A is for Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

Allāh
Allāh is the proper name of the One and Only God who is worthy of worship. He is indeed the Unique God whom all worship. Everything that is in the heavens and the earth hymns His Praise. His Existence is the only Real One. He is the Creator, the Originator and the Sustainer of everything. He is beyond comparison with anyone or anything. He does not beget nor was begotten.

Allāh is the greatest of the 99 Names of Allāh and it includes them all. He is the Compassionate and the Merciful, the Holy, the Majestic, the All-Knowing Sovereign Lord who has no partner in His Essence, in His Attributes and in His Actions. He is the Eternal without a beginning and the Ever-Living and Abiding in all eternity. He is the Master of the Day of Judgment, a Kind, Loving and Just King who is Generous and Forgiving in rewarding the good but Stern in punishing evil. He is the Doer of whatever He wills. He rewards out of His generosity and punishes to establish His justice. He is Transcendent as well as Immanent, being closer to us than our jugular vein.

He sent Prophets ‘alayhimussalām to guide humanity, the final and the greatest Prophet being Prophet Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillāh, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

The name of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā is engraved with love in the heart of each and every Muslim. Verse (2:165) of the Holy Qur’ān states that Muslims love Allāh more than anyone or anything. Verse (9:24) exhorts Muslims to love Allāh, to love Prophet Muhammad, and to love to exert oneself for the sake of Allāh more than anyone or anything else.

ab
father. The father is to be respected and served since he is the door to Paradise (pl: ābā’)

abābīl
flights (of birds)

Abad
Eternity without end (belongs to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

‘abd
servant, bondman, one who serves Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā (pl. ‘ibād)

‘Abd u’l ‘Alīm
Servant of the All-Knowing. Muslims like to be known as servants of Allāh. Allāh is al-‘Alīm (The All-Knowing). Hence, a popular Muslim name is ‘Abd u’l ‘Alīm (Servant of the All-Knowing)

‘Abd u’l ‘Azīz
Servant of the Mighty

‘Abd u’l Ghafūr
Servant of the Forgiver

‘Abd u’l Hamīd
Servant of the Praiseworthy

‘Abd u’l Hakīm
Servant of the Wise

‘Abd u’l Haqq
Servant of the True One

‘Abd u’l Karīm
Servant of the Noble, Servant of the Generous

‘Abd u’l Latīf
Servant of the Kind One

‘Abd u’l Majīd
Servant of the Glorious

‘Abd u’l Qādir
Servant of the Omnipotent

‘Abd u’s Salām
Servant of the All-Peaceful

‘Abd u’sh Shakūr
Servant of the Thankful

‘Abd u’l Wahhāb
Servant of the Bestower

‘Abd u’l Wāhid
Servant of the One and Only

‘Abd u’r Rahīm
Servant of the Merciful

‘Abd u’r Rahmān
Servant of the Beneficent

‘Abd u’r Razzāq
Servant of the Provider

abdāl
spiritual masters (in the hierarchy of saints), who are in constant contemplation of Allāh (s: badl)

‘Abdullāh
Servant of Allāh. The name of Prophet Muhammad’s father

‘ābid
ardent worshipper (pl: ‘ābidūn, ‘ubbād; f: ‘ābida)

abjad
the alphabet

abrār
the righteous, the best among common believers

Abu’l ins
the father of men, refers to Prophet Ādam, ‘alayhissalām, the first human being created by Allāh, Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

abyad
white

‘Ād
an ancient tribe of Arabia

adā
to fulfil, to perform (religious duties)

‘āda
common practice, customary, propriety of daily life (pl: ‘ādāt)

adab
good-manners, model behaviour, spiritual courtesy, propriety as exemplified in the Prophetic tradition (pl: ādāb)

ādāb u’n nikāh
the proprieties of marriage

ādāb u’s suāl
the proprieties of asking questions

ādāb tilāwat u’l Qur’ān
the proprieties of the recitation of the Holy Qur’ān

‘adāla
justice

‘adhāb
punishment, chastisement (for failing to obey the Commandments of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

