Secret of Suratul Khaf (The Cave)

Secrets of Surah Al-Kahf!! MUST READ..

Ever wondered why Prophet Muhammad (SAW) asked us to recite Surat Al-Kahf every Friday?

This surah has four stories in it, having some morals, lets see them and understand what they are saying to us:

1) The people of the cave

It's the story of young men who lived in a disbelieving town, so they decided to migrate for the sake of Allah and run away. Allah rewards them with mercy in the cave and protection from the sun - they woke up and found the entire village believers. 

Moral: trial of faith

2) The owner of two gardens

A story of a man whom Allah blessed with two beautiful gardens, but the man forgot to thank the one who blessed him with everything and he even dared to doubt Allah regarding the afterlife. So his garden was destroyed - he regretted ,but was too late and his regret did not bene?t him.

Moral: trial of wealth

3) Musa(as) and Khidr(as)

When musa(as) was asked-“who’s the most knowledgeable of the people of earth?”” Musa(as) said: me…,but Allah revealed to him that there’s someone who knows more than him. Musa(as) traveled to the man and learned how the divine wisdom can sometimes be hidden in matters which we perceive as bad.

Moral: trial of knowledge

4) Dhul-qarnayn

It's a story of the great king that was given knowledge and power and was going around the world,helping people and spreading all that’s good. He was able to overcome the problem of Yajooj-Majooj and build a massive dam with the help of people whom he could not even understand.

Moral: trial of power

In the middle of the surah Allah mentions iblees as the one who stirs these trials:

Behold! we said to the angels “bow down to adam”: they bowed down except iblis. he was one of the jinns, and he broke the command of his lord. will ye then take him and his progeny as protectors rather than me? and they are enemies to you! evil would be the exchange for the wrongdoers!

Now let us see what’s the relationship between surat al-kahf and the dajjal (anti-christ)? 

Dajjal will appear before day of judgement with the 4 trials: 

A) He’ll ask people to worship him and not Allah: trial of faith.

B) He’ll be given powers to start/stop rain and tempt people with his wealth: trial of with his wealth.

C) He’ll trial people with the “knowledge” and news he gives them: trial of knowledge.

D) He’ll control huge parts of the earth: trial of power.

How to survive these trials? The answers are in Surat Al-Kahf:

Survival kit 1: Good companionship

“and keep thy soul content with those who call on their lord morning and evening, seeking his face; and let not thine eyes pass beyond them, seeking the pomp and glitter of this life; no obey any whose heart we have permitted to neglect the remembrance of us, one who follows his own desires, whose case has gone beyond all bounds.” (Surat al-kahf, verse 28)

Survival kit 2: Knowing the truth of this world 

“set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: it is like the rain which we send down from the skies: the earth’s vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds do scatter: it is (only) Allah who prevails over all things” (Surat al-kahf, verse 45)

Survival kit 3: Humbleness.

[Moses] said, "You will find me, if Allah wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in [any] order." (Surat al-kahf, verse 69)

Survival kit 4: Sincerity.

“say: “i am but a man like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me, that your Allah is one Allah whoever expects to meet his lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his lord, admit no one as partner.” (Surat al- kahf, verse 110)

Survival kit 5: Calling to Allah.

“and recite (and teach) what has been revealed to thee of the book of thy lord: none can change his words, and none wilt thou ? and as a refuge other than him.” (surat al-kahf, verse 27)

Survival kit 6: Remembering the Hereafter.

“ one day we shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see the earth as a level stretch, and we shall gather them, all together, nor shall we leave out any one of them. and they will be marshalled before thy lord in ranks, (with the announcement), “now have ye come to us (bare) as we created you ?rst: aye, ye thought we shall not ful?l the appointment made to you to meet (us)!”: and the book (of deeds) will be placed (before you); and thou wilt see the sinful in great terror because of what is (recorded) therein; they will say, “ah! woe to us! what a book is this! it leaves out nothing small or great,but takes account thereof !” they will ?nd all that they did, placed before them: and not one will thy lord treat with injustice.” (surat al-kahf, verses 47-49).

Life After Death

Man (Humans) consists of body and soul; the body is the physical entity whilst the soul is a spiritual reality and non-material. The two are distinctly different. Imam Suyuti a great fifteenth-century theologian says: “Death is not annihilation and mere extinction but the separation of attachment of the soul from the body, and change of state and the transportation from one house to another” (Sharh u Sudoor). A famous quote about death is “Death is the bridge that unites the lover with his or her beloved”.

What happens after death?

The Prophet (peace be upon him) describes the grave as “either a pit of hell fire or a garden of heaven”. The souls of righteous people will be in bellies of green birds taking them from place to place in paradise then resting under the Divine throne (Muslim). When one of the disciples died the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed for him. “O Lord! Make his grave spacious for him and brighten it” (Muslim).

A tenth century Muslim scholar Ibn Abi Dunya says, “When a righteous person dies, a bed from paradise is brought for him and he is told to sleep cheerfully and comfortably, for the Lord is happy with you and then his grave is opened for him and he enjoys its beauty, smells its fragrance, his prayers, devotions and good deeds are his companions until the day of judgement” (Shortening long hopes).

The beliefs form the mental framework of a Muslim, these beliefs which are deeply ingrained in the mind help to share a particular attitude to life and death. Death is not viewed as a macabre, gruesome and draconian punishment. It is not the end but a new beginning. Some even regard it as a divine gift. Death therefore is not a bizarre happening but one of the laws of nature like gravity, theories of dynamics and electromagnetism. It is never ‘untimely’ since death only comes at the fixed time. “For every person is a fixed time; when that comes it cannot be delayed a moment or come earlier” (Al-Araf: 34).

Upon hearing the news of someone’s death we say, “To God we belong and to him we are returning” (Al Baqarah: 156), or very simply “this is the divine will”. This submission to the Divine will and surrendering helps the Muslim not to fight the natural process but accept it. This is beautifully expressed in the funeral prayer of the child. The parents say, “O Lord! Make her a provision, reward and treasure for us in the hereafter, make her our intercessor whose intercession is acceptable”.

The deep searching question is: Is human destiny given by God beyond this worldly life? The question for a Muslim like any other believer is what is that destiny? What is the divine purpose? Our answer is that a Muslim is khalifatullah, the vicegerent of God on earth, the successor on earth. The faith in an afterlife provides hope in divine intervention to recreate the world making it an eternal home for the righteous people. However this does not guarantee a blissful outcome for all, either in this world or in the world to come.

The idea of an eternal blissful life for the righteous after the day of judgement and divine proximity in paradise or separation and punishment in hell are basic articles of Islamic faith. The belief in the afterlife offers a clear meaning and purpose to human life. In this perspective every individual is the representative of Allah the almighty. This representative of God has endowed with Divine attributes like knowledge capability, mercy and forgiveness. His mission is to acquire the divine colour ‘Sibhgatallah’. Since man has been created with ‘free will’ he is free to submit to his Lord or rebel against him, he therefore will be held accountable on the day of judgement. The inevitability of either bliss or punishment, unpalatable as it may seem to modern man, nevertheless gives mankind dignity that makes them and the way they lead their lives significant. Life therefore becomes a test, a probationary period with a clear purpose and goal.

The Story of Job (peace be upon him)

Let me know turn to question of bearing undeserved suffering, lets begin with the famous story of Job. Job is not only an Old Testament figure but also a legendary figure in Muslim history. Satan speaking to God claims that Job who is faithful to God in prosperity will not be faithful when he faces adversity. God allows Satan to test Job by destroying his property, by killing his livestock and members of his family and then afflicting him with a painful and relentant disease, so that all apart from his wife abandon him. Satan attempts to make Job waver in his faithfulness to God through his wife. Playing on her pity for him in his misery, he persuades her to urge him to sacrifice a child to Satan. Job realises that she has allowed herself to be taken in by Satan. He swears an oath to punish her with a hundred lashes if he recovers. In anguish he cries out to God, “Satan has indeed touched me with hardship and pain” (Saad: 41).

Job’s faith shines out and despite this most difficult test he does not question God’s wisdom and finally God hears him, relieves him of his illness, with a spring of water. He restores to him his family and livestock. Once again Job is healthy, wealthy and a prosperous man. God makes Job’s patience and endurance a lesson for “those with understanding”. The closing statement is a Divine accolade for the patient Job “We found him patient how excellent a servant! He was constantly turned towards us” (Saad: 44).

Why Does God afflict us? Why take my child away from me? Why me? Are natural questions. The Muslims tried to explain these in a variety of ways. Here I have selected some common responses to this perennial enigma. I will be looking at this with the laws of belief.

Life is a big test

This is one of the reoccurring themes of the Quran. Repeated many times to emphasise the fact that a Muslim reconciles himself with that fact straight away, and not waste time commiserating on the loss. The Quran teaches, “You shall certainly be tested with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits of your toil but give good news to those who patiently persevere, who say when afflicted by a calamity, To God we belong and to him is our return” (Al-Baqarah: 155).

We may well ask what is the point of God testing mankind? Tests are an inevitable part of our lives. The objective of life therefore is not to avoid or deny its tests rather courageously face them and ultimately pass them with flying colours. The Quran again asks, “Do people think that they will be left alone because they say, We believe and will not be tested. And we indeed tested those before them” (Ankabut: 2). Thus making it clear that the worldly life will not be a rose garden, a smooth ride but quite bumpy one!

Muslim sages have tried to rationalise these tests and trials of life by looking at them as a means of our personal growth and development. They make us strong; they make us patient and increase the capacity of enduring. Many people think that tests from God are a sign of Divine wrath. However, Muslims believe that the trials afflicting us can be signs of His love. The Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “When God loves people, He tests them. Whoever is content will have divine pleasure and whoever is displeased will have Divine wrath” (Tirmidhi). These teachings spur and motivate Muslims to boldly face the tests and challenges of life and to remain content with Divine will. Thus the sufferings are not meaningless but means for bettering ourselves.

Conclusion

Can this religious philosophical framework adequately explain the death of a child to a bereaved mother? My answer is yes. Muslims will be just as sad to lose their loved one as anyone else, however they would not be hysterical or have suicidal despair. The attitude is one of truthful acceptance. Such reasoning coupled with deep faith in God’s benevolence does help many from despair. It gives meaning to life and shows it’s mysterious but under the control of the all-powerful Lord.

Muslims put their trust in God, they completely rely on him. This helps them to surrender to the Divine will and thereby accept dying as a natural process. This opens up a new relationship between man and God and therefore one does not struggle against death. The Islamic prayers, the stories of the past great teachers who went through hardships are extremely consoling. This gives courage and confidence in oneself. Thus the whole experience of dying, fear, sadness and anger can be turned into positive experience by these scriptural teachings. In order to prepare this peculiar and strong mental framework towards death and suffering Islam has laid a great emphasis on two things: Patience and hope.

