WHAT DO YOU SAY?
Pronunciation in
English |
Expression in Arabic
script |
Meaning and what is
it’s used for. |
Alhamdulillah. |
الحمد
لله |
Praise to Allah, used
usually to express satisfaction, or after having finished eating… or if
someone asks you how you were and you want to
express that you’re satisfied. |
Subhanallah. |
سبحان
الله |
Glory to Allah, can be
used in many places, for example if you heard something amazing and you want
to express your amazement. |
Mashallah. |
ما شاء
الله |
What Allah wishes,
used to express amazement almost like Subhanallah
except that Mashallah is mainly for positive amazement, like if someone tells
you “I have a daughter and she is 9” you can simply reply “mashallah”
then add something if you want. |
La ilaha
illa Allah. |
لا إله إلا
الله |
There is no god but
Allah. Can be said any time. |
Mohammadun Rasulu Allah. |
محمد رسول
الله |
Muhammad is the
messenger of Allah. Usually comes after La ilaha illa Allah. |
Allahu
Akbar. |
الله أكبر |
Allah is great
(greater), also can be used in a wide variety of places, often to show
excitement. |
La hawla
wala quwata illa billah. |
لا حول ولا
قوة إلا
بالله |
There is no change/
transformation nor power/ strength except through Allah, used in unfavorable
situations beyond ones control, also to express
dissatisfaction. |
Bismillah. |
بسم الله |
In the name of Allah.
Used to start something, whatever a Muslim wants to start (driving, eating,
walking, reading …) |
Bismillah Awaluhu wa Akhiruhu. |
بسم الله
أوله و أخره |
“In the name of Allah,
at its beginning and at its end” used mainly when someone forgets to say
Bismillah before starting a meal and remembers that in the middle of the
meal. |
Bismillah Arrahman Arraheem. |
بسم الله
الرحمان
الرحيم |
In the name of Allah,
the most gracious the most merciful. A full equivalent to “bismillah”, many
Muslims use it before reciting the Qur’an. |
Inshallah. |
إن شاء
الله |
If Allah wills.
Usually used to refer to planning to do a future action, I will do this … if
Allah wills it. |
Rahimakallah. |
رحمك الله |
May Allah have mercy
on you, or May Allah bless you, the equivalent of “bless you” when you
sneeze, it is said after someone sneezes. |
Yarhamuka
Allah. |
يرحمك
الله |
May Allah have mercy
on you “bless you”, same as the one above, and used in the same situations. |
Enna lillah wa enna
elaihe Rajioun. |
إنا لله و
إنا إليه
راجعون |
To Allah we belong,
and to him we will return. Usually used when you hear someone died, or if you
had a terrible lost (financial or personal). |
Astaghfiru lillah. |
أستغفر
الله |
I seek forgiveness
from Allah. Commonly used when you think you did something wrong (a sin,
cursed …). |
Allahumma
salli ala Muhammad. |
اللهم صلي
على محمد |
Oh Allah bestow your
mercy on Mohammed. A way to praise the prophet (PBUH). |
Assalamu
Alaikom. |
السلام
عليكم |
Peace be upon you. A
way of greetings used more widely and can be the equivalent of “hi, hello,
good morning/ afternoon/ evening, good-bye, bye …) so it’s basically a way to
greet and could be used in farewells. |
Assalamu
Alaikom warahmatu Allahi wa barakatuhu. |
السلام
عليكم و رحمة
الله و
بركاته |
Peace be upon you and
Allah’s mercy and blessings. This is a full equivalent of the above mentioned greeting “Assalamu
Alaikom”. If is considered to be more
polite and more rewarding to use it. |
Ash-hadu An laa
Elaha Ella Allah wa Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulu
Allah. |
أشهد أن لا
إله إلا الله
و أشهد أن
محمد رسول الله |
I bear witness that
there is no other God but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the
messenger of the Allah. This one is called “shahadah”,
it’s one of the 5 main pillars of Islam, and that’s the first step to
converting to Islam. Also used by Muslims to refresh their belief, it’s
recommended to use it daily. |
A-ozu
billahi mena shaitaan Arrajeem |
أعوذ بالله
من الشيطان
الرجيم |
I seek refuge in Allah
from the cursed Satan “shaitan”. Used mainly when feeling unsafe or before
entering unsafe places, or when scared by
something (a bad dream …). |
Baraka Allahu fika |
بارك الله
فيك |
May Allah bestow his
blessings on you. Used to wish someone blessings from Allah especially in
return to a favor done by that person, the equivalent to “thank you very
much”. |
Tawakkalna ala Allah |
توكلنا
على الله |
I place my “absolute”
trust on Allah. Used before doing something, just like “bismillah”, they can
even be used together. Used often when driving. |
Ya Allah! |
يا ألله |
Oh Allah! Usually to
ask Allah something. Sometimes used while doing something, like when lifting
something heavy you say it to ask Allah for power, or if you’re in pain and
you ask Allah to give you strength to bear that pain. |
Ya Rab! |
يا رب |
Oh Allah! Used the
same way as the one above “Ya Allah”. No difference
at all. |
Labbayk |
لبيك |
At your service’, the talbiya or call of the pilgrim to his Lord in the hajj. |
Fi
Sabilillah |
في سبيل
الله |
The Arabic expression
meaning ‘In the way of Allah’, ‘For the cause of Allah’ [also used to mean
‘for the love of Allah’] |
Fi
Amanallah |
فاي أمان
الله |
Valedictory phrase
meaning ‘In Allahs protection’ |
Allahu
A’lam |
الله
أعلم |
Allah knows best. Said
when not sure about something, or simply don’t know, could be the equivalent
of “I don’t know.” “is it going to rain tomorrow?” – Allahu
A’lam! |
Jazaka
Allahu Khairan |
جزاك
الله خيرا |
May Allah reward you
with all good. When someone does something good to you (gives you something,
helps you with something …) |
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