Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

GLOSSARY OF ISLAMIC TERMS

Compiled By

Yasin T. al-Jibouri

Table of Contents

ا،أ، آ، ع A. 3

ب B. 9

د، ذ D. 18

ع E. 22

ف F. 23

غ G, Gh. 45

ح، H. 67

إ،ع I 85

ج J. 93

ك،خ K, Kh. 98

ل L. 108

م M.. 109

ن N. 148

P. 150

ق Q. 151

ر R. 153

س،ص S. 156

ت، ط، ذ T. 170

أ، ع U. 180

و W.. 181

ز،ض، ظ Z. 182

Endnotes 187

ا،أ، آ، ع A

Abrashiyya أبرشية

parish, diocese

A.D.

stands for "Anno Domini" ("year of the Lord"). It is used to refer to pre-Hijra dates. Hijra is the migration of the Prophet from Mecca to Medina. According to some reports, the Prophet entered Medina on the 12th of Rabi` I which then coincided with the 24th of September according to the Julian calendar or the 27th of September according to the Gregorian calendar of the year 622 A.D.

Adab  or Aadaab آداب

ethics, rules of conduct, morals, arts

`Adil عادل

fair, just, equitable, impartial, unbiased

`Adl عدل

Usually, it refers to the concept of the justice of Allah (God). This is one of the principles of the Islamic creed: The Almighty is fair and just to everyone and does not discriminate among His servants.

Ahadith or Ahadeeth أحاديث

Pl.; singular:hadith , a statement (usually stated/attributed either to the Prophet (ص) or to one of the members of his Progeny or companions); these are one of the two sources of the Sunna, the other being the Holy Qur'an. But this Sunna has been distorted so much since the beginning of the Islamic history by politicians and interest seekers, so much so that it is very difficult now to sift through them and identify what is authentic, genuine, and what is fabricated. Mu`awiyah played a major role in distorting the Islamic creed by paying writers to tailor design "traditions" to serve his interests and support his deviated views.

Ahilla أهله

plural ofhilal , crescent

Ahl ar-Ra'i أهل الرأي

people of opinion. It refers to qualified people who are consulted on Islamic matters.

Ahzab أحزاب

parties. "Ahzab" occurs in the Holy Qur'an to describe the different tribes that fought the Muslims in the Battle ofKhandaq (ditch, moat) which took place in 5 A.H./627 A.D.

Ala علا

rose, ascended; علا على : prevailed, overrode, predominated, triuphed over. It also means soared or indulged in pride, acted arrogantly, thought too much of himself. Other meanins: mounted, towered over.

`Alim عالم

scholar, theologian, a highly knowledgeable person

Allahu Akbar or Allaho Akbar , Allahu Akber, Allahoo Akber, Or Allah Akbar الله أكبر

This statement is said by Muslims quite often and on various occasions. During the call for prayers, during prayers, when they are happy, when they wish to express their approval of what they hear, when they slaughter an animal, and when they want to praise a speaker…, Muslims utter this expression. Its means: "Allah is the Greatest."

Almani علماني

secular, multi-confessional

A`mal أعمال

highly recommended acts of adoration

Amin or Ameen أمين

custodian or guardian, someone who is loyal, faithful, trustworthy

Amir or Ameer أمير

leader or commander

Amir al-Mumineen or Ameerul-Mu'mineen أمير المؤمنين

Commander of the Faithful: title of the caliphs, Islamic rulers. Followers of Ahl al-Bayt (ع), the Prophet's Prgeny, apply it particularly to Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (ع) on account of the "Ghadir Khumm Declaration", an incident which took place on the 18th of Thul-Hijja of the year 11 A.H. which then coincided, according to the Gregorian Christian calendar, with the 9th of March (or the 6th of March according to the Julian Christian calendar) of the year 633 A.D. The Ghadir, swamp or small lake of shallow water formed mostly by rainfall, is located in the Juhfa desert between Mecca and Medina on the pilgrims' route to Mecca. It is there and then that the Prophet (ص) articulated his famous statement: "To whom I have been amawla , master, this Ali is his master! Lord befriend whoever befriends him and be the enemy of whoever antagonizes him!" It is there and then that Ali was called "Amir al-Mu'mineen", commander of the faithful. Numerous classic books (mostly in Arabic) detail this incident. One of them is al-Bukhari's book titledAl-Tarikh Al-Kabir where the author details the incident in Vol. 1, Part 1, p. 375 (Hayderabad, India, edition).Alhamdu-Lillah , I have written an entire book about this incident which I titledGhadir Khumm: Where Islam was Perfected .

Ansar or Ansar أنصار

helpers, supporters. These were the people of Medina who responded to the Prophet's call to Islam and helped establish Islam's first city-state power. One of the most famous of the Ansar is the greatsahabi "Abu Ayyub" Khalid ibn Zaid (some say ibn Kulayb) al-Ansari who hosted the Prophet (ص) upon his arrival at Medina following his Hijra, migration, from Mecca.

