Part 18

Aba Bakr as-Siddig: ‘Abdullah bin ‘Uthman bin ‘Amir al-Qurashi. The first Khalifah of the Messenger (48), his companion in the cave, his closest friend and one of the ten promised Paradise. He was the first man to accept Islaam and died in the year 13H.

Aba ad-Darda’: Uwaymir bin Malik bin Zayd bin Qays al-Khazraji al-Ansati. There is a difference of opinion concerning his name. He accepted Islam on the day of Badr and witnessed Ubud. He was from the Legal Jurists and ascetics of the Companions. He died in the year 32H.

Abu Dharr. Jandub bin Junadah al-Ghifari. He was from amongst

the first to accept Islam, it is said that he was the fifth. He was sent back to his people, to call them to Islam and when

Selected biographical notes

the Prophet (4) made Hijrah, he too went to Madinah and accompanied the Prophet (4g) in many of his battles. He was well respected for his knowledge and strict asceticism. He died in the year 32H.

Abi Hurayrah. ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Sakhr ad-Diasi. His name is greatly differed over. He accepted Islam in the year 7H and reported the most fadith from the Prophet (4g). He died in the year 59H.

Abii Missa al-Ash'aré. ‘Abdullah bin Qays bin Salim. He had a beautiful recitation and was one of the scholars amongst the Companions. He died in the year 42H or 44H.

‘Ali bin Abi Talib. bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib bin Hashim al-Qurashi alHashimi, the fourth Rightly Guided Khalifah and one of ten promised Paradise. He accepted Islam at the age of thirteen and was famous for his chivalry, bravery and knowledge. He married Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet (4%) and was martyred in the year 40H.

‘Anas bin Malik: bin an-Nadar bin Damdam al-Ansari al-Khazraji, the servant of the Messenger (4g). He witnessed Badr but was not of age to actually participate. He died in the year 93H.

Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: bin ‘Amr bin Harram al-Ansari as-Sulami, he witnessed the second pledge at ‘Ugbah while he was still a child. It is said that he witnessed Badr and Ubud and he reported many ahddith from the Messenger (gg). He died in the year 74H.

Mu ‘aviyah: bin Abi Sufyan bin Sakhr bin Harb bin Umayyah bin Abd Shams al-Qurashi al-Amawi. He accepted Islam in the

year of the Conquest and witnessed Hunain and al-Yamamah. He was one of the scribes who would write the revelation and died in the year 60H.

Nu‘man bin Bashir. bin Sa‘d al-Ansari al-Khazraji Aba ‘Abdullah . He was a poet and lecturer and died in the year 65H.

Qatadab: ibn an-Nu‘man bin Zayd al-Ansari al-Awsi, Abi ‘Amr, he witnessed the pledge of ‘Ugbah, Badr and every other battle that the Prophet (48) fought. He died in the year 23H.

Sa‘d bin Abi Waggas. Sa‘d bin Malik bin Abib bin ‘Abd Munif alQurashi az-Zuhri Abii Ishaq bin Abi Waqqas. One of the ten who were promised Paradise and one whose supplications

were answered. He was the last of the ten to pass away in the year 55H.

‘Umar bin al-Khattab. Abt Hafs ‘Umar bin al-Khattab bin Nufayl al-Qurashi al-‘Adawi, the second Rightly Guided Khalifah and one of the ten promised Paradise. He accepted Islam five years before the Hijrah and his acceptance was a great victory for the Muslims. He witnessed every battle that the Prophet () witnessed. He was martyred in the year 23H.

[Others]

Al-Hasan al-Basri, A\-Hasan bin Abii al-Hasan al-Ansari. He was trustworthy and precise, noble and famous. He was a great scholar and narrated many ahadith. He died in the year 110H close to the age of ninety.

bn Abi Mulaykab. bin ‘Abdullah bin Jud‘an al-Madani. He met thirty Companions and was trustworthy and precise, a Legal

Selected biographical notes

Jurist.

‘Abdul-Wabid bin Zayd: The shaykh of the Sufis at his time, his supplications were answered. He is trustworthy and precise and died in the year 177H.

Abi Dawid: Sulayman bin al-Ash‘ath bin Ishaq bin Bashir, Aba Dawid as-Sijistani, the /wam, Hafiz and author of the famous Suan. He died in the year 275H.

Abmad: bin Muhammad bin Hanbal bin Hilal ash-Shaybani, Aba ‘Abdullah, the Jwam of the Sunnah and author of the famous Musnad. He was known for his knowledge of hadith, /zg4, and his /agwa and asceticism. He died in the year 241H.

Al-Bukhari. Muhammad bin Isma‘il bin Ibrahim bin al-Mughirah, Abi ‘Abdullah. He was born in the year 194H and became one of the /mams of hadith and was nicknamed -the Leader of the Believers in Hadith. He was extremely intelligent and had a rematkable memory. His life was marked by its simplicity and he was known for his asceticism, worship and genetosity. He died in the year 256H.

Ibn Hibban. Abii Hatim Muhammad ibn Hibban al-Tamimi alBusti, the Hafidh, Mujtahid and author of the famous Sahih ibn Hibban. He died in the year 354H.

lbn Kathir. Wad al-Din Ibn Kathir, was a scholars of fafsir, language, history and /adith. He was born in Jandal in a province of Basrah and then moved to Damasus whete he died. His works works include the famous commentary of the Quran, entitled Tafsir al-Quran al-‘Azim.

Muslin bin al-Hajjaj bin Muslim al-Qushayri, Abi al-Husain an-

Naisabiri, the Hafidh and one of the great /mams of this nation. He is the author of the Sahib which is the most authentic book of adith after Al-Bukhari. He died in the year 261H.

