Glossary

Wondering what I'm talking about? Here are some oft used phrases in this blog.

Muslim Phrases (in Arabic) and their meanings:

Alhamdulillah: Thank God

Asalaamu Alaikum (traditional Muslim greeting): Peace be on you

Baraka: A (spiritual) blessing, or as the breath, or essence of life from which the evolutionary process unfolds.Deen: religion

Dhikr: The silent or vocalized remembrance of God, sometimes using rosary (subha) beads

InshaAllah: God willing

Jihad: The struggle to attain justice with noble means, the greatest struggle is that against one's own ego/selfish desires

MashaAllah: God preserve you

SAWS, an abbreviation used after the Prophet Muhammad's name meaning, Peace & blessings of God upon him

SubhanAllah: God is Glorious

SWT, an abbreviation used after God's name meaning, The Sacred and The Mighty


People & Places

Abaya/Jilbab/Thobe: Neck to ankle length robes worn over clothing by women for modesty. For some photos, click here

Desi

A person from, or the culture, people, food, dance, etc., of South Asia

Freeland

USA

Hijab/i: A headscarf/a woman who wears a headscarf

Mighty Capital

Washington, DC

Muslima: a female Muslim

Muzzie/s: My affectionate term for a Muslim or Muslims

Niqab/i: A face veil/a woman who veils her face

Paki: One of those take-back-the-ethnic-slur terms, which is ok if used by a Pakistani to refer to themselves/each other but not by others

Peaceabounds

Islamabad, Pakistan

Pureland

Pakistan

The Hub

Boston, MA

The Most Beautiful City on Earth (TMBCE)

San Francisco, CA

Basil/R: My husband & soulmate, a 3rd gen Albanian/English/Irish/Portuguese-American convert to Islam. Though he never officially changed his name, when he converted my Mom named him Rehaan, saying it was a word in the Qur'an meaning 'fragrant flower of paradise'. An Arabic speaker later told us it means Basil, which we find endlessly amusing & sweet.