Islam - Key Vocabulary Terms

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the Islam chapters of the lecture notes.

Islam

The monotheistic faith of Muhammad’s followers; submission to the will of God; viewed as the purification and continuation of previous monotheistic revelations; derived from the root s-l-m meaning to surrender or be safe.

Muhammad

The Prophet of Islam whose life and teachings heralded the advent of Islam and who delivered God's revelation to humanity.

Allah

The Arabic word for God; a transcendent, omnipotent, omnipresent deity with no intermediaries, described in the Qur'an; understood as the sole creator who guides humanity.

Tawhid

The doctrine of the oneness of God; the central, organizing principle of Islamic faith emphasizing God's indivisible unity.

Qur'an

The revealed Word of God to Muhammad, consisting of 114 surahs revealed over 23 years; divided into Makkan and Madinan phases and later standardised (Uthmanic codex); subject to abrogation and interpretation.

Sunnah

The customary practices and sayings of Muhammad; the Prophet’s path used together with the Qur'an to guide belief and practice.

Hadith

A reported saying or action of Muhammad; transmitted through a chain of narrators (isnad) and assessed for reliability.

Isnad

The chain of transmitters in a hadith; used to determine the authenticity of the report.

Ijma'

Consensus of competent Muslim scholars on a religious matter lacking explicit textual guidance; used to validate rulings, with debates about scope and strictness.

Qiyas

Analogical reasoning in Islamic law; applying a known ruling to a new case based on shared cause (illah); more contested in some traditions.

Shari'ah

The ethical and religious law of Islam—the path ordained by God—derived from the Qur'an and Sunnah and interpreted through jurisprudence.

Fiqh

Jurisprudence; the science of understanding and applying Islamic law through juristic reasoning (ijtihad) and interpretation.

Usul al-fiqh

Foundations or roots of Islamic jurisprudence; the methods and criteria used to derive legal rulings.

Ijtihad

Independent or creative legal reasoning to derive rulings from the Qur'an and Sunnah; its openness varies by tradition (open in Shi'i thought; regarded as restricted/closed by many Sunni schools).

Sunnis

Followers of the Sunni tradition (ahl al-sunnah wa'l jama'ah); emphasize the Sunnah and ijma' as legitimation for beliefs and practices.

Shi'ah

Islamic group that believes Ali and his descendants are the rightful imams; major subgroups include Twelvers, Seveners (Isma'ilis), and Zaydis; historically in tension with Sunnis.

Twelvers

The majority Shi'i subdivision asserting a line of twelve imams starting with Ali; prominent in Iran and parts of Iraq, India, Pakistan, and elsewhere.

Khawarij

Radical early sect (seceders) who argued for strict political justice and either literalism or egalitarianism; controversial views on the Qur’an’s creation and governance.

Murji'ah

Suspenders of Judgement; advocated delaying judgment on others and leaving judgment to God, emphasizing justice and piety over political expediency.

Mu'tazilah

Rationalist Islamic school emphasizing justice and the use of reason; held that the Qur'an was created and stressed dialectical theology and rational interpretation.

Sufism

Islamic mysticism (tasawwuf) focusing on the inner path (tariqah) to God, remembrance of God, and experiential knowledge beyond formal law.

Tariqah

Spiritual orders or paths within Sufism; disciples choose a shaykh (teacher) and undergo initiation (khirqah) and training.

Fana' and Baqa'

Fana' (annihilation of the self in God) and Baqa' (subsistence in God); stages in Sufi ascent toward union with the Divine.

Wahdat al-wujud

Unity of being; the mystical view that all existence is a manifestation of God, with debated implications for the nature of God and creation.

Five Pillars of Islam

Core acts of worship: Shahadah (creed), Salah (prayer), Sawm (fasting), Zakah (almsgiving), and Hajj (pilgrimage).

Shahadah

The declaration of faith: There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

Salah

The five daily prayers; performed at prescribed times with specific postures and rituals, often preceded by wudu (ablution).

