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Key Words

ISLAM

Ablution
Ritual washing in Islam. The Arabic term is wudu.
 
Adalat
The concept of justice in Shi’a Islam
 
Adam
One of the prophets of Allah. The father of humankind. He built the Ka’aba.
 
Allah
The Islamic name for God.
 
Akhirah
Belief in life after death.
 
Angels
They are spiritual beings created from elements of light. They gave Gods messages to the prophets and watch over humans.
 
Arafat
A plain near to Makkah where pilgrims gather to worship, pray and ask for forgiveness. This takes place on the ninth day of the Islamic month, the day before Eid ul Adha.
 
Ashura
A very important festival in Shi’a Islam, occurring on 10th Muharram. Shi’a Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Hussein (Muhammad’s grandson). Ashura is observed by Sunni Muslims for a different reason, as a day of repentance for sins in the belief that they will be forgiven.
 
Authority
As the direct Word of Allah, the Qur’an has supreme authority. This means its truths must be believed and its commands obeyed.
 
Beneficence
Literally ‘doing good’. One of the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah, it refers to the generosity that Allah shows to humans.
 
Day of Judgement
The day when Allah will decide about individual deeds, good and bad, and on reward or punishment.
 
Fairness
This refers to Allah’s justice. He treats all humans equally and as they deserve.
 
Fasting
Not eating or drinking. It refers especially to sawm, which is the 4th of the Five Pillars. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.
 
The Five Pillars
The Five Pillars observed by Sunni Muslims which support Islam by encouraging the development of good character, attitude and behaviour. These are shahadah, salah, zakah, sawm and hajj.
 
The five roots of Usul ad-Din
The foundations of the faith in Shi’a Islam. They consist of five key beliefs: Tawhid(the Oneness of Allah), Adalat (justice), prophethood (nubuwwah), imamate (leadership).
 
Friday prayer
Jummah. Friday prayers in the mosque, where a sermon (khutbah) is heard.
 
Giving alms
A key practice in Islam. Zakah is the 3rd of the Five Pillars. Giving alms means giving to those in need, e.g. money, food, time.
 
The Gospel
The term means ‘good news’ and it is the good news about Isa (Jesus), one of the prophets of Islam. It was written down by his disciples.
 
Greater jihad
This refers to the duty of every Muslim to live a good life, staying faithful to the beliefs and obeying the commands of Islam.
 
Hajj
Annual pilgrimage to Makkah, which all Muslims must undertake at least once in their lives, unless prevented by problems over wealth or health. The 5th of the Five Pillars.
 
Heaven
Referred to by Muslims as paradise. It is Allah’s reward after death to those who have been faithful to Allah and who have repented of their sins.
 
Hell
It is a place of great suffering after death for those who have rejected the Qur’an’s teachings and have led a wicked life. For some it will last forever.
 
Human accountability
The belief that everyone must take responsibility for their actions and will be questioned about them on the Day of Judgement.
 
Human freedom
Humans have control over their thoughts, feelings and actions.
 
Human responsibility
Humans are responsible for most of what they do because they have free will and so will be accountable on the Day of Judgement.
 
Ibrahim
One of the prophets of Allah. He rebuilt the Ka’aba.
 
Id-ul-Adha
Celebration of the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah. It comes at the end of the period of hajj.
 
Id-ul-Fitr
A celebration that comes at the end of Ramadan and marks the end of fasting.
 
The imamate
It means ‘leadership’ and refers in Shi’a Islam to the twelve imams who succeeded Muhammad as the leaders of Islam.
 
Immanence
The belief that Allah is close to humanity ad involved in the world.

​Islam
The name of the religion followed by Muslims. To surrender to the will of God. Peace.
 
Jibril
The most important of the angels and spoke with many of the prophets of Allah. Jibril dictated the Qur’an to Muhammad. On Judgement Day he will assist with the weighing of a person’s deeds.
 
Jihad
'To struggle’. It refers to the effort made to obey Allah.
 
