Hadith

H is for Hadith

Hadith are sayings, practices and habits of Prophet Muhammad collected by his companions. After his death, the origins of stories were traced through the chain of narrators, those that couldn’t be verified were considered weak and the ones supportable deemed authentic. The volumes of authentic Hadith are a major source of Islamic law, ranking second in authority after the Quran.

Hadith
Hagar

H is for Hagar

Hajar in Arabic, is the wife of Abraham who was left alone with her son Ishmael in the desert with dates and water. When the water ran out, she knew God would not abandon her and ran seven times between two hills Safa and Marwa. Gabriel appeared and hit the ground with his wingtip, and water gushed forth. Hagar is the “Mother of Monotheism” and founder of Mecca. Muslims honor her during Hajj by running between Safa and Marwa seven times.

Hagar
Hajj

H is for Hajj

Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. The pilgrimage, which lasts approximately 5 to 6 days depending on the lunar calendar, is a mandatory religious duty that must be carried out at least once in a lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey.

Hajj
Halal

H is for Halal

Halal is an Arabic word that means “permissible” and its opposite is Haram, “forbidden.” Halal includes sets of prescribed rules based in Islamic ethics which Muslims must follow. Most notable among them are dietary guidelines pertaining to food consumption and the way in which an animal is slaughtered, like the term Kosher in Judaism. Halal can also pertain to business practices which include business transparency and ethical investments.

Halal
Hijab

H is for Hijab

Hijab is an Arabic word meaning “barrier” or “partition” . It refers to the principle of modesty for Muslims and can be interpreted on an individual basis. While physical dress is not the only way for Muslims to practice modesty, the term hijab usually refers to the headscarf worn by some Muslim women, even though this type of veil predates Islam.

Hijab
Hijra

H is for Hijra

Hijra refers to the migration of the Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Yathrib, later renamed by him Medina, in the year 622. The Prophet fled persecution and established the first Islamic state in Medina. This year marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar “Hijri calendar.” In the Quran, hijra also refers to any migration a person needs to undertake to flee religious persecution.

Hijra
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