Sawm

Fasting during the month of Ramadan; a spiritual practice to cultivate taqwa (God-consciousness) and self-discipline.

Zakah

The obligatory almsgiving tax, typically 2.5% on wealth above a threshold; aims to redistribute wealth and purify income.

Hajj

The pilgrimage to Mecca required at least once in a lifetime for those who can afford it; includes rites such as ihram, tawaf, sa'i, wuquf, and min briefly.

Abrogation (Naskh)

The Qur'anic concept that some verses were abrogated or superseded by later revelations; examples include changes in penalties or inheritance rules.

Makkan vs Madinan Surahs

Phases of Qur'anic revelation: Makkan chapters focus on monotheism and eschatology; Madinan chapters address legal and social guidance.

Uthmanic Codex

The standardized written text of the Qur'an compiled under Caliph Uthman; established the basis for the Qur'anic manuscript used today.

Bayt al-Hikmah

House of Wisdom; Abbasid-era center in Baghdad that supported scholarship, translation, and philosophical learning.

Mutakallimun

Theologians who used kalam (dialectical theology) to defend and elaborate Islamic beliefs through rational argument.

Falasifah

Muslim philosophers (the philosophers) who engaged with Greek thought (the falasifah) and contributed to Islamic philosophical tradition.

Wudu

Ritual ablution performed by Muslims before Salah (prayer), involving washing specific parts of the body to achieve ritual purity.

Taqwa

God-consciousness; a state of mindful awareness of God, piety, and fear of God, cultivated through spiritual practices like Sawm (fasting).

Ihram

The sacred state entered by pilgrims during Hajj and Umrah, involving specific dress (two unstitched white sheets for men) and abstaining from certain actions, signifying spiritual equality and devotion.

Kalam

Dialectical theology; an Islamic discipline that uses rational arguments to defend and elaborate on religious beliefs, often associated with schools like the Mu'tazilah and Mutakallimun.

Islam

The monotheistic faith of Muhammad’s followers; submission to the will of God; viewed as the purification and continuation of previous monotheistic revelations; derived from the root s-l-m meaning to surrender or be safe.

Muhammad

The Prophet of Islam whose life and teachings heralded the advent of Islam and who delivered God's revelation to humanity.

Allah

The Arabic word for God; a transcendent, omnipotent, omnipresent deity with no intermediaries, described in the Qur'an; understood as the sole creator who guides humanity.

Tawhid

The doctrine of the oneness of God; the central, organizing principle of Islamic faith emphasizing God's indivisible unity.

Qur'an

The revealed Word of God to Muhammad, consisting of 114 surahs revealed over 23 years; divided into Makkan and Madinan phases and later standardised (Uthmanic codex); subject to abrogation and interpretation.

Sunnah

The customary practices and sayings of Muhammad; the Prophet’s path used together with the Qur'an to guide belief and practice.

Hadith

A reported saying or action of Muhammad; transmitted through a chain of narrators (isnad) and assessed for reliability.

Isnad

The chain of transmitters in a hadith; used to determine the authenticity of the report.

Ijma'

Consensus of competent Muslim scholars on a religious matter lacking explicit textual guidance; used to validate rulings, with debates about scope and strictness.

Qiyas

Analogical reasoning in Islamic law; applying a known ruling to a new case based on shared cause (illah); more contested in some traditions.

Shari'ah

The ethical and religious law of Islam—the path ordained by God—derived from the Qur'an and Sunnah and interpreted through jurisprudence.

Fiqh

Jurisprudence; the science of understanding and applying Islamic law through juristic reasoning (ijtihad) and interpretation.

Usul al-fiqh

Foundations or roots of Islamic jurisprudence; the methods and criteria used to derive legal rulings.

Ijtihad

Independent or creative legal reasoning to derive rulings from the Qur'an and Sunnah; its openness varies by tradition (open in Shi'i thought; regarded as restricted/closed by many Sunni schools).

Sunnis

Followers of the Sunni tradition (ahl al-sunnah wa'l jama'ah); emphasize the Sunnah and ijma' as legitimation for beliefs and practices.