The Islamic glossary (An explanation of names, terms and Symbols)

Glossary of Islamic Terms:
Arabic is written in its own alphabet, with letters, symbols, and orthographic conventions that do not have exact equivalents in the Latin alphabet.

This list contains transliterations of Arabic terms and phrases; variations exist, e.g. din instead of deen and aqidah instead of aqeedah. Most items in the list also contain their actual Arabic spelling.

Separating concepts in Islam from concepts specific to Arab culture, or from the language itself, can be difficult. Many Arabic concepts have an Arabic secular meaning as well as an Islamic meaning. One example is the concept of dawah. Arabic, like all languages, contains words whose meanings differ across various contexts. The word Islam is itself a good example.

The following list consists of notable concepts that are derived from both Islamic and Arab tradition, which are expressed as words in the Arabic language. The main purpose of this list is to disambiguate multiple spellings, to make note of spellings no longer in use for these concepts, to define the concept in one or two lines, to make it easy for one to find and pin down specific concepts, and to provide a guide to unique concepts of Islam all in one place.

A

ʿAbd (عبد) (for male) ʾAmah (أمة) (for female)

servant, worshipper, slave. Muslims consider themselves servants and slaves of God. Common Muslim names such as Abdullah (Servant of God), Abdul-Malik (Slave of the King), Abdur-Rahmān (Slave of the most Beneficent), Abdus-Salām (Slave of Peace), Abdur-Rahîm (Slave of the Merciful), all refer to names of Allah.

ʾAdab (أدب) 

Traditionally describes good manners, as in etiquette. For example, being courteous is good ʾadab. However, the term can be used very broadly, and the proper translation would be "the proper way to go about something," as in the example, ʾĀdāb al Qitāl, or, "The Proper Ways of Fighting in War," (Qitāl in Arabic means mortal combat) in which the word "etiquette" does not befit the context. A secondary meaning of ʾAdab is "literature".

ʾAdhān (أذان) 

call to salat (prayer), sometimes alternatively spelled and pronounced Azan, Athan and Adhan.

ʿAdl (عدل) 

justice, especially distributive justice: social, economic, political, environmental.

AH (هجرية)

Anno Hegirae The Islamic calendar starts counting years starting from the time when Muhammad had to leave Mecca and go to Medina, an event known as the Hijra. The first day of the first Islamic year is 1 Muḥarram 1 (AH) and corresponds to 16 July 622 (CE).

ʾAḥad (أحد)

literally "one." Islamically, ahad means One Alone, unique, none like God. Al-Wahid is one of the names of God.

ʾAḥkām (أحكام)

rulings and orders of the Qu'ran and Sunnah. Five kinds of orders: Wajib, Mustahab, Muharram, Makruh, and Halal. Singular Ḥukm.

ʾAhl al-Bayt (أهل البيت ) 

members of Muhammad's Household. Also known among Shia as the Maʿṣūmūn (معصومون) (infallibles; spiritually pure).

ʾAhl al-Fatrah ( أهل الفترة) 

people who live in ignorance of the teachings of a revealed religion, but according to the "Fitra", the "Natural Religion" innate to human nature as created by God.

ʾAhl al-Kitāb (أهل الكتاب ) 

"People of the Book", or followers of pre-Islamic monotheistic religions with some form of scripture believed to be of divine origin which were mentioned in Quran: Jews, Christians.

ʾĀkhirah (الآخرة) 

hereafter or eternal life

ʾAkhlāq (أخلاق) 

The practice of virtue. Morals.

Al-ʾIkhlāṣ (الإخلاص)- Sincerity 

Genuineness in religious beliefs.

Al-Birr (ّالبر) 

Piety and righteousness and every act of obedience to Allah.

ʿĀlamīn (عالمين) 

Literally "worlds", humankind, jinn, angels and all that exists.

Al Hijr (Kaaba)

A semi-circular wall north-west of Kaaba.

ʿalayhi -s-salām (عليه السلام) 

"Peace be upon him" This expression normally follows after naming a prophet (other than Muhammad), or one of the noble Angels (i.e. Jibreel[Gabriel], Mikaeel[Michael], etc.)

al-ḥamdu li-llāh (الحمد لله) 

"Praise be to God!" Qur'anic exclamation and also same meaning as hallelujah.

Allāh (الله)

The Arabic name of God.

Allāhumma (اللَّهُمَّ) 

"O God."

Allāhu ʾAkbar (الله أكبر) 

"Allah is the Greatest." Islamic expression.

ʿĀlim (عالِم) 

One who knows. A scholar (in any field of knowledge); a scientist (who knows science) or a theologian (who knows religion); similar to Japanese sensei, "teacher".

ʾAmānah (أمانة)

the trust. Of all creation, only human beings & jinns carry the "trust", which is free will.

ʾĀmīn (آمين)

Amen.

ʾAmīr ul-Muʾminīn (أمير المؤمنين) 

In some countries like Morocco, a ʾAmīr ul-Muʾminīn or Commander of the faithful is the religious chief.

ʾĀminah (آمنة) 

Muhammad's mother. Aminah fell sick and died in Abwa, near Madina (then Yathrib) when Muhammad was six years old.

Al-ʾAmr Bi'l Maʿrūf (الأمر بالمعروف) 

Islamic doctrine of enjoining right. There exists in Islam the (obligatory) principle of encouraging other people to do the right thing.

ʾAnfāl (أنفال)

Spoils of war. (See Sūrat al-ʾAnfāl (8:1)) (سورة الأنفال)[1]

ʾAnṣār (أنصار)

"Helpers." The Muslim converts at Medina who helped the Muslims from Mecca after the Hijrah.

ʿAqīdah (عقيدة) 

Article of faith, tenet, creed, or dogma.

ʿAqīqah (عقيقة)

Islamic practice of shaving the head of the newborn male and contributing the weight in silver for charity as well as 2 lambs. One lamb is slaughtered for a baby girl.

ʿAql (عقل)

Intelligence, intellect, mind, understanding

ʾArkān singular rukn (ركن/أركان) 

The five rukn "pillars" of Islam. (See rukn)

A.S. (ʿAlayhi s-salām) (عليه السلام)

This acronym evokes a blessing and is appended to the names of the prophets who came before Muhammad. It will also be applied to the mothers of those prophets. When following a woman's name, the feminine form is ʿAlayha s-salām.

ʾAṣl ( أصل ) (pl. ʾuṣūl) 

Root, origin, source; principle.

ʾaslim taslam (أسلِم تسلَم)

"Submit to Islam" (See dawah)

ʾAsmāʾ Allāh al-Ḥusnā (أسماء الله الحسنى)

List of God's 99 names. According to a hadith, the one who enumerates them all will enter Paradise.

ʿAṣr (العصر)

The third salat prayer. The time of the day before sunset and after noon. also means "era".

Aṣ-Ṣirāṭ (الصراط) 

The bridge by crossing which it is determined (judged) whether a person would go to heaven or hell. How a person crosses the Sirat depends on what they have done in their life and what they have believed in.

al-ʿAsharatu Mubashsharun bil-Jannah or just ʿAsharatu Mubashsharah (Arabic: العشرة المبشّرون بالجنة or عشرة المبشّر‎, translit. ʿAsharatu l-mubashshirūn or ʿAsharatul-mubashshirūna bil Jannah)

The ten companions of Muhammad who were promised paradise (only in Sunni Islam)

ʿĀshūrāʾ (عاشوراء) 

Tenth day of the month of Muharram. It is the day God saved Moses and the children of Israel from the Pharaoh. The grandson of the prophet Muhammad, Imam Hussayn sacrificed his life along with 72 of his companions on the sand dunes of Karbala. Sunni Scholars recommended to fast during this day. To the Shias, it is also a day on which they mourn the death of the third Shia Imam, Husayn ibn Ali, along with his family and companions, who were killed in the famous battle in Karbala. They cry and weep and organize lamentating programmes where they not only learn how to live a proper Islamic life and improve their Spiritual Self but also cry at the end of the ritual to show their true love and faith towards imam Hussayn.

As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum (السلام عليكم)

The Islamic greeting; literally "Peace be upon you"; In addition, wa-Raḥmatullāhi wa-Barakātuhu (ورحمة الله وبركاته) means "and the Mercy of God and His blessing". The response to this greeting is wa-ʿAlaykum as-Salām wa-Raḥmatullāhi wa-Barakātuhu (وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته) --"And on you be the Peace and Mercy of God and His Blessing".

ʾAstaghfir allāh (أستغفر الله)

"I seek forgiveness from God." Islamic expression.

Aʿudhu billah (أعوذ بالله ʾAʿūdhu billāh)

"I seek refuge in God". This is a paraphrase on the beginnings of the two last suras in the Qur'an.

ʾAwliyāʾ (أولياء)

Friends, protectors, helpers, caretaker, maintainer. (singular: wali)

ʿAwrah (عورة) 

The parts of the body, male or female, must be covered in public but not between spouses, such as, body parts must be concealed of a woman before non-related men.(non-related men means she can marry those men lawfully).

ʾĀyah (آية), plural ʾāyāt (آيات) 

A sign. More specifically, a verse in the Qur'an.

Āyatullāh (آية الله, also spelled Ayatollah)

Sign of God Title given to highly ranked religious scholars in Sh'ia sect.

B

Baiʿa (بيعة)

See Bay'ah

Baatil (باطل)

see Bāṭil

Baitullāh (بيت الله baytu -llāh) 

A mosque, literally "house of God". Specifically means the Ka'aba at Makkah (Mecca).

Barakah (بركة) 

a form of blessing.

Bārak Allāhu Fīkum (بارك الله فيكم)

may Allah bless you; response to expression of thanks.

Barzakh (برزخ)

Barrier. Used in the Qur'an to describe the barrier between sweet and salty water. In theology, the one-way barrier between the mortal realm and the spirit world which the deceased soul crosses and waits for qiyamah judgment.

Bashar (بشر) 

humankind, mankind, man, human(s), etc.

Baṣīrah (بصيرة) 

Insight, discernment, perceptivity, deep knowledge. Sometimes used by Sufis to denote the ability to directly perceive a transcendental Truth.

Bāṭil (باطل)

void

Bāṯin (باطن) 

The interior or hidden meaning. A person who devotes himself to studying such hidden meanings is a batini.