Jummah
Weekly communal salah performed after midday on a Friday.
 
Justice
Bringing about what is right, fair, according to the law or making up for a wrong that has been committed.
 
The Ka'aba
The black covered cube-shaped building in the centre of the grand mosque in Makkah. All Muslims face towards it when they pray.
 
Khums
This is a practice in Shi’a Islam. It is a 20% tax on annual surplus income and is given to the poor and to religious leaders.
 
Lesser jihad
This refers to the military struggle to defend Islam. It is carried out according to strict and clear cut rules.
 
Life after death
Akhirah. Muslims believe that death is not the end.
 
Makkah
The city where Muhammad was born. The spiritual centre of Islam, it is in Saudi Arabia.
 
Mercy
One of Allah’s 99 Beautiful Names. It refers to Allah’s willingness to forgive the sins of those who repent.
 
Mika’il
One of the most important angels. He gives spiritual and material help to humans. On Judgement Day he will assist with the weighing of a person’s deeds.
 
Mina
Place to be visited on hajj – stoning of pillars.
 
Mosque
The Muslim place of worship.
 
Muslim
One who has submitted to the will of Allah and has accepted Islam.
 
Muzdalifah
Place where pilgrims hold a night prayer and rest during hajj, after the Stand on Mount Arafat.
 
Muhammad
The last and greatest of the prophets of Allah. He received the Qur’an and his Sunnah and Hadiths are also important sources of authority.
 
The Night of Power
The name for the night on which Muhammad received the first revelations of the Qur’an.
 
Omnipotence
One of the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah. It refers to Allah’s ability to do anything.
 
The Oneness of God
Tawhid. It refers to the unity of Allah. Islam is a monotheistic religion.
 
Pilgrimage
A journey made for religious reasons.
 
Predestination
This is the idea that everything that happens has been decided already by Allah.
 
Prophethood
Risalah. Channel of communication with God. Three prophets are set for study: Adam, Ibrahim and Muhammad.
 
The Psalms
Sacred prayers/poems written by King Dawud (David) who was himself a prophet of Allah.
 
The Qur’an
The Holy Book revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the angel Jibril. Allah’s final revelation to humankind.
 
Rak’ahs
Actions made during salah consisting of recitations, standing, bowing and prostration.
 
Ramadan
Month during which fasting from dawn to sunset is demanded (ninth month of the Islamic calendar).
 
Recitations
Acts of reciting from memory texts from the Qur’an.
 
Resurrection
After death, all people will be raised from the dead to face Allah’s judgement. This is a physical resurrection.
 
Revelation
Allah shows his nature and his will to believers through the words of the Qur’an.
 
Risalah
Prophethood. The channel of communication between Allah and humanity. Three prophets are set for study: Adam, Ibrahim and Muhammad.
 
Salah
Prayer to and worship of Allah, performed under the conditions set by the Prophet Muhammad – five times a day. The 2nd of the Five Pillars.
 
Sawm
Fasting from dawn to dusk during Ramadan; sex and smoking are banned when the believer is engaged in this. The 4th of the Five Pillars.
 
The Scrolls of Abraham
These were individual revelations to Ibrahim that were written on parchment but have perished. They were given on the first day of Ramadan and consisted of stories.
 
The Shahadah
Muslim declaration of faith. It is a statement of faith in Allah as the only God and in Muhammad as Allah’s prophet. The 1st of the Five Pillars for Sunni Muslims. In Shi’a Islam it is not a separate Pillar and it has two additional statements relating to Ali as beloved of Allah and the rightful trustee and successor of Muhammad.
 
Shi’a Islam
Muslims who believe in the Imamah, successorship of Ali.
 
Surah
A division (chapter) of the Qur an. There are 114 in all.
 
Sunni Islam
Muslims who believe in the successorship of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali.
 
Tawhid
The oneness and unity of Allah. Islam is a monotheistic religion.
 
