B is for Bismillāh and Baytullāh

bāb
door, gate, chapter of a book (pl: abwāb)

Bāb ‘Abbās
one of the gates in the Grand Masjid in Makka named after Hadrat ‘Abbās, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu, the uncle of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

Bāb Abū Bakr as-Siddīq
one of the gates in the Grand Masjid in Makka named after Sayyidinā Abū Bakr as-Siddīq, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu

Bāb ‘Alī
one of the gates in the Grand Masjid in Makka named after Sayyidinā ‘Alī al-Murtadā, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu

Bāb Ibrāhīm
one of the gates in the Grand Masjid in Makka named after Prophet Ibrāhīm, ‘alayhissalām

Bāb Jibrīl
one of the gates in Prophet Muhammad’s Masjid in Madīna named after Angel Gabriel, ‘alayhissalām

bāb u’l abwāb
the door of doors, which is the door of repentance

Bāb u’l ‘ilm
the gate of knowledge, one of the titles of Sayyidinā ‘Alī, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu

Bāb u’n Nabī
the door of the Prophet, one of the gates in the Grand Masjid in Makka named after Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

Bāb u’r Rahma
the door of mercy, the name of one of the gates in Prophet Muhammad’s Masjid in Madīna

Bāb u’r Rayyān
the name of one of the eight doors of Paradise through which those who observed fasting will enter

Bāb u’s Safā
the door of purity, the name of one of the gates in the Grand Masjid in Makka

Bāb u’s Salām
the door of peace, the name of one of the gates in the Grand Masjid in Makka through which it is recommended to enter according to Prophetic tradition; also the name of one of the gates in the beloved Prophet’s Masjid in Madīna

Bāb u’l ‘Umra
the name of one of the gates in the Grand Masjid in Makka

badana
the whole camel or cow offered as a sacrifice in the Name of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā (pl: budn)

badl
a gnostic in constant contemplation of Allāh, Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā, often seen in more than one place at the same time. Badl means “substitute” (pl: abdāl)

Badr
a place 150 km south of Madīna, famous for the Battle of Badr in which the Holy Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, together with 313 of his Companions defeated about 1000 polytheists; site of the first major battle of Islamic history, fought in the year 2 H/ 624 C.E between the Muslims and the idolators of Makka. The Battle of Badr is the most important battle in all human history as it firmly established Islām as a universal religion for the whole of humanity till the end of time. Badr also means the full moon.

Badr u’d-dīn
The full moon of religion. This is a Muslim name; also a title bestowed on a shaykh (spiritual master)

baghā
to act unlawfully and unjustly against others

bahr
sea (pl: bihār, buhūr, abhur)

Bahr u’l ‘ilm
Sea of knowledge. A title bestowed on a shaykh (spiritual master)

bakā
to weep (tears of joy for the sake of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

balā’
affliction, trial, tribulation. The affliction may be for sins committed. The trial might be a sign of Divine love as it might be necessary for spiritual development (syn: balwā, baliyya; pl: baliyyāt)

balad
city (pl: bilād)

balagha
deliverance (of the Commands of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā by the Prophetic Messenger)

bāligh
someone who has reached the age of sexual maturity

banū Ādam
children of Prophet Ādam, ‘alayhissalām; refers to the whole of humanity

banūn
children

al-Baqā’
The Everlastingness of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

baqā’
as far as people are concerned, to live or subsist only for the pleasure of Allāh after you have reached the spiritual station of fanā, that is, destroyed your ego in total surrender to the Will of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

baqara
cow, one of the many creations of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā that serves and benefits mankind (pl: baqarāt)

al-Baqara
the name of the second sūrah (chapter) of the Holy Qur’ān, the recitation of which increases blessings in the home and keeps away shaytān (the devil)

al-Baqī‘
the cemetery in Madīna where many of the Companions of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, have been laid to rest. Also referred to as Jannatu’l Baqī‘ (the Paradise of Baqī‘)

bārakAllāh
“may Allāh’s blessings be on you”, one of the many Muslim expressions of thanks or gratitude

baraka
blessed grace, blessing (that is obtained for example from the relics of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam); increase of blessings; benediction, blessing obtained from the spiritual influence of the shaykh (pl: barakāt)

barī’
innocent

barr
land

barzakh
the intermediate world, which includes the life in the grave between death and resurrection

basama
to smile (a Prophetic tradition)

basar
seeing with ones eyes; ocular vision.

bashariyya
human nature

Bashīr
Bearer of good news, one of the attributive names of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

Bashshāsh
cheerful, smiling

bāsil
brave, fearless

basīra
perception, insight, discernment, inner sight, sure knowledge (pl: basāir)

basīt
simple, plain

al-basīt
name of a poetical meter

basma
smile (pl: basamāt)

bassām
smiling

bast
expansion of the heart (with feelings of approval, hopefulness and compassion)

ba‘th
the dead being brought back to life by Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā on the Day of Judgment; it also means sending (a Prophetic Messenger to guide humanity)

bātil
falsehood, false, untrue, invalid

bātinan
inwardly

batn
belly, stomach, hollow. Muslims have to be careful not to take any harām (illicit) food or drink and not to overfeed. The Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam has advised that a third of the stomach is for food, a third for water and a third not to be filled (pl: butūn)

