Glossary
Common words used in the accounts and source notes.
- Allah
- The Arabic name for God. Worship of Allah alone is the shared call at the center of the prophetic accounts.
- Tawhid
- Affirming Allah’s oneness and directing worship to Him alone.
- Nabi / Rasul
- Prophet / messenger. Scholars discuss the technical distinction; both belong to Allah’s guidance of humanity.
- Qisas al-Anbiya
- “Stories of the Prophets”: the name used for classical collections that bring together scripture, narration, and commentary.
- Seerah
- The biography and life-history of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ.
- Hadith
- A transmitted report about the Prophet’s sayings, actions, approvals, or attributes. Its chain and text are studied in hadith scholarship.
- Sahih
- A technical designation used in hadith assessment, commonly translated as authentic or sound. A website’s prose is not itself a hadith.
- Tafsir
- Explanation of the Qur’an through its language, context, transmitted evidence, and scholarly interpretation.
- Isra’iliyyat
- Reports associated with earlier scriptural and historical traditions. Their transmission and evidentiary status need careful assessment.
- Sabr
- Patience, steadfastness, and restraint in obedience and difficulty. It does not mean the absence of grief.
- Tawakkul
- Reliance upon Allah, often practiced alongside appropriate effort and preparation.
- Tawbah
- Repentance: returning to Allah after wrongdoing.
- Du‘a
- Supplication or prayer directed to Allah.
- Shirk
- Associating partners with Allah in worship or divine rights.
- Hijrah
- Migration. In the Seerah, often the move from Makkah to Madinah. Earlier migrations should be distinguished from it.
- Muhajirun / Ansar
- The migrants / helpers, central groups in the formation of the Madinan Muslim community.
- AH / CE
- After Hijrah / Common Era. Converting dates requires care because the Hijri calendar is lunar.
- Zabur / Injil / Tawrah
- The scripture associated respectively with Dawud, ‘Isa, and Musa in Islamic teaching.
- ﷺ / peace be upon him
- An invocation of blessing and peace. This site uses ﷺ with Muḥammad and refers respectfully to all prophets.