Cultural Practices

Evil Eye
Popular belief in the harmful effect of an envious glance or stare
Immodesty in Islam - Definition, Etymology, and Cultural Context
Explore the concept of immodesty in Islam, its implications, and the values of modesty. Learn about how modesty is perceived in Islamic culture and its significance in daily life.
Kufic
Dominant style of early Arabic calligraphy known for its angular script, originating from the city of Kufa in southern Iraq.
Mukʿhaddarah
Learn about the term 'Mukʿhaddarah (مخدرة‎),' its implications, and usage in the Islamic context. Understand the legal and cultural meanings associated with a woman in a state of purity and veiled.
Muṣāfaḥah (مصافحة‎)
Explore the term 'Muṣāfaḥah' (مصافحة‎), its etymology, cultural significance, and role in Islamic tradition. Learn about the practice of shaking hands, its ties to forgiveness, and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad regarding Muṣāfaḥah.
FAʾL (فال‎) - Understanding the Concept of Good Omens in Islam
Explore the term 'FAʾL,' its meaning, context, and usage in Islam. Understand how good omens are distinguished from bad omens, and their implications in Islamic tradition and daily life.
Jewels
Understand the term 'Jewels' from an Islamic perspective. Learn about the rulings related to jewels, their importance, and how they should be handled in Islamic law.
Nikah (Marriage) in Islam - Definition, Etymology, and Significance
Explore the concept of 'Nikah' in Islam, its etymological roots, significance in Islamic culture, and the rituals associated with the Islamic wedding ceremony. Understand the values and legal rulings that underpin the institution of marriage in Islam.
SABT (سبت‎)
Explore the term 'SABT,' its etymology, translations, and cultural significance in the Islamic context. Understand its connection to the concept of Sabbath and its impact on Islamic practices.
Tobacco in Islam - Definition, Etymology, and Cultural Context
Explore the term 'Tobacco' in the Islamic context, including its introduction in Muslim societies, cultural and legal debates, and regional names. Delve into historical perspectives and scholarly viewpoints on its consumption.
Mudabbar
Explore the concept of 'Mudabbar' in Islamic law, referring to a slave granted freedom upon the master's death, and its implications within the historical and legal context of Islam.
Dancing
Understand the perspectives on dancing (Arabic: Raqs) in Islamic teachings, its cultural context, and the differing views among various Islamic sects, including Sufism and Sunni Islam.
Jarr (جر‎) in Islamic Law
Explore the term 'Jarr (جر‎),' its definition, historical context, and implications within Islamic legal practices. Understand how this form of chastisement was applied and its cultural significance.
Harem
Harem: A term indicating a forbidden or sacred place, referring to the women's quarters in a household that are off-limits to males other than husbands or male relatives.
Abu
A term signifying 'father,' often used as an initial part of a familiar name by which a man is known after becoming a parent, typically followed by the name of his oldest son or daughter.
Affinity in Islam - Definition, Etymology, and Legal Rulings on Marriage
Explore the concept of affinity (Qarābah) in Islam, its implications for marriage, and the prohibited degrees of relationships as per Islamic law. Understand the cultural practices and religious scriptures governing marital unions.
Lamentation (Buka')
Explore the concept of lamentation, known as 'Buka'' in Islam. Understand its cultural and religious significance, etymology, and how it is practiced by Muslims. Discover literary and historical contexts within Islamic traditions.
Pictures - Islamic Views and Prohibitions
Discover the Islamic perspective on painting and drawing men and animals, particularly through the Hadith where Prophet Muhammad cursed these actions. Learn about the religious and cultural implications within the Muslim community.
Popular Religion in Islam
Combination of pre-Islamic local culture and practices with Islamic meanings and interpretations.
ʿIlmu ʾl-Aktāf (علم الاكتاف) - Definition, Etymology, and Historical Significance
Explore the term 'ʿIlmu ʾl-Aktāf' (علم الاكتاف), its historical and cultural significance in Islamic traditions, and its comparison with other forms of divination.