Aqaba or Aqabah عقبه

Literally, this word means: obstacle, obstruction, stumbling block, hindrance. It also refers to a place in Mina just outside Mecca where the first Muslims of Yathrib ( Medina ) pledged allegiance to the Prophet in the year 621 A.D. shortly before the migration (hijra ). A similar meeting took place the next year when more Muslims from Yathrib pledged their allegiance to the Prophet (ص).

Aqiqa عقيقة

a dinner reception held after a child is born; relatives, friends, and neighbors are invited for such an occasion;sacrifice of a sheep or goat at the time of the ritual shaving of the baby's first grown hair

Arafat or Arafah or Arafa عرفه

a hill and plain north of Mecca. Muslims believe that it is on this hill and its surrounding plain that mankind will start their resurrection on the Judgment Day for questioning, judgment and settling accounts. During the hajj on the ninth day of the month of Thul-Hijja, Muslim pilgrims gather in this area for one day.

Arsh عرش

Literally, it means throne, symbol of the Al­mighty's Authority.

Asabiyya عصبيه

fanaticism, extremism, excessive tribal loyalty

Asala or Asaalah أصالة

Purism, purity, genuineness, authenticity, excellence

Ashar أسحار

plural ofsahar , the time immediately preceding daybreak

Assalamu Alaikum or Assalamo Alaikum, Al-Salamo Alaikom السلام عليكم

This is an expression which Muslims utter whenever they meet one another. It is a statement of greeting with peace. Its meaning is: "Peace be upon/with you" or "May the peace and the Mercy of Allah be upon/with you," The complete statement is "Assalamu Alalikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,"السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته which means: "May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon/with you."

Asr عصر

late afternoon, time for one of the five obligatory sal at, prayer, rites

Astaghfirullah or Astaghfir-Allah أستغفرالله

This is an expression used by a Muslim when he pleads for Allah's forgiveness. The meaning is: "I ask Allah for His forgiveness." A Muslim utters this statement many times, even when he is talking to another person. When a Muslim abstains from doing wrong, or even when he wants to prove that he is innocent of an incident of which he is charged, he uses this expression, too. After everysalat (payer), a Muslim utters this statement at least three times. Onehadith (Prophet's tradition) says thatIstighfar , the uttering of this statement, is the essence of adoration.

Athan or Adhan أذان

the call for prayers;mu'aththin is one who performs the'athan

Ateeq عتيق

Literally, it means old, obsolete, antinquated, ancient. But the Venerable Ka'ba has always been referred to asالبيت العتيق which has more than one meaning: the House which was spared the destruction of the flood of Prophet Noah (ع), that is, it was "freed" or spared the destruction caused by the flood. According to the famous lexiconLisan al-Arab , what isعتيق is the best, the choicest, the most precious of everything. This fits the Ka'ba more than any other place or spot or monument on earth.Lisan al-Arab also says that the Ka'ba is described asالبيت العتيق because the Almighty freed it from the hegemony of any tyrant in all human history: None could demolish it or obliterate its precincts or put an end to the pilgrimage to it which was first started by our father Adam, and it will continue till the Last Day. Adam was taught by arch-angel Gabriel how to perform the pilgrimage so he would be forgiven for having eaten of the forbidden fruit in Paradise. The time when Adam was kicked out of Paradise was in the late afternoon, so Gabriel taught him to pray 3rek'ats (prostrations): one on behalf of himself, another on behalf of his wife, our mother Eve, and one on behalf of his offspring, our human species. This is why sunset prayers are performed in 3 rek'ats.

al-rajeem أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

A'uzu billahi minashaitanir-rajim or A'oodhu billahi minal-Shaitan

This is a statement which Muslims have to recite before reciting the Holy Qur'an, before speaking, before doing almost anything, even before making a supplication, performing the ablution or entering the wash room. Its meaning is: "I seek refuge with Allah from the outcast Satan." "Allah" is the Arabic name of God which the Muslims prefer over "God" simply because it is unique: You cannot derive a dual, plural, or feminine derivation from it. One of its meanings is: "The One about Whom the minds wonder" because nobody can grasp the essence or greatness of the Almighty. Satan is the source of evil and he always tries to misguide and mislead people, so one needs to seek refuge against the mischief of Satan with the omni-Potent and all-Powerful Lord of lords, Allah.

Awqiyya أوقيه

weight, undefined measure for weighing items

Awra عورة

Private parts, body parts that are not supposed to be exposed to others, nudity, nakedness, intimate bodily parts, shame. For men, they are from the navel to the knee. For women, all the body except the hands, feet, and face.

Aya or Ayat آيه

Verse (from a sacred scripture); plural:ayat. The literal meaning of "aya" is miracle or sign. The Qur'an is considered to be a miracle by itself. Each verse is called anayat , a miracle.

