Islamic terms explained: what do fiqh, aqidah and hadith mean?

If you read Islamic books or attend lessons, you will soon come across words such as fiqh, aqidah, hadith, tafsir and sirah. For someone just starting out, these terms can seem similar.

In this explanation we set out the most important terms simply side by side, so you know better what kind of book or subject you are looking at.

What is aqidah?

Aqidah means creed. It concerns the basis of what a Muslim believes, such as belief in Allah, the angels, the revealed books, the messengers, the Last Day and divine decree.

If you want to study this further, see the Aqidah / Tawheed collection.

What is fiqh?

Fiqh is about Islamic jurisprudence and the practical application of rulings. Topics can include prayer, fasting, trade, marriage or other everyday situations.

Fiqh is a field in which scholars derive legal rulings from Islamic sources. Because there are different schools of law and scholarly opinions, books can differ in their explanations and details. For further study, see our Fiqh / Islamic law collection.

What is a hadith?

A hadith is a narration about the sayings, actions or approvals of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The hadith sciences deal with, among other things, the chain of transmission, the text and the reliability of narrations.

Hadith plays an important role in understanding Islamic practice and in explaining the Quran.

Want to read hadith yourself? In English you can start with the Summarized Sahih al-Bukhari. More titles can be found in our Hadith & Sunnah collection, including the Dutch Sahieh al-Boekharie, part 1 (Dutch edition).

What is tafsir?

Tafsir means explanation or exegesis of the Quran. A tafsir deals with, for example, the meaning of verses, the language, the context and the explanations transmitted by scholars.

If you want more than a translation, have a look at our tafsir books. In English, The Clear Quran Made Easy is an accessible start.

What is sirah?

Sirah usually refers to the biography of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Sirah books cover his life, the events in Makkah and Madinah and the development of the first Muslim community.

See the books about Muhammad ﷺ collection. In English, The Simple Seerah tells his life story in an accessible way, and Golden Seerah for the Young Generation is written for younger readers.

And what do sunnah and tawheed mean?

Sunnah refers to the prophetic way and practice as transmitted through the Islamic sources. Tawheed means affirming the oneness and uniqueness of Allah and is a central subject within the creed.

Where do you start if you don't know the terms yet?

You don't have to read specialist works straight away. Start with a clear basic book, note down unfamiliar terms and build up your knowledge step by step. In the Islam for beginners collection you will find books intended to give a clear overview of the basics, and our English Islamic books collection has titles for every level.

Once you know which field a term belongs to, it also becomes much easier to choose suitable books.

Further reading: if you then want to learn to assess books better, also read how to choose Islamic books and translations.