Welcome! You may hear a lot of new phrases so get used to them. Practice these so you will be more comfortable. Don’t say the wrong thing.
Everyday Language
| Ph | Meaning | Usage |
|---|
| Bismillah | In the name of God | Before starting any task |
| Alhamdulilah | All praise is due to God | To express gratitude |
| Yarhamuk Allah | May God have mercy on you | When somebody sneezes |
| Assalamu Alaikum | Peace be upon you | Greeting |
| Wa Alaikum Assalam | And upon you be peace | Greeting Response |
| Ma Sha Allah | What God has willed | Used to express appreciation, joy, or praise for an event or person’s achievements without invoking envy |
| Tabarak Allah | Blessed is Allah | express admiration or praise for someone or something |
| Insha’Allah | If God wills | maybe/hopefully |
| SubhanAllah | Glory be to God | Express amazement or praise |
| JazakAllahu Khayran | May God reward you with goodness | A way to thank someone , expressing a prayer for their reward from God |
| Astagfirullah | I seek forgiveness from god | Forgive me Lord for I have sinned. |
Learning Religion
| Shahada | Declaration of Faith |
| Sunnah | Way of life prescribed by Muhammad (peace be upon him) |
| Imam | Religious leader or leader of prayer in a Mosque |
| Tawheed | The Oneness of God |
| Shirk | The sin of idolatry or polytheism |
| Sheik | An islamic scholar or elder |
| Wudhu | ritual washing before prayer |
| Salaat | the strict islamic 5x/day structured prayer |
| Hadith | Sayings or actions of the prophet |
| Dua | Informal type of prayer, however you want, walking, whenever (wudhu not required) |
| Fiqh | Islamic jurisprudence (law) |
| Fatwa | legal opinion/decree made by an islamic scholar on a particular issue (not binding) |
| Surah | Chapter in the Quran (out of 114) |
| Ayah | A verse in (a Surah in) the Quran |
Religious Figures
| Arabic | English |
|---|
| Allah | God |
| Rasulullah | Messenger of God |
| Sahaba | Companions of the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) |
| Imam | Leader of prayer in a mosque; for a religious leader |
| Sheik | An Islamic scholar or Elder |
| Ummah | The global community of Muslims |
| Ph | Meaning | Usage |
|---|
| Subhanahu wa ta’ala | Glory to Him, the Exalted | After mentioning God |
| Azawajal | The Mighty, the Majestic | Another phrase of glorification |
| Alayhi al-salaam | Peace be upon him | When mentioning a prophet other than Muhammad (such as Moses or Adam) |
| Salla Allahu AleyiWaSallam | May God’s peace and blessings be upon him | When mentioning the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) |