L is for Lā ilāha Illallāh

lā ilāha Illallāh
there is no god but Allāh; none is worthy of worship except Allāh; none is to be worshipped but Allāh. This Kalimah (Declaration of Belief) occurs in verse (47:19) of the Holy Qur’ān. All the Prophets ‘Alayhimussalām sent by Allāh have taught this Kalimah. They also taught the people that they were Prophets who had been sent by Allāh to guide them. Since Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam is the Final Prophet, the Kalimah till the end of time will be:
lā ilāha Illallāh Muhammad u’r Rasūlullāh
None is worthy of worship except Allāh
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh

lā ma‘būda Illallāh
none is to be worshipped but Allāh

lā mawjūda Illallāh
nothing exists except Allāh. The only real existence is that of Allāh

lā maqsūda Illallāh
there is nothing aimed or intended (to achieve) except (to gain the Pleasure of) Allāh

lā sharīka Lahū
“He has no partner”, refers to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā, the One and Only God Who is worthy of worship. He has no partner in His Kingdom. He has no partner in His Essence, nor in His Attributes, nor in His actions

lā thāni
“has no second”, refers to Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam. He has no second, no one can be compared to him in all the creation of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

lā
“no”, “not”. Muslims say “no” to the devil, and to the worship of money and all false gods. Muslim say “no” to communism, capitalism, fascism and racism. Muslims say “no” to alcoholic drinks and gambling, to adultery and fornication, to bribery and corruption, to theft and violence, to enmity and hatred, to slaughter and loot, and to all the kabāir (major sins) and saghāir (minor sins). May Allāh keep us far away from all these, Āmīn

laban
milk. The Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam chose milk while on mi‘rāj (his heavenly ascension). Hence, it is Sunnah (a Prophetic tradition) to drink milk

labbayk
“at your service”. This is the respectful reply when an elder calls someone. It is also the reply of one who has been invited by Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā to perform Hajj

ladhīdh
delicious. We should appreciate and thank the ladies at home who prepare all the delicious dishes for us with such loving care

lafz
word, expression (pl: alfāz)

laghw
pointless talk, futile and irrelevant speech

lahd
grave. May Allāh make our grave a garden from among the gardens of Paradise, Āmīn

lahm
meat. The meat of the swine is harām (prohibited in Islām). Swine and pig are bad words, and so is the Arabic word for it, khinzīr. The pig is a filthy animal that feeds on all types of filth. Muslims keep away from it for the only reason that Allāh has prohibited it

la‘iba
to play. Everything, including sports and games have to be done in moderation. When we have our games, we should also make sure we pray our salāh on time. We should avoid addiction to anything. While adopting moderation within sacred Muslim law, we should work righteousness for the Hereafter

la‘na
curse. Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā has cursed shaytān (satan) and we should keep away from his temptations

laqab
title. The Prophets ‘Alayhimussalām and the pious servants of Allāh never seek any titles. Allāh bestows upon them these titles and the angels proclaim these titles in heaven. For example, Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam is Habīb Allāh (the Beloved of Allāh), Prophet ‘Īsā ‘Alayhissalām is Rūhullāh (the Spirit of Allāh), Sayyidinā Abū Bakr Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu is As-Siddīq (the Truthful), and Imām ‘Alī Zaynu’l ‘Ābidīn Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu is As-Sajjād (the one who prostrated before Allāh in worship) (pl: alqāb)

al-Lāt
an idol in the Hijāz which used to be worshipped by the pagans during the pre-Islamic period

latā’if
symbols presented to the heart of subtleties of feeling (s: latīfa)

latīfa
subtlety, any sign of delicate spiritual significance

law lāka
“if it were not for you”. Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā told Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam that if it were not for him, He would not have created anything

lawā’ih
glimmers, intuitions

lawāmi‘
flashes, the manifestation of spiritual light to the heart

al-Lawh al-Mahfūz
the Guarded Tablet, the Preserved Tablet, in which are written all the Decrees of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

lawm
blame. We should blame no one but our own-selves if we succumb to the temptations of the devil

lawn
colour. Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā made the rainbow, flowers, fruit, insects, horses, people and indeed all creation all of different colours. Doesn’t that make life more interesting? (pl: alwān)

layl
night. At least some part of the night should be set aside exclusively for the worship of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā (pl: layālī)

Laylat u’l qadr
the night of destiny, the night of power. It is the night on which the Qur’ān was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam. It occurs in the last ten odd-numbered nights of the month of Ramadān, worship in which is better than worship for a thousand months

laysa kamithlihī shay’
there is nothing like Him (refers to Allāh); He is Matchless, beyond comparison

laysa’l hādī illā Hū
there is no guide except Him (refers to Allāh).
The full invocation is:
Anta’l Hādī Anta’l Haqq
laysa’l hādī illā Hū
You are the Guide, You are the Truth (O Allāh)
There is no guide except Allāh

layyin
gentle, mild, soothing, soft;
(qawlan layyinan: a gentle word)

Lazā
one of the names of hell

lāzim
legally binding, obligatory

libās
clothing, garment. It is forbidden for men to wear women’s clothing and for women to wear men’s clothing

libās u’t taqwā
the clothing of piety

lihya
beard (a Prophetic tradition)

Lillāh
for Allāh,
for the sake of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā. We should do everything Lillāh

liqā
meeting. We will meet Allāh on the Day of Judgment to give an account of our deeds and we have to ask ourselves what preparations we have made for it. May Allāh in His immense Mercy make all the stages of the Day of Judgment easy for us, Āmīn

lisān
language, tongue (pl: alsina)

lisān as-sidq
the language of truthfulness

lisān al-hāl
the language of the condition (the person is in), the language that does not need words to communicate. By looking at the condition (hāl) of a person, someone with basīrah (inner-sight) can understand what he intends to say, he doesn’t need to say it. Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam knew the lisān al-hāl of the sahāba (his Companions), Rady Allāhu ‘Anhum. He also knew the lisān al-hāl of the birds, the animals and the trees, that they were glorifying Allāh. The awliyā’ Allāh (Friends of Allāh) know the lisān al-hāl of the murīdīn (spiritual disciples)

liwā’ al-hamd
the Flag of Praise of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam in the Hereafter. May Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā keep us with him under his liwā’ al-hamd, Āmīn

lubb
the essence of a thing, core, kernel, innermost part, the hidden meaning, the heart of the matter, the mind freed from external husks of delusion and fantasy, insight

lugha
language (pl: lughāt)

lu’lu’
pearls, refers to pious people

Luqmān
a wise sage who preached monotheism and lived in the pre-Islamic era. Sūrah 31 of the Holy Qur’ān is called Sūrah Luqmān because he has been mentioned in it

lutf
kindness

Al-Fātiha!