Glossary of terms

Halal

Permissible under Islamic law.

Haram

Forbidden under Islamic law.

Mashbooh

Doubtful — best avoided until clarified by a qualified scholar.

Riba

Interest or usury — any guaranteed, predetermined return on a loan. Prohibited.

Gharar

Excessive uncertainty or ambiguity in a contract or asset.

Maysir

Gambling or speculation where gain comes purely from chance.

Qabd

Taking possession — required (often immediately) when exchanging money or gold.

Fatwa

A scholarly legal opinion. It is guidance, not legislation, and scholars may differ.

Staking

Locking crypto to help run a network in return for rewards — which can raise a riba-like concern.

DeFi

Decentralized finance — lending, borrowing and trading via smart contracts, often interest-based.