B.B.H.N. (عليه الصلاة والسلام)

Blessed be His Name – acronym for S.A.W.S. See P.B.U.H (Peace Be Upon Him).

Bidʿah (بدعة) 

Innovation in religion, i.e. inventing new methods of worship. Bad Bidʿahs in Islam are considered a deviation and a serious sin by many Muslims.

Bidʿah sayyiʾah (بدعة سيئة)

Inquiry prohibited in Islam.

Bismi-llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīmi (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) 

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

Burda (بردة) 

In general terms, it means a "cloak" or "outer garment". Specific reference is to the "burda" of the Prophet Muḥammad (see Qaṣīda al-Burda).

Bayʿah (بيعة) 

an oath of allegiance to a leader, traditionally the Caliph or Imam.

C

Caliph (خَليفة) khalīfah 

literally successor; refers to the successor of the Prophet Muhammad, the ruler of an Islamic theocracy.

D

Dahri (دهري)

atheist – from the root ad dahr meaning time. In Islam, atheists are seen as those who think that time only destroys, hence the term ad dahriyyah for the concept of atheism.

Dajjāl (دجّال) 

an Islamic figure similar to the Antichrist; means "liar" or "deceiver".

Ḍallāl (ضلال)

going astray.

Dār al-ʿAhd (دار العهد) 

the Ottoman Empire's relationship with its Christian tributary states.

Dār al-ʾAmn (دار الأمن) 

means house of safety; refers to status of a Muslim living in some of the Western world.

Dār ad-daʿwa (دار الدعوة) 

a region where Islam has recently been introduced.

Dār al-ḥarb (دار الحرب) 

means house of war; refers to areas outside Muslim rule at war with Muslim states.

Dār al-Islām (دار الإسلام)

the abode, or land, of Islam.

Dār al-Kufr (دار الكفر) 

means domain of disbelief; the term originally refers to the Quraish-dominated society of Mecca between Prophet Mohammed's (s.a.w.s.) flight to Medina (the Hijra) and the city's conquest.

Dār aṣ-Ṣulḥ ( دارالصلح )

domain of agreement

Dār ash-shahāda (دار الشهادة) 

See Dar al-Amn

Darūd (الدرود، الصلاة على النبي)

blessing

Daʿwah (الدعوة) 

the call to Islam, proselytizing.

Darwīš (درويش) 

an initiate of the Sufi Path, one who practices Sufism

Dhikr (ذكر) 

A devotional practice whereby the name of God is repeated in a rhythmical manner. Remembrance of God; spiritual exercise; Muslims believe that the primary function of prophets is to remind people of God.

Dhimmi (ذمّي) (pl. dhimam) 

"protected person"; Jews and Christians (and sometimes others,[3] such as Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, and Zoroastrians), living in an Islamic state who must pay special taxes and whose right to practice their religion is subject to strict control under Islamic law.

Dhuhr (ظهر) (ẓuhr)

the second obligatory daily prayer.

Dīn (الدين) 

(literally 'religion') the way of life based on Islamic revelation; the sum total of a Muslim's faith and practice. Dīn is often used to mean the faith and religion of Islam.

Diyyah (دية)

"blood money", recompense for loss of a life.

Duʿāʾ (دعاء) 

personal prayer, supplication

Dunya (دنيا)

The physical Universe, as opposed to the Hereafter; sometimes spelled Dunia.

E

Eid al-Fitr (عيد الفطر)

Marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm).

And other Eids

F

Fajarah (فجرة) (also fujjār (فجّار))

Wicked evil doers. Plural of "fājir" (فاجر).

Fajr (فجر)

dawn, early morning, and the morning prayer. The time of the day when there is light in the horizon before sunrise.

Falāḥ (فلاح)

deliverance, salvation, well-being.

Falsafah (فلسفة)

"philosophy" The methods and content of Greek philosophy which were brought into Islam. A person who tries to interpret Islam through rationalist philosophy was called a faylasuf (فيلسوف), "philosopher".

Fanā' (فناء) 

Sufi term meaning extinction – to die to this life while alive. Having no existence outside of God.

Faqīh (فقيه)(pl. fuqahāʾ)(فقهاء) 

One who has a deep understanding of Islam, its laws, and jurisprudence. (see fiqh)

Al-Faraj (الفرج)

the return of the Shia Mahdi

Farḍ (فرض), plural furūḍ (فروض) 

a religious duty, or an obligatory action: praying 5 times a day is fard Neglecting a fard will result in a punishment in the hereafter. (See wajib)

Farḍ ʿain ( فرض عين)

obligatory on every individual Muslim to aid in any way he can.

Farḍ kifāyah (فرض كفاية)

an obligation on the Muslim community as a whole, from which some are freed if others take it up such as for jihad.

Fāsid (فاسد)

corrupt, invalid/violable (in Islamic finance)

Fāsiq (فاسق)

anyone who has violated Islamic law; usually refers to one whose character has been corrupted (plural "fāsiqūn").

Fātiḥa (الفاتحة)

the short, opening sura of the Qur'an, which begins "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds..." These words hold an important place in Muslim liturgies and forms the core of the salat.

Fatwā (فتوى) 

legal opinion of an (alim) binding on him and on those who follow his taqlid

Fī ʾAmān allāh (في أمان الله)

"In the protection of God". Said when a person departs.

Fiqh (فقه) 

jurisprudence built around the shariah by custom (al-urf). Literally means "deep understanding", refers to understanding the Islamic laws. (see faqih)

Fī sabīl allāh (في سبيل الله)

for the sake of Allah; common Islamic expression for performing acts such as charity or Jihad and for 'qatlu' (fighting in mortal combat for the sake of Allah)

Fitna (pl. fitan) (فتنة) 

trial or tribulation; also refers to any period of disorder, such as a civil war, or the period of time before the end of the world or any civil strife.

Fiṭrah (فطرة)

innate disposition towards virtue, knowledge, and beauty. Muslims believe every child is born with fitrah.

Furqān (فرقان)

the criterion (of right and wrong, true and false); for example, the Qur'an as furqan.

Fuwaysiqah (فويسقة)

vermin, evil from the root fasaqa meaning to deviate from the right way

G

Ghafara (غفر)

(verb in past tense) to forgive, to cover up (sins). A characteristic of God.

Ghaflah (غفلة)

heedlessness, forgetfulness of God, indifference

Ghayb (غيب)

the unseen, unknown.

Ghanīmah (غنيمة)

spoils of war, booty.

Ghasbi (غصب) 

possessed unlawfully

Ghāzi (غازى) 

(archaic) roughly, "raider": a holy warrior; a mujahid

Ghusl (غسل)

full ablution of the whole body (see wudu). Ghusl janaba is the mandatory shower after having sexual discharge.

H

Ḥadath akbar (حدث أكبر)

major ritual impurity which requires Niyyat for cleaning.

Ḥadath aṣghar (حدث أصغر) 

minor ritual impurity

Hādhā min faḍl rabbī (هَذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي)

Qur'anic expression and phrase meaning This is by the Grace of my Lord.

Hādī (هادي)

a guide, one who guides; A Muslim name for God is The Guide, or Al-Hadi.

Ḥadīth (حديث ḥadīth) plural ahādīth 

literally "speech"; recorded saying or tradition of the Prophet Muhammad validated by isnad; with sira these comprise the sunnah and reveal shariah

Ḥadīth mashhūr (حديث مشهور) 

Well-known hadith; a hadith which reported by one, two, or more Companions from the Prophets or from another Companion, but has later become well-known and transmitted by an indefinite number of people during the first and second generation of Muslims.

Ḥāfiẓ (حافظ) 

someone who knows the Qur'an by heart. Literal translation = memorizer or Protector.

Haid|Ḥaiḍ (حيض) 

menstruation

Ḥājj (حاجّ) plural Ḥujjāj (حجّاج) and Ḥajīj (حجيج)

Pilgrim, one who has made the Hajj.

Ḥajj (حجّ) and Ḥijjah (plurals Ḥijjāt (حجّات) and Ḥijaj (حجج))

pilgrimage to Mecca. Sunnis regard this as the fifth Pillar of Islam. See Dhu al-Hijjah.

Ḥajj at-Tamattuʿ (حج التمتع)

performing ʿUmrah during the Hajj season, and on the Day of Tarwiah a pilgrim gets into the state of Ihram for Hajj. Before making ʿUmrah, approach the Miqat and declare the intention. End by sacrificing an animal.

Ḥajj al-Qirān (حج القران) 

At Miqat, declare intention to perform both Hajj and 'Umrah together. After throwing the Jamrah of Al-'Aqabah, and getting hair shaved or cut that take off his Ihram garments and sacrifice animal.

Ḥajj al-ʾIfrād (حج الإفراد)  

At Miqat, declare intention for Hajj only. Maintain Ihram garments up to the Day of Sacrifice. No offering is required from him.

Ḥākim (حاكم) 

a ruler's or governor's title; in some Muslim states, a judge. See Ahkam.

Ḥākimīya (حاكمية) 

sovereignty, governance.

Ḥalāl (حلال) 

lawful, permitted, good, beneficial, praiseworthy, honourable. (See mustahabb, mandub)

Ḥalaqah (حلقة) 

A gathering or meeting for the primary purpose of learning about Islam.

Ḥalq (حلق) 

Shaving of the head, particularly associated with pilgrimage to Mecca[4]

Ḥanīf (حنيف) 

pre-Islamic non-Jewish or non-Christian monotheists. Plural: ḥunafā' (حنفاء).

Ḥaqq (حقّ)

truth, reality, right, righteousness. Al-Haqq is one of 99 names of God.

Ḥarām (حرام) 

sinful

Ḥaram (حرم) 

sanctuary.

Ḥasan (حسن)

Good, beautiful, admirable. Also a categorization of a hadith's authenticity as "acceptable". (other categorizations include authentic and fabricated).

Hawa (هوى) (pl. ʾahwāʾ (أهواء)) 

Vain or egotistical desire; individual passion; impulsiveness.

Hidāyah (هداية) 

guidance from God.

Ḥijāb (حجاب) 

literally "cover". It describes the covering of the body for the purposes of modesty and dignity; broadly, a prescribed system of attitudes and behaviour regarding modesty and dignity. (See abayah, al-amira, burqa, chador, jilbab, khimar, milfeh, niqab, purdah, shayla)

Hijra (الهجرة) 

Muhammad and his followers' emigration from Mecca to Medina. Literally, "migration". This holiday marks the beginning of the Muslim New Year on the first day of the month of Muharram. See Rabi' al-awwal and abbreviation AH.

