Q

Qaabil

Coming, next; capable, accomplished and skilled; “qaabil lish-shifaa” means curable.

Qaa'edah

Rule, principle, maxim, method, mode; foundation, basis.

Qaa'il

Teller, narrator, reporter, speaker.

Qaa'im

Riser or resurrector. This name is used for a member of the family of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), Ahl ul-Bayt (AS) who was expected to restore justice on earth by rising against the regime considered as illegitimate. After the rise of the Fatimids, the name al-Mahdi was reserved for the first Fatimid caliph-imaam and the title al-qa'im bi-amriallaah was adopted by the second Fatimid caliph-imaam while the eschatological Imaam and the seventh naatiq is still expected for the future is called the Qaa'im .

Qaa'im ul-qayaamah

The Resurrector of the Resurrection. Spiritually it denotes the manifestation of the unveiled truth in the spiritual reality of the Imaam of Aal-e-Muhammad (SAWS) in the concealment who is also called qaa'im ul-qayaamah. Thus, the recognition of the true essence of the Imaam actualized jannat for the faithful while the Imaam's opponents were condemned to jahannam of spiritual non-existence.

Qaanoon

Established principle, basic rule, law, code, norm.

Qaasitoon

Those who acted wrongfully and fought against Maulana ‘Ali (AS) in the battle of Siffeen.

Qaazi

A religious judge administering the sacred law of Islam, the Shari'at; pl. is quzaat. “qaazi ul-quzaat” means the highest judiciary officer of the Fatimid state.

Qabar

Grave, tomb; “qabarastaan” means graveyard.

Qabz

Gripping, seizing, taking possession. “qabzat ur-rooh” means taking soul out of the person's body.

Qadeem

Old, ancient, antique; existing from time immemorial, eternally pre-existent.

Qaahirat ul-Mo'izziyah

Arabic word for the city of Cairo in Egypt , founded by the 4 th Fatimid caliph Imaam Mo'iz li-deenillaah (AS) in 969 AD.

Qalam

Reed-pen. The first Qur'anic verse of Surah 68 says: ‘By the pen and what they write' and the fourth verse of Surah 96 states that Allah taught man ‘by the pen'. The qalam was the first thing created by Allah.

Qalb

Heart, centre, core, essence; the best or choicest part; mind, soul, spirit. “qisaawat ul-qalb” means hard heartedness; “qalban wa qaaliban” means with soul and heart.

Qanaa'at

Satisfaction, contentment, moderation.

Qaraabat

Relation, relationship, kinship.

Qareen

Connected, joined, linked; united, associated, companion; Muhammad Rasulullah (SAWS) said that, My Ahl ul-Bayt (AS) is the qareen of Qur'an.

Qasar

The traveling limit (38.6 KM to and fro journey from the house) beyond which one make short the obligatory prayer of Zohr, ‘Asr and ‘Ishaa il-aakherat to only 2 rak'ats.

Qasr

Palace, castle. “qasr-e-‘aali” means the residential place of the Da'i-e-mutlaq.

Qaseedah

A poetic genre of a certain length, normally concerned with the eulogy of a personality.

Qazaa ; qadar

Ending, termination; fulfillment or gratification of a desire; judgment, ruling, administration of the law; “qazaa wa qadar” means divine decree, destiny, fate; “qazaa allah” means death; it is also the duty that is required for a missed ritual activity, such as prayers or fasting.

Qiblah

The direction of Muslim prayer towards the Ka‘bah, indicated in a mosque by a niche called me hraab .

Qillat

Littleness, insignificance; scarceness, rareness; minority; “qillat ul-hayaa” means shamelessness, “qillat us-sabr” means impatience.

Qissah

Narrative, tale, story; pl. is qisas .

Qiyaam

Standing; the term is used for the standing position during every rak'at of the namaaz for reciting Surat ul-Hamd or the second Surah accompanying it.

Qiyaamat

The Last Day or the Day of Resurrection, which features prominently in the Qur'an. Belief in the Last Day is deemed as one of the pillars of the Islamic creed when mankind would be judged according to their deeds and committed forever to either Paradise or Hell.

QR

It is the short term of “qaddasallaaho roohahu” which means “May Allah sanctify and bless his soul. This term is especially pronounced after the name of deceased Saiyedna Saheb.

Qunoot

The posture in namaaz same as that of taking niyyat in which certain supplication is recited.

Qu'ood

Sitting; one of the posture in namaaz in which the worshipper recites tashahhud .

Quraysh

It was the most powerful tribe of Makkah to which Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) belonged. All its descendants are also called Qurayshi.