‘adhāb al-qabr
punishment in the grave for sins committed

adhān
the call to the five times daily obligatory prayer

Al-Adhkār
The remembrance of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā. Al-Adhkār is the name of one of the classics of Muslim spirituality compiled by Imām an-Nawawī Rahmatullāhi ‘alayh in which he gives the Prophetic invocations and supplications for every occasion to be recited throughout one’s life

Adhkār ba‘d as-salāh
remembrance of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā in supplications to Him after every obligatory prayer

adīb
writer, someone who has literary skills (f: adība)

‘ādil
a just person

ad‘iya
prayers or supplications to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā (s: du‘ā)

ad‘iyat u’l Qur’ān
supplications from the Holy Qur’ān

ad‘iyat u’n Nabawiyya
supplications of the Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam from the Qur’ān and the Hadīth (his Sayings)

ad‘iyat u’l adhān
supplications to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā on hearing the call to prayer and after it

ad‘iyat u’l Hajj
supplications to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā while performing Hajj and/or ‘Umra

ad‘iyat u’s safar
supplications to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā when embarking on a journey and while on a journey

‘adl
justice, fairness, the golden mean between being too harsh and too lenient

adnā
lowly, inferior. To avoid arrogance, we should consider ourselves lowly while yet maintaining our dignity

‘aduww
enemy

‘aduww-un mubīn
open enemy (refers to satan)

āfa
harm, evil (pl: āfāt)

‘afāf
chastity, modesty

āfāt u’l lisān
harms of the tongue. Muslims always try to protect themselves from the sins committed by the tongue such as lying (kidhb), back-biting (ghība),
tale-bearing (namīma), abuse (sibāb), mockery (sukhriyya), false witness (shahādat u’z zūr) and cursing (la‘n)

af‘āl al-khayr
good works

āfāt u’l qalb
harms of the heart. Muslims try to protect themselves from the diseases of the heart such as unwarranted doubt (shakk), arrogance (kibr), show-off in worship (riyā), jealosy (hasad), hatred (hiqd) and unjustified suspicion (sū uz-zann)

afdal
better, more preferable

‘afīf
chaste, modest (f: ‘afīfah)

‘āfiya
well-being, both physical and spiritual health

‘afw
pardon, forgiveness

‘ahd
covenant, agreement, treaty (pl:‘uhūd)

al-ahkām
laws, the totality of Sacred Muslim Law; "orders". According to Islamic Law, there are five kinds of orders or commands. These are fard (obligatory) or wājib (essential, necessary), mandūb (optional), mubāh (permissible), makrūh (disliked) and harām (forbidden) (s: hukm)

ahl
family, household, folk

Ahl al-Bayt
the beloved holy Prophet Muhammad’s noble Household, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhum

ahl al-dīn
religious people

ahl al-haqq
the people who follow the truth of Islām

Ahl al-Kisā’
the blessed family of the noble Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam under his mantle which includes his cousin and son-in-law Sayyidinā ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib, his daughter Sayyidatinā Fātima, and his grandsons Sayyidinā Imām al-Hasan and Sayyidinā Imām al-Husayn, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhum. They are referred to as “the five pure souls”, purified by Allāh Himself

Ahl al-kitāb
the people of the Book, that is, the Jews and the Christians

Ahl al-Madīna
the people of Madīna, refers particularly to the first three generations of Muslims, that is, the Companions of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, the Tābi‘ūn (the Followers, that is, the second generation of Muslims), and the Tābi‘ut-Tābi‘īn (the Followers of the Followers, that is, the third generation of Muslims)

Ahl al-tasawwuf
the sūfīs, those who have adopted the Islamic spiritual culture

Ahl as-Sūfiyya
the people of tasawwuf, the sūfīs, those immersed in Muslim spiritual culture

Ahl u’s Sunnah wa’l Jamā‘a
those who follow the lifestyle of the beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam and of his beloved Companions Rady Allāhu ‘Anhum; also known as Sunnī Muslims

Ahl al-yaqīn
the people of certainty who have attained absolute faith as Muslims

ahsan
better, more admirable

ahwāl
temporary spiritual states or conditions of a Muslim (s: hāl)