Ḥikmah (حكمة) 

Literally this means "wisdom" and refers to the highest possible level of understanding attainable by a Muslim. In particular, it refers to the illuminative, mystical sort of wisdom that a Gnostic or Sufi might attain.

Hilāl (هلال) 

Crescent moon.

Ḥima (حمى) 

wilderness reserve, protected forest, grazing commons; a concept of stewardship

Ḥizb (حزب) 

One half of a juz', or roughly 1/60th of the Qur'an

Hudā (هدى) 

Guidance.

Hudna (هدنة) 

Truce. Cease-fire (often temporary)

Ḥudūd (حدود) (sing. hadd) 

Literally, limits or boundaries. Usually refers to limits placed by Allah on man; penalties of the Islamic law (sharia) for particular crimes described in the Qur'an – intoxication, theft, rebellion, adultery and fornication, false accusation of adultery, and apostasy. (See ta'zeer)

Ḥukm (حكم)

ruling in the Qur'an or Sunnah. Also spelled Hukum.

Ḥūrī (حورية ḥūrīya; pl. ḥūrīyāt حوريات) 

beautiful and pure young men and women that Muslims believe inhabit Paradise, or Heaven.

I

ʿIbādah (عبادة)

submission, worship, but not limited to ritual: all expressions of servitude to Allah, including the pursuit of knowledge, living a pious life, helping, charity, and humility, can be considered ibadah.

ʾIblīs (إبليس)

a jinn banished to Hell for his arrogance and disobedience; aka Satan : He is the equivalent of Lucifer.

ʿId (عيد)

festival or celebration. Alternatively transliterated Eid.

ʿId ul-Adha (عيد الأضحى)

"the Festival of Sacrifice." The four day celebration starting on the tenth day of Dhul-Hijja.

ʿId ul-Fitr (عيد الفطر)

"the Festival of Fitr (Breaking the fast)." A religious festival that marks the end of the fast of Ramadan.

ʾIfṭār (إفطار)

a meal eaten by Muslims breaking their fast after sunset during the month of Ramadan.

ʾIḥrām (إحرام)

state of consecration for hajj. Includes dress and or prayer.

ʾIḥsān (إحسان)

perfection in worship, such that Muslims try to worship God as if they see Him, and although they cannot see Him, they undoubtedly believe He is constantly watching over them.

ʾIḥtiyāṭ (إحتياط)

Also Ahwat. A Precaution, either obligatory or optional.[5]

ʾIḥtiyāṭ mustaḥabb(إحتياط مستحبّ) 

A preferred precaution.[5]

ʾIḥtiyāṭ wājib(إحتياط واجب)

An obligatory precaution.[5]

ʾIʿjāz (إعجاز)

miracle, the character of the Qur'an in both form and content.

ʾIjāzah (إجازة)

a certificate authorizing one to transmit a subject or text of Islamic knowledge

ʾIjmā' (إجماع)

the consensus of either the ummah (or just the ulema) – one of four bases of Islamic Law. More generally, political consensus itself. Shi'a substitute obedience to the Imam; opposite of ikhtilaf

ʾIjtihād (اجتهاد)

During the early times of Islam, the possibility of finding a new solution to a juridical problem. Has not been allowed in conservative Islam since the Middle Ages. However, Liberal movements within Islam generally argue that any Muslim can perform ijtihad, given that Islam has no generally accepted clerical hierarchy or bureaucratic organization. The opposite of ijtihad is taqlid (تقليد), Arabic for "imitation".

ʾIkhtilāf (اختلاف)

disagreement among the madhhabs (scholars) of a religious principle; opposite of ijma.

ʾIkrām (إكرام)

honouring, hospitality, generosity – Dhul jalaali wal ikraam is one of the 99 names of Allah.

ʾIkrāh (إكراه) 

mental or physical force.

ʾIlāh (إله)

deity, a god; including gods worshiped by polytheists.

ʿIlm (علم)

all varieties of knowledge, usually a synonym for science

ʾImām (إمام)

literally, leader; e.g. a man who leads a community or leads the prayer; the Shi'a sect use the term only as a title for one of the twelve Allah-appointed successors of Prophet Muhammad.

ʾImāmah (إمامة) or imamate 

successorship of Prophet Muhammad and the leadership of mankind.

ʾImān (إيمان)

personal faith

ʾInna lilāhi wa ʾinna ʾilaihi rājiʿūn (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ)  

To Allah we belong and to Him is our return – said to mourners

ʾInfāq (إنفاق)

the habitual inclination to give rather than take in life; the basis for charity

ʾInjīl (الإنجيل)

Arabic term for the holy book called The Gospel said to have been given to Jesus, who is known as Isa in Arabic; Muslims believe the holy book has been lost and the New Testament gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are not the word of Allah, only Christian stories about Jesus.

ʾIn shāʾa -llāh (إن شاء الله)

"If God wills"; Inshallah is "resigned, accepting, neutral, passive. It is neither optimistic nor pessimistic."[1] [2]

ʾIqāmah (إقامة)

the second call to prayer. Similar to the azhan.

ʾIrtidād (ارتداد)

apostasy (see murtadd). Also riddah ردة

ʿĪsā (عيسى)

Jesus – 'Isa ibn Maryam (English: Jesus son of Mary), (a matronymic since he had no biological father). The Qur'an asserts that Allah has no sons and therefore, 'Isa is not the son of Allah. Muslims honor 'Isa as a nabi and rasul.

ʿIshā' (عشاء)

night; the fifth salat prayer

ʾIṣlāḥ (إصلاح )

"reform". This term may mean very different things, depending on the context. When used in reference to reform of Islam, it may mean modernism, such as that proposed by Muhammad Abduh; or Salafi literalism, such as that preached by Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani[6]

ʾIslām  (الإسلام)   

"submission to God". The Arabic root word for Islam means submission, obedience, peace, and purity.

ʾIsnād (إسناد)

chain of transmitters of any given hadith

ʾIsrāʾ (الإسراء)

the night journey during which Muhammad (محمّد)is said to have visited Heaven. See miraj.

ʾIstighfār (استغفار)

requesting forgiveness

ʾIstiḥādah (استحاضة)

vaginal bleeding except Haid and Nifas

ʾIstiṣlāḥ (استصلاح)

public interest – a source of Islamic Law.

ʾIstishhād (استشهاد)

martyrdom.

ʾIthm (إثم)

Negative reward for bad deeds that is tallied on qiyamah(judgment day.) Opposite of thawab.

ʾIʿtikāf (إعتكاف)

seclusion in the masjid for the purpose of worship usually performed during the last 10 days of Ramadan.

ʾItmām al-hujjah (إتمام الحجة)

clarification of truth in its ultimate form.

Ittaqullah (اتقوا الله)

command to fear God or to be pious to Allah.

J

Jāʾiz (جائز)

That which is allowed or permissible. As a rule, everything that is not prohibited is allowed. (See halal, mustahabb, mandub)

Jahannam (جهنم) 

the Hell-fire; Hell

Jāhilīyyah (الجاهليّة) 

the time of ignorance before Islam was realized. Describes polytheistic religions.

Jahl (جهل) 

ignorance, foolishness.

Jalsa – sitting

Jāmiʿah (جامعة) 

"gathering"; i.e. a university, a mosque, or more generally, a community or association.

Janābah(جنابة ) 

A state of spiritual impurity that occur due to sexual intercourse or ejaculation and necessitates major ritual ablution (ghusl),

Janāzah (جنازة) 

Funeral. Ṣalāt al-Janāzah is a funeral prayer.

Jannah (جنة) 

Paradise, Heaven, the Garden

Jazāka-llāhu khayran (جزاك اللهُ خيرًا) 

"May God reward you with good." Islamic expression of gratitude.

Jihād (جهاد) 

struggle. Any earnest striving in the way of God, involving personal, physical, for righteousness and against wrongdoing;

Jihād aṣ-ṣaghīr (جهاد الصغير) 

Offensive jihad declared by caliph.

Jihād aṭ-ṭalab (جهاد الطلب)

Offensive jihad.

Jihād ad-dafʿa (جهاد الدفعة) 

Defensive jihad.

Jihād bil-māl (جهاد بامال)

Financial jihad.

Jihād bis-saif ( جهاد بالسيف)

literally 'struggle by the sword'; holy war.

Jilbāb (جلباب) 

(pl. jalabib) a long, flowing, garment worn by some as a more conservative means of fulfillment of sartorial hijab. (See also: abaya. burka, chador)

Jinn (جنّ) 

An invisible being of fire

Jizya (جزية)

A tax specified in the Koran (9:29) to be paid by non-Muslim males living under Muslim political control.

Juhud 

To deny. Jaahid (the denier). Disbelief out of rejection. When there comes to them that which they [should] have recognized, they refuse to believe in (kafaru) it. ( 2:89) Accordingly, juhud includes rejection (kufr at-taktheeb) and resistance (kufr al-'inaad)

Jumuʿah (جمعة) 

Friday prayer

Junub (جنب) 

an unclean state of body as in breaking Wudu

Juzʾ (جزء) 

one of thirty parts of the Qur'an

K

Kaʿbah (الكعبة) 

cube-house; the cube-shaped building, i.e., in Mecca toward which Muslims pray.

Kāfir (كافر kāfir singular .; كفّار kuffār pl.) 

from the word kafara, "to hide." Those who deliberately hide the truth; unbelievers, truth-concealers; one who is ungrateful. Plural: Kāfirūn. Extreme care ought to be taken with this word, as it is was (and is) occasionally misused as an offensive term for black people by white South Africans.

Kalām (علم الكلام) (ʿilm al-kalām) 

Literally, "words" or "speech," and referring to oration. The name applied to the discipline of philosophy and theology concerned specifically with the nature of faith, determinism and freedom, and the nature of the divine attributes.

Khair (خير)

Every kind of good

Khalīfah (خليفة) 

Caliph, more generally, one performing the duties of khilafa.

Khalīl (خليل) 

devoted friend

Khalq (خلق) 

Creation – the act of measuring; determining, estimating and calculating. Khalq is the noun form of the verb khalaqa (see bara, sawwara).

Al-khāliq (الخالق)

The Creator, Allah.

Khamr (خمر)

Intoxicant, wine.

Khatīb (خطيب)

the speaker at the Friday Muslim prayer, or Jumu'ah prayer.

Khatm (ختم)

Complete recitation of the Qur'an.

Kharāj (خراج) 

a land tax.

Khayr 

goodness. See birr (righteousness) See qist (equity) See 'adl (equilibrium and justice) See haqq (truth and right) See ma'ruf (known and approved) See taqwa (piety.)

khilāf (خلاف) 

Controversy, dispute, discord.

