Tuesday 31 December 2013

Reading the Qur'an

Manners when reading the Qur'an
Manners of the Heart
A. Understanding of the origin of the words
This is an indication to the greatness of the words being read, and the bounty of Allah; Glorified is He, to His creation when He addressed His creation with these words.
B. Putting into the heart the understanding that these are not the words of man. 
Through this the reader should think about the characteristics of Allah the Exalted. 
C. Presence of the heart while reading.
Through this the reader should throw away other thoughts while reading the Qur’an.
D. Pondering the meaning. 
There is less reward in reciting the Qur'an without understanding the meaning.  The Qur'an was revealed for guidance and this can be achieved through recitation accompanied with pondering. 
E. Understanding the meaning. 
This means interacting and reacting to every verse according to what is proper for it. 
F.  Individualization 
This means that the reader feels that every message in the Qur’an is meant especially for him personally.
External Manners for reading the Qur’an
  1. Purity of body and clothes and place.
    Using sawak.
  2. Facing the Qiblah.
  3. Seeking refuge from rejected Satan and reading the basmalah.
    Not reading when yawning. 
  4. Avoiding cutting off reading to talk with people. 
  5. Stopping at a verse of warning and seeking protection with Allah, and stopping at a verse of mercy and asking The Merciful for His Bounty. 
  6. Humbleness and crying when reading.
Imam An-Nawwawi may Allah be Merciful to him said: Crying when reading the Qur’an is a characteristic of those who know Allah (know Him through His names and Characteristics) and the feelings of the righteous.



