jahl

Jahl is a transliteration of the Arabic الجهل, which denotes ignorance or a lack of knowledge. In both classical and modern Arabic, the term covers a broad sense of not knowing something, as well as a broader moral or spiritual ignorance in certain contexts. The related adjective is jahil (ignorant), and phrases may use al-jahl to mean “the ignorance” in a given situation.

In Islamic scholarship, jahl appears in discussions of Jahiliyyah (or Jahilia), the term for the era and cultural state of pre-Islamic Arabia described as lacking divine guidance. The concept is used to contrast pre-Islamic ignorance with the guidance and ethical framework introduced by Islam. Outside religious discourse, jahl can be used more generally to describe ignorance in social, educational, or intellectual contexts.

Usage and reception of the term vary by audience. In English-language academic and encyclopedic writing, jahl or jahil is typically encountered as a transliterated Arabic term rather than as a common English word, and it can carry pejorative or critical connotations when applied to people or practices perceived as uninformed. Because of its cultural and religious associations, use of the term may require careful context and sensitivity.