Qur'an

The Book of Allah revealed upon Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) in the cities of Makkah and Madinah.

Qusoor

Incapability, insufficiency, slackness, neglectfulness, weakness.

Quwat

Strength, power, courage, ability, potential; “quwat-e-haafeza” means memory, “quwat-e-‘aaqela means faculty of perception, “quwat-e-defaa'eya means total defense potential.

R

Raabitah

Bond, tie, connection, link.

RA

It is the short from of “rizwaanullaahe ‘alayhe” which means “May Allah be pleased with him”. This admiring term is used after the name of awliyaa ullaah , the most pious servants of Allah.

Rabi'

Spring, vernal season; ‘rabi' ul-awwal' and ‘rabi' ul-aakhar' name of the third and fourth month of the Islamic calendar.

Rafeeq

Companion, friend, comrade; associate, partner.

Rahmat

Pity, compassion, sympathy, kindness, mercy.

Raib

Doubt, suspicion, uncertainty; “la raib fihe” means there is no doubt about it.

Rajm

Punishment by stoning.

Rak'at

A basic unit of prayer consisting of standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting.

Ramazaan

The month of fasting and the 9 th month of Islamic calendar attributed as “shahrullaah” which means the month of Allah.

Ra's

Head, chief, chieftain, top, upper part; “ra'ees” means principal, director, governer, president, leader.

Rasm

Ceremony, rites and rituals, rules and regulations.

Rasool

Messenger. A term used in the Qur'an for the apostles of Allah, including the Prophet Muhammad who is called Rasoolullah , the Messenger of Allah. The office of rasool is called risaalat .

Ra's ul-Hudood; Bhaisaheb Muhammad Nuruddin Saheb (ZI)

The administrative rank after the mukaasir in the Da'wat hierarchy and also the head of hudood-e-Da'wat responsible to train and educate the hudood in various missionary activities.

Rawzah

Garden; a term also used for the mazaar or tomb.

Ra'y

Opinion, view, notion, suggestion, advice.

Rehlat

Travel, journey; a term used for a person who dies and goes from this world to the Hereafter, the life in this world ( daar ul-‘amal ) is like a short journey after which one has to go to his permanent abode ( daar ul-jazaa ) from where he has come.

Rijs

Dirt, filth, dirty thing or act.

Riqqat

Gentleness, mildness, fineness, delicateness.

Risaalah

Treatise, letter, epistle; pl. is rasaa'il .

Riyaazat

Practice, religious exercises.

Rizaa; razaa

Agreement, contentment, consent, acceptance, approval.

Rizq

Livelihood, nourishment, blessing, daily bread, fortune.

Ruhaani

Spiritual; it refers to the angels that rule the celestial spheres. Also after the death of Muhammad Rasulullah (SAWS) and Maulana ‘Ali (AS) who were regarded as a ruhaani father and mother of Mumineen , the Imaam or Da'i replaces their place and through their spiritual essence the faithful receives the benefits in the Hereafter.

Rujoo'

Return, coming back, recourse.

Rukhsat

Permission, leave, authorization, permit.

Rukn

Support, corner, basis, basic elements; a member of the committee or association.

Ruku'

A posture in the ritual prayer namaaz , involving an inclination of the head with the hands resting upon the knees.

Rushd

Integrity of one's actions, sensible conduct, reason, sense; “sinn ur-rushd” means an age of the adult having maturity of his mind.

S

Sa'aadat

Happiness, bliss, good fortune, success, prosperity; “daar us-sa'aadat” means the house of bliss.

Saabit

Firm, fixed, established, constant, stable; lasting, durable, enduring; “saabit ul-‘azm means firmly resolved and determined.

Saaheb; saheb

Associate, comrade, companion, friend; adherent, follower; owner, possessor, master, commander; “saaheb ul-amr” means sovereign; “saaheb ul-‘azmat” and “saaheb ul-fazeelat means His Majesty.

Saakin

Calm, motionless; dweller, inhabitant, occupant; “saakin ul-jinaan” means inhabitant of Paradise or the deceased person.

Sabab

Rope; cause, motive, reason; pl. is asbaab . It can also denote anything that binds or connects, anything by means of which one gains an end or an object sought. “asbaab ur-raahat” means luxury.

Sabeel

Way, path, access; “fi sabeelillaah” means for the sake of Allah.

Sabr

Patience, forbearance, steadfastness, endurance, self-control; “qillat us-sabr” means impatience. It is one of the pillars of imaan .

Sadaqah

Voluntary contribution of alms, freewill offering, charity.

Saff

Row, line, queue; rank, grade; a term used for aligning or arranging of the worshippers in a line or row while praying an obligatory namaaz.

