, guidance, and temptation
Tahil
literally, "jubilation/rejoicing." means to say "La ilaha illa Allah" which means "there is no other god but Allah"
'Ibada
servanthood/service. Refers to the hierarchical relationship between God and the self
'Asabiya
social solidarity, tribal solidarity prevalent in pre Islamic Jahiliyah
Tartil
technique in which the Qur'an is read in a slow, chanting manner
Takbir
the phrase "God is great"
Aya
verse (of the Quran), literally means "sign" (of God). Smallest unit in the Quran. ~6,000 ayat in the Quran.
Nafs
"Ego"...refers to the human preoccupation with the "self". This gets in the way of apprehending truth/God.
Zoroastrianism
monotheistic religion of the Persians (Iranians)
Mohammad
Prophet
Polytheism
Pre-islamic arabia was polytheistic. Allah was considered the "creator God" who was very remote and had satelite gods (lesser dieties) to interact with humans.
David
Prophet
Jesus
Prophet
Moses
Prophet
Nabi
Prophets
Aaron
Quranic prophet
Elijah
Quranic prophet
Ezekiel
Quranic prophet
Job
Quranic prophet
John the Baptist
Quranic prophet
Solomon
Quranic prophet
Mu 'amalat
Realize khalifa through ideal social interactions...i.e. laws, ethics, and etiquette
Mujawid
Recitation when leading a congregation. Harmonic/melodic.
Medinian Suras
Reflect Muhammad's new position as a political, economic, social, and military leaders and so address a wider range of societal, historical and legal issues.
Jihad
Struggle between human and shaytan, NOT between God and Shaytan. Kind of has two meanings. One is an internal spiritual struggle. The other is an external military struggle, often used with "holy war."
Azra 'i
Angel of death
Tajwid (2 meanings)
1 general, 1 specific meaning. Tajwid=beautification of recitation...specific rules. Mujawwad is a type of tajwid/style of recitation
Juz '
1/30th of the Quran...divisions for recitation over one month, esp. Ramadan
'Umar
2nd Caliph.
Abu Bakr
1st Caliph
Uthman ibn Affan
3rd Caliph...under him that the Quran was compiled into a book.
'Ali
4th Caliph
Hafiz
A muslim who has memorized the Quran
Qalqala
An echo/bouncing noise. Relates to recitation I think.
Jibril
Angel of revelation
Late Antiquity
Approx. 200 BCE - 600 CE
Hud
Arabian Quranic prophet
Salih
Arabian Quranic prophet
Later Meccan Suras
Before hijra. Extended discussions of sacred history and the prophets known in the Biblical traditions.
Monotheism
Belief in one God All knowing and all powerful Cares about ethics and intentions
Mu 'min
Believer AND follower of Quran and Muhammad
Mu'min
Believer of, follower of muhammad's teachings and the Quran.
Conquest of Mecca
Bloodless, Meccans surrender
Adhan
Call to prayer
Taqwa
Caution/self-profection from Shaytan AND God. Relates to the wear your clothes metaphor.
Sura
Chapter 114 suras, arranged longest to shortest except the first one.
Sahaba
Companions of Muhammad. Abu Bakr, Ali, Zaid ibn Thabit, Umar, Khadija.
Eschatology
Concerned with the end of the word, judgment day
Quran
Could refer to the whole book or just a part. Only Quran if it's in arabic. jfkl;fsdjklfs;dsf
Qibla
Direction of prayer, changed in 623 from Jerusalem to Mecca.
Zayd ibn Thabit
Disciple, or sahaba. Scribe under Muhammad Commissioned by Abu Bakr to compile the Quran. It wasn't until 3rd caliph, Utman, that it was made into a book...mushaf.
Muqatta 'at
Disconnected letters at the beginning of some Suras
Madd
Effect of Tajwid=extension
Ghunna
Effect of Tajwid=humming/nasalation
Jinn
English word "genie" comes from this i.e. demons, spirits, sprites. Made of fire. Like humans, in that they can choose obedience or disobedience. Quran says bery little about Jinn but there is a lot of folklore about them. Ex. Iblis
Tafsir
Exoteric Interpretation, exegesis. Outward, literal. Commentary/interpretation... relates to the discussion of whether it's possible to translate without interpretation.
Sawn
Fasting during Ramadan
Hanifiya
Followers of Abraham. Muhammad's faith. Had Hajj around Ka'ba.
