Understand the terms before arguing about the rulings

Glossary terms

Tawhid

Worshipping Allah alone and affirming what belongs uniquely to Him.

Rububiyyah

Affirming Allah’s lordship: creation, ownership and control.

Uluhiyyah

Directing all acts of worship to Allah alone.

Names & Attributes

Affirming what Allah and His Messenger ﷺ affirmed without distortion or resemblance.

Iman

Faith that includes belief, speech and action, increasing and decreasing according to Sunni scholarship.

Shirk

Associating partners with Allah in what belongs to Him.

Kufr

Disbelief; its detailed rulings require careful scholarly treatment.

Nifaq

Hypocrisy; scholars distinguish major hypocrisy from practical traits.

Sunnah

The guidance of the Prophet ﷺ in belief, worship, conduct and practice.

Bid‘ah

A religious innovation introduced into worship without valid evidence.

Hadith

A transmitted report concerning the Prophet ﷺ.

Isnad

The chain of transmitters through whom a report is conveyed.

Matn

The wording/content of a hadith report.

Sahih

A hadith grade meeting the accepted conditions of authenticity.

Hasan

A hadith accepted as reliable but below sahih in precision.

Da‘if

A hadith that does not meet the conditions of sahih or hasan.

‘Illah

A subtle defect that can affect a hadith despite an apparently sound chain.

Takhrij

Locating a hadith in its sources and discussing its chains/gradings.

Fiqh

Understanding practical Islamic rulings from their detailed evidence.

Fard

An obligatory act; details of terminology can vary by school.

Wajib

An obligation; some jurists use it synonymously with fard, while others distinguish them.

Mustahabb

A recommended act rewarded when done but not sinful when left.

Makruh

A disliked act; detailed usage varies by juristic context.

Mubah

An action that is permissible in itself.

Shart

A condition required for validity or applicability but not itself part of the act.

Rukn

An essential component within an act; omission affects validity.

Fatwa

A scholarly answer explaining the ruling of a question or case.

Ijtihad

Qualified scholarly effort to derive a ruling from evidence.

Taqlid

Following a qualified scholar without independently deriving the evidence.

Tafsir

Explanation of the meanings of the Qur’an according to reliable principles and sources.

Tadabbur

Reflecting on Qur’anic meaning in a manner governed by sound interpretation.

Dhikr

Remembrance of Allah through established words and acts.

Du‘a

Calling upon Allah and asking Him for benefit, guidance and protection.

Ikhlas

Directing worship sincerely to Allah alone.

Tawbah

Returning to Allah by leaving sin, regretting it and resolving not to return.

Ruqyah

Recitation and supplication for healing using permissible Qur’an and du‘a.

Mawdu‘

A fabricated report falsely attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.

Marfu‘

A report attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.

Mawquf

A report attributed to a Companion.

Maqtu‘

A report attributed to a Tabi‘i or later figure.