Shi'ah

Islamic group that believes Ali and his descendants are the rightful imams; major subgroups include Twelvers, Seveners (Isma'ilis), and Zaydis; historically in tension with Sunnis.

Twelvers

The majority Shi'i subdivision asserting a line of twelve imams starting with Ali; prominent in Iran and parts of Iraq, India, Pakistan, and elsewhere.

Khawarij

Radical early sect (seceders) who argued for strict political justice and either literalism or egalitarianism; controversial views on the Qur’an’s creation and governance.

Murji'ah

Suspenders of Judgement; advocated delaying judgment on others and leaving judgment to God, emphasizing justice and piety over political expediency.

Mu'tazilah

Rationalist Islamic school emphasizing justice and the use of reason; held that the Qur'an was created and stressed dialectical theology and rational interpretation.

Sufism

Islamic mysticism (tasawwuf) focusing on the inner path (tariqah) to God, remembrance of God, and experiential knowledge beyond formal law.

Tariqah

Spiritual orders or paths within Sufism; disciples choose a shaykh (teacher) and undergo initiation (khirqah) and training.

Fana' and Baqa'

Fana' (annihilation of the self in God) and Baqa' (subsistence in God); stages in Sufi ascent toward union with the Divine.

Wahdat al-wujud

Unity of being; the mystical view that all existence is a manifestation of God, with debated implications for the nature of God and creation.

Five Pillars of Islam

Core acts of worship: Shahadah (creed), Salah (prayer), Sawm (fasting), Zakah (almsgiving), and Hajj (pilgrimage).

Shahadah

The declaration of faith: There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

Salah

The five daily prayers; performed at prescribed times with specific postures and rituals, often preceded by wudu (ablution).

Sawm

Fasting during the month of Ramadan; a spiritual practice to cultivate taqwa (God-consciousness) and self-discipline.

Zakah

The obligatory almsgiving tax, typically 2.5% on wealth above a threshold; aims to redistribute wealth and purify income.

Hajj

The pilgrimage to Mecca required at least once in a lifetime for those who can afford it; includes rites such as ihram, tawaf, sa'i, wuquf, and min briefly.

Abrogation (Naskh)

The Qur'anic concept that some verses were abrogated or superseded by later revelations; examples include changes in penalties or inheritance rules.

Makkan vs Madinan Surahs

Phases of Qur'anic revelation: Makkan chapters focus on monotheism and eschatology; Madinan chapters address legal and social guidance.

Uthmanic Codex

The standardized written text of the Qur'an compiled under Caliph Uthman; established the basis for the Qur'anic manuscript used today.

Bayt al-Hikmah

House of Wisdom; Abbasid-era center in Baghdad that supported scholarship, translation, and philosophical learning.

Mutakallimun

Theologians who used kalam (dialectical theology) to defend and elaborate Islamic beliefs through rational argument.

Falasifah

Muslim philosophers (the philosophers) who engaged with Greek thought (the falasifah) and contributed to Islamic philosophical tradition.

Wudu

Ritual ablution performed by Muslims before Salah (prayer), involving washing specific parts of the body to achieve ritual purity.

Taqwa

God-consciousness; a state of mindful awareness of God, piety, and fear of God, cultivated through spiritual practices like Sawm (fasting).

Ihram

The sacred state entered by pilgrims during Hajj and Umrah, involving specific dress (two unstitched white sheets for men) and abstaining from certain actions, signifying spiritual equality and devotion.

Kalam

Dialectical theology; an Islamic discipline that uses rational arguments to defend and elaborate on religious beliefs, often associated with schools like the Mu'tazilah and Mutakallimun.

Significance of the Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars (Shahadah, Salah, Sawm, Zakah, Hajj) are central to the Islamic faith, providing a foundational framework for Muslim life. They collectively embody a Muslim's commitment to God, foster spiritual growth, promote communal solidarity, and serve as acts of worship that define adherence to Islam.