The Ten Obligatory Acts
These are requirements for Shi’a Muslims. They include salah, sawm, zakah, hajj and jihad (duties also for Sunni Muslims) but the final five are not part of the Sunni tradition.
 
The Torah
This was given by Allah to Musa (Moses), who was a prophet of Allah. It was given on Mt. Sinai.
 
Wudu
Ablution. Ritual washing performed before salah and also when purification is needed.
 
Zakah
The 3rd of the Five Pillars. It consists of the giving of alms to purify those who give it and the rest of their money.

CHRISTIANITY

​Ascension
The event 40 days after the Resurrection, when Jesus returned to God, the Father, in heaven, recorded in Luke 24 and Acts 1.
 
Atonement
Literally ‘at-one-ment’, it refers to the reconciliation between God and humanity that was sealed by the sacrificial death of Jesus.
 
Baptism
The sacrament through which people become members of the Church. Baptism involves the use of water as a symbol of the washing away of sin. It is a rite of initiation.
 
Believers' baptism
Initiation into the Church, by immersion in water, of people old enough to understand the ceremony/rite and willing to live a Christian life. Some denominations prefer this to infant baptism. This form of baptism contains many similarities to the baptism of Jesus.
 
Bible
Sacred book for Christians containing both the Old and New Testaments.
 
Catholic
The tradition within the Christian Church which is led by the Pope.
 
Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
A Christian charity that provides emergency and long-term aid to the developing world.
 
Christ
The leader promised by God to the Jews. The word literally means 'Anointed One' in Greek; the Hebrew equivalent is Messiah. Christians believe Jesus to be the Christ.
 
Christian
Someone who believes in Jesus Christ and follows the religion based on his teachings.
 
Christian Aid
A Christian charity that provides emergency and long-term aid to the developing world.
 
Christmas
The Feast Day commemorating the birth of Jesus (25 December in most Churches).
 
Church
The Holy People of God, also called the Body of Christ, among whom Christ is present and active.
Members of a particular Christian denomination/tradition.
A building in which Christians worship.
Creation
Christians believe that the world is God’s loving creation.
 
Crucifixion
Roman method of execution by which criminals were fixed to a cross.
The execution and death of Jesus on Good Friday.
Easter
The religious season celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It starts on Easter Day and finishes with the feast of Pentecost.
 
Eucharist
Literally 'thanksgiving'. Another name for Holy Communion and a service in which the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus are celebrated, using bread and wine. Thanks are given to God for his creation of the world, for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and for the bread and wine which many Christians refer to as Jesus' Body and Blood.
 
Evangelism
Preaching the gospel (the good news about God) to convert people to the Christian faith.
 
Evil
The opposite of good. A force that is seen in many traditions as destructive and against God.
 
The Father
The first Person of the Trinity, the creator and sustainer of the universe.
 
Food banks
This relates to Christian charities collecting donated food to distribute to the poor in Britain.
 
Grace
The unconditional and generous love that God shows to people who do not deserve it.
 
Heaven
The state after death of being with and enjoying eternity with God
 
Hell
The place of eternal suffering or the state after death of separation from God for those who want no relationship with him.
 
Holy Communion
Another name for the Eucharist in which the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus are celebrated using bread and wine.
 
Holy Spirit
The third person of the Holy Trinity who descended like a dove on Jesus at his baptism. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is present and inspires them.
 
Incarnation
Literally 'in flesh', or 'enfleshed', the doctrine that God took the human form as Jesus.
 
Infant baptism
Initiation of babies and young children into the Church, where promises are taken on their behalf by adults. The infant is freed from sin and introduced to the saving love of God and the support of the Christian community.
 
Informal prayer
This takes the form of extempore prayer, consisting of spontaneous prayers spoken from the heart as opposed to the use of set prayers.
 
Informal worship
Worship which has no set structure It is usually spontaneous and sometimes charismatic in nature.
 