Khilāfah (خلافة) 

Man's trusteeship and stewardship of Earth; Most basic theory of the Caliphate; Flora and fauna as sacred trust; Accountability to; God for harms to nature, failure to actively care and maintain. Three specific ways in which khalifa is manifested in Muslim practice are the creation of haram to protect water, hima to protect other species (including those useful to man), and by resisting infidel domination over Muslim lands, in jihad.

al-khulafāʾ ar-rāshidūn (الخلفاء الراشدون) 

four first caliphs, believed by most Muslims to be most righteous rulers in history

Khimār (خمار) (pl. khumur (خُمُر) or ʾakhmirah (أخْمِرة)) 

headcovering (Q. 24:31).

Khitān (ختان) 

Male circumcision.

Khuluq (خُلُق) pl. ʾakhlāq (أخلاق) 

ethics

Khushūʿ (خشوع)

humility, devotion, concentration (especially in prayer).

Khuṭbah (خطبة)

the sermon at Jumu'ah prayer.

Kibr (كِبْر) 

pride, arrogance

Kibar (كِبَر) 

old age

Kitāb (كتاب) 

book; The Qurʾān is often referred to as "Al-Kitāb" (The Book).

Kufr (كفر) 

Unbelief, infidelity, blasphemy; also hubris. See Kafir and Kuffar

Kufr al-ḥukm (كفر الحكم) 

Disbelief from judgment.

Kufr al-ʿInād (كفر العناد) 

Disbelief out of stubbornness

Kufr al-ʾInkār (كفر الإنكار) 

Disbelief out of arrogance and pride.

Kufr al-ʾIstibdāl (كفر الإستبدال) 

Disbelief because of trying to substitute Allaah's Laws.

Kufr al-ʾIstiḥlāl (كفر الإستحلال) 

Disbelief out of trying to make HARAM into HALAL.

Kufrul-Istihzaha 

Disbelief due to mockery and derision

Kufr al-jahl (كفر الجهل)

Disbelief from not being aware of or not understanding.

Kufr al-juhud (كفر الجهد)

Disbelief from obstinacy after being presented with truth.

Kufr an-Nifāq (كفر النفاق)

Disbelief out of hypocrisy.

Kufr al-ʾIʿrāḍ (كفر الإعراض) 

Disbelief due to avoidance.

Kun (كن) 

God's command to the universe, 'Be!' is sufficient to create it.

L

Lā ilāha illā-llāh (لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا الله) 

"There is no god but God." The most important expression in Islam. It is part of the first pillar of Islam. According to Islam, this is the message of all the Prophets, such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.

Labbayka -llāhumma (لبّيكَ اللّهُم) 

God, I obey you (said during hajj)

Laghw (لغو) 

Dirty, false, evil vain talk

Laʿnah (لعنة) 

Curse, execration, or imprecation.

Laylat al-Qadr (ليلة القدر) 

the Night of Power, towards the end of Ramadan, when Muhammad received the first revelation of the Qur'an.

M

Madrasah (مدرسة) 

school, university

Maghrib (مغرب)

the fourth daily salat prayer

Mahdi (مهدي) 

"a guide". More specifically al-Mahdi (the guide) is a figure who will appear with Prophet Jesus before the end of time, when God allows it, to bring world peace, order and justice, after it has been overcome with injustice and aggression.

Mahdūr ad-damm (مهدور الدم)

he whose blood must be wasted

Maḥram (محرم) 

a relative of the opposite gender usually described as being "within the forbidden limits"; a better description is "within the protected limits". means relatives who one can appear before without observing hijab and who one cannot marry.

Makrūh (مكروه) 

Means "detested", though not haraam (forbidden); something that is disliked or offensive. If a person commits the Makruh, he does not accumulate ithim but avoiding the Makhruh is rewarded with thawab.

Malāʾikah (ملائكة) 

angels (Singular. Malak). It was one of these mala'ika, Jibril (Gabriel) who delivered Allah's revelation to Muhammad.

Mā malakat ʾaymānukum (ما ملكت أيمانكم) 

one's rightful spouse (literally: what your right hands possess)

Manāsik (مناسك) 

the rules specifying the requirements of a legally valid hajj

Mandūb (مندوب) 

commendable or recommended. Failure to do it would not be a sin. (See halal mustahabb)

Manhaj (منهج)

the methodology by which truth is reached

Mansūkh (منسوخ) 

That which is abrogated. The doctrine of al-Nasikh wal-Mansukh (abrogation) of certain parts of the Qur'anic revelation by others. The principle is mentioned in the Qur'an (2:106) see naskh

Manzil (منزل)

one of seven equal parts of the Qur'an

Maʿrūf (معروف) 

consensus of the community

Maqāṣid (مقاصد) singular. maqṣid (مقصد) 

goals or purposes; such as the purposes of Islamic law

Maṣāliḥ (مصالح) singular. maṣlaḥah (مصلحة)

public interests

Mā shāʾa -llāh (ما شاء الله) 

Allah has willed it

Masīḥ (مسيح) 

the (Biblical) Messiah, Jesus Christ

Masjid (مسجد) pl. masājid, مساجد 

place of prayer; mosque

Masjid al-Ḥarām (المسجد الحرام) 

the mosque surrounding the Kaʿbah in Mecca.

Madhhab (مذهب) 

pl. Madhāhib (مذاهب) school of religious jurisprudence, school of thought;Mawali or mawala (موالي): Non-Arab Muslims

Mawlā [mawlan (مولى)] [pl. mawālin (موالٍ)] 

protector or master

Mawlānā (مولانا) 

an Arabic word literally meaning "our lord" or "our master". It is used mostly as a title preceding the name of a respected religious leader, in particular graduates of religious institutions. The term is sometimes used to refer to Rumi.

Maulvi (مولوی) 

an honorific Islamic religious title often, but not exclusively, given to Muslim religious scholars or Ulema preceding their names. Maulvi generally means any religious cleric or teacher

Mecca (مكّة Makkah) 

the holiest city where the Ka'abah was built

Medina (مدينة Madīnah) 

"city"; Medinat-un-Nabi means "the City of the Prophet." See Hijra (Islam)

Mi'ād (معاد)

the Resurrection; God will resurrect all of humankind to be judged. Shi'as regard this as the fifth Pillar of Islam.

Miḥrāb (محراب) 

a niche in the wall of all mosques, indicating the direction of prayer

Millah (مِلَّة)

In Arabic, millah means "religion," but it has only been used to refer to religions other than Islam, which is din.

Minaret (منارة) 

a tower built onto a mosque from the top of which the call to prayer is made

Minbar (منبر) 

a raised pulpit in the mosque where the Imam stands to deliver sermons

Minhaj (منهج) 

methodology, e.g. methods, rules, system, procedures.

Mīqāt (ميقات ) 

intended place

Miʿrāj (المعراج) 

the Ascension to the Seven Heavens during the Night Journey See also: isra

Muʾadhdhin (مأذن)

a person who performs the call to prayer

Muʿāhadāt (معاهدات) 

treaties

Muʿawwidhatayn (المعوذتين) 

suras Al-Falaq and an-Nas, the "Surahs of refuge", should be said to relieve suffering (also protect from Black Magic)

Mubāḥ (مباح) 

literally permissible; neither forbidden nor commended.

Mubaligh (مبلغ) 

person who recites Qur'an

Muftī (مفتى) 

an Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law (Sharia), capable of issuing fataawa (plural of "fatwa").

Muḥajabah (محجبة) 

woman who wears hijab (polite form of hijabi).

Muḥāribah (محاربة) 

a person who wages war against God

Muḥammadun rasūl allāh (محمدٌ رسول الله) 

"Muhammad is the messenger of God." This statement is the second part of the first pillar of Islam. This is the second most important statement in Islam.

Mufsid (مفسد) 

evil-doer a person who wages jihad (war) not in accordance with the Qur'an. Plural mufsideen.

Muḥsin (محسن) 

a person who performs good deed. Plural muhsineen. Opposite of Mufsidun.

Muhājirūn (مهاجرون) 

The first Muslims that accompanied Muhammad when he traveled to Medina.

Muharṭiq (مهرطق) 

heretic.

Mujāhid (مجاهد) 

a fighter for Islam. Plural Mujāhidūn ().

Mujtahid (مجتهد) 

a scholar who uses reason for the purpose of forming an opinion or making a ruling on a religious issue. Plural: Mujtahidun.

Mullah (ملا) 

are Islamic clergy. Ideally, they should have studied the Qur'an, Islamic traditions (hadith), and Islamic law (fiqh).

Muʾmin (مؤمن) 

A Muslim who observes the commandments of the Qur'an.

Munāfiq (منافق) 

hypocrite. Plural: Munafiqun

Muntaqabah (منتقبة) pl. muntaqabāt (منتقبات) 

woman who wears niqab

Murābaḥah ( مرابحة) 

a type of sharia-compliant mortgage (see Ijara)

Murshid (مرشد) 

a Sufi teacher

Murtadd (مرتد) female apostate is Murtaddah

apostate (see irtidad see mahdur ad-damm.)

Muṣḥaf (مصحف)

a copy, codex or redaction of the Qur'an.

Mushrik (مشرك)(pl. mushrikūn) (مشركون)

One who associates others in worship with God; a polytheist.

Muslim (مسلم) 

a follower of the religion of Islam. One who submits their will to Allah (God)

Mustaḥabb (مستحبّ) 

commendable or recommended.

Mutʿah (متعة) 

literally enjoyment; compensation paid to a divorced woman; when used in the phrase nikāḥ al-mutʿah (نكاح المتعة) it refers to temporary marriage.

Mutashābihāt (متشابهات)

equivocal verses of Qur'an.

Mutaʿaṣṣibūn (متعصّبون) 

fanatics

Muṭawwaʿ (مطوّع) plural muṭawwaʿūn (مطوّعون) 

religious man in certain regions, a volunteer teacher

Muṭawwaʿūn (مطوّعون) (مطوعين) (singular muṭawwaʿ)

Religious police.

Mutawātir (متواتر) 

"agreed upon"—used to describe hadith that were narrated by many witnesses through different narration chains (isnads) leading back to Muhammad

N

Nabī (نبي) 

literally, prophets. In the Islamic context, a Nabi is a man sent by God to give guidance to man, but not given scripture. The Prophet Abraham was a Nabi. This is in contrast to Rasul, or Messenger. Plural: Anbiya. See: Rasul.

