Glossary
Quran & Islamic terms, explained
A plain-English reference for the vocabulary used across our courses.
- Noorani Qaidaالقاعدة النورانية
- A foundational primer that teaches the Arabic letters, their sounds, and how they join — the first step toward reading the Quran.
- Nazraالناظرة
- Reciting the Quran fluently by looking directly at the Mushaf (the written text), as opposed to from memory.
- Hifzالحفظ
- The memorisation of the entire Quran. A person who completes it is called a Hafiz (male) or Hafiza (female).
- Tajweedالتجويد
- The science of the rules governing the correct pronunciation and articulation of every letter during Quran recitation.
- Makhrajالمخرج
- The precise point of articulation in the mouth or throat from which an Arabic letter's sound originates (plural: Makharij).
- Ijazahالإجازة
- A formal certification authorising a person to teach Quran recitation, backed by an unbroken chain of transmission (Sanad) traced to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
- Tafseerالتفسير
- Scholarly exegesis and explanation of the meanings of the Quran, including the context and lessons of each passage.
- Tarjuma (Translation)الترجمة
- The rendering of the Quran's meaning, often word-by-word, into another language to aid understanding.
- Mushafالمصحف
- The physical, written copy of the Quran from which a reader recites during Nazra.
- Harakatالحركات
- The short-vowel diacritical marks (Fatha, Kasra, Damma) placed above or below Arabic letters to indicate their vowel sounds.
- Ghunnahالغنة
- A nasal sound produced through the nose, applied in specific Tajweed rules for the letters Noon and Meem.
- Maddالمد
- The rule of elongating (lengthening) the sound of certain vowels for a defined number of counts during recitation.
- Qalqalahالقلقلة
- An echoing or bouncing sound produced on certain letters (ق ط ب ج د) when they carry a sukoon (no vowel).
- Sabaq, Sabqi & Manzil
- The three pillars of a Hifz routine: Sabaq (new memorisation), Sabqi (recent revision), and Manzil (long-term revision of older portions).
- Salahالصلاة
- The formal Islamic prayer performed five times a day, with prescribed postures, recitations, and conditions.
- Wuduالوضوء
- The ritual washing (ablution) performed to attain a state of purity required before prayer and Quran recitation.
- Adhkar (Azkar)الأذكار
- Words of remembrance and short supplications recited regularly, such as the morning and evening Adhkar.
- Seerahالسيرة
- The study of the life, biography, and example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
- Hadithالحديث
- A recorded saying, action, or approval of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, forming a primary source of Islamic guidance.
- Nahw & Sarf
- The two core branches of Arabic grammar: Nahw (syntax — how words form sentences) and Sarf (morphology — how words are derived and inflected).