Iona
An island of the west coast of Scotland founded by Columba in the 4th century. It is used by Christians today as a centre for pilgrimage and religious retreat.
 
Jesus
First century Jewish teacher and holy man, believed by Christians to be the Son of God.
 
Judgement
When God decides whether each person should receive eternal life or eternal punishment.
 
Just
This refers to the nature of God as one who treats each individual human being fairly and equally.
 
Liturgical worship
A church service which follows a set structure or ritual.
 
Law
This refers to the law of God, revealed in the Bible, which Christians are called to obey. St Paul made it clear, however, that salvation is not earned by obedience to the law but is God’s free gift.
 
Lourdes
A town in France, where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette in a series of visions, and now a place of pilgrimage, where it is claimed that miraculous healings have taken place.
 
Lord's Prayer
The prayer taught to the disciples by Jesus; also known as the 'Our Father'.
 
Mission
Literally ‘sent out’. It refers to the duty of Christians to spread the gospel (the good news about Jesus).
 
Non-liturgical worship
A service which does not follow a set text or ritual. This type of worship is sometimes spontaneous or charismatic in nature.
 
Omnipotent
The belief that God is ‘all powerful’.
 
The Oneness of God
The belief that God is ‘One’.
 
Original sin
The traditional belief that is still held by some Christians that human nature is basically flawed, and so humans have a tendency to go against God’s will. Christians who think that the Bible is literally true believe that it has been passed down from Adam and Eve.
 
Orthodox
The most popular Christian tradition in some parts of Eastern Europe. There are two main Orthodox Churches – Greek and Russian.
 
Persecution
Throughout the centuries and still in some parts of the world, Christians face punishment and even death for adherence to their faith.
 
Pilgrimage
A journey by a Christian to a holy site, eg Lourdes, Iona. Pilgrimage is itself an act of worship and devotion.
 
Prayer
Communicating with God through words of praise, thanksgiving or confession, or requests for his help or guidance. Listening to and speaking to God.
 
Private worship
A believer giving God praise and worship on his or her own.
 
Protestant
The Churches that 'protested' against and broke away from the Catholic Church during the Reformation. Services are generally based more closely on the Bible than those of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
 
Reconciliation
The process of restoring harmony after relationships between people has broken down.
A sacrament in the Roman Catholic and some Anglican Churches.
Resurrection
The event celebrated on Easter Day of Jesus rising from the dead, an event recorded in all four gospels and the central belief of Christianity.
The form that many Christians believe the afterlife will take, referring to either physical or spiritual bodies.
Sacrament
The outward and visible sign of an invisible and spiritual grace. Baptism and the Eucharist are recognised as sacraments by most Christians.
 
Salvation
Saving the soul and deliverance from sin and admission to heaven brought about by Jesus.
 
Set prayers
These are prayers written throughout the centuries by Christian holy men and women, which many Christians use. The Lord’s Prayer is an example of a set prayer.
 
Sin
Behaviour which is against God's laws and wishes/against principles of morality. A thought, word or action which is wrong, which people know is wrong and which people freely choose.
 
The Son
The second Person of the Trinity. This is Jesus, in whom God became incarnate.
 
Son of God
A title used for Jesus, the second person in the Trinity; denotes the special relationship between Jesus and God.
 
Sources of wisdom and authority
Christians believe that the Bible, religious leaders and statements of belief, eg the Apostles' Creed, should be respected as conveying deep religious truths.
 
Street pastors
A Christian organisation consisting of people who work mainly at night on city streets, caring for those who need help.
 
Suffering
When people have to face and live with unpleasant events or conditions.
 
Tearfund
A Christian charity that provides emergency and long-term aid to the developing world.
 
Trinity
The belief that there are three Persons in the One God. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are separate, but are also one being.
 
Word
St John’s Gospel 1 describes God creating the world through his Word and links this to Jesus in the statement: ‘The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us’.
 
Worship
Offering to God the praise that he is due. This may be done in public or in private worship.
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