Aza' عزاء

consolation, comfort, solace, condolence; a ceremony held at one's death or martyrdom;الحسين (ع) :عزاء Commemorations of the somber occasion of the martyrdom of Imam al-Hussain (ﻉ) which include the recounting of the heroic epic of his martyrdom, lamentations, religious lectures, admonishments and other rites. They also include the distribution of traditional foods served on the occasion and other gifts to the attendants of the majalis where such commemmorations are held.

ب B

Badiya باديه

desert or semi-arid environment

Badr بدر

Geographically, Badr is a highway station located 200 miles from Mecca and 80 miles from Medina, and it is the site of the early Muslims' first battle in defense of the creed. The Muslims numbered only 313 men who had to fight mostly on foot because they had only 2 horses and 70 camels. Their enemies, the polytheists of Quraish, numbered between 900 and one thousand men. But the Muslims were fired with holy zeal and enthusiasm, so much so that they defeated their enemies, killing seventy of them and wounding many others. Their losses were: 14 from among the Muhajir fighters and 8 from the Ansar. The battle started on the 17th of the month of Ramadan in 2 A.H., which coincided with March 16, 624 A.D.

Bagha بغى

transgressed, behaved in an aggressive or unfairly hostile way, oppressed

Baghid بغيض

hated, contemptible, abhorred

Ba'is بائس

destitute, needy, indigent, distressed, wretch, miserable

Bakka'in or Bakka'un or Bakka'oon بكائون

weepers. These were the people who could not accompany the Prophet on his Tabuk campaign because they lacked the resources. They started to weep when they realized that they could not go.

Balagha or Balaaghah بلاغة

wise rhetoric, elocution, mastery of oratory and language

Baqi` or Baqee بقيع

the cemetery where many sahaba are buried. It is located in the south-east side of Medina. The tomb of the Mother of the Faithful Khadija daughter of Khuwaylid, the Prophet's first wife and main supporter in spreading Islam, was also located there before it was demolished by Saudi authorities, and so was the grave of Hamzah, uncle and strong supporter of the Prophet. A number of graves of other sahaba were gradually demolished as well.

Bara'a or Baraa'ah براءه

dissociation, rejecting responsibility for; it also is one of the Chapters of the Holy Qur'an and it has another name: Surat al-Tahreem, Chapter of Prohibition. It was revealed to ban non-Muslims from entering the Haram of the Ka`ba in Mecca up to a certain perimeter.

Barak-Allah or Barakalla, Barakalahبارك الله

This is an expression which means "May the blessings of Allah (be upon/with you)." When a Muslim wants to thank another person, he uses different statements to express his thanks, appreciation and gratitude. One of them is to say "Baraka Allah."

Barakah or Baraka بركه

blessing, Divine Grace

Barzakh برزخ

A barrier, separator, the place and time wherein the souls undergo a life of their own in the spiritual world till the Day of Judgment when each soul is re-outfitted with an eternal, indestructible, body, physical form or shape; see the Holy Qur'an, 23:100, 55:20 and 25:53.

Basira or Baseerah بصيره

(intellectual) vision, insight, circumspection, discernment

Basmala بسمله

the uttering of"Bismillahir-Ra manir-Ra am" (In the Name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful); see alsoBismillah… below.Basmala (or Bismillah, Arabic بسملة) is an Arabic language noun which is used as the collective name of the whole of the recurring Islamic phrasebismi-llahi ar-rahmani ar-rahim . This phrase constitutes the first verse of every "sura" (or chapter) of the Qur'an (except for the ninth sura), and is used in a number of contexts by Muslims. It is recited several times as part of Muslim daily prayers, and it is usually the first phrase in the preamble of the constitutions of Islamic countries.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

bismi-llahi ar-rahmani ar-rahimi

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

The word "basmala" itself was derived by a slightly unusual procedure in which the first four pronounced consonants of the phrasebismi-llahi... were taken as a quadri-literal consonantal root b-s-m-l (ب س م ل). This abstract consonantal root was used to derive the nounbasmala , as well as related verb forms which mean "to recite thebasmala ". The practice of giving often-repeated phrases special names is paralleled by the phraseAllahu Akbar , which is referred to as the "Takbirتكبير " (alsoTa'awwudh تعوذ etc.); and the method of coining a quadri-literal name from the consonants of such a phrase is paralleled by the name "Hamdala" for Alhamdulillah.

In the Qur'an, the phrase is usually numbered as the first verse of the first sura , but according to the view adopted by al-Tabari, it precedes the first verse. It occurs at the beginning of each subsequent sura of the Qur'an, except for the ninth sura (see, however, the discussion of the 8th and 9th chapters of the Qur'an at eighth sura), but is not numbered as a verse except, in the currently most common system, in the first sura (chapter).

TheBasmala occurs twice in the twenty-seventh sura, at the beginning and in verse 30 (where it prefaces a letter from Sulayman (Prophet Solomon) to the Queen of Sheba, Balqis).