‘Āisha
Living; Prosperous; name of the mother of believers, the noble wife of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

ajal
the time appointed by Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā for any event; the final moment before one breathes one’s last; timing. The finite life-span of any individual has been pre-ordained and cannot be increased even by one second. In the same way, the time when wicked and unjust rulers will perish has also been pre-ordained

‘ajīb
marvelous

‘ājilan wa ājilan
now or later, here and in the Hereafter

ajnabī
foreigner, unknown person

ajr
reward from Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā for good deeds, wage (pl: ujūr)

‘ajwa
an excellent quality of dates of medicinal value from Madīna

‘ajz
weakness. Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam sought the protection of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā from ‘ajz (weakness) and kasal (laziness)

akala māl al yatīm
to devour the property of an orphan. This is one of the seven most grievous sins

akh
brother (pl: ikhwah, ikhwān)

akhbār al-ghayb
reports given by Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam of previously unrecorded events

akhfā’
most hidden. Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā knows the most hidden thoughts of each person

al-Ākhira
The Hereafter, when the good and the bad deeds of people will be judged and they will be either sent to Paradise by the Grace of Allāh or to Hell in execution of His Justice

akhlāq
ethics, traits of character

al-akhlāq al mahmūda
praiseworthy character

al-akhyār
the best, the best people

Al-Akram al-akramīn
The Most Generous of the generous. (attribute of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

akwān
the whole universe

āl
family, kith and kin, progeny

āl-i Muhammad
the descendants of Sayyidinā wa Nabiyyinā wa Habībinā wa Mawlānā Muhammad al-Mustafā Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

‘alā kulli hāl
under all conditions

‘alam
flag. It is sunnah (a Prophetic tradition) to unfurl and show the Muslim flag (pl: a‘lām)

‘ālam
world (pl: ‘ālamīn)

‘ālam al-ajsād
physical world, this world

‘ālam al-Amr
the world of the Command of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

‘ālam al-arwāh the world of spirits or souls

‘ālam al-ghayb
the invisible world

‘ālam al-Jabarūt
the world of the Divine Names and Attributes

‘ālam al-khalq
the world of creation

‘ālam al-Malakūt
the world of the heavenly Kingdom

‘ālam al-mithāl
the symbolic world, the world of analogies

‘ālam al-Mulk
the world of the Kingdom of Allāh

‘ālam ash-shahādah
the visible world

‘alāma
sign (pl: ‘alāmāt)

‘alāmāt as-Sā‘ah
the signs of the Last Hour that herald the Day of Judgement

‘Alāuddīn
The Exaltation of religion. It is a name or a title of a Muslim

‘alayhi’ssalām
peace be upon him, said after the name of any Prophet or angel

‘alayhassalām
peace be upon her, said after the name of a great woman such as Sayyidatinā Maryam (the Blessed Virgin Mary) ‘alayhassalām

‘alayhimu’ssalām
peace be upon them

alif
the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, denotes the Oneness of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

‘ālim
a learned person, someone who knows about spiritual matters through conviction, the one whom Allāh has assigned the task of teaching and guidance (pl: ‘ulamā, f: ‘ālima)

allafa
brought together (example: hearts of people brought together)

Allāh Ta‘ālā
Allāh, the Exalted

Allāhu A‘lamu bis-sawāb
Allāh is the Best Knower of what is right

Allāhu wa Rasūluhu a‘lam
Allāh and His Prophetic Messenger know best. This was the usual response of the Companions of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam whenever he asked them a question

Allāhu Akbar
Allāh is Supremely Great

Allāhumma
“O Allāh”, said when supplicating to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

Al-‘Allām u’l-ghuyūb
The Knower of all the invisible mysteries (attribute of Allāh)

‘allama
to teach

‘ām u’l fīl
the Year of the Elephant, the year in which Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam was born, 53 B.H, 571 C.E. It was the year in which Abraha brought his army with an elephant to destroy the Ka‘ba but Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta’ālā destroyed him and his army

amal
hope

‘amal
practice, deed, normally refers to good deeds (pl: a‘māl)

‘amal sālih good deed

amāna
trust, deposit (for safekeeping) (pl: amānāt)