Sahaabi

A companion of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS).

Sahoor

The last meal before daybreak during the month of Ramazaan.

Sahw

Inattentiveness, distractedness, neglectfulness, forgetfulness; an act done absent-mindedly during the obligatory prayer due to which the worshipper has to do two prostration with reciting the tashahhud after completing the prayer.

Saiyed

Master, chief, lord, sir; the title also refers to the blessed progeny of Muhammad Rasulullah (SAWS); “saiyed ush-shohadaa” means the master of the martyrs, an epithet of Imaam Husain (AS); “saiyedna” means our master which is especially used for the Da'is.

Salaam

A term derived from the same root as that in ‘Islam', which conveys several meanings such as peace, safety and salvation. As-salaamo Alaykum wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatohu” is a standard form of salutation between Muslims.

Salaat; namaaz

A Qur'anic term referring to prayer in general, which later came to be used more specifically for the daily ritual prayer namely fajr, zohr, ‘asr, maghrib, ‘ishaa il-aakherat . Salawaat means sending blessings of Allah to Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) and his progeny.

Salamaan ul-Faarsi

He was one of the most loyal and aged Companion of the Prophet who was from Persia .

Samar

Fruit, result, benefit, profit, yield.

Sawaab

Reward for good deeds; merit or credit arising from a pious deed.

Sawm; roza

Fasting, especially during the 30 days of the month of Ramazaan from dawn to dusk. It is one of the pillars of Islam which means abstaining from any type of consumption, sexual intercourse and indulging in any unlawful activity according to shari'at .

SAWS

It stands for “Sallallaahu 'alayhi wa-aalehi wa sallam” means Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him and his household. It is a prayer which is said after the name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWS).

Sa'y

Run, course; the ceremony of running seven times between Safaa and Marwa which is performed during the Hajj.

Seerat

Conduct, behavior, way of life, attitude; biography, history.

Sehhat

Health, hygiene; rightness, correctness; truth, genuineness, authenticity.

Shafaa'at

Mediation, intercession, advocacy.

Shahaadah; kalimah

Confession or testimony of faith; to utter ‘There is no God other than Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger and ‘Ali is his vicegerent and his deputy.

Shaheed

Witness; martyr, one killed in battle with the infidels.

Shaitaan

Devil, satan; “shaitaanir rajeem” means stoned, cursed, damned.

Shakk

Doubt, suspicion, uncertainty; “bilaa shakk” means doubtless, certainly.

Sharaf

High rank, nobility, eminence, honor, glory.

Shari ‘at

The path to be followed; the standard term used for divinely revealed sacred law of Islam; the totality of the Islamic way of life. The provisions of the shari'at are worked out through the discipline of fiqh .

Sharr

Evil, mischief; calamity, disaster; injustice, harm, damage, wickedness; vice, sin; “'amal-e-sharr” means bad deed.

Shi‘ah

Adherents of Shi‘ism, the largest minority of Islam, after Sunnism ; those who, in addition to following the sunnat of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), believe in the vicegerency of Maulana ‘Ali bin Abi Taalib (AS) and in the Imaamat of his descendants through Maulatana Faatema (AS). In other words, they are the partisans of ‘Ali (AS), who believe that the Prophet had designated ‘Ali as his successor. The three primary Shi‘i groups are the Isna ‘asharis , the Ismailis and the Zaydis .

Shifaa

Cure, healing, recovery, satisfaction, gratification.

Shirk

Polytheism, idolatry.

Shukr

Thankfulness, gratefulness; praise, laudation; “shukran laka” means I thank you!

Shu'oor

Knowledge, consciousness, awareness, perceptive faculty; sensation, feeling; “ash-shu'oor bin nafs” means self-consciousness.

Sidq

Truth, trueness, sincerity, correctness, efficiency; “sidqan” means truly, really.

Silsilah

Chain; a line of spiritual descent linking Hazrat Aadam (AS) to Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) through the tradition of Nass . After the wasaayat of Maulana ‘Ali (AS), the line of succession of imaam s began in his progeny starting with Imaam Hasan (AS) in spiritual as well as physical descent.

Sind ; Sindh

A province in present-day Pakistan . In mediaeval times, part of the Indus Valley where in 347 AH during the reign of 14th Imaam Moiz (AS) a Fatimid Isma'ili principality was established under Maulaai Jullam bin Shaybaan (RA) with its seat at Multan .

Satar

Veil or curtain; a ceremonial curtain behind which the Fatimid caliph-imaams were seated at the opening of an audience and which was then unveiled.

