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Quran glossary: learning terms explained
33 words you will meet when learning to read, recite and memorise the Quran, each explained in one or two plain-English sentences. Where a term is a link, it opens the full guide.
Last updated: 1 October 2026
Jump to: A–F · G–M · N–R · S–Z
A–F
- Asbab al-nuzul
- The circumstances in which particular verses were revealed. Studied as part of tafseer.
- Ayah
- A verse of the Quran. Plural: ayat. The Quran has 6,236 ayat in the common Kufan count.
- Basmalah
- The phrase "Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim" (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful), which opens every surah except Surah At-Tawbah.
- Al-Fatihah
- The opening surah of the Quran, recited in every unit of prayer.
G–M
- Ghunnah
- The nasal sound of noon and meem, held for about two counts in certain rules.
- Hafiz
- Someone who has memorised the whole Quran. A woman who has done so is often called a hafiza.
- Hafs ‘an ‘Asim
- The most widely recited riwayah of the Quran today, the narration of Hafs from the reader ‘Asim.
- Hifz
- Memorising the Quran, in part or in full.
- Hizb
- Half of a juz. The Quran is divided into 60 ahzab.
- Idgham
- Merging one letter into the next, for example noon sakinah into certain letters.
- Ijazah
- A certificate from a qualified teacher confirming that a student recites (or teaches) correctly, usually with a sanad.
- Ikhfa
- Partly hiding a noon or meem sound, with ghunnah, before certain letters.
- Juz
- One of the 30 equal parts of the Quran, about 20 pages each in the Madinah mushaf. Also called a para or sipara.
- Khatm
- Completing a full reading of the Quran from beginning to end.
- Madd
- Lengthening a long vowel for a set number of counts.
- Makharij
- The points of articulation: where each Arabic letter is pronounced from.
- Manzil
- One of seven parts used to complete the Quran in a week. In hifz, "manzil" also means revision of older memorisation.
- Mushaf
- A printed or written copy of the Quran. Common UK styles are the Madinah (Uthmani) and IndoPak scripts.
N–R
- Nazra
- Reading the Quran from the mushaf (as opposed to from memory), usually aloud to a teacher.
- Noorani Qaida
- A beginner's book that teaches the Arabic letters and how to read them, step by step.
- Qalqalah
- The echoing bounce on five letters when they have no vowel: qaf, ta, ba, jim and dal.
- Qira'at
- The recognised readings of the Quran. Ten are widely accepted, each passed down through two main narrations (riwayat).
- Riwayah
- A narration of one of the qira'at, such as Hafs ‘an ‘Asim or Warsh ‘an Nafi‘.
- Ruku (section)
- A thematic section of a surah, marked in many IndoPak mushafs. Also the bowing position in salah.
S–Z
- Sabaq
- The new lesson in hifz: the lines memorised that day.
- Sabaq para
- Revision of recent memorisation, usually the last few days or weeks.
- Sanad
- The unbroken chain of teachers linking a reciter back to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
- Surah
- A chapter of the Quran. There are 114 surahs.
- Tafseer
- Explanation of the Quran: meaning, context and lessons of the verses.
- Tajweed
- The rules for reciting the Quran correctly, as it was revealed.
- Tarjuma
- Translation of the meaning of the Quran into another language.
- Tarteel
- Reciting at a measured, unhurried pace, with tajweed.
- Waqf
- Stopping during recitation. Symbols in the mushaf show where stopping is required, allowed or not allowed.
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