Nafs (النفس) 

soul, the lower self, the ego/id

Nāfilah (نافلة) 

An optional, supererogatory practice of worship, in contrast to farida

Najāsah (نجاسة)

Impurity

Nājis (ناجس)

impure

Nakīr and Munkar (نكير و منكر) 

two malaikah who test the faith of the dead in their graves

Naṣīḥa (نصيحة) 

advice

Naskh (نسخ) 

The doctrine of al-Nasikh wal-Mansukh (abrogation) of certain parts of the Qur'anic revelation by others. The principle is mentioned in the Qur'an (2:106) see mansukh.

Naṣṣ (نصّ) 

a known, clear legal injunction

Nifās (نفاس)

the bleeding after childbirth (see Haid)

Nifāq (نفاق)

falsehood; dishonesty; hypocrisy

Nikāḥ (النكاح)

the matrimonial contract between a bride and bridegroom within Islamic marriage

Niqāb (نقاب) 

veil covering the face

Niyyah (نية)

intention

Nubūwwah (نبوّة) 

prophethood. Shi'as regard this as the third Pillar of Islam.

Nukrah

a great munkar – prohibited, evil, dreadful thing.

Nūr (نور) 

light. Muslims believe angels were created from light and jinn from fire.

P

P.B.U.H. 

an acronym that stands for "peace be upon him" a blessing which is affixed to Muhammad's name whenever it is written. In some circles and English writings, Sufis regard PBUH to signify "Peace and Blessings Upon Him" (the Rasul or Messenger of Allah). These are the primary English explications of the P.B.U.H. acronym. The Arabic version is S.A.W.

Q

Qadhf (قذف)

false imputation of unchastity specifically punished by sharia.

Qadar (قدر) 

predestination.

Qāḍī (قاضي) 

judge of Islamic Law

Qalb (قلب) 

Heart

Qiblah (قبلة) 

the direction Muslims face during prayer

Qitāl fī sabīl allāh ( قتال في سبيل الله ) 

fight in the cause of Allah.

Qiyāmah (قيامة)

resurrection; return of the dead for the Day of Judgment

Qiṣāṣ (قصاص) 

equitable retribution – a fine for murder if the heirs forgive the perpetrator. (See hudud, tazeer)

Qiyām (قيام) 

to stand, a position of salat prayer

Qiyās (القياس) 

analogy – foundation of legal reasoning and thus fiqh

Qudsī (قدسي) 

classification of a hadith that are believed to be narrated by Muhammad from God.

Qurbah (قربة) 

closeness to God. Term is associated with Sufism.

Qurʾān (القرآن) 

The word Qur'an means recitation. Muslims believe the Qur'an (Koran) to be the literal word of God and the culmination of God's revelation to mankind, revealed to prophet Muhammad in the year AD 610 in the cave Hira by the angel Jibril.

R

Rabb (ربّ)

Lord, Sustainer, Cherisher, Master.

R. A., raḍiya -llāhu ʿanhu (رضي الله عنه)

May Allah be pleased with him. Variants are ʿanhā (her) and ʿanhum (them).

Raḥmān (رحمن)

Merciful; Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) means "The Most Merciful"

Raḥīm (رحيم)

compassionate; Ar-Rahim (الرحيم) means "The Most Compassionate" as in the Basmala

Raḥimaḥullāh (رحمه الله)

May Allah have mercy on him. Usually used after mentioning the companions of Muhammad

Raḥmatullāh (رحمة الله)

Mercy of Allah. Sometimes used as an alternative to Rahimahullah after mentioning a righteous person by saying, rahmatullahi ʿilayh (رحمة الله علیه): Mercy of Allah be upon him/her

Rajm (رجم) 

the practice of stoning

Rakʿah (ركعة) 

one unit of Islamic prayer, or Salat. Each daily prayer is made up of a different number of raka'ah.

Ramaḍān (رمضان) 

month of fasting when the Qur'an was first revealed

Rāshidūn (راشدون) 

Sunnis consider the first four caliphs as the "orthodox" or "rightly guided" caliphs. They were Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and 'Ali.

Rasūl (رسول)

messenger; Unlike prophets (Nabi), messengers are given scripture. Moses (as), David (as), Jesus (as) and Mohammed (as) are considered messengers. All messengers are considered prophets, but not all prophets are given scripture. See: Nabi.

Riba (ربا) 

interest, the charging and paying of which is forbidden by the Qur'an

Ribat 

Guarding Muslims from infidels

Riddah (ردة)

apostasy, in which a person abandons Islam for another faith or no faith at all.

Risālah (رِسَالَة)

literally, message or letter. Used both in common parlance for mail correspondences, and in religious context as divine message.

Rūḥ (روح)

spirit; the divine breath which God blew into the clay of Adam.

Rukn (ركن) plural ʾArkān (أركان) 

means what is inevitable. One of the five pillars of Islam. (See fard, wajib)

Rukūʿ (ركوع) 

the bowing performed during salat.

S

Sabb (سَبّ)

blasphemy: insulting God (sabb Allah) or Muhammad (sabb ar-rasūl or sabb an-nabī).

Ṣabr (صبر)

patience, endurance, self-restraint

Ṣadaqah (صدقة)

charity; voluntary alms above the amount for zakat.

Ṣaḥābah (الصحابة) (sing. Ṣāḥib) (صاحب)

companions of Muhammad. A list of the best-known Companions can be found at List of companions of Muhammad.

Ṣāḥīḥ (صحيح) 

"Sound in isnad." A technical attribute applied to the "isnad" of a hadith.

Sakīnah (سكينة) 

divine "tranquility" or "peace" which descends upon a person when the Qur'an is recited.

Salaf (السلف الصالح) 

(righteous) predecessors/ancestors. In Islam, Salaf is generally used to refer to the first three generations of Muslims. Anyone who died after this is one of the khalaf or "latter-day Muslims".

Ṣalāt (صلاة) sala(t)

any one of the daily five obligatory prayers. Sunnis regard this as the second Pillar of Islam

Salaat al-Istikharah

Prayer for guidance is done in conjunction with two rakaahs of supererogatory prayer.

Salām (سلام) 

peace (see sulh)

Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 

"May Allah bless him and grant him peace." The expression should be used after stating Prophet Muhammad's name. See abbreviation: S.A.W. or S.A.W.S. also P.B.U.H.

Ṣamad (صمد) 

eternal, absolute; Muslims believe Allah is "The Eternal."

Salsabīl (سلسبيل)

a river in heaven (al-firdaus)

Sawa 

awakening, revival

S.A.W. (or S.A.W.S.) 

Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam (صلى الله عليه و سلم). See P.B.U.H.

Ṣawm (صَوم) 

fasting during the month of Ramadhan. The word sawm is derived from Syriac sawmo.

Sayyid (سيّد) 

(in everyday usage, equivalent to 'Mr.') a descendant of a relative of Muhammad, usually via Husayn.

Sema 

refer to some of the ceremonies used by various sufi orders

Shahādah (الشهادة) 

The testimony of faith: La ilaha illa Allah. Muhammadun rasulullah. ("There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."). Sunnis regard this as the first Pillar of Islam. Also may be used as a synonym for the term Istish'hād meaning martyrdom.

Shahīd (شهيد) pl. shuhadāʾ (شهداء) 

witness, martyr. Usually refers to a person killed whilst fighting in "jihād fī sabīl Allāh" (jihad for the sake of Allah). Often used in modern times for deaths in a political cause (including victims of soldiers, deaths in battle, et cetera) which are viewed by some Muslims as a spiritual cause not just a political cause. But the real meaning of Jihad is to defend Islam in any way; thus, it could be in an economic way or could refer to fighting for the rights of the oppressed or the believers; most often it refers to mastering one's own inclination for evil and shirk.

Shaykh (شيخ) 

a spiritual master, Muslim clergy

Sharīʿah (الشريعة) 

"the path to a watering hole"; the eternal ethical code and moral code based on the Qur'an and Sunnah; basis of fiqh

Sharīf (شريف) 

a title bestowed upon the descendants of Muhammad through Hasan, son of his daughter Fatima Zahra and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib

Shayṭān (شيطان) 

Satan, the Devil; also known as Iblis

Shīʿah (الشيعة) 

A branch of Islam who believe in Imam Ali and his sons (Hassan and Hussayn) as custodians of Islam by the will of the Prophet Mohammed.

Shirk (شرك) 

idolatry; polytheism; the sin of believing in any divinity except God and of associating other gods with God.

Shūrā (شورى) 

consultation

Majlis ash-shūrā (مجلس الشورى) 

advisory council in a Caliphate

Sidrat al-Muntaha (سدرة المنتهى )

a lotus tree that marks the end of the seventh heaven, the boundary where no creation can pass.

Sīrah (السيرة) 

life or biography of the Prophet Muhammad; his moral example – with hadith this comprises the sunnah

aṣ-Ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm ( الصراط المستقيم) 

the Straight Path

Subah Sadiq 

true dawn

Subḥānahu wa taʿāla (سبحانه و تعالى)(abbreviated S.W.T.) 

expression used following written name or vocalization of Allah in Arabic meaning highly praised and glorified is He.

Subḥān allāh (سبحان الله) 

"Glory to God" – this phrase is often used when praising God or exclaiming awe at His attributes, bounties, or creation.

Ṣūfī (صوفي) 

a Muslim mystic; See: Sufism (tasawwuf).

Suḥūr (سحور) 

the meal eaten by fasting Muslims just before dawn.

Sujūd(سجود)

kneeling down, a position of salat.

Ṣukūk (صكوك)

bond that generates revenue from sales, profits, or leases rather than interest.

Ṣulḥ (صلح) 

A condition of peace, an armistice, or treaty. It is related to the word muṣālaḥah (مصالحة) which means peace, conciliation, or compromise.

Sunnah (السنّة) or sunnat an-Nabī (سنّة النبي) 

the "path" or "example" of the Prophet Muhammad, i.e., what the Prophet did or said or agreed to during his life. He is considered by Muslims to be the best human moral example, the best man to follow.

Sunni (سنّي) 

the largest denomination of Islam. The word Sunni comes from the word Sunnah (Arabic: سنة), which means the words and actions or example of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

Sūrah (سورة) 

chapter; the Qur'an is composed of 114 suras

T

Taʿāla (تعالى)

Almighty

Tābiʿīn (تابعون|تابعين)

followers of the Ṣaḥābah

Tafsīr (تفسير)

exegesis, particularly such commentary on the Qur'an

Ṭāghūt (طاغوت) (taghout)

originally Aramaic, meaning "false god"; also tyranny.