Sujood ; sajadah

A ritual posture of prostration in namaaz with the forehead and the tip of the nose touching the ground, when seven portions of the body touch the earth: the forehead, two palms, two knees, and the two big toes.

Sulaimaan; Solomon

A prophet of Allah and the king of Israel mentioned in the Qur'an and the Taurat. He was the son of Prophet Dawood and was celebrated of his skill and wisdom. He knew the language of birds and animals and would go around into his kingdom in disguise and would help his subjects in solving their difficulties.

Sunnat

Custom or practice; particularly that associated with the prophets or with the exemplary life of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), comprising his deeds and utterances as recorded in the hadees . It is also a prayer offered together with every mandatory prayer.

Sunnis

Adherents of the majority branch of Islam, Sunnism; the term sunni means a follower of the sunnat of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). They believe in the khilaafat of Maulana ‘Ali (AS) and regard his as the fourth caliph of Islam.

Surat ; surah

Form, shape; representation, illustration; image, picture, figure; “bi-suratin khaassatin” means especially, particularly. It is also any of the 114 chapters in the Holy Qur'an. It literally means a sign, or a revelation. Each Surah in the Qur'an is named from some subject or word which is particularly described in it.

T

Tafseer

Explanation, commentary; particularly the commentaries on the Qur'an; the external, philological exegesis of the Qur'an, in distinction from ta'weel .

Tahaarat

Ritual purity or wuzu before offering namaaz ; a term also consist of every sort of purity necessary for a true believer both in his personal and social life.

Tahleel

To utter “laa ilaaha illallaah” means there is no God but Allah; one of the part of kalima-e-shahaada .

Tahmeed

The giving of praise to Allah, commonly pronounced as “al-hamdo lillaah” .

Taiyeb; Imaam

The 21st Fatimi Imaam who went in occultation in 528 AH from Misr. Thereafter the succession of Du'aat-e-mutlaqeen began in 532 AH in Yemen .

Takbeer

Praise or glorification of Allah. The declaration of the formula “ Allaahu Akbar” which means Allah is the Most Greatest.

Takbeerat ul-ihraam

In ritual prayer it is followed by the niyyat after which the consecration begins and all other acts becomes forbidden.

Tanzeel

Sending down. It refers to the revelation of the Book of Allah as transmitted by the Prophets through the arch angel Jibra'eel.

Taqiyyah

Precautionary dissimulation of one's true religious beliefs, especially in time of persecution or danger.

Taqwaa

Piety, the quality of being God-fearing.

Tarbiyat

Education, upbringing; teaching, instruction; “tarbiyat-e-deeniyah” means Islamic and religious education.

Tarteel

Reciting the Qur'an slowly in a chanting manner in accordance with the established rules of pronunciation and intonation; also giving the call to prayer i.e. azaan in such a manner.

Tasbeeh

Glorification of Allah, to say “subhaanallaah” or “yusabbeho lillaah” .

Tashahhud

Testimony or witnessing of Allah and His Prophets. Prayer to be said while sitting after the first two rak'ats of obligatory prayer also called short tashahhud , while the prayer said at the final sitting after the last rak'at of every obligatory prayer and after every two rak'ats of sunnat and naafelat prayers in which twofold salutations are pronounced is called long tashahhud .

Tasleem

Submission, salutation, greeting, approval; uttering “as-salaamo alaykum” means peace be upon you.

Taubah

Repentance, penitence, atonement; remorse for the bad deeds and an oath of not committing it again.

Taurat

Torah, Old Testament; the divine message revealed upon Prophet Moosa (AS).

Tawaaf

Circumambulation of the Ka'bah.

Tawakkul

Trust, confidence; trust and faith in Allah.

Ta'weel

The elucidation of the inner or esoteric meaning ( baatin ) , from the literal wording or apparent meaning of a text, ritual or religious prescription. It also denotes the method of educing the baatin from the zaahir , as such it was extensively used for the allegorical, symbolic or esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an, the shari'at, historical events of the prophets and the world of nature. It may be distinguished from tafseer.

Tawfeeq

Success granted by Allah, good luck, prosperity; adjustment, mediation, peacemaking.

Tawheed

The Oneness of Allah or belief in Divine Unity, one of the fundamental tenets of Islam.

Tayammum

Ritual ablution by means of rubbing the face and hands with clean dust in case of unavailability of water.

Ta'yeed

Corroboration, support, backing.

Toobaa

A blessed, beautiful and large tree with branches and its breezy shadow spread over each and every palace in Paradise.

Tuloo'

Rising of the sun, ascending, going up.

Turaab

Dust, earth; ground, soil.