Amulets (Arabic: Ḥamāʾil) - Definition, Types, and Significance in Islam
Explore the concept of amulets in Islam, their historical context, varied forms, and their religious and cultural significance. Understand the acceptable uses of Qur'anic verses and names of Allah in amulets and their role in Islamic practice.
Dogs in Islam - Definition, Etymology, and Significance
Explore the significance of dogs (kalb) in Islam. Understand their status, legal rulings, cultural beliefs, and their role according to Islamic tradition.
Hand
Explore the term 'Hand' (yad) in Islamic context, religious practices involving hands, and theological implications of divine references to hands in the Qur'an. Understand its cultural significance and the debate surrounding its interpretation among different Islamic schools of thought.
Nafsāʾ (نفساء‎)
Explore the term 'Nafsāʾ,' its meaning, cultural significance, and relevant Islamic practices and laws concerning the postpartum period for women.
Dedicated: Comprehensive Understanding within an Islamic Context
Explore the term 'Dedicated,' its significance in Islamic studies, and its usage in historical and contemporary contexts. Understand the cultural and theological implications of dedicating works or actions to revered figures within Islam.
Drawing of Lots (Qur'ah and Maisir)
Explore the concepts of Qur'ah and Maisir, two terms used to describe the drawing of lots in Islamic tradition. Understand their connotations, legal implications, and how they differ from each other.
Musallas (مثلث): Definition, Etymology, and Significance in Islam
Explore the concept of 'Musallas' in Islamic tradition, its origins, and its legal and cultural implications. Learn how this aromatic wine is prepared and its acceptance according to Islamic jurisprudence.
Veils in Islamic Dress
Discover the historical, theological, and cultural implications of veils in Islamic context. This entry explores the types, significance, and perception of veiling practices across the Muslim world.
Girdle (Nit̤āq)
Explore the significance of the girdle (Nit̤āq) in various Islamic orders, particularly among the Bakhtāshī and other Sufi orders. Understand its historical and symbolic importance through religious and cultural contexts.
Ḥaram (حرم‎)
Explore the term 'Ḥaram,' its meanings, implications, and usage in various Islamic contexts. Understand its significance in the sacred precincts, domestic spaces, and marital relationships in the lives of Muslims.
Qat
Qat: Addictive narcotic plant consumed widely in Yemen and East Africa. In Islamic law, qat falls into the category of things not prohibited but discouraged (makruh).
Speaking (Conversation) - Definition, Etymology, and Cultural Significance in Islam
Explore the concept of 'Speaking (Conversation)' in Islam, its etymology, cultural implications, and the ethical guidelines Muslims follow during conversations. Understand how speaking impacts social relations and daily life of Muslims.
Tāj (تاج‎) - Definition, Etymology, and Cultural Significance in Islam
Explore the term 'Tāj,' its etymology, historical and cultural context in Islam, and its specific usage in Sufism to denote the cap worn by leaders of religious orders.
Tattooing - Islamic Perspective, Etymology, and Legal Rulings
Explore the prohibition of tattooing in Islam, its etymology, and the Prophetic traditions that speak against this practice. Understand the religious and cultural context behind this prohibition.
Tombs in Islam - Definition, Etymology, and Significance
Explore the Islamic perspectives on tombs and monuments. Understand traditional views from hadiths, legal rulings, cultural practices, and the variations across the Muslim world.
Fortune-Telling - Definition, Etymology, and Prohibition in Islam
Explore the Islamic perspective on fortune-telling, its definition, etymology, and the Prophetic stance against consulting fortune-tellers. Understand how this practice is viewed within Islamic teachings.
Liwaʾ (لواء‎)
Understand the term 'Liwaʾ,' its historical significance, etymology, and role in Islamic culture. Discover how banners and standards have been used in Islamic traditions and warfare.

Dictionary of Islam

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