Alina Kanaan

Definition of Words (updated as book goes on)

ma sha Allah (Arabic)- "whatever God wills". It's used to show admiration or glorifying Allah for anything that pleases a person. It can also mean "whatever Allah wills, will be realized".

adhan (Arabic)- It is the Islamic called to prayer. In Islamic countries, the adhan can be heard from every mosque and is usually made my a muezzin, or the person appointed to call the adhan, from the minaret of a mosque.

in sha Allah (Arabic)- "if God wills". It is said when a Muslim is talking about something that might or might not happen in the future. It is believed that God is the only one who knows what will happen in the future.

cállate (Spanish)- "shut up"

Allah (Arabic)- "God". Allah is the same God that Christians and Jews worship.

asr (Arabic)- It is the Islamic evening prayer. It is number three of the five daily prayers.

hijab (Arabic)- It is the headscarf that some Muslim women wear. The reason for wearing it is for people to like you based on your personality on not your looks.

wudu (Arabic)- It is the cleaning a Muslim does before every prayer. It consists of washing the hands, arms, face, nose, mouth, head, and feet. It is done so a Muslim is clean before God while they are praying.

Allahu akbar (Arabic)- "God is great". It is said whenever one realizes the glory of God and when something good happens to someone.

dua (Arabic)-  An Islamic form of prayer. A Muslim cups their hands and says a prayer to God. The prayer can be about anything and can be in any language.

parlez-vous français (French)- "Do you speak French?"

ah, oui. Je parle à la maison parfois parce que ma famille le sait aussi (French)- "Ah, yes. I speak it at home sometimes because my family knows it too".

naam (Arabic)- "yes"

habibty/ya habibty (Arabic)- "my darling/my love" (said to a female; habibi  is the same, but is said to a male). Ya just means "oh".

tayib (Arabic)- "okay"

shukran (Arabic)- "thank you"

assalamu alykoum (Arabic)- "Peace be upon you". This is the standard greeting between Muslims.

walykoum assalam (Arabic)- "Peace be upon you too". This is the reply to the greeting above.

eid (Arabic)- It can refer to Eid al Fitr or Eid al Adha. Eid al Fitr is a three day celebration right after Ramadan. Ramadan is when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day for a month. Eid al Adha is to celebrate when Ibrahim (or Abraham) was willing to follow God's commandment to sacrifice his son, Ishmael.

bismillahir rahmanir rahim (Arabic)- "In the name of God, the most Benficient, the most Merciful".

hola (Spanish)- "hello"

mi hermana/mi hermano (Spanish)- "my sister/my brother"

fajr (Arabic)- It is the Islamic morning prayer. It is number one of the five daily prayers.

jazakallah khair (Arabic)- "may God reward you with good". It is the Islamic way of saying thank you to someone.

masjid (Arabic)- "mosque"

Muslimah(s) (Arabic)- "female Muslim(s)"

assalamu alykoum warahmatullahi wabarakatu (Arabic)- "may the peace, the blessings, and the mercy of Allah be upon you". It's another way of saying assalamu alykoum.

alhamdulilah (Arabic)- "praise be to Allah"

maghrib (Arabic)- It is the Islamic sunset prayer. It is number four of the five daily prayers.

isha (Arabic)- It is the Islamic night prayer. It is number five of the five daily prayers.

haram (Arabic)-" unpermissible/forbidden"

nikkah (Arabic)- "marriage" 

baba (Arabic)- "dad"

dabke (Arabic)- It's a form of circle dance and line dancing. It's popular in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine.

mera pyara (Punjabi)- "my love"

al fatihah (Arabic)- It's the first chapter of the Quran, which is Islam's holy book. It's said before every unit of prayer and is memorized by every Muslim in the world.

ya rab (Arabic)- "Oh Lord"

alf mabrook (Arabic)- "a thousand congratulations"

shukran kteer (Arabic)- "thanks a lot"

ya okhty (Arabic)- "oh sister"

akeed (Arabic)- "for sure"

dhikr (Arabic)- It's remembering Allah. It can be by using beads to repeat phrases that praise Allah.

salwar khameez (Punjabi)- It's a traditional outfit that originates in South and Central Asia.