Glossary Of Terms

Throughout Hawza.org you may find many abreviations and terms which are foreign to you. Due to the fact that this portal is updated by its community members you may find that there is no strict consistency within the articles and posts in general.

For this reason, we have collated numerous terms and abreviations on this page in order to assist you whilst utilising this site.

Abreviations:

GTH - Glory be To Him

MAHHR - May Allah Hasten His Re-appearance

PBUH - Peace Be Upon Him/Her

PBUT - Peace Be Upon Them

SAW - Salallahu Alayhi Wa-aalihi (Blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny)

AS - Alayhi/Alayha al-Salaam (Peace Be Upon Him/Her)

RA - Rahmatullahi Alayh/Alayha (God have mercy on him/her)

Terms:

Imam - Literary means 'Leader', used also in reference to one of the 12 infallible successors of the Holy Prophet of Islam.

Irfaan/Irfan - Islamic gnosticism/mysticism

Arif - Gnostic/Mystic (A term used in the Shi'i school of thought which is based on the Quran and the teachings of the family of the Prophet decending from his daughter Fatima)

Sufi - Gnostic/Mystic (A term normally used in the Sunni school of thought which is based on the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet and his companions. However some writers do not differentiate between an Arif and a Sufi in their writings and use the term Sufi to mean a Muslim Mystic)

Ayatullah/Ayatollah - Literary means 'Sign of Allah', used also as a title in reference to an Islamic jurist

Marja' - An expert in Islamic jurisprudence and its principles who is followed by others with regards to Islamic laws

Suluk - Wayfaring on a spiritual path

Sayyid - A man with a direct paternal link to the Prophet Muhammad

Shaykh - A scholar who is not a Sayyid. In the science of mysticism it is used to refer to ones mentor on the spiritual path

'Alim - Scholar

Hawza - Islamic Seminary

Hadith pl. Ahadith - Islamic Tradition(s)