Shaytan: Also called Ibs. He is a Jinn and the enemy of mankind, devoted to leading them astray in any way that he can. The word Shaytan is derived from the verb shatana which means to be distant, and indeed Shaytan is distant from all good.

Al-Tirmidhi. Muhammad bin Isa bin Sawrah bin Masa bin adDabhak as-Sulami Al-Tirmidhi, the /~am, Hafidh and the author of the famous Swnan. He was trustworthy and precise and one of the students of Al-Bukhari. He died in the year 279H,

Glossary of Arabic Terms

Ayah: pl. ayat. Sign, mitacle, example, lesson, verse.

‘Abd: pl. ‘ebad. slave, servant, worshipper.

Abrar. righteous.

Adban: figh: the call to prayer.

Barzakh: barrier, obstruction, an isthmus. figh: a barrier placed between a person who has deceased and this worldly life.

Bid‘ab. innovation, figh: that which is newly introduced into the religion of Allah.

Daf; weak. A hadith that has failed to meet the ctitetia of authenticity.

Din: religion, way of life.

Dhikr. remembrance, figh: making mention of Allah.

Du. supplication, invocation.

Fard: see wajib.

Fasad. corruption, decay, and invalidity.

Fatwa: figh: legal ruling,

Figh: understanding and comprehension. figh: of the tulings and legislation of Islam.

Fisq: pl. fuség. Immorality, transgression, wickedness.

Fitna: pl. fitan. Trial, tribulation, civil strife.

Fitrah: primordial nature, the harmony between man, création and Creator.

Ghayb: the Unseen, those matters beyond our senses.

Ghubta: envy, referring to the permissible form of envy whete the envier wishes to have the same blessings as the envied

but without desiring to see them removed from the envied. This is opposed to basad, the blameworthy form of envy where the envier wishes to see the blessings removed from the envied.

Hafidh: pl. buffadh. Hadith Master, commonly referred to one who has memorised at least 100 000 ahadith.

Hadith: pl. abadith, speech, report, account. figh: a narration describing the sayings, actions, character, physical description and tacit approval of the Prophet (sg).

Hayy. figh: pilgrimage, one of the pillars of Islam.

Halal. released. figh: permissible.

Hanif: pl. Hunafa. Upright and Devout. One who leaves the false religions and beliefs for the truth and does not swerve from it. His outward rectitude reflects what is inside him.

Haram. forbidden, sacted, restricted. figh: unlawful, that which the legally responsible person is rewarded for leaving and sinful for doing.

Hasad: see Ghubta.

Hasan: good. figh: a hadith that has met the criteria of authenticity to a sufficient level as would allow it to be used as legal proof.

Hawa: base desires.

Hudad: limits, boundaries. figh: limits ordained by Allah, prescribed punishments.

Ibram: the ceremonial state of making Hajj or the Hajj garments themselves.

Imam. model, exemplar. fiqh: religious leader, one who leads the congregational prayer or leads a community.

Iman: faith that also comprises a meaning of submission. Its place is the heart, the tongue and the limbs and it increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience.

Isbhk: passionate love.

Isndd: chain of narration.

Jabiliyyah. Pre-Islamic Ignorance. Technically this refers to the

Glossary of Arabic Terms

condition of a people before the guidance of Allah reaches them, or the state of a people that prevents them from accepting the guidance of Allah.

Janabah. figh: state of major imputity.

Janazah: figh: funeral prayer, funeral procession.

Jibad. striving in the Way of Allah to make His Word supreme.

Jinn: another creation besides mankind who are invisible to us. They ate also subject to the laws of Islam and will be judged in the Hereafter according to how they lived in this life.

Kafir. a rejecter of faith, disbeliever.

Khalifah: pl\. kbulafa. Successor, representative. figh: of the Prophet (8), head of the Islamic state. Also called Amir alMu‘minin or Leader of the Believers.

Khawf: fear.

Khutbah. sermon, lecture. figh: Friday sermon.

Maknibs figh. disliked, reprehensible, that which the legally responsible person is rewarded for leaving but not punished for doing.

Mawdu' fabricated hadith. That hadith which is a lie against the Prophet (38).

Muhaddith: p\. mubaddithin. Scholar of Hadith.

Mujtahid. one who performs ytihad. figh: that level of scholar who can deduce independent verdicts directly from the primary Islaamic sources.

Munafig. hypocrite. figh. one who outwardly displays Islam but inwardly conceals disbelief. This is the worst type of hypocrisy and its possessor is the worst type of disbeliever, there are other lesser types.

Qada: see gadar.

Qadar. Allahts decree of all matters in accordance with His prior knowledge and as dictated by His wisdom.

Qiblah. figh: direction to which the Muslims pray, towards the ka‘bab.

Rahbah: dread.

RadiyAllahu ‘anhu/‘anha/‘anhum/‘anbuma: may Allah be pleased with him/her/them/both of them.

RahimabAllah/ RahimahumAllab: may Allah bestow his mercy upon him/them.

Ramadan: ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

Rida: contentment and pleasure.

Riy@: an act of worship undertaken by someone to be seen and praised by others and not purely for Allah.

Rugya: recitation used to cure an illness or disease. It can only be done in the Arabic tongue, in words whose meaning is undetstood, using verses of the Quran or supplications of the Prophet combined with the belief that it is only Allah who in reality gives the cure.

Sababah: fervent longing.

Sabr. patience, steadfastness.

Sahih: healthy, sound, authentic, correct. A hadith that has met the criteria of authenticity and can be used as a legal proof.

Salah: figh: the second pillar of Islam, the prayer.

Salaf: predecessors, commonly employed to refer to the first three generations of Muslims.