Amatullāh
Servant of Allāh. This is feminine and the masculine is ‘Abdullāh

‘ambar
perfume, ambergris

āmil
someone hopeful

‘āmil
worker, practitioner. Muslims are expected to be honest, faithful, hardworking and effective (pl: ‘āmilūn, ‘ummāl)

Amīn
Trustworthy; Faithful. Well before Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam declared his Prophethood, he was called As-Sādiq u’l Amīn (the Truthful and the Trustworthy) by the people of Makka (f: Amīna)

Āmina
Safe, Secure, the name of the mother of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

Āmīn
“O Allāh! Answer our prayer”. This is said after every supplication

amina
to trust, to be safe

Amīr al-Mu’minīn
Commander of the believers, the title of the first four “rightly guided” Khulafā (Muslim rulers) after Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

amīr
ruler, leader. Every group of two or more should have an amīr to lead it (pl: umarā’)

Āmir
Commander

‘āmm
general. The opposite is khāss: special

‘amm
paternal uncle (pl: a‘mām)

‘amma
paternal aunt (pl: ‘ammāt)

amn
peace, safety, security

amr
command (pl: awāmir)

al-Amr
the Divine Commandment of “kun” – “be” (and it became)

amr bi'l-ma‘rūf
the commanding of what is right and proper

amr Ilāhi
God’s Commandment

anāba
to turn penitent, to repent to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

an‘ām
cattle

Anbiyā
Prophets sent by Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā (s: Nabī)

‘andalīb
nightingale (pl: ‘anādil)

Anīs
close or intimate friend, friendly, of good company (f: Anīsa)

‘ankabūt
spider. The name of one of the chapters of the Holy Qur’ān. When Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam and Sayyidinā Abū Bakr as-Siddīq Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu were hiding in the Cave of Thawr while fleeing away from the polytheists of Makka who were out to kill them, a spider came and wove a web at the entrance of the cave. The polytheists came up to the cave but when they saw the spider’s web, they thought nobody could possibly have entered it and left

Ansār
the “Helpers”, the Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, in Madīna who helped Muslims who migrated from Makka (s: Ansārī)

Anta’l Hādī Anta’l Haqq
You are The Guide, You are The Truth (O Allāh)

‘aqīda
article of Muslim faith, tenet of Muslim belief, creed. Muslim convictions and beliefs have been expounded upon by Imām Abu’l Hasan al-Ash‘arī Rahmatullāhi ‘alayh and Imām Māturīdī Rahmatullāhi ‘alayh. The study of Muslim beliefs is called ‘ilm u’t Tawhīd or the Study of Pure Monotheism (pl: ‘aqā’id)

‘āqil
sane, discerning (f: ‘āqilah)

aqīqa
it is to offer the animal as a sacrifice in a ceremony to thank Allāh at the birth of a child when the newborn baby’s hair is shaved for the first time on the seventh day

‘aql
intellect

‘aql al-ma'qūl
common sense

‘aql as-salīm
thinking intellect, sound intellect

‘aql al ‘uqūl
intellect of the intellects

‘aql kāmil
whole mind

‘aql-i kulli
universal intellect, the intellect that is entirely pure and free of ego, the “intellect of the intellect.” It can discern the hidden meaning within every form and sees things as they truly are

aqsat
more just, more equitable, more fair

A‘rāb
bedouins

‘Arabī
Arabic, the language of the Glorious Qur’ān

‘Arafa
name of a mountain and adjacent plain located 12 miles from Makka and 7 miles from Mina, where pilgrims spend the 9th of the month of Dhu’l-Hijja, in fulfilment of the rites of Hajj (Pilgrimage)

al-arba‘ūn
the collective recitation of the holy Qur’ān by family and friends for a departed soul forty days after his/her passing away

ard
earth, land

‘Ārif Billāh
a gnostic. One who has realised the state described in the Hadīth Qudsī where Allāh says, 'I become his eyesight with which he sees, his hearing with which he hears . . .' , a Spiritual master who knows about spiritual matters through personal experience and direct illumination (pl: ‘ārifīn)

arkān
pillars (s: rukn)

arkān al-īmān
pillars of faith. There are six pillars of Muslim faith. These are: to believe in Allāh, in His angels, in His Revealed Books, in His Prophetic Messengers, in the Day of Judgment, and in the Pre-Ordainment of good and bad by Allāh

arkān al-Islām
pillars of Islām. There are five pillars of Islām. These are: Shahāda (Declaration of faith), daily prayer, the paying of zakāh (poor-due), fasting in the month of Ramadān and the Pilgrimage to Makka once in a lifetime for those who can afford

al-‘Arsh
the Heavenly Throne of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

arwāh souls, spirits (s: rūh)

