What's He Chattin About?

There are many words we read and hear but aren't too sure what they mean. So The Revival attempts to define some Islamic terms most commonly used:

Hijrah

Hijrah means emigration. The Islamic calendar starts from the year Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) emigrated from the city of Makkah to Madinah, in 622 C.E.

Barzakh

Literally means partition or barrier. In Islamic terminology it usually means the life in the grave, because the life in the grave is the interspace between the life on earth and the life in the Hereafter.

Dawah

Propagation of Islam through word and action, calling the people to follow the commandments of Allah and His Messenger Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Fard 'Ain

Fard 'Ain is an action which is obligatory on every Muslim like your 5 daily prayers, fasting in Ramadan, Zakat, Hajj etc.

Fard al-Kifayah

It signifies a collective duty of the Muslim community so that if some people carry it out no Muslim is considered blameworthy; but if no one carries it out all incur a collective guilt; eg attending the funeral prayer.

Fatwa

A legal verdict given on a religious basis. The sources on which a fatwa is based are the Holy Qur'an, and the Sunnah of the Prophet.

Halal

Lawful as defined by Allah the Almighty.

Haram

Any act or deed which is prohibited by Allah and will incur His wrath and punishment.

Iblees

In Islamic terminology it denotes the jinn, who refused the command of Allah(swt) to prostrate before Adam out of vanity. He also asked God to allow him a term when he might mislead and tempt mankind to error. This term was granted to him by God whereafter he became the chief promoter of evil and prompted Adam and Eve to disobey God's order. He is also called al-Shaytan (Satan).

Ijma

Ijma refers to the consensus of eminent scholars (mujtahidun) of Islam in a given age. Ijma comes next to the Quran and the Sunnah as a source of Islamic doctrines.

Qiblah

Qiblah signifies the direction to which all Muslims are required to turn when offering their prescribed Prayers, namely towards the Ka'bah, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Taqwa

Fearing Allah(swt) as He should be feared. A major sign of being a faithful Muslim. See Qur'an, Aali 'Imran (3:102-103), Al-Hashr (59:18-19).

Allah (swt) knows best