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ISLAMIC TERMS AND CONCEPTS
ОглавлениеANGELS
| Jibreel | (also the Ruh) Archangel Gabriel, responsible for imparting messages from Allah; |
| Mikail | Archangel Michael, responsible for earthly phenomena and sustenance; |
| Israfil | Raphael, who blows the ‘soor’ or trumpet at end of the world; |
| Azrail | Angel of Death |
| Noble Scribes | (also called Receivers) Arab. Kiraman Kaatibeen, the recording angels of left and right who arrive at a person’s age of responsibility, traditionally from eight years on |
| Protectors | (also called Followers) the protecting angels of front and back. Traditionally there is a changing of the watch at Asr (mid-afternoon) and Fajr (dawn) |
| Ruh | Arab. lit. ‘Spirit’, an epithet for Archangel Jibreel |
| HEAVENS | |
| Mi’raj | Arab. ascension (esp. Prophet’s journey through the seven heavens) |
| Preserved Tablet | Arab. ‘al Lawh al Mahfuz’, a metaphorical locus of the incorruptible Quran, created before time; it also holds the written destiny of every scintilla of the universe |
| Buraq | Arab. lit. ‘lightning’, fabled steed that transported the Prophet in his Night Journey |
| Ayah | pl. ayat, a Quranic verse; a sign, proof; a miracle. The Quran itself is counted as the greatest miracle, sign, and proof. |
| Barzakh | Arab. Pers. ‘divide, barrier’. A place between Heaven and Earth where deceased souls await the final Judgement Day, where they may experience their own heaven or hell. |
| TIME | |
| Salah | Arab. pl. salat, formal invocatory prayer at set times, namaz in Persian and Urdu |
| Magrib | Arab. lit. ‘west’, prayer at sunset. The Islamic day runs strictly from sunset to sunset |
| Esha | Arab. ‘night’, prayer at this time |
| Fajr | Arab. ‘dawn’, prayer at this time; time the angels change their watch (Fajr khadib: ‘false dawn’) |
| Zuhr | ‘midday’, prayer at this time; on Friday this becomes congregational ‘Jummah’ prayer |
| Asr | Arab. ‘mid-afternoon’, prayer at this time; time the angels change their watch |
| Qiyam | Arab. lit. ‘standing’, a superogatory night prayer halfway between Esha and Fajr |
| Ramadan, Ramzaan | Arab. ninth month in the Islamic calendar, month in which the Quran was first revealed, month of fasting |
| I’tikaf | Arab. ‘devoting’, practice of spiritual retreat in mosque during last days of Ramadan |
| Laylatal Qadr | Arab. variously translated as ‘Night of Power’, ‘Night of Majesty’, ‘Night of Destiny or Decrees’, ‘Night of Measures’. In this night the year’s decrees for all souls descends together with angels, departed souls, and gates of Hell. |
| Suhoor | Arab. prescribed meal before dawn during Ramadan |
| Taraweeh | Arab. lit. ‘refreshment’, superogatory Ramadan night prayers after Esha, reciting a juz (group of Quran chapters) |
A full glossary appears on page 319.
Asterisked speech in italics denotes that it is dialect; unasterisked speech in the same dialogue denotes reversion to English.
