Arabic–English Islamic Dictionary
107 terms · Quranic vocabulary, fiqh, aqida, tafsir and Islamic concepts explained in English
Each entry includes the original Arabic script, transliteration, root analysis, theological definition, and Quranic or hadith references — designed to serve both English-speaking learners and scholars.
مَهْر
Quran ×4Mahr (Dowry)
mahr
Fiqh · Quran
Mahr is the obligatory gift of wealth that a husband gives to his wife as part of the nikah contract. The Quran commands: 'Give women their mahr as a free gift' (4:4). It is the wife's exclusive right — she may demand it, defer it, or voluntarily return it. No minimum or maximum amount is fixed in most schools; what matters is mutual agreement. Mahr is a symbol of honor and commitment.
مَلَك
Quran ×88Malak (Angel)
malak
Aqidah · Quran
Mala'ika (angels) are spiritual beings created from light, who obey Allah perfectly and never sin. Belief in angels is one of the six pillars of iman. The four archangels are: Jibril (revelation), Mika'il (sustenance), Israfil (the Trumpet on Judgment Day), and Azra'il (death). The Kiraman Katibin angels record human deeds. Unlike humans and jinn, angels have no free will and are never tested.
مَسْجِد
Quran ×22Masjid (Mosque)
masjid
Worship · Quran
A masjid (mosque) is a place of worship for Muslims — literally "a place of prostration." The first mosque in Islam was the Quba Mosque built by the Prophet in Medina. The three holiest mosques are Masjid al-Haram (Mecca), Masjid al-Nabawi (Medina), and Al-Aqsa (Jerusalem). The mosque serves as the center of Muslim community life.
About This Dictionary
The Islam Agenda Arabic–English Dictionary is a curated reference for English-speaking Muslims, students of Islamic studies, and anyone seeking to understand the theological vocabulary of the Quran and classical Islamic scholarship. Each entry includes the original Arabic script with diacritics, romanized transliteration, root letters (which unlock the word's family of meanings), grammatical category, and a scholarly definition.
Where applicable, entries note how many times the word — or its root — appears in the Quran, providing an immediate sense of the term's centrality in Islamic thought. Contextual sections include Quranic verse references translated according to Sahih International and hadith citations from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
The dictionary is organised into eight disciplines — Fiqh, Aqidah, Tafsir, Hadith, Sufism, Seerah, Worship, and Ethics — reflecting the major branches of Islamic knowledge. Use the filters above to browse by category, or search for a specific term to access its full entry.
What Each Entry Contains
Arabic Script & Root
The word in its original Arabic with vowel marks (tashkeel), its three-letter root, and transliteration into Latin script.
Scholarly Definition
A concise 50–60 word definition optimised for clarity, followed by a detailed explanation drawing on classical and contemporary scholarship.
Quranic & Hadith Context
Key verses from the Quran and prophetic traditions that illustrate how the term is used in its primary sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sources does this dictionary use?
Definitions are drawn from the Quran (Sahih International translation), Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and established works of Islamic jurisprudence and theology. Classical Arabic lexicons such as Lisān al-ʿArab inform root analyses.