TheBasmala has a special significance for Muslims, who are to begin each task after reciting the verse. It is often preceded by Ta'awwudh. In Arabic calligraphy, it is the most prevalent motif, more so even than the Shahadah. The three definite nouns of the Basmala,Allah ,ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim correspond to the first three of the traditional 99 names of God in Islam. Bothar-Rahman andar-Rahim are from the same triliteral root,rahm, "to feel sympathy or pity". According to Lane,ar-rahman is more intensive, including in its objects the believer and the unbeliever, and may be rendered as "The Compassionate", whilear-rahim has for its peculiar object the believer, considered as expressive of a constant attribute, and may be rendered as "The Merciful".

In a commentary on the Basmala in his Tafsir, al-Tabari writes:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﺹ) said that Jesus was handed by his mother Mary over to a school in order that he might be taught. [The teacher] said to him: ‘Write “Bism (In the name of)”.’ And Jesus said to him: ‘What is “Bism”?’ The teacher said: ‘I do not know.’ Jesus said: ‘The “Ba” is Baha’u'llah (the glory of Allah), the “Sin” is His Sana’ (radiance), and the “Mim” is His Mamlakah (sovereignty).”

The total value of the letters of "Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim" according to one Arabic system of numerology is 786. There are two methods of arranging the letters of the Arabic alphabet. One method is the most common alphabetical order (used for most ordinary purposes), beginning with the letters Alif ا, ba ب, ta ت, tha ث etc. The other method is known as the " Abjad nimerals ' method" or ordinal method. In this method the letters are arranged in the following order: Abjad, Hawwaz, Hutti, Kalaman, Sa'fas, Qarshat, Sakhaz, Zazagh; and each letter has an arithmetic value assigned to it from one to one thousand. (This arrangement was done, most probably in the 3rd century of Hijrah during the 'Abbasid period, following the practices of speakers of other Semitic languages such as Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Chaldean etc.)

Taking into account the numeric values of all the letters of the Basmala, according to the Abjad order, the total is 786. In the Indian subcontinent the Abjad numerals have become quite popular. Some people, mostly in India and Pakistan, use 786 as a substitute forBismillah ("In the name of Allah" or "In the name of God"). They write this number to avoid writing the name of God, or Qur'anic verses on ordinary papers, which can be subject to dirt or come in contact with unclean materials. This practice does not date from the time of Muhammed and is not universally accepted by Muslims.

Thebasmala , or the phrasebismillah al-rahman al-rahim , is one of the most oft-recited phrases in the life of every single observant Muslim. It occupies a key place in the Qur'an itself, for it is the only non-Qur'anic phrase that all copies of the Qur'an included, apparently as a ‘marker’ between the Suras. Numerous works have been written specifically about thebasmala . In this response, a brief linguistic and grammatical explanation will be offered, followed by a discussion of the nameal-Rahman .

The Basmala as Portrayed in Early and Medieval Islamic Sources

The first verse of the Qur'an has almost unanimously been portrayed as being Qur'an, 96:1, ‘Recite in the name of your Lord who created.’ From this, some derived that the status of a rudimentarybasmala was established, as the ‘name of your Lord’ is invoked. In another early Meccan Sura, Noah is told to ride the Arc ‘…in the name of God’ (Qur'an, 11:41), and in yet another Meccan Sura, reputed to have been revealed after this one, Solomon writes a letter to Queen Sheba, in which her advisors tell her, “This (letter) is from Solomon, and it (says): In the name of God, theRahman , theRahim ” (Qur'an, 27:30).

The fact that thebasmala in its present form was introduced to the Meccan Arabs by the Prophet is quite explicitly mentioned in many sources. One incident, recorded in some canonical works of hadith and the Sirah of Ibn Ishaq (d. 150/767), mentions that during the writing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah in 6 A.H., one of the emissaries of Mecca, Suhayl ibn Amr, refused to allow the Prophet to begin the treaty with thebasmala . His reputed reason was, “As for this ‘al-Rahman’ , I do not know who He is, but rather, write as we are accustomed to write, ‘In your name, O God (bismik Allahum m).’”

There are quite a few prophetic traditions that expound upon the blessings of this phrase and when it should be said.4 It might also have served a more mundane role: Ibn Abbas is alleged to have said that the Prophet was not able to recognize the end of one Sura from the beginning of the next until thebasmala was recited by Gabriel.5

Thebasmala is the only phrase of the Qur'an that Sunni scholars have disagreed about: is it a verse of the Qur'an or not? There is agreement that it is a part of Qur'an, 27:30, where it is mentioned in Solomon’s letter to Sheba, and there is also agreement that it does not form a part of Sura 9. But there was a disagreement about its status at the beginning of all other Suras, especially the first,al-Fatiha . This disagreement is found amongst the four canonical schools of law as well as the ten recitations (qira'at ) of the Qur'an. Some of them opined that thebasmala was a separate verse at the beginning of every Sura, others said it was part of the first verse. A third group claimed it was only a verse at the beginning of theal-Fatiha , while a fourth denied that it was a verse in any of these instances. And a fifth group posited that it was a verse by itself, not connected to any Sura, which had been placed there as a ‘divider’ to separate two consecutive Suras. This difference of opinion had a direct impact on certain rituals, such as whether one was obliged to recite thebasmala out loud in every prayer or not.6