Tahajjud (تهجُّد)

optional (supererogatory), late-night (pre-dawn) prayer

Ṭahārah (طهارة)

purification from ritual impurities by means of wudu or ghusl

Ṭāhir (طاهر)

pure, ritually clean

Tahlīl (تهليل) 

Uttering the formula of faith: "Lā ilāha illā -llāh", (i.e. "There is no god but God")

Taḥnīk (تحنيك)

'Tahnik' is an Islamic ceremony of touching the lips of a newborn baby with honey, sweet juice or pressed dates.

Taḥrīf (تحريف)

corruption, forgery. Muslims believe the Bible Scriptures were corrupted but the Qur'an is in its original form.

Tajdīd (تجديد)

to purify and reform society in order to move it toward greater equity and justice, literally meaning to make new in present tense

Tajdīf (تجديف)

blasphemy

Tajwīd (تجويد)

a special manner of reciting the Qur'an according to prescribed rules of pronunciation and intonation.

Takāful ( التكتاقل)

Based on sharia Islamic law, it is a form of mutual insurance. See retakaful.

Takbīr (تكبير)

a proclamation of the greatness of Allah; a Muslim invocation.

Takfīr (تكفير)

declaration of individual or group of previously considered Muslim as kaffir.

Takhrīj (تخريج الحديث )

The science of hadith extraction and authentication, including validation of chains of transmitters of a hadith by this science's scholars and grading hadith validity.

Takweeni (تکوینیة)

Ontological

Ṭalāq (الطلاق)

divorce

Taqdīr (تقدير) 

fate, predestination

Taqlīd (تقليد)

to follow the scholarly opinion of one of the four Imams of Islamic Jurisprudence.

Taqīyyah (تقيّة)

a principle that one is allowed to hide his true beliefs in certain circumstances or to lie to save himself of being killed or harmed or to further the cause of Islam.

Taqwa (تقوى)

righteousness; goodness; Piety: Taqwa is taken from the verbe Ittaqua, which means Avoiding, Fearing the punishment from Allah for committing sins. It is piety obtained by fearing the punishment of Allah.

Tarāwīḥ (تراويح)

extra prayers in Ramadan after the Isha prayer.

Tarkīb (تَرْكِيب)

the study of Arabic grammar issued from the Qur'an

Ṭarīqah (طريقة)

a Muslim religious order, particularly a Sufi order

Tartīl (ترتيل)

slow, meditative recitation of the Qur'an

Taṣawwuf (التصوّف) or Sufism

Tasbīḥ (تسبيح) 

Uttering the formula: "Subhan Allah", i.e. (Glory be to Allah)

Tashkīl (تشكيل)

vocalization of Arabic text by means of diacritical marks. An integral part of the Arabic writing system. Literally meaning to form or arrange

Taslīm (تسليم)

salutation at the end of prayer

Taṭbīr (تطبير) 

Shia Ashura ceremony of self-flagellation by hitting head with sword.

Tawakkul (توکل)

total reliance on Allah.

Tawassul (توسُّل)

asking Allah Almighty through the medium and intercession of another person.

Ṭawāf (طواف)

circumambulating the Ka'bah during Hajj.

Tawfiq (توفیق)

Divine help in getting to the purpose to one who deserves.

Tawbah (توبة)

repentance

Tawḥīd (توحيد)

monotheism; affirmation of the Oneness of Allah. Muslims regard this as the first part of the Pillar of Islam, the second part is accepting Muhammad as rasoul (messenger). The opposite of Tawheed is shirk

Tawrāh (توراة)

the Torah as revealed to Musa (Moses.)

Ṭayyib (طيِّب)

all that is good as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc. Means "pure." The Shahaddath is tayyib.

Taʿzīr (تعزير)

Discretionary punishment – a sentence or punishment whose measure is not fixed by the Shari'ah.

Tazkīyah (تزكية)

Purification of the Soul.

Thawāb (ثواب)

Reward for good deeds that is tallied on qiyamah (judgment day.) Opposite of ithim.

Tilāwah (تلاوة)

recitation of passages of the Qur'an.

Ṭumaʾnīnah (طمأنينة) 

state of motionlessness, calm

U

ʿUbūdīyah (عبودية) 

worship

ʾUḍḥīyah (أضحية)

sacrifice

ʿUlamāʾ (علماء) or ulema

the leaders of Islamic society, including teachers, Imams and judges. Singular alim.

ʾUmmah (الاُمّة) or umma

(literally 'nation') the global community of all Muslim believers

ʿUmrah (عمرة) 

the lesser pilgrimage performed in Mecca. Unlike hajj, ʿumrah can be performed throughout the year.

ʿUqūbah (عقوبة) 

the branch of sharia that deals with punishment. (See hudud, qisas, tazeer)

ʿUrf (عرف) 

custom of a given society, leading to change in the fiqh

ʾUṣūl (أُصول) (singular  ʾaṣl)(أصل) 

Principles, origins.

ʾUṣūl al-Fiqh (أصول الفقه) 

the study of the origins and practice of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh)

W

Wa ʿalaykum as-salām (وعليكم السلام)

Wa 'Alaykum as-Salaam!, meaning "and upon you be peace". (see As-Salamu Alaykum)

Wafāt (وفاة)

death. (Barah-wafat) Muhammad was born on the twelfth day of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Muslim year. His death anniversary also falls on the same day, the word 'barah' standing for the twelve days of Muhammad's sickness.

Waḥdat al-wujūd (وحدة الوجود) 

"unity of being". Philosophical term used by some Sufis. Related to fanaa

Waḥy (وحی) 

revelation or inspiration of God to His prophets for all humankind

Wahn (وهن) 

literal meaning is "weakness" or "feebleness". According to one hadith,[8] the Prophet explained it as "love of the world and dislike of death"

Wājib (واجب) 

obligatory or mandatory see fard

Walī (ولي) 

friend, protector, guardian, supporter, helper

Waqf (وقف) 

An endowment of money or property: the return or yield is typically dedicated toward a certain end, for example, to the maintenance of the poor, a family, a village, or a mosque. Plural: awqaf

Warrāq (ورّاق) 

traditional scribe, publisher, printer, notary and book copier

Wasaṭ (وسط) 

the middle way, justly balanced, avoiding extremes, moderation

Wasīlah (وسيلة) 

the means by which one achieves nearness to Allah (see tawassul )

Witr (وتر) 

a voluntary, optional night prayer of odd numbers rakaats.

Wuḍūʾ (الوضوء) 

ablution for ritual purification from minor impurities before salat (see ghusl)

Y

Yā Allāh (یا الله) 

O, God!

Ya Rasūl Allāh (یا رسول الله) 

O, Messenger of God!. Term used by companions when interacting with Prophet Mohammad.

Yaʾjūj wa-Maʾjūj (يأجوج ومأجوج )

Gog and Magog

Yaqīn (يقين) 

certainty, that which is certain

Yarḥamuk-Allāh (يرحمك الله)

"May God have mercy on you", said when someone sneezes; the same as "(God) bless you" in English

Allāh Yarḥamuhu (الله يرحمه), fem. yarḥamuhā(يرحمها)

"May God have mercy of his/her soul", (said when someone dies)

Yawm ad-Dīn (يوم الدين) 

Day of Reckoning, Awe

Yawm al-Ghaḍab (يوم الغضب) 

Day of Rage, Wrath

Yawm al-Qiyāmah (يوم القيامة) 

"Day of the Resurrection"; Day of Judgement

Z

Zabūr (زبور) 

the Psalms revealed to King Daoud (David) عليه السلام

Zabīḥa (Dhabīḥah) (ذَبِيْحَة) see dhabiha 

Islamic method of slaughtering an animal. Using a sharp knife the animal's windpipe, throat and blood vessels of the neck are severed without cutting the spinal cord to ensure that the blood is thoroughly drained before removing the head. See halal

Ẓāhir(ظاهر) 

Exterior meaning

Zaidi (الزيدية) 

Islamic sub-sect of Shi'ah, popularly found in Yemen, with similarities to Sunni

Zakāt (زكاة), Al-Māl 

tax, alms, tithe as a Muslim duty; Sunnis regard this as the fourth Pillar of Islam. Neither charity nor derived from Islamic economics, but a religious duty and social obligation.

Zakāt al-Fiṭr (زكاة الفطر)

Charity given at the end of Ramadan.

Ẓālimūn (ظالمون) 

polytheists, wrong-doers, and unjust.

Zandaqa (زندقة)

heresy

Zināʾ (زناء, زنى) 

sexual activity outside of marriage (covering the English words adultery and fornication)

Zindīq (زنديق) 

heretic, atheist

Zulfiqar (Dhu-l-fiqār) (ذو الفقار) 

Sword of Ali رضي الله عنه, presented to him by Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم

Notes:

Arabic words are created from three-letter "roots" which convey a basic idea. For example, k-t-b conveys the idea of writing. Addition of other letters before, between, and after the root letters produces many associated words: not only "write" but also "book", "office", "library", and "author". The abstract consonantal root for Islam is s-l-m.

Some Islamic concepts are usually referred to in Persian or Turkic. Those are typically of later origin than the concepts listed here; for completeness it may be best to list Persian terms and those unique to Shi'a on their own page, likewise Turkic terms and those unique to the Ottoman period on their own page, as these are culturally very distinct.

References:

^ Sūrat al-ʾAnfāl corpus.quran.com.

^ First line in Qurʾān.

^ USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts.

^ Bakri H. S. Al-Azzam. Certain Terms Relating to Islamic Observances: Their Meanings with Reference to Three Translations of the Qur’an and a Translation of Hadith. Universal-Publishers. p. 247. ISBN 978-1-59942-668-6.

^ a b c "The Islamic glossary: An explanation of names, terms and Symbols". Retrieved 2007-12-06.

^ Habib Ali Jifri on Shaykh al-Buti Marifah forum.

^ Quintan Wiktorowicz. Radical Islam rising: Muslim extremism in the West. Rowman & Littlefield, 2005. ISBN 0-7425-3641-6, ISBN 978-0-7425-3641-8. Pg 18.

^ hadith about wahn searchtruth.com.

Further reading:

Suzanne Haneef, What Everyone Should Know about Islam and Muslims, (Kazi Publications, Chicago), popular introduction

Muzaffar Haleem, The Sun is Rising In the West, (Amana Publications, Beltsville, MD 1999).

Ziauddin Sardar, Muhammad for Beginners, Icon Books, 1994, some sloppiness, from very modern Sufi point of view.

Hans Wehr, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (Spoken Language Services, Ithaca, NY, 1976). ed. J. Milton Cowan. ISBN 0-87950-001-8.

Islam in the World by Malise Ruthven (Gantra Publications, 2006) ISBN 1-86207-906-4.

