Fatwa - A legal ruling by a competent Islamic legal scholar. Fatwas can be challenged or overruled and are not automatically binding on the community.

Fiqh - Understanding the application of the Islamic Law and how to formulate new rulings.

Hadith - "an account" Any saying by, or action attributed to, the Prophet Muhammad.

Hajj - "pilgrimage" The annual pilgrimage to Mecca, which takes place in the twelfth month of the Islamic Calendar. Muslims must make this journey once in a lifetime if they are able.

Halal - What is lawful in Islam

Haram - What is prohibited in Islam

Hijab - "to conceal" head covering that many Muslim women wear

Ijtihad - Using independent thought to create a new Islamic legal opinion for an issue that has no clear answer in the two main sources of Islam.

Imam - "leader" The person who leads the congregational prayers.

Iman - Faith or belief

Isha - The evening prayer

Islam - "submission to God and attaining peace"

Jannah - "garden" Heaven or paradise

Jihad - "to struggle or strive"

Jum'ah - "gathering" Friday, the day for the congressional prayer

Ka'bah - A place of worship built by Abraham & Ishmael

Kafir - "one who hides or covers the truth" Often mistranslated as unbeliever

Khul' - A wife-initiated divorce

Maghrib- The sunset prayer

Masjid - "place of prostration" The proper name for a Muslim house of worship

Mecca - City in which the Kabbah resides and where Muslims make there pilgrimage to during Hajj

Mosque - Another term used for a Muslim house of worship. Derived from the Spanish word for mosquito, it is often thought as a disparaging term.

Mujahid - A person who engages in jihad.

Muslim - "a person who submits to Allah and finding peace" A follower of the religion of Islam.

Nikah - The Islamic Marriage ceremony

Qiblah - The direction of Mecca toward which all Muslims face when they pray.

Qur'an - "the reading or recital" The direct word of God, delivered to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel in small portions from the years 610 to 623 c.e.

Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Muslims observe a dawn-to-dusk fast for the 29 to 30 days of the month.

Sadaqa - charity, non obligatory

Salat - Obligatory prayers which are performed 5 times a day

Siyam (Suam) - Fasting

Seerah - Biography of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Shari'ah - The term for Islamic law.

Shaykh - "respected elder" Commonly used as a the title for a religious scholar.

Shaytan - Arabic word for Satan

Shirk - "associating" Making things, others equal to God.

Shura - Mutual consultation

Sunnah - The example of the Prophet Muhammad contained in his hadiths, or sayings, including his actions and actions he approved of in his presence.

Surah - The name for a chapter in the Qur'an

Talaq - A husband initiated divorce

Tauhid (Tawheed) - "oneness or monotheism"

Ummah - The Muslim Community

Wahy - Revelation or inspiration form God given to chosen men and women.

Wali - The woman's representative during the courtship period. Their job is to make sure the prospective groom is legitimate and will not take advantage of her.

Zakah - "purification" & "growth" Amount collected of surplus wealth & earnings of a Muslim according to a formula specified under Islamic Law

Zuhr - The afternoon prayer