Al-Azhar Thanaweya flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Mutawatir hadith

A hadith transmitted by so many narrators at every level that collusion on a lie is impossible; it yields certain knowledge and is the highest grade of report.

Sahih hadith

A hadith with a connected chain of trustworthy, precise narrators, free from hidden defects and contradiction; it is the most authentic grade after mutawatir.

Hasan hadith

A hadith similar to sahih but with slightly weaker precision in one or more narrators; it is acceptable as evidence though below the rank of sahih.

Isnad

The chain of narrators through which a hadith is transmitted; its continuity and the reliability of its narrators determine the hadith's authenticity.

Matn

The text of a hadith after the chain of narrators; it is the actual statement or action attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.

Tawhid al-uluhiyyah

The belief that God alone deserves worship; it is the core message of the prophets and the meaning of 'La ilaha illa Allah'.

Qadar

Divine decree; the belief that God's knowledge, will, and power encompass all things, while humans have real choice and moral responsibility.

Khatam al-nabiyyin

The final prophet; Muhammad ﷺ is the last of the prophets, and no prophet will come after him.

Wudu'

Ritual ablution before prayer; it requires intention, washing the face, arms to the elbows, wiping the head, and washing the feet.

Nisab

The minimum amount of wealth that makes zakah obligatory; for cash and trade goods it is equivalent to 85 grams of gold or 595 grams of silver.

Ijma'

The consensus of qualified Muslim scholars on a legal ruling; it is the third primary source of Islamic law after the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Qiyas

Analogical reasoning in Islamic law; a new case is linked to an established ruling because they share an effective cause ('illah).

Raf'

The nominative case in Arabic grammar; it is used for the subject (fa'il), the predicate (khabar), and the subject of a passive verb.

Nasb

The accusative case in Arabic grammar; it is used for the direct object (maf'ul bihi), the absolute object, and the circumstantial object (hal).

Isti'arah

Metaphor in Arabic rhetoric; a word is used for something other than its original meaning because of a similarity between them.

Tashbih

Simile in Arabic rhetoric; two things are compared because they share a quality, often using a particle such as 'ka' (like).

Hijrah

The migration of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE; it marks the start of the Islamic calendar.

Battle of Badr

The first major battle between the Muslims and the Quraysh, fought in 2 AH/624 CE; the Muslims won a decisive victory despite being outnumbered.

Farewell Pilgrimage

The final pilgrimage of the Prophet ﷺ in 10 AH/632 CE, where he delivered his farewell sermon at 'Arafah and emphasized the sanctity of life and property.

Rashidun caliphate

The period of the first four caliphs-Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali-from 11 to 40 AH; it saw rapid expansion and consolidation of the Muslim state.

Bayt al-Hikmah

The House of Wisdom in Baghdad, a major center for translating Greek, Persian, and Indian works into Arabic during the Abbasid era.

Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi

The Muslim commander who recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187 CE; he is known for his chivalry and generosity.

Tafsir bi al-ma'thur

Qur'anic exegesis based on transmitted reports: the Qur'an, the Sunnah, the statements of the Companions, and the Successors.

Asbab al-nuzul

The occasions or circumstances that prompted the revelation of specific Qur'anic verses; knowledge of them aids understanding of the verses.

Muhkam verses

Clear and decisive Qur'anic verses whose meaning is unambiguous; they are the foundation for interpreting ambiguous (mutashabih) verses.

Ghibah

Backbiting; mentioning a person's faults in their absence. It is forbidden in Islam unless there is a valid legal reason.

Amanah

Trustworthiness; fulfilling promises, returning deposits, and honoring contracts. It is a fundamental Islamic virtue.

Wasatiyyah

Moderation and balance; a defining characteristic of the Muslim community, avoiding both extremism and negligence.

Syllogism (qiyas)

A form of reasoning with two premises and a conclusion; the middle term must be distributed at least once for the argument to be valid.

Contradiction (tanaqud)

The relation between two propositions that cannot both be true or both be false; they must differ in quantity or quality.

Quadratic formula

The formula x = [-b ± √(b² - 4ac)] / (2a) that gives the roots of the quadratic equation ax² + bx + c = 0.

Pythagorean theorem

In a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides: a² + b² = c².