‘asā’
walking stick, the walking stick of Nabī Mūsā (Prophet Moses), ‘alayhissalām

‘asabīya
racialism, tribalism, nationalism all of which Islām abolishes. Muslims should consider themselves as one united ummah (world community of Muslims) rather than as belonging to a particular nation or tribe

asad
lion

Asadullāh
Lion of Allāh, a title of Sayyidinā ‘Alī Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu and of Sayyidinā Hamza Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu

‘asal
honey. It has been recommended by Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam for healing purposes (syn: shahd)

asbāb u’n-nuzūl
reasons for the revelation of the various verses of the Qur’ān, explaining the situational contexts and circumstances in which they were revealed and why they were revealed

asbāb u’l-wurūd
an explanation of the circumstances surrounding the Hadīth (Sayings) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, giving the reasons for his actions and sayings

asdaq
more truthful

Asfiyā’
the chosen ones, chosen by Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā to achieve nearness to Him (s: Safī)

Asghar
smaller, younger (f: Sughrā)

Ashāb
Companions. Refers to the blessed noble Companions of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam (s: sahābi, syn: sahāba)

Ashāb al-Kahf
The Companions of the Cave. These have been mentioned in Sūra al-Kahf. They were the seven monotheists before the time of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, who slept for 309 years in a cave and attained high status because of emigrating to another place in order not to lose their faith when disbelievers invaded their land

Ashāb al-maymana
“the Companions of the right”, the people of Paradise

Ashāb ash-shimāl
“the Companions of the left”, those doomed to punishment in the Hereafter (syn: Ashāb al-mash’ama)

Ashāb al-yamīn
“the Companions of the right”, those who will enter Paradise

Ashāb us-Suffa
The Companions of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, who as they were poor, lived in a verandah in the Prophet’s masjid in Madīna. They were very pious, highly scrupulous, drowned in the love of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā, prepared to lay down their lives for the sake of Islām, and deeply attached to the Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

al-‘Asharat u’l Mubashshara
the ten Companions of the beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam who were promised Paradise. These are: Sayyidinā Abū Bakr, Sayyidinā ‘Umar, Sayyidinā ‘Uthmān, Sayyidinā ‘Alī, Hadrat Talha, Hadrat Zubayr, Hadrat ‘Abdu’r Rahmān ibn ‘Awf, Hadrat Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqās, Hadrat Sa‘īd ibn Zayd, and Hadrat Abū ‘Ubayda ibn al-Jarrāh Rady Allāhu ‘Anhum

Ashraf
More Honourable

‘Āshūrā'
the tenth of the month of Muharram, the day of martyrdom of Imām al-Husayn ibn ‘Alī (Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu), Also the day when Nabī Mūsā ‘Alayhissalām was saved from the army of the Pharaoh. It is Sunnah (the tradition of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) to fast on this day as well as on the 9^th of Muharram

asīr
captive, prisoner. It is a meritorious good deed to feed prisoners (pl: usārā)

asl
root, origin, source (pl: usūl)

al-Asmā’ u’l Husnā
the Most Beautiful Names of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā which describe His Attributes of Greatness

Asmā u’s-Sifāt
the Attributive Names of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

Asmā u’n Nabī
the attributive names of the beloved holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

Asmā Ahl Badr
the names of the Muslim warriors of the Battle of Badr

asmā’ u’r-rijāl
“the names of the men”, the biographies of the narrators who are the links in the chain of transmission of Hadīth or Sayings of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

‘Asr
mid-afternoon prayer

asrār
mysteries (s: sirr)

