D is for Dhikr of Allāh, Du‘ā’ to Allāh, and Da‘wa for Allāh

da‘awāt
supplications to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā (s: du‘ā’)

da‘awāt Qur’āniyya
supplications from the Holy Qur’ān, the greatest of which is Sūrah al-Fātiha, the opening chapter of the Qur’ān. The Holy Qur’ān also contains supplications to Allāh of Nabī Muhammad (Prophet Muhammad), Nabī Ibrāhīm (Prophet Abraham), Nabī Mūsā (Prophet Moses), Nabī ‘Īsā (Prophet Jesus), Nabī Nūh (Prophet Noah), Nabī Ādam (Prophet Ādam), and many other Prophets, peace be upon them all

daff
a hand drum. The children of Madīna used daff to greet Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam as they eulogized him in religious poetry when he entered Madīna. Daff is used in mawlid and wedding ceremonies

daf‘il balā
the driving away of affliction. Muslims continuously pray to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā to drive away all afflictions

dafn
burial

dā‘in
caller, inviter to the religion of Islām

Dahriyya
a group of disbelievers with the idea that there is no Creator, and that the passage of time causes people to die, and who do not believe in the Resurrection and the Day of Judgment

da‘īf
weak, feeble. The strong have to take care of the weak (pl: du‘afā’)

Ad-Dā’im al-Abadī
the Endlessly Everlasting, the Enduring for All Eternity (an attribute of Allāh, Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

ad-Dajjāl al-la‘īn
the accursed impostor, the Antichrist, the false messiah whose appearance signals the appearance of the Day of Judgment

dakhala’l Jannah
“enters Paradise”. Whoever utters the Muslim Declaration of Faith with firm belief ultimately enters Paradise, according to a Saying of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

dalāl
error, going astray, straying away from Islām (syn: dalāla)

dalīl
guide, proof (pl. dalāil); for example: Dalāil u’n Nubuwwa (Proofs of Prophethood) of Imām al-Bayhaqī, Rahmatullāhi ‘alayh, and Dalāil u’l Khayrāt (Proofs of Good Deeds) of Imām Muhammad bin Sulaymān al-Jazūlī, Rahmatullāhi ‘alayh

dāll
a person who has gone astray (pl: dāllīn)

damān
surety, guarantee

dam
blood; the sacrifice of a goat or a sheep to compensate for a missed or wrongly performed wājib (compulsory) rite of Hajj (Pilgrimage)

danāin
the special ones (whom Allāh clothes in brilliant light and causes to live and die in prosperity)

daqā’iq haqā’iq
subtle details of the real meanings

daqīqa
subtle detail; spiritual subtlety; minute (in measuring time), (pl: daqā’iq)

dār
house, dwelling, abode (pl: diyār)

dār u’l ‘ahd
a country that has a peace treaty with Muslims

Dār u’l Arqam
the house of Sayyidinā al-Arqam, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu. At the very beginning of the mission of the Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, he used to meet with his Companions (sahāba) in the house of Sayyidinā al-Arqam, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu in Makka to convey to them the basic teachings of Islām

Dār u’l Ākhira
the Last Abode, the Abode of the Hereafter

Dār u’l baqā
the abode which remains, one of the names of Paradise

Dār u’l bawār
the abode of perdition, hell

Dār u’l fanā
the abode which passes away, refers to this world

Dār u’l huzn
the abode of grief, refers to this world

Dār u’l Islām
territory of Islām

Dār u’l khuld
the abode of eternity, Paradise

Dār u’l qarār
the abode that abides, Paradise

Dār u’s Salām
the abode of peace, Paradise

daraja
degree, grade, rank (of honour, spiritual station) (pl: darajāt)

darasa
to study

dars
lesson, study (pl: durūs)

darūra
necessity

darwīsh
dervish, from the Persian “darwesh”, meaning someone materially poor but spiritually rich, the equivalent of the Arabic “faqīr”

dawā’
medicine, remedy

da‘wa
calling people to Allāh (through word and deed)