Sunday 29 December 2013

Glossary


GLOSSARY

Ada
On-time (prayer)
Al-Fatihah
“Opening” chapter of the Qur-an
Al-lah
God; the Supreme Deity (retained in the text as Al-lah in its original Arabic form)
Ansar
Helpers (of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him)) in Madina
‘Asa
Staff (stick carried in hand)
Ashurah
10th of the month of Muhar-ram (the first month of the Islamic calendar)
‘Asr
Afternoon (prayer) between Dhuhr and Maghrib.
Ausat-Mufas-sal
Not-so-long (chapter of the Qur-an)
Ayah
Verse (of the Qur-an)
Azan
Islamic formula for call to prayer
Bait-ul-Maqdis
The famous Masjid in Jerusalem, the third holiest Masjid after Masjid Al-Haram at Makka and the Masjid of the Prophet (peace be on him) at Madina
Bid’ah
Innovation (in religion)
Daj-jal
Anti-christ
Davud
(the prophet) David
Derham/Dirham
A silver coin weighing 50 grams of barely with cut ends
Du’a
Invocation (spontaneous appeal to God)
Durud
Blessings on the Holy Prophet (peace be on him)
Fajr
Morning-early dawn prayer
Fard ‘ain
Commanded act
Fard Kifayah
Sufficing obligation
Fasiq
Transgressor
Fir’aun
Pharaoh
Ghusl
Bath
Hadath
Uncleanness
Hadath akbar
Major Uncleanness
Hadath asghar
Minor Uncleanness
Hadith
Tradition (of the Prophet)
Hadrat
Honorific term used for Prophets of Al-lah and other venerable personalities and divines of Islam
Hajj
Pilfrimage of Makka and performance of certain rituals in Zul-Hij-jah (the last month of the Islamic calendar)
Halal
Permissible; lawful
Haram
Forbidden
Harun
The Prophet Aaron
Hud
The Prophet Hood
Hayy
Eternally alive (one of the Attributes of Al-lah)
‘Id-ul-Adha
Festival of sacrifice in Islam on 10th of Zul-Hij-jah (the last month of the Islamic calendar)
Iftar
Breaking of fast (at sun-set)
Ilyas
The prophet Elias
Imam
Leader or head of the prayer
Iman
Faith, belief in Al-lah, His Prophets, etc.
Iman Mufassal
Iman in detail
Iman Mujmal
Iman in brief
Injil
Revelation to Prophet ‘Isa
‘Isa
The Prophet Jesus
‘Isha
Evening prayer, time for which starts about one and a half hours after sunset
Is-haq
The Prophet Isaac
Isma’il
The Prophet Ishmael
Ism
Name
Ismussifat
Attributive name of Al-lah
Ismuzzat
Innate name of Al-lah
Istidraj
A trick or feat (acquired through practice)
Istinja
Cleansing after nature calls
I'tikaf
Seclusion in a Masjid as a mode of worship
‘Izra’il
The angel Azrael
Jabirah
Bandage
Jibril
The angel Gabriel
Jama’ah
Congregation
Jum’ah
Friday
Ka’bah
House of Al-lah in Makka (towards which Muslims turn their faces in Salat)
Kafir
Unbeliever, disbeliever (in Al-lah, His Prophets, etc.)
Kalimah
Word (The basic creed)
Kalimah Tay-yibah
The Good word
Kalimah Shahadah
Word of Testimony
Karamah
Act of wonder
Khalifah
Caliph
Khusuf
Lunar eclipse
Khutubah
Oration or discourse (on the occasion of Jum’ah and ‘Id prayers)
Kiraman - Katibin
The honoured writers
Kufr
Unbelief, disbelief (in Al-lah, His Prophets, etc.)
Kusuf
Solar eclipse
Lahiq
Defaulter (in the middle of Salat)
Lut
The Prophet Lot
Maghrib
Sunset; west where the sun sets
Makruh
Undesirable
Makruh tahrim
Near forbidden
Masbuq
Junior partner of the Imam in prayer
Masah
Wiping a part of body with wet hands
Ma’siyah
Sin
Miraj
Ascent; ascension of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him)
Miswak
A plant root used as Tooth-stick
Mudrik
Co-eval with Imam in prayer
Muhajir
Emigrant from Makka to Madina
Muhar-ram
First month of the Islamic calendar
Mubah
Permissible
Mu’jizah
Miracle
Mukabbir
One who calls the iqamah for Salat
Munfarid
An individual saying Salat
Muqim
A person on station
Muqtadi
Follower of the Imam in Salat
Musa
The Prophet Moses
Musafir
A person on journey
Mua’zzin
One who calls the Azan (call of prayer)
Nabi
Prophet
Nafl
Supererogatory
Najasah
Uncleanness
Najasah ghalidah
Major uncleanness
Najasah khafifah
Minor uncleanness
Najasah haqiqiyyah
Visible uncleanness
Najasah hukmiyyah
Invisible uncleanness
Najat
Salvation
Nawaqid
Invalidators; nullifiers
Nazr
(Taking a) Vow
Nisab
Alms worthy capital
Niyyah
Intent; intention
Nuh
The Prophet Noah
Qada
Missed prayer or fast
Qa’dah
Sitting (in Salat)
Qadim
Eternal (as an attribute of Al-lah)
Qadir
Omnipotent
Qaumah
Rising from bowing in Salat
Qiblah
Direction which Muslims face during Salat
Qir’at
Recitation of Holy Qur-an
Qisar mufasssal
Shorter chapters of the Holy Qur-an
Qiyam
Standing during Salat
Qiyamah
Day of Judgement; Day of Resurrection
Qunut
Obeisance
Rab
Sustainer (as an attribute of Al-lah)
Rak'ah
One part of Salat complete with one standing, one bowing and two prostrations
Ramadhan
Ninth month of Islamic calendar fixed for fasting
Rasul
Messenger of God
Ruku
Bowing in Salat
Sadaqah
Dole (giving something in charity)
Sahabi
Companion of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him)
Sahifah
Scroll revealed to a Prophet
Salam
Salutation at the conclusion of prayer
Salat
Prayer performed by Muslims
Satr
Concealable parts of the body
Shafa’ah
Intercession (by the Holy Prophet (peace be on him) on behalf of sinners on the day of judgement)
Shafaq
Crimson
Shaq-qul-qamar
Splitting of the moon (one of the miracles performed by the Holy Prophet (peace be on him))
Shari’ah
Code (relegio-legal laws) of islam
Shawwal
Tenth month of hegira calendar on the first of which falls ‘Id-ul-Fitr
Shrik
Polytheism; partnership in God
Sifat
Attribute (of Al-lah)
Sijdah
Prostration
Sijdah Sahv
Remedial prostration
Subh-kazib
False dawn
Subh-sadiq
True dawn
Suhur or Sahri
Pre-dawn meals during Ramadhan
Sulaiman
The Prophet Solomon
Sun-nah
Holy Prophet’s (peace be on him) precept
Sun-nah Mu’akkadah
Emphasized precept of the Prophet (peace be on him)
Sun-nah Ghair Mu’akkadah
Unemphasized precept of the Prophet (peace be on him)
Surah
Chapter of the Holy Qur-an
Surah Al-Falaq
Chapter “The Daybreak”
Surah Al-Ikhlas
Chapter “Purity of Faith”
Surah Al-Kauthar
Chapter “The Fount of Abundance”
Surah An-nas
Chapter “The Mankind”
Ta’aw-wuz
Formula seeking the protection of Al-lah
Taqdir
Fate
Tasmiah
Formula pronouncing the name of Al-lah
Tauhid
Oneness of Al-lah; unity of God
Taurat
Torah (The Book of Al-lah revealed to Prophet Moses)
Tawatur
Unanimity
Thalatha
Trinity
Tayam-mum
Cleansing parts of body with clay
Thana
Hymn to Al-lah
Tiwal Mufassal
Longer chapter of the Holy Qur-an
Ummah
Community of the Prophet (peace be on him)
Ummi
Unlettered
Wahy
Revelation of Al-lah’s message to prophets through the angel Gabriel
Wajib
Ordained;
Wajib-ul-wujud
Self-existent (an Attribute of Al-lah)
Wali
Friend of Al-lah
Wudu
(Special formula for) Ablution
Ya’qub
The Prophet Jacob
Yunus
The Prophet Jonah
Yusuf
The Prophet Joseph
Zabur
Psalms of the Prophet David
Zakariyya
The Prophet Zacharias