Muruwa
Highest moral idea of the Bedouin, like manliness. Independence/rebelliousness, brave, strong/good fighter, hot tempered
Insan
Humans. Made of clay/earth--> adam (very material).
Adam
Made of clay, earth. Eats from the tree of life. God creates him and teaches him the names of all things.
Sanad
In a hadith, this is the "chain of narrators." For example, "X reported that Y said that Z heard Muhammad say this:"
Shaytan/Iblis
Jinn. First creature that rebels against God. Becomes known as the title "Shaytan" which refers to the anti-God force in the world. Not necessarily an actual person.
Zakat
Literally "purification." Obligation to give a pure offering. Purification of wealth in a ritual, communal, religious and institutional sense through the organized giving and working for social justice. Tax for charity.
Hudan
Literally means "guidance." Given to normal people. Divine promise: there will always be guidance to all people. Animals receive Wahy & Ilham.
Imam
Literally means "guider"
Illham
Literally means "inspiration". Ideas/insights. Not fixed in text. Helps illuminate law/ to warn/remind people of judgment. Given to prophets and saints.
Wahy
Literally means "revelation" given to messengers. Word for word.
Tanzil
Literally means "sending down" i.e. the process of reception/communication experienced by Muhammad
Ghadir Khumm
Location of last sermon, farewell hajj, and Abu Bakr hand held up
Battle of Uhud (625)
Meccan victory
Rasul
Messenger (of God)- Muhammad
Hilm
Mildness, forbearance
Early Meccan Suras
Most of the short Suras at the end of the Qur'an and other suras or other parts of suras scattered throughout the rest of the Qur'an. Before hijra. These suras focus on existential or personal issues. Hymnic
Mary
Mother of Jesus
Hijra
Muhammad's emigration to Medina in 622 CE (year one of the Islamic, or Hijri, calendar)
"Farewell" Hajj
Muhammad's only Hajj. Made in 632 before death. Khadir Khumm events take place on his way home.
Abu Talib
Muhammad's paternal uncle, father of Ali. Muhammad went to live with Abu Talib after his mother died when he was five years old.
Khadija
Muhammad's wife. His original employer. Mother of all his children. Stayed with her only until her death. She was the first believer after the first revelation in 610. Surah 96: 1-5
Jahiliya
Muslim expression for pre-Islamic period of "ignorance" or "footheartedness" Uncivil Cowboys
Battle of Badr (624)
Muslim victory
Battle of the Trench (627)
Muslim victory
Isra and Mi 'raj
Night journey and ascent Mecca to Jerusalem to Heaven to God to Mecca (1 min) God said to pray 50 times a day, Moses said to lower it (2nd pillar given at this stage: Salat(prayer)
Confessional(ism)
One ramification of ethical monotheism. Required to confess loyalty, identity, and affiliation to one faith. I.e. exclusive loyalty to the God is required; there is no other God.
Muezzin
Person who calls muslims to prayer
Hajj
Pilgrimmage. One of the five pillars of Islam today, however it did exist in pre-islamic arabia (centered largely around the Ka'ba)
Salat
Ritual prayer
Haram
Sacred ground
Wali
Saints (shia Imams)
Hadith
Statements of Muhammad outside the Quran...used as the community grew and issues became difficult to resolve with Sunna alone.
Mushaf
Single book format of the Quran, made by Zaid b. Thabit. under Caliphate of Uthman.
Mashaf
The Physical copy of the Qur'an made under the Uthman caliphate Not translation or transliteration
Matn
The actual text of the hadith
Uthmanic Codex/Uthmanic Edition
The book created under 3rd Caliph uthman which is what our modern Quran is based off of. Defective because of the limited arabic script at the time.
Abraham
The first prophet
Israfil
The horn blower?
Fitra
The innate orientation toward/knowledge of/desire for God...found in all human beings. Hindered from proper functioning in two ways 1. Ego 2. Forgetfulness
Hudud
The limits of morally acceptable conduct related to sin. Separates minor sin and grave sin.
Sunna
The tradition of Muhammad's words and deeds aka the path or example of the prophet.
Cosmology
Theory about the origin of the universe
Ka 'ba
built by Abraham and Ishmael in Mecca. In preislamic times it was a shrine to all the tribal gods. Full of idols. Had poetry hanging from it.
Medina (Yathrib)
Where M. goes in Hijra. Lives and dies there.
Mecca
Where M. is born and lives until Hijra.
Wali
a "protector" or "guardian" SAINT
kafir
a non-muslim, unbeliever.
Parable
a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels.