| A |
| Adhan |
آذان |
The call to prayer. |
| Al-Bait Al-Haram |
البيت الحرام |
The Ka'aba in Makkah (It was given this name because of the prohibition of hunting inside it or around it). |
| Al Hajar Al Aswad |
الحجر الأسود |
A rock set into the eastern corner of the Ka'aba. |
| Al-Haram |
الحرم |
The sacred boundary of Makkah within which certain acts are considered unlawful, but may be lawful elsewhere. It is prohibited to hunt wild animals, damage any plant or tree, graze animals, carry weapons, fight or behave in a manner that will violate the sanctity of Masjid al-Haram. If a violation is carried out within the precinct of the Haram, Damm or Sadaqah is required as expiation. |
| Al-Haramain |
الحرمين |
The two sacred sanctuaries which refers to the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and the Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah. |
| Al-Jahiliyyah |
الجاهلية |
The period preceding the revelation of the Qurʾān to the Prophet Muhammad. |
| Al-Jamarat |
الجمرات |
The three stone pillars in Mina that symbolically represent the locations where Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) is said to have stoned the devil (shaitan) in rejection of his efforts to dissuade Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) from the path of Allah. You will be stoning these pillars on the 10th through the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah in commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim's (A.S.) rejection of the shaitan. |
| Al-Ka'aba |
الكعبة |
The Ka'aba, meaning cube in Arabic, is a square building elegantly draped in a silk and cotton veil. Located in Makkah, it is the holiest shrine in Islam. |
| Al-Safa and Al-Marwah |
الصفا والمروة |
The two small knolls (hills) near the Ka'aba inside Haram al-Shareef. The pilgrims perform Sa'i by walking back and forth between them to retrace the footsteps of Hajar (wife of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.)) during her search for water for her infant son, Isma'il (A.S.). |
| Allah Akbar |
الله أكبر |
The phrase means "Allah (God) is great". |
| Aurah |
عورة |
Parts of the body that must be covered by clothing. |
| Ayyaam Al-Tashriq |
ايام التشريق |
"The days of drying meat" that occurs on the 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-hijja during which pilgrims stay in Mina, and perform the rites of throwing pebbles. |
| B |
| Baqi |
البقيع |
The cemetery of the people of Madinah where many of the family of the Messenger Allah ﷺ and his companions are buried. |
| Barakah |
بركة |
Blessing of Allah. |
| Bismillah |
بسم الله |
It means "in the name of Allah". |
| D |
| Dhikr |
ذكر |
The remembrance of Allah. Dhikr can take many forms including reciting Quran, performing Salah, making Du'a and reciting litanies mentioned by the Prophet ﷺ. |
| Dhul Hijjah |
ذو الحجة |
“Possessor of the Pilgrimage”; the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar, during which Hajj takes place. |
| Dua'a |
الدعاء |
An act of worship in which we ask Allah for His forgiveness and mercy. |
| E |
| Eid Al-Adha |
عيد الاضحى |
A four-day festival at the time of Hajj. The Eid of the sacrifice starts on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijja, the day that the pilgrims sacrifice their animals in the name of Allah. An animal such as a sheep or goat is sacrificed as a commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim's (A.S.) willingness to sacrifice his son for God. |
| Eid Al-Fitr |
عيد الفطر |
The festival at the end of Ramadan, which is the month of fasting in the Islamic calendar. |
| Ezaar |
إزار |
Lower cloth of Ihram. |
| F |
| Fajr |
فجر |
The dawn prayer. |
| Fariddah |
فريضة |
An obligatory act. Failure to perform it constitutes a sin. Fardh is generally synonymous with “Wajib“, although the Hanafi school of thought makes a distinction between the two with the view that something that is Fardh is proven by means of definitive evidence, whereas something that is Wajib is proven on the basis of ambiguous evidence where there is possibly more than one meaning. |
| Fidyah |
فدية |
“Expiation”; of compensation for a missed action or a violation of a Hajj-related law. It shouldn’t be regarded as a punishment, but a means of rectifying and renewing your commitment to the pilgrimage and the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ. |
| Fiqh |
فقه |
The knowledge of the law, as distinguished from shariah, which is the law itself. |
| Fard |
فرض |
An obligation established by definitive evidence. |
| G |
| Ghar Thowr |
غار ثور |
The sanctuary in which the Prophet ﷺ sought refuge with his companion Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq - may Allah be pleased with him - from the tracking of his enemies for financial rewards in return for his arrest. |
| Ghusl |
الغسل |
The full ritual of washing of the body. |
| H |
| Hadith |
حديث |
A narration by a Companion about the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or a narration transmitted from the Prophet, usually indicating what is acceptable practice and what is not. |
| Hajj |
حج |
A set of acts of worship performed in and around Makkah in an order and manner prescribed by Allah and Rasul Allah ﷺ. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. |
| Hajj Al-Ifrad |
حج الإفراد |
A type of Hajj, which involves making one Niyyah for the sole purpose of performing Hajj without Umrah. This method of performing Hajj is ideally for those living in Makkah and within the Miqat boundaries. A pilgrim who performs Hajj al-Ifrad is called a Mufrid. |
| Hajj Al-Tamattu |
حج التمتع |
A type of Hajj, which involves performing Umrah during the months of Hajj (the months being Shawwaal, Dhul Qadah and Dhul Hijjah). It is usually performed a few days before the Hajj is due to start, before carrying out the rites of Hajj when the pilgrimage begins. The word “Tamattu” signifies enjoyment, due to the fact that a pilgrim has the added advantage of performing Hajj and Umrah in the same journey without having to return home, in addition to being able to enjoy the benefits of a regular life after leaving the state of Ihram following Umrah, unconstrained by prohibitions, until he enters into a state of Ihram once again for Hajj. |
| Hajji |
حاج |
An annual pilgrimage to Makkah. It literally means 'to set out for a place.' |
| Halal |
حلال |
Permitted. |
| Halq |
حلق |
The complete shaving of the head by the male pilgrim on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah. This is the last thing he does before leaving the state of Ihram. For female pilgrims, the requirements of Halq and Taqseer are satisfied if they trim their hair by approximately half an inch. |
| Hijaz |
الحجاز |
The region along the western seaboard of Saudi Arabia, in which Makkah, Medina, Jeddah and Ta’if are situated. |
| Hijr |
حجر |
The semi-circular unroofed enclosure at one side of the Ka’ba, whose low wall outlines the shape of the original Ka’aba built by Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.). |
| Hijra |
هجرة |
To emigrate in the way of Allah. Islam takes its dating from the Hijra of the Prophet ﷺ to Madinah. |
| I |
| Idtiba |
الاضطباع |
The passing of the Reda under the right arms and over the left shoulder, thus leaving the right shoulder bare. |
| Ihram |
إحرام |
The distinctive garb of the male pilgrim. It consists of two pieces of white, unsewn and plain cloth. One piece is wrapped around the waist from just above the navel to right above the ankles, and the other is draped around the shoulders. For ladies, their daily ordinary and simple clothes constitute their Ihram. |
| Istilam |
استلام |
The act of kissing Hajar al-Aswad or gesturing towards it at the beginning and at the end of each circuit of the Kaaba during the rite of Tawaf. |
| Iqama |
إقامة |
The call which announces that the obligatory prayer is about to begin. |
| Izarr (Ezaar) |
الإزار |
The cloth covering the lower part of the body. |
| J |
| Jabal Al Nour |
جبل النور |
A mountain located near Makkah in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. It houses Hira cave, where the Prophet Mohamed ﷺ received the first of his many revelations. |
| Jabal Arafat |
جبل عرفات |
A granodiorite hill about 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Makkah. It also goes by the name 'Jabal ar-Rahmah' in Arabic and translates to "Mount Arafat". |
| Jamarat |
رمي الجمرات |
A small walled place or a stone-built pillar. In particular, it refers to the three stone pillars in Mina which symbolically represent the locations where the devil (shaitan) attempted to tempt Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) away from the path of Allah. The pilgrim symbolically stones these pillars on the 10th through to the 13th of Dhul Hijjah in commemoration of the rejection of the devil by Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.), and of his steadfastness to the cause of Allah. |
| Al-Juhfa |
الجحفة |
Miqat of the people of Syria and Europe. |
| Jumu’a |
الجمعة |
The Day of Gathering, Friday, and in particular, the Jumu’a prayer. |
| K |
| Kaffarah |
كفارة |
The atonement required of a pilgrim for a willful violation of a prohibition or obligation while in the state of ihram. |
| Kiswah |
كسوة |
The black cloth that drapes the Ka`aba. |
| L |
| Labik |
لبيك |
A call meaning “Here I am at Thy service”. It is the Muslim’s expression of answering the invitation of Allah to perform pilgrimage. |
| Labik Allahom Labaik |
لبيك اللهم لبيك |
A devotional prayer recited by pilgrims with the belief that they intend (Niyyah) to perform Hajj or Umrah only for the glory of Allah (SWT). |
| M |
| Madinah |
المدينة المنورة |
The Luminous City or Madīnat Rasūl Allāh [i.e., Muhammad], ancient Yathrib, city located in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia. |
| Makruh |
مكروه |
Disapproved or reprehensible. |
| Maqam Ibrahim |
مقام ابراهيم |
The step stone used by Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) during his construction of the Ka'aba. It is housed in a glass enclosure near the Ka'aba. |
| Mas`aa |
مسعى |
The distance between Safa and Marwah. |
| Mashaer |
مشاعر |
The valley between Muzdalifa and Mina, where pilgrims should make a Du’a after they have slept in Muzdalifah while they are going to Makkah to throw Jamrat al-Aqabah on the morning of the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah. |
| Masjid Al Qiblatayn |
مسجد القبلتين |
The mosque where the Prophet ﷺ received the Quranic revelation to change the direction of prayer (Qibla) from Bait Al-Maqdis in Jerusalem to the Holy Ka'aba in Makkah. |
| Masjid Quba |
مسجد قباء |
A desert location approximately three miles east of Makkah on the road to Arafat where several rites of Hajj are performed. |
| Mina |
منى |
The distance between Safa and Marwah. |
| Miqat |
ميقات |
An imaginary boundary around Makkah which a pilgrim can not cross without changing into Ihram. You will change into Ihram at Miqat and pronounce your intention (Niyyah) to perform Hajj or Umrah. |
| Mu'tamir |
معتمر |
Visitor; the one who is performing Umrah, the minor pilgrimage to Makkah. |
| Muhammad |
محمد |
The name referred to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, or "the Prophet" or "The Messenger," by the Muslims, who regard him as the greatest of all prophets. |
| Muhrim |
محرم |
A pilgrim who is in the state of Ihram. An individual may only become a Muhrim after cleansing the body, wearing the prescribed attire and making the appropriate Niyyah before the designated Miqat. Certain actions, such as cutting the hair or applying perfume, are prohibited for a Muhrim. |
| Multazam |
ملتزم |
The part of the Ka’ba between its door and Hajar al Aswad. |
| Muzdalifah |
مزدلفة |
A place between Arafat and Mina where the pilgrims spend a night in the open on their return from the station at Arafat. |
| N |
| Nafl |
نفل |
"Gift"; voluntary act of worship. |
| Niyyah |
نية |
"Intention"; an essential prerequisite for the performance of any type of Ibadah. |
| Q |
| Qasr |
قصر |
The mode of shortened Prayers usually offered when on a journey. |
| Qibla |
قبلة |
The direction Muslims should face during Salah – toward the Ka'aba in Makkah. It is also the direction toward which the deceased are orientated when they are buried. |
| Quran |
القران |
The Quran, also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God (Allah). |
| R |
| Rakah |
ركعة |
A unit of prayer. |
| Rami (stoning of the devil) |
رمي الجمار |
The act of symbolically stoning the devil in Mina on the 10th through to the 13th of Dhul Hijjah. |
| Raml |
رمل |
The practice of walking quickly, lifting the legs forcefully and sticking out the chest while moving the shoulders during Tawaf al-Umrah and Tawaf al-Qudum, so as to imitate a warrior. It is a Sunnah to perform Raml for the first three rounds before returning to normal walking pace for the final four rounds. Neglecting Raml will not invalidate the Tawaf. |
