Inshallah

Template:Short description {{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}} Template:Redirect Template:Use dmy dates Template:Italic title Template:Allah Inshallah,Template:EfnTemplate:Efn usually called the Template:Translit,Template:Efn<ref name="EI">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> is an Arabic-language expression meaning Template:Gloss or Template:Gloss.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> It is mentioned in the Quran,<ref>Template:Qref</ref> which requires its use when mentioning future events.<ref>Template:Qref</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It signifies that nothing, neither action nor thought, happens without God's permission.<ref name="EI" />

In an Islamic context, it expresses the belief that nothing happens unless God wills it, and that his will supersedes all human will;<ref name="ODI"/> and that saying this expression is a sign of trust in His given authority over whatever outcome of any matter in plan.<ref name=NYT/> However, more generally the phrase is commonly used by Muslims, Arab Christians and Arabic speakers of other religions to refer to events that one hopes will happen in the future, having the same meaning as the English word "hopefully".<ref name="ODI">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Pn</ref>

Though the Arabic phrase directly translates to 'God willing,' its meaning depends on the context. When used sincerely or in formal settings, it expresses the speaker’s hope for a specific outcome. However, in everyday speech, it is frequently used to suggest uncertainty, a lack of firm commitment, or as an open-ended response to requests or promises.<ref name="jaz"/><ref>‘When? Inshallah?’: Here’s The Arabic Word Biden Used During The Presidential Debate, Carlie Porterfield, Forbes, Sep 30, 2020 </ref>

This last usage became widespread even among non-Muslim, non-Arabic-speaking communities (particularly in the United States with American English by interaction with American Muslims), many of whom might be unaware of its religious significance. Often employed to convey sarcasm or disbelief in those non-Muslim American contexts, it gained particular attention when Joe Biden employed it on two occasions: first, in response to Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All plan, and again during the 2020 presidential debate with Donald Trump. When Trump promised to release his tax returns, Biden sarcastically replied, "When? Inshallah?"<ref name=NYT>Are Better Things Coming? Inshallah., Abdullah Shihipar, The New York Times, Jan. 25, 2022 Template:Pn</ref><ref name="jaz">Biden’s ‘inshallah’ during US debate dubbed ‘historic’ on Twitter, Al Jazeera, 30 Sep 2020</ref>

Other languages

Directly borrowed

• In Persian language the phrase is nearly the same, Template:Lang, being pronounced formally as Template:Transliteration, or colloquially as Template:Transliteration.
• The term is used in the Indonesian and Malaysian languages with very similar meanings and spellings, i.e. Template:Lang (Indonesian spelling) and Template:Lang (Malaysian spelling), and is used in the same manner, meaning "God willing". It is a very common expression in both languages. A more religiously neutral term in place is Template:Lang "with God's permission/if God permits" or Template:Lang "with His permission".
• In Swahili, the term inshallah is used frequently by the Muslim population, while Christians might prefer the phrase Mungu akipenda, "if God wants".
• In Hebrew the same term is used, borrowed from Arabic (אינשאללה). The original Hebrew term is אם ירצה השם (“if God wills”).

Similar in meaning

• In Adyghe, the terms Template:Lang (Template:Lang) and Template:Lang (Template:Lang) are widely used by Circassians, with the meaning "hopefully" or "if God wills".
• The Spanish word Template:Lang<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the words Template:Lang in Asturleonese and Galician (more rarely in this language Template:Lang), all come from the Arabic Template:Lang (Template:Transliteration)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> from the time of Al-Andalus. It means "we hope", "I hope", "we wish", "I wish". The expression Template:Lang – which some argue comes from "atamma 'Llah" in Arabic with the original meaning similar to "The God will is that" – is also used in Andalusian Spanish. The expression Template:Lang also exists in Portuguese with a similar meaning. Similar equivalents include Template:Lang and Template:Lang; the aforementioned Template:Lang is also commonly used.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• The Sardinian expressions Deus bollat or Deus chergiat, meaning "If God wills", used to be common and are still used by mainly elderly (religious) people.
• The Bulgarian and Macedonian Template:Lang/Template:Lang and Serbo-Croatian Template:Lang (Template:Transliteration) are the South Slav versions of the expression, calqued from Arabic, owing to Ottoman rule over the Balkans. They are used extensively in Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro, even sometimes by non-theists.Template:Cn They are also widely used in Ukraine and Russia.
• In Cypriot Greek, the word Template:Lang (Template:Transliteration) is used with the meaning "hopefully".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• The (Belgian) Dutch expression "Als 't God belieft" (If God wills) used to be common and is still used by mainly elderly (religious) people.
• In Esperanto, Template:Lang means "God willing".
• Finnish interjection: Jos Luoja suo, meaning "God willing", is used by some artists in popular music to express leaving life to chance/faith/luck.
• A similar expression exists in Maltese: Template:Lang ("if God wills it").<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Maltese is descended from Siculo-Arabic, the Arabic dialect that developed in Sicily and later in Malta between the end of the 9th century and the end of the 12th century.
• In Polish, Template:Lang and Template:Lang are similar expressions to the South Slav versions. They mean "God, give" and "if God will give/allow".
• In Romanian, Template:Lang or Template:Lang means the same.
• In Italian, the expressions Se Dio vuole and Dio volendo have the same meaning.
• In German, the expression So Gott will has the same meaning, however is becoming increasingly antiquated in the daily vernacular.
• In Russian, Template:Lang (Template:Transliteration) is a similar expression with the meaning "God, give!".
• In Tagalog, Template:Lang means "I hope" or "we hope". It is the synonym of the Tagalog word Template:Lang.
• In Turkish, the word Template:Lang or Template:Lang is similarly used to mean "If God wishes and grants", or more generally "hopefully", but is also used in an ironic context when the speaker does not put too much faith in something.
• In Urdu, the word is used with the meaning "God willing".
• In Georgian, ღვთის ნებით (ghvtis nebit) is a similar expression, meaning "By God's will".

See also

• Template:Transliteration – Aramaic-language phrase meaning "with the help of Heaven"
• By the Grace of God
• Template:Lang – Template:Langnf
  • also Template:Lang – Template:Langnf
• Predestination in Islam
• Phrases used in Islam:
  • Template:Transliteration – 'praise be to God'
  • Template:Transliteration – 'In the name of God'
  • Template:Transliteration – remembrance of God
    • Template:Transliteration – form of Template:Transliteration
    • Template:Transliteration – form of Template:Transliteration
  • Template:Transliteration – 'God has willed it'
  • Template:Transliteration – Islamic statement of faith
  • Template:Transliteration – Arabic phrase Template:Transliteration meaning 'God is the greatest'