A Grammatical Breakdown and Exegetical Explanation of the Basmala

Thebasmala consists of four words, the first of which has a prepositional letter attached to it. All of these words are nouns; no verbs or verbal nouns are present. The first letter of thebasmala , the ‘b- ’ is a prepositional letter (harf jar ), thus causing the first word (‘bism ’) to be in a genitive state The prepositionb- has many uses, but over here appears to be for seeking help (istianah ).7 The wordism is the Arabic for ‘noun’. Linguists differed whether it originated fromsumuw (s-m-w ), meaning ‘to elevate’, or fromwasam (w-s-m ), meaning ‘to brandish’; the Basran school opted for the former, whilst the Kufan preferred the latter.

Due to the fact that the phrasebism is in a genitive state, it needs some actor (amil ) to which it can be attached (taalluq ). The Kufan school of grammar typically assumes that all missing actors must be verbs, as that is the basis of words for them. In contrast, the Basran school considers all missing actors to be nouns due to their position that nouns are the basis of words. The Kufans then split up amongst themselves in three specific issues regarding thebasmala . Firstly: what was this missing verb? Was it, ‘I recite,’ or ‘I begin,’ or perhaps a verb that varied depending upon the action being done at that time? Secondly, what was the tense of the verb: was it a command or was it in present tense? In other words, is the recitor saying, ‘I recite with the name of God’, or is God saying ‘I command you to recite with the name of God?’ Thirdly, what was the position of this missing verb: before the ‘bism ’ or after?

Most of the Kufans, and also al-Zamakhshari in hisal-Kashshaf , came to the conclusion that the verb is specific to the context of invoking thebasmala (hence it can be used for any permissible act), that it was in the present tense (since the purpose of thebasmala is to obtain God’s blessings upon the recitor), and that the missing verb’s place was after the ‘bismi ’ (since it is more blessed to begin with the name of God, and since it reminded one that the purpose of doing any act was for God, and because it is a clear refutation of the pagans who would begin by saying ‘In the name ofal-Lat ’).

The Basrans, on the other hand, generally held that the missing noun was ‘My recitation’ (qira'ati ), or ‘My beginning’ (ibtida'i ), and that it was placed before the genitive. The question also arose: what does it mean seeking help from the ‘name’ (ism ) of God? Specifically, the issue concerned the theological controversy over the implication of the Divine Names: are these Names God Himself, or do they belong to God, or originate from Him, or is the noun ‘ism ’ superfluous (za'id ) and only needed for emphasis? The Asharites, Mutazilites and Ahl al-Hadith (to name the more prominent groups) each had their own positions.

The next noun in thebasmala is the divine name ‘Allah ’. This name raises a whole slew of questions, of which only a few will be dealt with here. There is no doubt that the name ‘Allah ’ was the primary name of the Islamic divinity. The name appears more than 2,700 times in the Qur'anic text, and there is an overwhelming amount of evidence to show that this name was used for many centuries by the pagan Arabs to refer to a Supreme God – a god that even they, with their permissive idolatry, refused to draw or carve images of.

The linguistic meaning and origin of this name has always been a topic of much discussed in Muslim scholarship. Although a minority of Sunni theologians and linguists considered this name to be a proper name, devoid of any meaning, the majority of them considered it to be derived from some three letter root. Some suggested that it was a rare transmutation fromwalaha , which means ‘to confound and confuse’, as if the nature of God (‘Allah ’) confuses and befuddles the minds of all those who try to grasp or understand Him. Others suggested that it is fromlaha , which means ‘to conceal and cover’, since the true nature of God is concealed from all. However, the most prevalent opinion, amongst linguistics, theologians, and exegetes, is that the name is derived fromalaha , which means ‘to show servitude and worship’; hence God (‘Allah ’) is the only Being that is worthy of servitude and worship.

Some Western Islamists have posited Aramaic, Syriac or Hebrew origins for this name; strong evidence to substantiate this claim, however, remains lacking.

To summarize before moving on, the first two words of thebasmala translate as, ‘My recitation is with the name ofAllah ’ for the Basris, and as, ‘With the name ofAllah I recite…’ for the Kufans.

This name (viz., ‘Allah ’), is then followed by two other nouns,al-Rahman , andal-Rahim . Both can be derived from the rootr-h-m , which means ‘to have mercy, to be compassionate.’ Both utilize known and common morphological forms:falan for the first andfail for the second. Before translating thebasmala , it is crucial to understand the grammatical role of these two nouns, as that will decidedly determine the understanding of thebasmala . We shall discuss the alleged origins of ‘al-rahman ’ in the next section.

