Glossary

Adhan  the call to prayer

Akhirah belief in life after death

Allah God

Allahu Akbar God is great

Baitullah House of God, the Ka'ba

Bismillah 'In the name of God'

Eid ul Adha Feast of sacrifice that ends the Hajj Eld ul Fitr Feast to break the Ramadan fast

Hadith sayings and traditions of Muhammad

Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah

Halal allowed

Haram forbidden

Hijrah the migration from Makkah to Madinah

Ibadah worship, being a servant of God

Ihram state of religious 'separation' or purity

Islam submission to God

Jamrah pillar representing Ibrahim's temptations

Ka'ba the 'Cube', shrine of God in Makkah

Kiswah the black cloth covering the Ka'ba

Masjid a place of sujud (bowing down)

Mosque place for communal prayer and activities

Niyyah intention

Pbuh 'Peace be upon him' (said of the prophets) Purdah covering all but eyes, hands and feet

Qiblah the direction of Makkah

Qiyam standing during prayer

Quraish the leading tribe in and around Makkah

Qur'an the Revealed Book

Rak'ah a sequence of movements in ritual prayer

Sahifa the revelation given to Ibrahim

Say (Saai) Hajj procession from Safa to Marwa

Shahadah declaration of faith

Sujud (Sal da) kneeling before God in prayer

Sunnah the way or example set by Prophet Muhammad

Surah a chapter in the Qur'an

Tawaf circling Ka'ba seven times on Hajj

Umrah pilgrimage to Makkah not in Hajj month

Wuquf time of 'standing' before God during Hajj