When and how to perform Salat-ul-Nafl or Sunnah Prayers

Salat-ul-Nafl or Sunnah Prayers:
Any ‘Nafl’ or voluntary prayer offered by Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam are known as Sunnah prayers. Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam offered these ‘nafl’ prayers on a regular basis. They include;
Two rakahs before the obligatory Fajr prayers.
Four rakahs before and two rakahs after the obligatory Dhuhr prayers.
Two rakahs after the obligatory Magrib prayers.
Two rakahs after the obligatory Isha prayers.
The tahajjud or late night prayers ending with the ‘witr’ prayer.
The ‘Ishraaq’ prayers after the sun has risen completely.
The ‘Duha’ prayers which are prayed an hour or two after the ‘Ishraaq’ prayers.

The supererogatory morning prayer has many names. Among them include:
Salat al-Duha or Sibhat al-Duha - Sibha meaning a supererogatory prayer in general and Duha meaning morning, mid-morning, or late morning. This is the name that reoccurs the most in the narrations. It is the late morning prayer when the sun is very hot. The reason for this name is that one leaves dunya at that time to return to Allah Most High and makes up for the Night prayer that he missed. Hence Salat al-Duha is even more stressed for those who miss tahajjud and is its replacement.
Salat al-Awwabin - is the "prayer of the Oft-Returning" as specified by Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam and is offered between Maghrib prayer and Isha prayer.
Salat al-Ishraq - is the "sunrise prayer" or the prayer performed very shortly after sunrise.
Salat al-Fath - is the "victory prayer" as it was established that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam prayed it the morning he entered Makka (in al-Bukhari and Muslim) and this has become the Sunna of military leaders upon entering a newly conquered region.


Here we now arrived at the main article;
In Islam, a nafl prayer (Arabic: صلاة نفل‎, ṣalāt al-nafl) or supererogatory prayer is a type of optional Muslim salah (formal worship). As with sunnah prayer, they are not considered obligatory but are thought to confer extra benefit on the person performing them. An example is the offering of duha prayers. According to the following hadith, nafl not only draws one closer to God but also helps one attain the better success in the afterworld i.e. Paradise:

"Rabi'ah ibn Malik al-Aslami reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Ask [anything]."  Rabi'ah said: "I ask of you to be your companion in paradise."  The Prophet said: "Or anything else?"  Rabi'ah said: "That is it."  The Prophet said to him: "Then help me by making many prostrations [i.e. supererogatory prayers]"." (sahih hadith).

Tahiyatul Wudu:
Tahiyatul wudu is the nafl prayer after doing wudhu.
Abu Hureyrah narrates that once Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam asked Bilal at Fajr salah:
O Bilal! Tell me that deed of yours which is most hopeful (for reward) after embracing Islam, for I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise (in my dream).

Bilal replied:
I have not done anything extroadinary except that whenever I perform wudu during the day or night, I salah (tahiyatul wudu) after that, I make nafl as much as was written or granted for me."

Abu Hureyrah narrated that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam said to Bilal;
Tell me about the most hopeful act (i.e one which you deem the most rewarding with Allah) you have done since your acceptance of Islam because I heard the sound of the steps of your shoes in front of me in paradise.

Bilal said: I do not consider any act more hopeful than that whenever I make ablution (wudu) at any time of night or day, I offer salah (prayer) for as long as was destined for me to offer.
— Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

After completion of the wudhu and making two rakats is full of blessings (sawāb). It is related in the Hadith that the performance of two rakaats of Tahiyatul wudhu namaz makes paradise obligatory (wajib) for the performer (ref:Muslim Sharif [according to whom?]). There are also many other benefits.

It should not be performed during the improper (makruh) times. (When the sun rises, when it is at zenith and when it sets.)

Tahajjud prayer:
Tahajjud prayer is said to be the most rewarding supererogatory prayer. The time begins in the midnight. When anyone wakes up and performs this salah at midnight or any time at night before the Fajr Salah i.e. (obligatory salah). It is said that Allah listens and fulfills every wish an individual does at midnight as He (Allah) comes on the first sky and He is the nearer to one at that time. Tahajjud prayer has 12 Rakats or more or less if one wants but starting from 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, etc.

Ishraq prayer:

The time for the Ishraq prayer begins in the morning ten to twenty minutes after sunrise and consists of two Raka'ahs. Praying ishraq is considered to yield greater rewards than performing the lesser Umrah according to some traditions. “According to majority of scholars of Hadith and Fiqh, Duha Prayer and Al-Ishraq Prayer are all names of the same salah (ritual Prayer). It is a recommended Prayer without any fixed number of raka'ahs, and its time proper starts a little after sun rise (approximately fifteen minutes after sunrise) and extends up to the time of the declining of the sun from the meridian (before Zhur prayer).

Minority of scholars, however, have made a distinction between Al-Ishraq Prayer and Duha Prayer. According to them, Al-Ishraq Prayer is done after sun rise (around fifteen minutes after) while Duha Prayer is done much later. But, bother prayers are to be done a little while after the sunrise and before the Zhur prayer. 

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim has cited the various views about the importance of this prayer. Some says that one should not exaggerate its importance, and therefore do it only sparingly and not consistently, while others insist that it should be performed consistently.

Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam is reported to have said, 'He who performs Fajr salah with Jamaat and remains seated in the same place while engaging in Dhikr until after sunrise and thereafter performs 2 Rakaats Nafil Salah, (Ishraq), he will obtain the thawaab of one Hajj and one Umrah.' (Tirmidhi). In another hadith, Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam also is reported to have said that Allah says, 'O son of Aadam, perform 4 Rakaats of Salah (Ishraq) in the early part of the day. It shall help you in accomplishing all your responsibilities during the rest of the day' (Mishkat). (Mishkat is also called Hasan-chain).

As for the precise intention to be formulated while praying Duha Prayer or Al-Ishraq Prayer, or others, there is no hard and fast rule to follow. Since it is an optional Prayer, it is enough to say in one’s mind that one is praying nafl or sunnah of Duha or Ishraq. One may perform any number of raka`ahs from a minimum of two raka`ahs up to preferably eight raka`ahs.

Duha prayer:

Duha prayer begins after sunrise and ends at meridian, and is generally thought to include at least two raka'ahs, though in some traditions the number is extended from 2 to 4 or 6, or 8 or 10 or 12 (depending on how one has the capacity of supplicating the prayer). It is generally prayed when one-fourth of the day has passed. According to the Sunni thought, performing this prayer is believed to be effective in seeking forgiveness for one's sins.

Two rakahs before the obligatory Fajr prayers:

Four rakahs before and two rakahs after the obligatory Dhuhr prayers.

Four rakahs before and two rakahs after the obligatory Dhuhr prayers.

Two rakahs after the obligatory Magrib prayers.

Two rakahs after the obligatory Isha prayers.

Four Rak'aah Sunnah of Zuhr:

Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam is reported to have said that Whoever performs the four rakaats before and after the Zuhr salah with constancy, Allah Ta'ala makes the fire of Hell haram (forbidden) for him. [Mishkat,(Hasan-Chain) p. 104; Tirmizi, Abu Da'ud, Nisai, Ibn Majah].

Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam is reported to have said that after the worshipper prays the four rakaats of Zuhr salah, the doors of heaven are opened, i.e. the salah becomes accepted by Allah, and the cause of its acceptance comes down on the worshipper as rays of mercy. [Mishkat, p. 104].

Four Rak'aah Sunnah of Asr: 

Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: "May Allah Ta'ala have Mercy on the one who offers four (rak'ahs) before 'Asr prayer." (Abu Dawud).

Tahiyyatul Masjid (Nafl prayer when entering Masjid):

Abu Qatada narrated that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “If any one of you enters a mosque, he should pray two raka’ats before sitting.”Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim (Sahih hadeeth).

This is a 2 Rak'aah Nafl prayer which one should perform as one enters the Masjid and on proper times.

Salat Al-Khawf (صلاۃ الخوف):

The word "Khawf" means fear. Khawf is a type of prayer that is prayed during time of fear. This prayer was performed by Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam in the Battle of Uhud. It means praying in the battlefield while the worshipers are in danger of being attacked by the enemy. There are certain procedures to be followed in such a case. 

(Taken from Explanation of the Prophet’s Prayer Described pg. 140)

The fear prayer has a number of descriptions; each description is in accordance to the level of the fighting:

The First Description:  That the Muslims performs the prayer by gesturing, neither bowing nor prostrating; only gestures.

The Second Description:  That he prays with the Takbeer and indications (of his movements) only.  This is in the case of engaging in battle with the enemy.

The Third Description:  That they (the Muslims together) pray with bowings and prostrations.   This is the case in which the rank lines up in front of the enemy without engaging them in the battle and without retreating.  For verily Allah’s Messenger ﷺ performed the Fear Prayer with one of the two groups while the other group was facing the enemy.  Then they finished and stood in the place of their companions facing the enemy while (the second group) came and the prophet ﷺ led them in prayer for a Rak’ah, then the Prophet ﷺ gave the Tasleem; therefore this group completed a Rak’ah and the other group completed a Rak’ah. The description (of the fear prayer) has come in the Noble Qur’aan. The Most High has said:

وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلاَةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَآئِفَةٌ مِّنْهُم مَّعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُواْ أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُواْ فَلْيَكُونُواْ مِن وَرَآئِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَآئِفَةٌ أُخْرَى لَمْ يُصَلُّواْ فَلْيُصَلُّواْ مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُواْ حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ وَدَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُم مَّيْلَةً وَاحِدَةً وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن كَانَ بِكُمْ أَذًى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوْ كُنتُم مَّرْضَى أَن تَضَعُواْ أَسْلِحَتَكُمْ وَخُذُواْ حِذْرَكُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا

When you (O Messenger Muhammad ﷺ) are among them, and lead them in As-Salat (the prayer), let one party of them stand up [in Salat (prayer)] with you taking their arms with them; when they finish their prostrations, let them take their positions in the rear and let the other party come up which has not yet prayed, and let them pray with you taking all the precautions and bearing arms. Those who disbelieve wish, if you were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to attack you in a single rush, but there is no sin on you if you put away your arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because you are ill, but take every precaution for yourselves. Verily, Allaah has prepared a humiliating torment for the disbelievers.                   

(An-Nisa 4:102)

Many descriptions have come for the fear prayer. The People of Hadeeth say that for the fear prayer which has come with an authentic chain, the Muslim may perform it in accordance with the situation of the Jihaad.

(http://mtws.posthaven.com/the-deescription-of-the-fear-prayer-by-shaykh)

Allah Ta'ala knows best!