Almost all classical works that I was able to reference (including works of theology, exegesis, andshuruh al-hadith ) appear to understand these two nouns as adjectives of the first noun, viz., ‘Allah ’. Many books of grammatical analysis do not even mention any other opinion. If these two nouns are understood as being adjectives (i.e.,nat ), this will imply that bothal-rahman andal-rahim describe and characterize God (‘Allah ’). So it is as if thebasmala translates as (according to the Kufan understanding), “With the name ofAllah , who is ever Merciful (al-rahman ) and extremely Compassionate (al-rahim ), I begin this recitation.”

Numerous opinions are found in classical sources regarding the difference between these two names. Most scholars (but not all) are in agreement that the two names are not synonymous or even as efficacious as each other, but rather thatal-Rahman is more indicative of God’s mercy thanal-Rahim . Some opine thatal-Rahman is indicative of God’s mercy to believers and unbelievers in this world, andal-Rahim is indicative of His special mercy to believers in both worlds. Yet another opinion is thatal-Rahman indicates that God’s Mercy is an essential part of His character, whereasal-Rahim indicates that God’s actions are always merciful.

Many scholars have sought to understand the wisdom of this particular order of names. Al-Tabari posited that the reason these three names are in this order is that the Arabs typically start off with the primary name and then with its descriptions. God’s primary name is ‘Allah ’, hence it was used here. And sinceal-rahman was more specific to God thanal-rahim , it was given precedence to it.

So far we have considered both nouns to be adjectives, and this is by far the ‘standard’ opinion. There seems to be another opinion, rarely expressed, that considers these two nouns to be substitutes (badal ). As a substitute, thebasmala would translate as (according to the Basran opinion this time, for ease of understanding), ‘My recitation begins with the name ofAllah ; my recitation begins with the name ofal-Rahman ; my recitation begins with the name ofal-Rahim .’ The purpose of these reiterations would obviously not be to express three distinct deities but rather to express three of God’s 99 names. A modern theologian, Muhammed Abduh, who appeared to lean towards such an explanation, claimed that this reiteration was meant as a refutation of the Trinity of the Christians, who began their rites with ‘In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.’ By mentioning three of His Names, God intended to demonstrate to the Christians that even if He has many attributes, He is still One in His essence.

Some modern Islamists pose a third position, and that is that only the first of these two nouns is a substitute (badal ), and the second is an adjective (nat ) of it. If this understanding is taken, thebasmala would translate as, ‘My recitation begins with the name ofAllah , the mercifulal-Rahman .’ I was not able to find any scholar within the Muslim tradition who understood it in this manner. Additionally, since bothal-Rahman andal-Rahim are placed after the first noun, in the same grammatical context, one would have to show why one of these nouns should be given a different grammatical role than the other, as this would be an awkward rendering of the Arabic expression.

If this third position is taken, then obviously the question arises as to why two names are emphasized (‘Allah ’ and ‘al-Rahman ’), and what the relationship is between them. In order to do this, we need to first discuss the opinions regarding the origins of the name ‘al-Rahman ’.

Origin of the Name al-Rahman

The discussion regarding the origins of the nameal-Rahman is an ancient one. The Qur'an itself quite explicitly states that this name was unknown to the Quraysh (as in Qur'an, 25:60). Most scholars are of the opinion thatal-Rahman is a unique name of God, and so cannot be used to describe the creation, unlike most other Divine Names, includingal-rahim . This is due to 17:110, where the two names ‘Allah ’ and ‘al-Rahman ’ appear to be equivalent in sanctity. There is also a tradition in the canonical works, a hadith Qudsi, in which God is reported as saying ‘I amal-Rahman ; I created the ties of kinship (al-rahm ), and from it derived one of My Names.’ This was one of the primary evidences used by those who claimed that this name is derived fromr-h-m . On the other hand, a number of early Islamic authorities, such as al-Mubarrad, consideredal-Rahman to have a Jewish origin. Quite a few authorities are on record as stating that this name was a name given to ‘ancients’ as well.

It is clear that the Qur'an itself considers the nameal-Rahman to be an ancient name. Apart from the reference in Solomon’s letter (already given), this name is used as the God of all previous nations in Qur'an, 43:45; Abraham beseeches God with it (Qur'an, 19:44); Aaron uses it to remind the Israelites of their God (Qur'an, 20:19); it appears on the tongue of an Israelite community (Qur'an, 36:15); and it appears on the tongue of Mary, mother of Jesus twice (in 19:18 and 19:26).

It is claimed by some that this name was a Meccan name that was later not emphasized as much, and perhaps even sidelined by later Muslims as a primary name of God. However, the name is mentioned in quite a few Medinan verses as well (for example, Qur'an, 2:163, and 59:22). In addition, every single Sunni theologian who discussed the Divine Names considered the name ‘al-Rahman ’ as being one of those 99 names.

