Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim
Iqra Islamic Publications
Welcome to Islam
Accept Islam for your salvation
Live according to Islam for your spiritual progress

A DICTIONARY OF ISLĀM

FOR THE LOVE OF ALLĀH

QĀMŪS AL-ISLĀM FĪ HUBBILLĀH
Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

N is for Nūr u'n Nabī Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam

na'am
yes! Muslims say "yes" to the teachings of Islām as given in the Holy Qur'ān and the blessed Sunnah (tradition) of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam

Nabawī
prophetic, pertaining to a Prophet, especially pertaining to Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam. For example, Masjid an- Nabawī means the Prophet's Masjid in Madīna

Nabī
Prophet sent by Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā. According to a Saying of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam, there were about 124,000 Prophets, peace be upon them, sent by Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā to various nations and tribes throughout history to guide them to the right path, the last and the Final Prophet being Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him. Only 25 of these Prophets have been mentioned in the Holy Qur'ān.

The five greatest Prophets are called Ulu'l 'Azm (Possessors of strong will and perseverance), peace be upon them. They are Prophet Muhammad, Prophet Ibrāhīm, Prophet Mūsā, Prophet 'Īsā, and Prophet Nūh, peace be upon them (pl: Anbiyā', Nabiyyūn)

nadam
remorse. For example, remorse at having missed opportunities to serve Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā, and to serve Muslims

Nadhīr
Warner (against punishment in Hell-fire), an attributive title of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam who is also referred to in the Holy Qur'ān as Bashīr or Herald of Glad Tidings (of heavenly rewards for pious Muslims)

nadhr
vow. Muslims for example vow that they will perform various good deeds if Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā fulfils their good wishes. They might vow, for example, to feed and clothe the poor or perform nawāfil salāh (optional prayers)

Nadīm
friend (f: Nadīmah)

Naf'an Allāhu bih
may Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā make us benefit from him, said after the name of a shaykh (spiritual master)

nafas
breath. Each breath of a Muslim is invaluable. It is not to be wasted away. It has to be used in the worshipful service of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā. Since Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā has commanded us to serve humanity, one way to serve Allāh is to serve humanity (pl: anfās)

nafī
negation.
The Kalimah at-Tawhīd (Declaration of Muslim faith) is an affirmation of pure Islamic monotheism and a negation of polytheism and atheism

nafīs
precious (f: Nafīsah)

nafs
lower self. The psyche or ego (pl: anfus, nufūs)

nafsāniyya
rebellious forces of self will which are contrary to the Will of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā

an-nafs al-ammārah bis-sū'
the lower self which pulls towards sin. This is the lowest stage of the self that is dominated by worldly desires and passions. At this stage, the person should do tawbah, that is, repent to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā and beg His forgiveness, resolve never to commit the sin again, and turn to Allāh with the dhikr (remembrance) of the Kalimah at-Tawhīd to be recited 100 times everyday as follows:

Lā ilāha Illallāh (recited 100 times)
Muhammad u'r Rasūlullāh (recited once)
S
allallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam (recited once)

None is worthy of worship except Allāh
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh
May the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him.

If the lower self progresses, it attains to higher stages as follows:

an-nafs al-lawwāma
the blaming self, the accusing self. The self which has been illuminated by the light of the heart to the extent that it becomes aware of its recurring heedlessness. Whenever a misdeed occurs, such a self blames itself and turns towards Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā

an-nafs al-mulhama
the inspired self.
In some texts, this has been referred to as an-nafs al-mulhima: the inspiring self

an-nafs al-mutma'inna
the tranquil self; the serene self. The self from which base qualities have been
removed and which is moulded towards laudable moral conduct. The tranquility of the tranquil self is obtained in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allāh Subhānhū wa Ta'ālā

an-nafs ar
-diya
the self that is pleased with Allāh as Lord

an-nafs al-mardiyya
the self that gains the pleasure and love of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā. The Sahāba (Companions) of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam are referred to as Rady Allāhu 'Anhum, which means "Allāh is pleased with them". So, an-nafs al-mardiyya is the stage of the Sahāba as well as other chosen ones of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā

an-nafs al-kāmila
the complete self or the self of perfection, that has been perfected by Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā through His Grace. This is the final stage of the self in its spiritual journey. Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'lā created Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam as al-Insān al-Kāmil (the Perfect Man)

an-nahār
a day from dawn to dusk

nāhī
one who forbids evil

nahī 'ani'l-munkar
forbidding what is wrong and improper. Muslims are expected to enjoin what is right, and forbid the wrong (amr bi'l ma'rūf wa nahī 'ani'l munkar). Success comes by the Grace of Allāh to those Muslims who practice what they preach

nahj
to follow someone's method, to imitate

nahj al-Burda
a poem imitating Qasīda al-Burda of Imām al-Būsīrī Rahmatullāhi 'alayh with the same rhyme and rhythm. Muslims love Qasīda al-Burda so much that some shu'arā (poets) have composed nahj al-Burda along the lines of the original Qasīda al-Burda in praise of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam

nahl
bee

nahr
river, stream (of Paradise) (pl: anhār)

nahr
slaughtering, sacrifice (of an animal)

nahw
syntax, grammar

nā'ib
deputy, representative (pl: nuwwāb)

