Abu Bakr
The second person to believe in the mission of the Prophet Muhammad; the one who accompanied the Prophet on his flight from Mecca to Medinah; the first caliph in Islam after the passing of the Prophet.
ahadith
Traditions relating to the deeds and utterances of the Prophet.
Al-hamdu lillah
All praise is to God.
Allah
God; the one who is beyond comparison or example; the eternal One.
amin
So be it; may it be so; amen.
amin Ya Rabbal-‘alamin
May these prayers be fulfilled, O Lord of all the universes.
asma’ ul-husna
The ninety-nine names of Allah, each representing a different quality or attribute of His essence.
auliya’
Commonly used to refer to saints, holy ones.
Bawa
Also known as Muhammad Rahim Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, the Sufi saint who came to the United States in 1971 from Sri Lanka. He established the Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship in Philadelphia, PA, and taught Sufism at the Fellowship until his passing on December 8, 1986. His tomb is located in East Fallowfield Township, PA.
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
In the name of God, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate.
dhikr
The prayerful act of reciting one or more of God’s ninety-nine names.
dunya
The world of physical existence.
hajj
The prescribed pilgrimage to Mecca.
halal
Permissible or lawful.
insan
Man; human being.
insan kamil
A perfected human being.
ka’bah
The cubic structure built by Abraham and Ishmael in Mecca; known as the house of God; the point toward which all Muslims turn to pray five times a day.
karma
The results of moral actions and intentions (good or bad) which are inherited or acquired by a person.
naf, nafs, nafs ammarah
The carnal or base instincts, devoted to self-gratification; inclination to incite toward evil.
Nur
The resplendent light of Allah.
qalb
The heart within the heart of man; the innermost heart.
qutb
Name given to those in the upper hierarchy of saints.
Rahim
Compassion; The Compassionate – one of the names of God.
Rahman
Mercy; The Merciful – one of the names of God.
sheikh
Spiritual teacher; teacher of wisdom.
sufi
A mystical state of being; one who has surrendered his will to Allah; one who has unconditional love for all.
Ya Rabbal-alamin
O Lord, Ruler of the universes.