To conclude, as with many issues dealing with the academic study of religion, how one chooses to interpret thebasmala has a lot to do with one’s basic theological and historical premises. If one believes that Muhammed conjured up a new monotheistic system in order to unite the Arabs, then it is plausible to suggest that he might have wished to unite various factions of Arabia under the deities that they would be familiar with, hence ‘Allah ’ for the Arabs of Hijaz and ‘al-Rahman ’ for the Arabs of Southern Arabia. And this is indeed the position of many modern Islamists. But such a position does lead to other questions, such as: why did he only choose the name of the god of one faction of Arabia (Southern Arabia), and not other areas and provinces? And why was he so stubbornly opposed to all the Meccan (and Hijazite) pagan deities, allowing no compromise with those deities whatsoever? Also the question arises as to how the name of this obscure divinity reached him. The claim that Muhammed was reaching out to convert Arabs in Southern Yemen while he was still in the early stages of his career at Mecca presupposes that he was envisioning this new religion to be a dominant force in the farthest corners of Arabia, even while being persecuted and rejected in his own city.

“Thatal-Rahman should have been the name of a single God in central and southern Arabia is in no way incompatible with the fact that, when adopted by Islam, it assumes a grammatical form of a word derived from the rootrahm .”

Batil or Baatilباطل

false or falsehood, nullified, voided

Batsh بطش

Despotic behavior, tyranny

Batul or Batool بتول

ascetic. It is ascribed to Fatima (the Prophet's daughter) and Virgin Mary.

Bawadi بوادي

plural of Badiya

Bay'a or Bay'ah بيعه

oath of allegiance, pledge to a man of authority or prominence

Bayan بيان

Statement, account, declaration, explanation, clarification, announcement

Bayt al-Mal بيت المال

State Treasury in the Islamic State

Beed بيض

plural ofabyad , white

Bid`a or Bid`ah بدعه

innovation, novelty, (in religion) heresy

Bigha' بغاء

prostitution

Bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

This is a verse/statement from the Qur'an which is articulated before the recitation of the Qur'an. It is also recited before doing any daily activity, even when a husband starts making love to his wife, for love-making between legal spouses is as sacred as anything else can be, and it is rewardable by the Almighty, too, Who will surely punish those who permit themselves to have intercourse outside of the sacred limits of marriage unless they regret, repent and do good deeds to wipe out the bad ones. Islam is not just a religion, it is a way of life, the most clean and the most fulfilling, one which brings happiness in both this life and in the Hereafter. The Basmala means: "In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful." In the Fatiha, the first chapter of the Holy Qur'an, the Basmala is a verse all by itself, whereas in all other chapters, with the exception of Bara'ah or Tawbah where it is not recited, it serves as an introduction to other verses. On pp. 39-40, Vol. 1, of hisTafsir , al-Qummi chronologically arranges the isnad of one particular statement made by Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq (ع) and recounts the longest list of narrators we have ever come across. The list of narrators ends with Abu Busayr, a well-known companion of this great Imam (ع), saying that he once asked Imam al-Sadiq (ع) about the exegesis of the Basmala. The Imam said the following: "Theب is derived fromبهاء الله "baha-Allah," the Splendor of Allah; theس is derived from سناء الله "sanaa-Allah," the Majesty of Allah; theم is derived fromملك الله "mulk-Allah," the Kingdom of Allah; "Allah" is the God of everything;الرحمان   is the One Who is Merciful to all His creation;الرحيم is the One Who singles out those who believe in Him to receive the greatest share of His mercy." On p. 506 ofMisbah al-Kaf'ami مصباح الكفعمي , the Messenger of Allah (ص) is quoted as saying that when a teacher, who teaches a child to recite the Holy Qur'an, tells the child to recite this Basmala, and when the child recites it, the Almighty will decree a clearance for the child, for his parents and for the teacher from hell, and that it is comprised of nineteen letters, the same number that corresponds to the number of the keepers of the gates of hell; therefore, whoever pronounces it, Allah will permit these letters to close the gates of hell against him.

Bi'tha بعثه

the beginning of the Prophet's mission, his call to Prophethood, which started during the month of Ramadan, 13 years before thehijra , which coincided in the year 610 A.D.

Busr بصر

partially ripe dates

Buhtan بهتان

falsehood, untruth

د، ذ D

Dafn دفن

burial. In Islam, there are numerous rules relevant to burying the dead. One is that their dead must not be buried together with followers of other creeds. Muslims have to have their own cemeteries when they live in non-Muslim countries. The corpses have to be given their burial bath then clothed in clean white cotton sheets, shrouds. It is highly recommended to write verses of the Holy Qur'an on these shrouds. It is also recommended a small copy of the Holy Qur'an be buried with the deceased person, and two will be even better, one on each of his/her sides. Visiting graves has always been an Islamic tradition especially on certain religious occasions when the Qur'an is recited at the grave of a loved one whose soul, rest assured, will hear the recitation and appreciate it tremendously. The body dies, but the soul is immortal. Performing prayers on behalf of the dead, especially the parents, has numerous rewards of which only the Almighty is familiar. Doing acts of charity on behalf of the dead has its rewards to both the doer and the person for whom they are done.

