Vocabulary

Allah--God, The One God.  The same God whom Christians and Jews worship.

al-Islaam--The religion of Islam.  The word means "submission" to the will of God.

Muslim--one who believes in Islam.  Preferred pronunciation and spelling.
Moslem--old way of pronouncing and spelling Muslim

Qur'an--The Holy Scripture of Islam.  Believed by Muslims to be the literal words of God, as revealed to His Prophet Muammad by the Angel Gabriel.  Preferred pronunciation and spelling.
Koran--old way of pronouncing and spelling Qur'an

Muammad--The Prophet of Islam.  Muslims believe that he was the last Messenger sent by God to humankind.  He died in the year 632.  Preferred pronunciation and spelling.
Mohamed--old way of pronouncing and spelling Muammad

alla Allah ^cAlayhi wa Sallim-- "May God bless him and grant him salvation"  said by Muslims after they mention the Prophet Muammad's name.  In English they say "Peace Be Upon Him"

The "Five Pillars" of Islam--The basic obligations a Muslim must fulfill.

1. Shahaada--Declaration of Faith--Witnessing that "There is no god but God and Muammad is the Messenger of God."

2. alaat--Prayer--Muslims are supposed to pray five times daily.

3. Zakaat--Charity tax--to support the less fortunate in the community.

4. awm--Fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan--Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset during this month.

5. ajj--Pilgrimage to Mecca--If she or he is physically and financially able, a Muslim should make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in her/his lifetime.  The Hajj purifies the pilgrim spiritually and unifies the Islamic community.

Mosque--Muslim place of worship.
Masjid or Jaami^c--Arabic words for Mosque
Minaret--Tower of mosque, from which the Call to Prayer is given.

Athaan--Muslim Call to Prayer--broadcast from the minaret 5 times daily.

God is most great. God is most great.
God is most great. God is most great.

I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that there is no god except God.

I testify that Muammad is the Messenger of God.
I testify that Muammad is the Messenger of God.

Come to prayer!  Come to prayer!
Come to success!  Come to success!

God is most great. God is most great.
There is no god except God.
 

Mu'aththin--the man who gives the call to prayer.
Muezzin--common pronounciation and spelling of Mu'aththin

alaal--"legal, lawful"  Used, among other things, to refer to food, especially meat from animals that have been slaughtered according to Islamic law.  Devout Muslims do not eat meat which is not alaal.

In shaa Allah.  "If God wills," " God willing"--said by Muslims about any future plans or actions.