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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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 .
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.
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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.
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