| A | B |
|---|
| Qur'an | the Revealed Book |
| surah | a chapter in the Qur’an |
| ayat | verse in the Qur’an |
| bismillah | “In the name of God” – Begins every surah except No. 9 |
| Fatihah | “the opening” the first surah in the Qur’an |
| Laylat-ul-Qadr | Night of Power (when Muhammad received the first revelation) |
| Jibril | Angel Gabriel, who revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad |
| Umm-ul-Kitab | the Mother of Books, the Qur’an |
| Hafiz | someone who has learned the Qur’an by heart |
| Kursi | Qur’an stand |
| Muhammad | the Seal of the Prophets |
| Makkah | birthplace of Muhammad |
| Abu Talib | Muhammad’s uncle |
| Khadijah | Muhammad’s wife |
| Fatimah | Muhammad’s youngest daughter, who married Ali |
| Ali | son of Abu Talib. Fourth khalifah (first shi’ah khalifah) |
| Madinah | (Madinat-an-Nabi) the city of the Prophet, formerly Yathrib |
| Ummah | Community |
| Hijrah | the migration from Makkah to Madinah |
| Sunnah | the way or example set by the Prophet Muhammad |
| Hadith | sayings and traditions of Muhammad |
| Hadith Qudsi | sayings of God not found in the Qur’an |
| Sunni | Muslims who follow the orthodox way |
| Shi’ite | sect of Muslims who insist on a descendent of Muhammad as khalifah |
| khalifah | deputy for God |
| Abu Bakr | friend of Muhammad, first khalifah |
| Umar | friend of Muhammad (second khalifah) |
| Uthman | friend of Muhammad (third khalifah) |
| Husayn | grandson of Muhammad |
| 10 Muharram | Date of the martyrdom of Husayn |
| Rashidun | 4 “Rightly Guided” khalifah |
| Imam | Title preferred by Shi’ah Muslims instead of khalifah |
| Al-Mahdi | The Hidden Imam, of Shi’ah Islam |