Astaghfirullāh
"I ask Allāh for forgiveness." Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam recited this at least seventy times a day

‘atā’
a gift. The knowledge that Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā bestows upon the sūfī saints is a special gift from Him

‘atash
thirst. People will feel very thirsty on the Day of Judgment and the pious will have an opportunity to quench their thirst at the Hawd (Pond) of the Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam after which they will never feel thirsty again

‘Atāullāh
Gift of Allāh

Āthār
footsteps, traces, effects. It also refers to the sayings or practices of the Companions of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, and the generations that followed them, narrations about the second and third generations of Muslims (s: athar, syn: khabar)

‘Atīd
Ready; Present; name of recording angels who record good and bad deeds of people

‘ātirah
fragrant, perfumed

‘attār
one who sells perfume, perfumer

a‘ūdhu Billāh
“I seek refuge with Allāh”. The full invocation is: a‘ūdhu Billāhi min ash-shaytān i’r rajīm ( I seek refuge with Allāh from the accursed satan)

‘awām
common folk

awlā
closest, nearest, worthier

awliyā’
saints, friends of Allāh (s: walī)

‘awra
private parts, that part of the body which is illegal to expose before others

awtād
the mainstays; these are the four greatest saints who at any one time, live in the four parts of the world, that is the east, west, north and south

awwāb
a penitent or repentant Muslim who repents to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā after any misdemeanor

awwābīn
nawāfil (extra) prayers after Maghrib prayers. The maximum number of raka‘āt of salāt-u’l-awwābīn are 6, prayed 2 rak‘a at a time

āya
a verse of the Holy Qur'ān, a proof, a sign from Allāh (pl: āyāt)

āyāt u’l hifz
verses of the Holy Qur’ān that talk about the protection of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

āyāt u’l kifāya
verses of the Holy Qur’ān that talk about the sufficiency of the provision and protection of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

āyat u’l Kursī
the verse about Allāh’s Seat, verse 255 of Sūrah al-Baqarah which Muslims take very much to heart, as indeed they do the whole Qur’ān

‘ayb
shortcoming, shame, disgrace. We should try to hide the shortcomings of other people (pl: ‘uyūb)

‘ayn
eye, the source, fountain (of water). The eyes are a great gift of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā to be used to appreciate the beauty in His creation, the beauty of His inimitable Words in the Qur’ān, and the beauty of the teachings of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam in his Hadīth (Sayings). The eyes are to be protected from watching indecencies and anything obscene or vulgar (pl: ‘uyūn)

‘ayn al-haqīqa
the eye of the heart that sees the truth, that sees spiritual realities

‘ayn al-qalb
the eye of the heart

‘ayn al-yaqīn
the eye of certitude

al-‘ayniyya
a qasīda (religious poem) which rhymes in the letter ‘ayn

ayyām
days (s: yawm)

ayyām al bīd
the white days, that is, the 13th, 14th and the 15th of each lunar month. It is the tradition of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam to fast on these days

Ayyām at-Tashrīq
the 11^th, 12 ^th and 13^th of Dhu’l Hijja, the days of sacrifice of animals, to commemorate the sacrifice of Nabī Ibrāhīm (Prophet Abraham) ‘Alayhissalām as one of the rituals of Hajj (Muslim Pilgrimage). Sacrifice takes place also on the 10^th of Dhu’l Hijja. It is prohibited to fast on the 10^th , 11^th , 12^th , and 13^th of Dhu’l Hijja

Azal
Eternity without a beginning (belongs to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

al-Azalī
The Eternal without a beginning (Attribute of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

Azaliyya
Allāh’s Eternity without a beginning

Azhar
The most shining, Luminous

al-Azhar
the famous Muslim university in Cairo, founded in 358 A.H, 969 C.E. The oldest and largest university in the world

‘azm
determination

‘Azrāīl
the name of the angel of death who pulls out the soul of every creature

Azwāj al mutahharāt
the pure wives of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

‘Azza wa Jall
Mighty and Majestic (is He), Invincible and Exalted is He (Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

‘Azzama Sha’nuhu
Exalted in His Attributes beyond comparison (Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

Al-Fātiha!