Glossary

An entity you worship; this consists of rituals like prayers, fasts, or sacrifice.

From the Arabic “المعبود”, meaning “الطاعة والخضوع”: an entity you give your full submission and obedience to in all matters, personal, communal, or political. 

Deen is “religion”, a set of personal beliefs and rituals to do with God.

Deen is a creed (view about life), plus a law (a system for life) that is induced by that worldview. The basic worldview of Islam is tawheed, that Allah SWT is the only creator and sovereign for the universe. The law of Islam is the divinely revealed legislation of Allah SWT.

Tawheed is the oneness of Allah SWT as a creator.

Tawheed is the oneness of Allah SWT both as creator and legislator.

Associating partners with Allah: saying that there are other gods along with Allah.

Associating partners with Allah: Giving one of Allah’s rights to some other entity like his right as the creator, king, or legislator.

Faith in the existence and oneness of Allah, and that Muhammad SAW is His messenger.

A rational conviction (not blind faith) that Allah SWT is the only ilah, and that Muhammad SAW is His messenger.

An object of worship besides Allah.

An object of ‘ibadah besides Allah.

A game that politicians and statesmen play. One that the average person need not involve themself with.

The caretaking of the affairs of the people.

Ritualistic acts of worship like prayers and fasts that are given to God.

Any act done in sincere submission to the commands of Allah, be that prayers, governance, speaking truth to power, developing land, studying a field of knowledge, etc.

A person who presents themselves as a muslim, but secretly does not believe in Islam.

A Hypocrite may be someone who pretends to be a Muslim, but they also may be someone who picks and chooses what to believe from Islam, or takes other than Allah, his messenger, and the Muslims as awliya’ (allies).

A person sent by God to be a spiritual leader to his people. His mission is to teach people Islam.

A person sent by God to be a leader to his people in all matters; spiritual, personal, communal, and political. His mission is to transform the system to the system of Islam.

Inviting non-muslims to Islam on an individual basis and responding to their misconceptions.

Inviting society to the Islamic system, rather than merely convincing individuals to live an Islamic lifestyle.

Embodying Islamic character and behaviour in one’s everyday life.

Transforming the social-political system of society to become the Islamic one, so that law is derived from Allah alone.

Someone who is learned in the islamic sciences.

Someone who has the knowledge of Islam and also fears none but Allah.

Any muslim in charge of a land, regardless of how they run it or how they came to power.

A leader who is given consent by the people to rule, and rules only according to divine law. This is the bay’ah (social contract) between the ruler and the ruled in Islam.

A set of rules and regulations that tells people who to live their personal lives and how to interact with their local community.

A system that encompasses every act that a human being can take along with every possible action that society at large can take. This includes eating, treating family, taxes, foreign policy, and how to conduct business.

Any struggle for the sake of Allah such as wearing the hijab or quitting a sin.

A struggle to make Allah’s word supreme and to spread the Islamic system.