If you’ve hung around Muslims much, you’ve heard the phrase Insh’allah. You probably even know it literally means, “If God wills.” But have you ever wondered where it comes from and why it is used so often? I have.
The phrase Insh’allah comes from the Quran, Surah Al-Kahf 18:23-24, “And never say of anything, “Indeed, I will do that tomorrow, Except [when adding], ‘If Allah wills.’ And remember your Lord when you forget [it] and say, ‘Perhaps my Lord will guide me to what is nearer than this to right conduct.’”
If you think that reminds you of a verse in the Bible, you’re right. James says something very similar in chapter 4:13–15. “Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
While the best way to understand how and why your friends say this is to ask them, here are two main reasons for innumerable Insh’allah’s.
- Legit reverence for God
People serving an omnipotent god are wise to speak with deference to that god and humility about themselves. Jesus taught us to pray to our Father in Heaven, “Your kingdom come, your will be done.” Similarly, Proverb 16:9 says, “A person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps.Sometimes when a Muslim says Insh’allah, she is showing regard for her God. Essentially, “I have an thought, but God knows all truth.”
- Softening a social situation
Sometimes Muslims avoid saying “No” or “Maybe” by letting God take the heat. “Can I come to your toddler’s ballet recital? Insh’allah.” According to the The Nuns of Vught in Holland, “In many Arab cultures, preserving harmony and showing respect take precedence over directness.” Insh’allah “gently signals doubt or polite refusal, without saying so directly.”They advise close attention to non-verbal clues such as a “pause, a shift in tone, a smile that fades slightly” to discern the meaning of the word.
Interestingly, Insh’allah is popping out of Muslim situations into mainstream culture. Here’s a video of Anne Hathaway recently using it, sounding for all the world like it’s not her first time!