Batūl
Ascetic virgin, an attributive name of praise or title of Sayyidatinā Fātima Rady Allāhu ‘Anhā

bay‘ah
the covenant of the first Muslims of Madīna entered into with Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, giving him their obedience and allegiance; the nomination of the Khalīfa (Muslim leader) by the chiefs of the Muslim community, or the approval of that nomination by the Muslims in general; a covenant taken with one’s shaykh at the time of one’s initiation into the spiritual path of Islām

bay‘ah al-‘Aqaba
The Pledge of Allegiance at al-‘Aqaba in 2 B.H/620 C.E in which the first 12 Ansār (Helpers) from Madīna accepted Islām and pledged their allegiance to Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

bay‘ah al-Hudaybiyya
The Pledge of Allegiance at al-Hudaybiyya in 6 H/628 C.E in which Muslims pledged their allegiance to Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam to fight the pagan Quraysh of Makka to the last man

bayān
explanation, statement

bayt
house (pl: buyūt); it also means a verse of a poem (pl: abyāt)

al-Bayt
The House (The Ka‘ba in Makka)

Bayt u’l ‘Atīq
the Ancient House (refers to the Holy Ka‘ba)

Bayt u’l Harām
the Sacred House in Makka.
It also means the heart which has been forbidden to anything other than the truth

Bayt u’l hikma
the house of wisdom;
it also means the heart which is totally sincere

Bayt u’l ‘izza
the house of glory;
it also means the heart which has reached the state of annihilation of the ego in the service of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

Bayt u’l māl
the public treasury which has to be used with warā (scrupulous care) and taqwā (reverential awe of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā) as exemplified by the beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, and his noble Companions, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhum

Al-Bayt u’l-Ma’mūr
Allāh’s House over the seventh Heaven

Bayt u’l Maqdis
the Holy House (refers to Masjid u’l Aqsā in Jerusalem) from which the beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam ascended to Heaven, body and soul, on the night of mi‘rāj (heavenly ascension) when he was invited by Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

Baytullāh
the House of Allāh, refers to the Holy Ka‘ba in Makka built by Sayyidinā Ibrāhīm ‘Alayhissalām and his son Sayyidinā Ismā‘īl ‘Alayhissalām for the worship of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

bayyina
clear or manifest sign (from Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā) (pl: bayyināt)

bi ghayri haqq
without just cause

bid‘a
an innovation in religion, anything that does not agree with the Qur’ān, Hadīth, ijmā‘ (consensus of Muslim legal experts) or qiyās (analogical reasoning)

bid‘a hasana
a good innovation; example: the annual prize-giving functions of the madāris (Muslim schools) as they encourage both the students and the teachers to greater effort, and in which both the rich and the poor can participate

bid‘a i‘tiqād
innovation in belief which leads to heresy. For example, anyone who believes that there is a prophet after Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam is a heretic who is outside the fold of Islām. For this reason, the Mirzai Qādianī are not considered Muslims

Bilqīs
the name of the Queen of Sabā (Sheba, said to have been a town in Yemen) in the time of Nabī Sulaymān ‘alayhissalām

bint
daugher (pl: banāt)

bi’r
well (to draw water from)

bi’r u’n Nabī
the well of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

bi’r zamzam
the well of zamzam in The Grand Masjid in Makka

birr
piety, righteousness

birr u’l wālidayn
being good to parents

bishāra
good news

bishr
joy

Bismillāh
In the Name of Allāh

Bismillāh i’r Rahmān i’r Rahīm
In the Name of Allāh, The Beneficent, The Merciful. This is what Muslims say at the beginning of any act. It is a supplication for protection and success. It is sufficient as a supplication as well as dhikr (remembrance of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

al-bughd-u Fillāh
to detest (evil) for the sake of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

buhtān
slander, calumny, false accusation (saying bad things on face)

bukhl
miserliness

Burāq
a horse-like animal on which our beloved Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, went on his mi‘rāj (heavenly ascension)

al-Burda
the mantle, refers especially to Prophet Muhammad’s mantle

Burdat-u’l madīh
the poem of the Prophet’s mantle, composed by Imām al-Būsīrī, Rahmatullāhi ‘alayh

burhān
proof (pl: barāhīn)

Burhān u’d-dīn
The proof of religion; a Muslim name; also a title bestowed on a shaykh (spiritual master)

burj
constellation (pl: burūj)

al-Burūj
the galaxy of stars of the zodiac; also the name of sūrah (chapter) 85 of the Holy Qur’ān

Bushrā
Good omen, Good news, Glad tidings

bustān
garden

Al-Fātiha!