Na'īm
blessing (f: Na'īma)

na'īm al qabr
bliss in the grave. For the pious Muslims, the grave is brightly lit up and becomes like one of the gardens of Paradise

na'īm al-Ākhira
the bliss in the Hereafter for the pious Muslims as they are admitted to Paradise

najāh
deliverance from Hell-fire, and admission to Paradise

najāsa
impurity, filth. We have to purify ourselves of all filth before we can pray salāh (pl: najāsāt)

Najāshī
the Negus, king of Ethiopia in the time of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam

Najīb
noble, distinguished, outstanding (pl: nujabā')

najis
unclean

Najiyyullāh
the one in whom Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā confided spiritual secrets, title of Sayyidinā Nabī Nūh 'Alayhissalām

an-Najm
the star, the name of Sūrah 53 of the Holy Qur'ān.
We Muslims do not believe that our destiny is written in the stars. We do not look up the column "what the stars foretell" in the newspapers, nor do we consult astrologers. We are governed by faith (īmān), put our trust in Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā, try our best in every endeavour and leave the outcome to Allāh (pl: nujūm)

Najm u'd dīn
The star of religion, a name or title of a Muslim

nakhl
date-palm tree

na'l
sandal, shoe

na'layn
a pair of sandals, a pair of shoes. The na'layn mubārak (blessed sandals) of the Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam have great barakāt (blessings)

namīma
tale-bearing, quoting what someone said to someone else in a way that worsens relations between them

naml
ant

naqīb
chief (pl: nuqabā')

Naqī
pure, immaculate (f: Naqiyyah)

Naqiyy u'd dīn
The purity of religion

an-Nār
the Fire (of Hell). May Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā protect us from the Fire of Hell, Āmīn

an-Nās
mankind, the name of Sūrah 114 of the Holy Qur'ān which is the final Sūrah. The recitation of Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah an-Nās wards off evil with the Will of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā

nasab
family line, lineage, descent

an-Nasārā
the supporters of Nabī 'Īsā 'Alayhissalām (Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him), the Christians (s: Nasrānī)

nashīt
energetic, active, enthusiastic

nasīb
good fortune. It is one's good fortune to be associated with the Awliyā' Allāh (friends of Allāh or sūfī saints)

sih
good counselor (pl: nāsihūn, nāsihīn)

nasīha
good advice

Nasīm
fresh air, breeze

sir
Helper (pl: Nāsirīn, f: Nāsirah)

Nasīr
Helper (f: Nasīra)

nasl
offspring, descendants

an-Nasr
the help, support, the name of Sūrah 110 of the Holy Qur'ān

Nasrullāh
Allāh's help

nass
actual text, actual wording (of the Qur'ān or Hadīth)

na't
attribute, quality

nathr
prose

na'ūdhu Billāh
we seek refuge with Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā

nawāfil
supererogatory, optional, non-obligatory, voluntary acts of worship such as optional prayers, additional fasts and other optional acts of worship (s: nāfilah)

Fard (obligatory) duties are the most important, followed by the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition), and the nawāfil (additional, optional). For example, after the three raka'āt fard salāh of Maghrib, we pray two rak'a Sunnah and then two rak'a nawāfil. The Sunnah and the nawāfil salāh make up for any minor shortcomings in our fard salāh, according to a Saying of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam. The awliyā' Allāh (Friends of Allāh) attain wilāyah (sainthood) through the meticulous fulfillment of the farāid (obligatory religious duties), the Sunnah, as well as the nawāfil.

Our Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam used to stand up at night to perform nawāfil salāh to such an extent that his feet used to get swollen. When his wife, Umm u'l mu'minīn Sayyidatinā 'Āisha Rady Allāhu 'Anhā asked him why he did that when Allāh had already forgiven him everything, he replied, "Shall I not be a grateful servant of Allāh?"

Zakāh (alms-due) is fard (obligatory). In addition to that, we can give sadaqah (voluntary charity). Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam never used to keep anything with him and used to give away whatever he had that very same day.

In sawm (fasting) as well, we have fard, Sunnah, and nawāfil. For example, fasting in the month of Ramadān is fard (obligatory). Fasts other than in the month of Ramadān which Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam recommended, for example, fasting on the day of 'Arafa, or of 'Āshūrā', or six days in the month of Shawwāl, are Sunnah. Other additional optional fasts which Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam did not specifically recommend in his Hadīth (Sayings) are called nawāfil.

Looking at either our father or our mother with love and affection merits the reward of a supererogatory Hajj.

The importance of fulfilling the farāid and the nawāfil becomes clear from the following Hadīth al-Qudsī (Sacred Saying).

Hadrat Abū Hurayrah Rady Allāhu 'Anhu relates that the Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam said that Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā says: My servant does not draw near to Me by anything better than what I have made obligatory (fard) on him, and he will continue to draw near to Me with optional (nawāfil) acts of worship until I love him. And when I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he takes, and his feet with which he walks. If he asks of Me, I shall certainly grant him his request, and if he seeks My protection, I shall certainly protect him (Bukhārī).

Our shaykh, al-Habīb Ahmad Mash-hūr bin Tāhā al-Haddād, Rady Allāhu 'Anhu has exhorted us in Manba' al-Imdād (The Fountain of Help) to act upon this Hadīth al-Qudsī and gain the love of Allāh by fulfilling the farāid as well as the nawāfil to perfection. He explains that if we do that, Allāh Himself loves us, and when He loves us, all our matters become easy for us, our heart is illuminated with spiritual light, doors of success and mercy are opened, and we gain the companionship of the awliyā' Allāh, and hear the dhikr of the malāika (angels).

Allāh says in this Hadīth al-Qudsī: "When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees". Our Shaykh explains that this means that Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā gives the person whom He loves the power of hearing and seeing from a far distance. By way of illustration, he gives the example of Sayyidinā 'Umar Rady Allāhu 'Anhu, who while in Madīna, called out, "Yā Sāriya al-jabal Yā Sāriya al-jabal" (O Sāriya, the mountain; O Sāriya, the mountain). He was warning his army commander in Shām (Syria) that the enemy was coming to attack him from the other side of the mountain. The army commander heard him and took the necessary action. Sayyidinā 'Umar Rady Allāhu 'Anhu could see from far and his army commander could hear from far. This was a karāma (miracle) of Sayyidinā 'Umar Rady Allāhu 'Anhu as well as of his army commander, Rady Allāhu 'Anhu. Allāhu Akbar! (Allāh is Most Great!)

Our Shaykh adds that many such karāmat (miracles) have been performed by the awliyā' (Friends of Allāh, sūfī saints)! Allāhu Akbar!

nawālah
the gift, anything such as robes or honours bestowed by Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā on the muqarrabūn (those drawn near to Him in worshipping Him)

nawm
sleep, which is a blessing from Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā as we wake up refreshed from sleep. However, life is not to be wasted away in sleep. The pious Muslims worship Allāh at night while the rest sleep. The muadhdhin adds in the adhān (call) for Fajr (dawn) prayer: As-Salātu khayrun min an-nawm (Prayer is better than sleep)

nazar
eye-sight, look, glance, the affectionate glance of a shaykh towards a disciple with a prayerful heart

nazīf
clean, tidy

zim
organizer, arranger, poet (f: Nāzimah)

nazm
an instructive poem

nazm Asmā' u'l Husnā
an instructive poem in which the Most Beautiful Names of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā are mentioned in the order in which they appear in Hadīth in such a way as to convey the meanings of these Most Beautiful Names

nazm Asmā' u'n Nabī
an instructive poem in which the blessed attributive names of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam are mentioned in such a way as to convey the meanings of these names

nidā
call. For example, the call to accept Islām

nifāq
hypocrisy

nifās
bleeding after childbirth

nikāh
marriage according to Islamic Law.
In Islām, bachelors are encouraged to get married as soon as they are able to maintain a family. If they cannot yet afford to maintain a family, they should fast, as fasting curbs sexual desire and preserves from immorality and pre-marital sex. In Islām, parents are expected to get their daughters married as soon as they receive a good proposal to guard their daughters against immorality.
Our Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam said that marriage fulfils half of a person's religion. He said that a woman may be married for four reasons: for her property, her rank, her beauty or her religion. So he advised to get married to someone who is pious and religious and as a result to prosper in this world as well as in the Hereafter

ni'ma
favour, blessing, grace (pl: na'mā', ni'am)

Ni'matullāh
Blessing of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā. Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam is the greatest blessing of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā for all creation

niqāb
veil, which covers the face as well, a high point of Muslim culture, practiced by the spiritual elite in countries where Muslims are in a majority such as the countries in the Arabian peninsula, Afghānistān and Pakistān as well as in countries where Muslims are in a minority such as India, Kenya and Canada.

Hijāb is slightly different from the niqāb as the hijāb doesn't cover the face while the niqāb does. Those Muslim women who do not wear the niqāb admire those who do, for their special piety, while those who wear the niqāb continue to love all Muslim women as their sisters. Those who do not yet wear the hijāb, hope in their heart that one day they will, with the Will of Allāh. And they thank Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā for preserving their chastity and modesty all the same.

Promoters of nudity and vice are advising Muslim women to abandon the niqāb, the hijāb, the jilbāb, and any other decent Muslim dress that they have and to take to the bikini instead. Muslim women are saying "no, thank you", as they are applauded by sensible people all over the world for their wise decision.

Promoters of nudity mock at Muslim women for being decently and modestly dressed but at the same time they proudly record it in their history books that their ancestors used to be decently and modestly dressed! Surely, their minds work in mysterious ways!

Muslim women tell them: Welcome to the good old days of your ancestors. Better still, say Muslim women: Welcome to Islām! /p>

Al-Fātiha!

an-Nisā'
the women, the name of Sūrah 4 of the Qur'ān

nisāb
the minimum amount of wealth above which zakāh (obligatory annual alms-giving) becomes due

nisba
affectionate attachment and affinity. Muslims love to have affinity with the Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam, with the awliyā' Allāh (Friends of Allāh, sūfī saints) and the pious

nisf
half

nisf Sha'bān
the middle of the month of Sha'bān, the 15th night of Sha'bān in which devout Muslims visit the graveyard to pray that may Allāh forgive the dead, recite Sūrah Yāsīn, recite Du'ā nisf Sha'bān which is a special supplication for that night, and perform various optional (nawāfil) prayers. Some Muslims spend the whole of this night in prayer and in the recitation of the Qur'ān and fast the next day. The rest of the Muslims draw inspiration from them (syn: laylatu'l barā'ah)

niyya
intention. Our Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam said that actions are judged by intentions (pl: niyyāt)

niyya sāliha
righteous intention

nizām
proper arrangement, proper organization

Nubuwwa
Prophethood. Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam declared his Prophethood at the age of forty when the Archangel Jibrīl 'Alayhissalām brought to him the first revelation from Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā of verses of the Holy Qur'ān

Nujabā'
the noble ones. These are forty persons across the world at any one time who rectify the affairs of the people and bear the burdens. They are the administrators of the rights of mankind

Nuqabā'
the (spiritual) chiefs who have seen the inwardness of people and discovered their secret thoughts (s: naqīb)

Nūniyya
a religious poem in which all the verses end and rhyme in the letter nūn

an-Nūr
the Light, the name of Sūrah 24 of the Glorious Qur'ān.
Spiritual light is one of the central realities of Islām. Islām is a religion of spiritual illumination that lights up the heart of a Muslim with īmān (faith).
The Holy Qur'ān Karīm tells us that Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā is the Light of the heavens and the earth (24:35), Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam is Light (5:15), the Holy Qur'ān is Light (4:174) and brings people from darkness into light (14:1), those whose hearts Allāh opens to Islām are upon a light from Him (39:22), a Muslim believer receives a light from Allāh by which he walks among people (57:28), for the sincerely truthful (siddīqūn) and the martyrs (shuhadā'), there is a reward and a light from Allāh in the Hereafter (57:19), and in heaven, the light of the faithful Muslims will run in front of them and on their right hands (57:12) and they will ask Allāh to perfect their light for them (66:8).
O Allāh! Bestow upon us spiritual light in our hearts, in our graves, in our hearing and eye-sight, in our hair and skin, in our flesh and blood, in our bones and nerves, among ourselves and all around us. O Allāh! Increae our spiritual light so that we shine with spiritual light, with Your mercy, O The Most Merciful. Āmīn (pl: anwār)

nūrun 'alā nūr
light upon light

Nūrānī
Luminous

nūr al-basīra
the illumination of intuitive light, the light of inner-sight

nūr al-Īmān
the light of the faith

nūr al-Īslām
the light of Islām

Nūr al-anwār
the light of lights, one of the titles of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam

Nūr u'n Nabī
the sacred light of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam which Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā created first before He created anything else

Nūrin min Nūrillāh
light from the Light of Allāh; refers to Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam, as Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā created him from His own Light

Nūr u't tāmm
total spiritual light, one of the titles of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam

Nūr Muhammad
the light of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam, the name of a Muslim

Nūr u'd dīn
the light of religion, the name or title of a Muslim

nuskha
transcript, copy

nushūz
violation of marital duties (through defiance, ill-treatment, open lewdness or obscenity)

nusra
helpful support. Muslims always seek the helpful support of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā

nusuk
the sacrifice of an animal such as a goat or a lamb; a rite or ceremony (of the Muslim Pilgrimage) (pl: manāsik)

Nuzūl
the revelation by Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta'ālā of verses of the Holy Qur'ān to Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa Sallam, through Angel Jibrīl, 'Alayhissalām

Al-Fātiha!

< Return