| Rida |
رداء |
The Ihram garment which is draped over the shoulder, covering the upper portion of the body. The entire upper part of the body should be covered at all times, except during Tawaf al-Umrah and Tawaf al-Qudum, where the right shoulder is uncovered. Generally, any type of upper garment can be referred to as a Rida. |
| Rukn |
ركن |
"Pillar"; an obligatory act, with failure to perform it renders the act invalid. If a Rukn is neglected, the entire act must be repeated. It cannot be expiated by virtue of offering Fidyah. |
| S |
| Sadaqa |
صدقة |
Anything given voluntarily in charity. |
| Sa'i |
سعي |
The devotional act of walking seven times between Safa and Marwah to commemorate Hajar's desperate search for water for her son, Isma'il (A.S.). |
| Shawt |
شوط |
One complete circumambulation, or circuit, of the Kaaba. Seven complete Ashwat constitute one Tawaf. Each Shawt starts and ends at Hajar al-Aswad. |
| Sunnah |
سنة |
The exemplary words and actions of the Prophet ﷺ, as reported in the Hadith. The Sunnah is one of the four roots of Islamic jurisprudence, with the others being the Quran, Ijma (scholarly consensus) and Qiyas (analogical reasoning). Performing a Sunnah action is highly virtuous and meritorious although there is no sin if it is omitted. |
| T |
| Takbir |
كبِير |
The phrase “Allahu Akbar” (Arabic: الله أكبر), which is commonly translated as “Allah is the greatest.” |
| Takbirat Al Eid |
تكبيرات العيد |
The call for Eid by saying Allah is the Greatest. |
| Talbiyah |
تلبية |
The devotional prayer uttered by pilgrims during Hajj or Umrah after making the intention to enter the state of Ihram. It is recited frequently throughout the pilgrimage. |
| Taqsir |
تقصير |
Shortening or clipping of the whole head of hair by the male pilgrim following the completion of Hajj. |
| Tashreeq |
التشريق |
The glorified days of the 11th, 12th, and 13th days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, as mentioned in the Quran. |
| Tawaf |
طواف |
The devotional act of circumambulating (i.e., walking around) the Kabah in a specific manner while reciting prayers. Each complete circuit around the Kabah is called a shawt (plural: ashwat). Seven ashwat constitute a complete Tawaf. |
| Tawaf Al-Ifadhah |
طواف الافاضة |
The Tawaf that is carried out on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah after leaving the state of Ihram and changing into regular clothing, before returning to Mina to perform Rami al-Jamarat. Marital relations are prohibited until this Tawaf is completed. |
| Tawaf Al-Nafl |
طواف النفل |
A voluntary Tawaf that may be performed anytime and as often as desired. |
| Tawaf Al-Qudum |
طواف القدوم |
“The Tawaf of Arrival”; the initial Tawaf carried out upon entering Masjid al-Haram in Makkah by those performing Hajj al-Qiran or Hajj al-Ifrad. It is identical to Tawaf al-Umrah with the exception of the intention. During Tawaf al-Qudum, Ihram is worn and Idtiba and Raml are observed. |
| Tawaf Al-Wada'a |
طواف الوداع |
“The Farewell Tawaf”; a rite performed by the pilgrim just before leaving Makkah after completing the Hajj. It is the final rite that is performed in Makkah prior to moving on to the next destination. |
| U |
| Udhiyah |
أضحية |
An animal sacrifice that is normally made on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah. Commonly known as Qurbani (Arabic: قربانى), it is obligatory upon every Muslim who is sane, mature, and has enough wealth, upon which Zakah becomes necessary and is not a Musafir. |
| Uhud Mountain |
جبل أُحُد |
A blessed mountain located in Madinah that was loved by the Prophet ﷺ, where the second most important battle between the non-believers of Makkah and the Muslims took place. |
| Umrah |
عمرة |
A set of devotional acts performed in Makkah in a specific manner. Umrah does not involve any rites at Mina, Arafat or Muzdalifah. |
| W |
| Wudhu |
وضوء |
The ritual ablution usually performed prior to prayer. |
| Z |
| Zamzam |
زمزم |
The name of the sacred well of water which sprang forth miraculously under Prophet Ishmael's (A.S.) feet as an infant. |
