Glossary of key terms
bada [revealing after concealing] Bada is an Islamic concept regarding Allah’s will. Based on some specific circumstances, Allah (SwT) reveals His will opposite to what was expected. Muslims were accused by the Jews that they believe that Allah (SwT) is ignorant of the ultimate outcome (God forbid) of His orders. This accusation can be defended by the fact that Allah is the Ultimate Wise and creatures or people are ignorant of Allah’s will and not that the Allah (SwT) is ignorant.
fanaa [destruction, annihilation] Fanaa is the term used for "dissolution" or "annihilation". The term refers to the end of this world. Everything which is created is dependent upon the Creator for its survival and will undergo destruction before the Day of Judgment. Fanaa is thus an inherent characteristic of all created things which would get destructed except Allah (SwT).
haadith [contingent, that which comes into being] Haadith is an object which didn’t exist once and then came into the existence. Thus every object in the universe is attributed to this quality because it came into existence. Every haadith needs external factor for coming into being, time and space. As Allah (SwT) being totally independent and beyond time and space cannot be attributed to be haadith. Any god other than Allah (SwT) is in fact not god and is haadith.
hikmatal balighatal jamiah [Ultimate and Complete Wisdom] This term refers to a high level of wisdom which is ultimate and comprehensive. It is greater than the knowledge itself which is just to collect random information. The word Hikmat is derived from Hakamah which is a tool to stop the horse from indulgence. A person having such wisdom is always careful in his thoughts, speech, ideas, acts etc. The words and the speeches of Prophets (as) and Imams (as) are the manifestation of the Ultimate and Comprehensive Wisdom blessed to them by Allah (SwT).
hudooth [the process of coming into being or existence] This term is used to refer to the existence of all the things in the world. The entire creation is described with this term. Only Allah (SwT) is the exception who is eternally preexistent. Every existent needs a creator which is Allah (SwT) to come into existence and so all the things are His creatures. Thus every existent has a beginning, a Creator, all its characteristics are acquired [and so haadith] and it has time of fanaa.
hulool [incarnation, permeation, penetration] The word indicates the transformation from one thing to other and to settle down in that particular object. God cannot incarnate into an object as that would mean His specific presence a particular space and time, which is impossible for God. Few people believe in the concept of the soul being transferred in some of the bodies. Few deviated sects believe in the penetration of Allah’s soul in some gnostic scholar and few others like Hindus believe in incarnation where the soul transfers from one body to other in two different times.
inqadha [expiry, to be finished] This term refers to the nature of the creation that it has a date of expiry. The creation will not exist beyond that date. The whole creation is attributed to this characteristic.
qadeem [eternally pre-existent] This is one of the attributes of Allah (SwT) referring to the concept of always present from infinity. Allah (SwT) was, He is and He will always be. This term is used to indicate that He is not created; rather He is pre-existent. Unlike Him, His creatures are attributed to be haadith, the created ones. Thus all the gods beside Allah are not qadeem and were created.
zawaal [gradual destruction, weakening towards death, to perish etc] Everything in the world moves towards weakening, destruction and the death. The nature of the creation is formed in such a way that it has a time of expiry. This expiry time is zawaal. None of the creatures can be considered as a God because they are born or created for a limited time and undergo zawaal and thus these objects cannot be considered as gods. An example is the fact that every material object, living or non-living undergoes zawaal according to God’s plan for it.