Dahr دهر

time, age, eternity, forever

Da'i داعي

Muslim missionary involved in da'wa دعوه, propagation of Islam. It can also have a general meaning referring to someone who calls others to a certain belief or ideology or to a gathering, meeting, banquet, wedding, etc.

Daim دائم

Permanent, continuous; if preceded by the definite article, i.e.الدائم , it will then refer to the Almighty Who is always there and neither time, nor place, nor anything material applies to Him, the One and only God of everyone and everything.

Da`iyy دعي

One whose father is unknown and someone joins him to his own lineage, a foundling, illegitimately born

Dajjal دجال

Impostor, charlatan, deceiver, pretender

Daleel دليل

evidence, proof, argument, indication, clue, guide, directory

Darij دارج

current, common, familiar, parlance, colloquial, vernacular

Da'wa دعوه

inviting others to Islam, any missionary activity

Dayn دين

debt. It may be debt to other people or to the Almighty. Some people die leaving debts behind which they owe to others who had loaned them to the Almighty to Whom they owe everything and Who required them to do what is surely within their human ability. These debts, to people or to the Almighty, must be paid by the relatives of these unfortunate dead, and there is hardly one who leaves this temporary abode without leaving behind him/her many debts. This is why Islam emphasizes the need for writing wills. Remember that whatever you owe people, or you owe your Maker, in this life will be so hard for you to pay in the life to come.

Deen  دين

religion, creed, faith. Islam is all of this and much more; it is a complete and perfect way of life. Islam is referred to as a "deen" while it is much, much more than that, it is a complete, perfect and flawless way of life which leads to one's happiness in the life of this world and in the Hereafter. It regulates one's relations with other people on one hand and with his/her Creator on the other. It is provides a complete social, political and economic system.

Dhaleel ذليل

undignified, lowly, contemptible

Dhamm ذم

slander, maligning, vilifying, speaking ill of someone. This is the habit of many people which will in the end lodge them in hell unless they regret, repent and amend. Beware of speaking ill of people unless they are publicly exposing their own sinning and perhaps even bragging about it. In such case, you should condemn them as should everyone else.

Dharee`ah ذريعه

pretext, excuse, ostensible motive, excuse

remembrance or the praising of Allah.

Dhimmi or Thimmi or Zimmi ذمي

a non-Muslim individual who lives under the protection of a Muslim state. He is exempt from Islamic duties and obligations, including military service, but he must pay a protection tax called jizya .

Dhurriyya ذريه

offspring, issue, progeny, descendants, children

Dinar دينار

an Islamic (now Arab) gold currency varying in weight

Dirham درهم

(historically an) Islamic silver currency weighing approx. 3.12 grams

Diyya دية

blood money, monetary compensation for manslaughter or intentional murder

Du `a' دعاء

supplication, invocation, prayer

Du'at دعاة

plural of da'i ya or da`iyah, a caller to Islam or any ideology

Dukhan دخان

smoke. Verse 44 of the Holy Qur'an is called "Al-Dukhan", the smoke. If you read the first 16 verses (of a total of 59), you will notice that the Almighty warns those who disbelieve in the message brought from Him to Prophet Muhammed ( ص): "Keep waiting, therefore, for the day when the sky brings an evident smoke that shall overtake men" (Qur'an, 44:10-11). The Prophet, in a tradition dealing with the signs that denote the approach of the Day of Judgment, is quoted as having said, "The first of such signs is the smoke [to which reference is made in these verses]." He was asked what smoke it would be. He said, "It will cover the east of the earth and the west; it will remain for forty days and nights. It will affect the believer just like a cold [catarrh]. As to the unbeliever, he will feel as though he is intoxicated. It [smoke] will come out of his nostrils, ears and rear end." Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq ( ع) is quoted as having said, "There will be a smoke that will overwhelm both ends of the earth (east and west or north and south), causing the death of two thirds of the world's population." This "smoke" can now be said as caused by the explosion of nuclear and hydrogen bombs and by the poison gases they release.

Dunya دنيا

this world or life as opposed to the Hereafter, mortality

ع E

Eid or Īd or `Eid or Eed عيد

an Islamic feast, a joyous celebration, a merry or festive occasion. The word 'Eid is an Arabic noun which means: a festivity, celebration, recurring happiness. In Islam, there are two major 'Eids: the feast marking the end of the fast of the month of Ramadan, which is called 'EId al-Fitr, and the Feast of Sacrifice, 'Eid al-Adhha. Friday is also regarded as the greatest of all feasts.