Da‘wat u’l-Haqq
“propagating the Truth,” which is the duty of every Muslim

dayf
guest. Those who go for Hajj are the guests of Allāh, Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

dayn
debt. A Muslim is restless until he has repaid his debts (pl: duyūn)

dhabīha
sacrificial animal

dhahab
gold. Zakāh is payable on gold and silver and on gold and silver ornaments and jewelry. In Islām, only women are permitted to wear gold and golden jewelry

Dhakhāirullāh
the Treasuries of Allāh; these are the Awliyā Allāh (friends of Allāh or sūfī saints) who put off tribulation from people with the Will of Allāh

dhakī
intelligent (pl: adhkiyā’, f: dhakiyyah)

dhākir
one who remembers Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā (pl: dhākirūn, dhākirīn; f: dhākira, f. pl: dhākirāt)

dhanb
wrong action , sin, committed intentionally or unintentionally (pl: dhunūb)

dharra
atom

dhāt
essence

adh-Dhāt
The Essence of Allāh, Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā. No one can understand the Essence of Allāh but people can ponder on His Attributes of Greatness by reflecting on His creation

dhawi’l arhām
blood relatives, that is, parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters, and sons and daughters

dhawq
tasting, spiritual “tasting”, experience (of spiritual realities) (pl: adhwāq)

dhikr
remembrance. One of the attributive names of the Holy Qur’ān is adh-Dhikr (the Remembrance). Salāh (prayer) is also referred to in the Qur’ān as Dhikr (pl: adhkār)

Dhikrullāh
remembrance of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā. Muslims love to remember Allāh with their heart as well as with their tongue, alone as well as in congregation

dhikr al-qalb
remembrance of the heart

dhikr jahrī
audible remembrance (of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā), normally in a congregation

dhikr khafī
silent remembrance (of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

Dhikr u’l mawt
remembrance of death which leads us to do good deeds and avoid evil

dhilla
lowliness (before Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

dhimma
responsibility

dhimmī
a non-Muslim citizen under Muslim rule

dhu’l ‘aql
the possessor of reason

dhu’l ‘ayn
the possessor of insight, the possessor of inner-sight

dhu’l ‘aql wa’l ‘ayn
the possessor of reason and inner-sight

Dhu’l Fiqār
the name of Prophet Muhammad’s sword

Dhu’n Nūrayn
The Possessor of the two lights, title of Sayyidinā ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu, as he married two daughters of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, first Sayyidatinā Ruqayya, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhā, and when she passed away, he married Sayyidatinā Umm Kulthūm, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhā

Dhu’l qarnayn
He was a just and righteous king whom Allāh gave the kingdom of the east and the west. He lived before the time of Prophet ‘Īsā ‘alayhissalām

dhurriyya
progeny, offspring, descendants (pl: dhurriyyāt)

dīn
religion

dīn al-Islām
the universal religion of Islām which is a complete way of life ordained by Allāh for the whole of mankind till the end of time

dīnār
an ancient gold coin

dirham
a silver coin

dīwān
collected religious poems of one author

diyā’
radiance, splendour

Diyā’ u’d-dīn
the bright light of religion; a Muslim name or a title bestowed upon a shaykh (spiritual master)

du‘ā’
supplication to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā. Du‘ā’ can be made in any language but salāh (daily prayer) is only in Arabic. One of the pre-conditions for the acceptance of du‘ā’ is to keep away from harām (what is prohibited in Islām), and not to eat or drink what is harām. The supplication of pious Muslims is very powerful and can avert minor ailments as well as major calamities.

The Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam has taught us supplications for various occasions and purposes so that we know what to recite when we eat and drink, when we break our fast, when we greet someone, when we enter or leave the house or the masjid, when we put on our clothes, when we begin any task, when we go to sleep or wake up, when someone passes away, when we face the enemy in battle, when we seek peace, when we sacrifice an animal, when we travel, when we seek good health of both body and soul, when we wish to avert calamities, when we seek a good and loveable wife or husband, when we get married, when we desire good and pious children, when a baby is born, when we want peace and tranquility at home and in the family, if we wish to do good and avoid evil, if we desire to be of good character, if we desire to gain the love of Allāh, repent to Him and seek His forgiveness for us and for our loved ones, if we wish to achieve permanent salvation, and so on (pl: ad‘iya, da‘awāt)

du‘ā’ ma’thūra
a supplication transmitted from the beloved Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam (pl: ad‘iyati’l ma’thūra)

du‘ā’ u’l Basmala
supplication of Bismillāh (In the Name of Allāh). A supplication to Allāh, imploring Him to accept the supplication for the sake of Bismillāh. In this du‘ā’, Bismillāh is used as a wasīla (a means of acceptance before Allāh)

du‘ā’ birr u’l wālidayn
supplication to Allāh to shower His mercy on one’s parents. This is one way in which we can fulfil the rights of our parents

du‘ā’ u’l fath
supplication to Allāh when seeking success and victory, and asking Him to open His doors of mercy

du‘ā’ u’l ghadab
supplication to Allāh when angry to get over it

du‘ā’ u’l hāmila
supplication to Allāh by a woman during her pregnancy and when she is having labour pains. The woman who is pregnant should recite Sūrah Maryam and then should supplicate to Allāh to make easy for her, her period of pregnancy and her delivery

du‘ā’ u’l hifz
supplication to Allāh seeking His protection

du‘ā’ husn u’l khātima
supplication to Allāh to grant a felicitous end as a believing Muslim who has attained salvation

ad-du‘ā’ fi’l istisqā’
supplication to Allāh for rain in seasons of drought

du‘ā’ khatm u’l Qur’ān
supplication to Allāh on the completion of the recitation of the whole Qur’ān

du‘ā’ Laylatu’l Qadr
supplication to Allāh on Laylatu’l Qadr (the night of Destiny) in the month of Ramadān

du‘ā u’n Nasr
supplication to Allāh seeking His Help

du‘ā’ nisf Sha‘bān
supplication to Allāh on the 15^th night of the month of Sha‘bān

Du‘ā’ u’l qunūt
the supplication recited in the dawn or the witr prayer

du‘ā’ u’t Tuhūr
supplication to Allāh when undertaking ritual purification such as wudū (ablution)

du‘ā’ yawm u’l ‘Arafa
supplication to Allāh on the Day of ‘Arafa, that is, on 9^th Dhu’l Hijja at the plain of ‘Arafa while on Hajj. The greatest international gathering of more than 2 million Muslim pilgrims from all over the world takes place every year at ‘Arafa, a plain near Makka. They are in the same white unstitched clothing of Ihrām, begging their Lord for forgiveness. Our Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam has said that Allāh forgives more people on the Day of ‘Arafa than on any other day, and shaytān (the devil) is reduced to tears of helpless rage

du‘ā’ yawm ‘Āshūrā’
supplication to Allāh on the Day of ‘Āshūrā’, that is, on the 10^th of the month of Muharram. This is the day on which Imām Husayn ibn ‘Alī Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu refused to give in to the tyranny of Yazīd but was prepared to lay down his life as well as the lives of his family to preserve the purity and sanctity of the Islamic teachings of his grandfather Sayyidinā wa Nabiyyinā Muhammad al-Mustafā Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

du‘ā’ ziyārat i’l qubūr
supplication to Allāh when visiting the graveyard, imploring Allāh to forgive those who have passed away and to make us benefit from the teachings and the barakāt of the pious among them who have passed away

ad-Dukhān
“the smoke”, one of the signs before the Day of Judgment, the name of Sūrah 44 of the Qur’ān

duldul
the name of the riding mule of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam

dunyā
this world, worldly affairs. One of the basic teachings of Islām is that life in this world is transitory and that we should strive in this world with good deeds for the Hereafter and hope for the Mercy of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

Al-Fātiha!