Mashallah is an Arabic word: (mā shāʾa -llāhu), also spelled Mashallah as Masya Allah (Malaysia and Indonesia) or Masha’Allah, that is used to describe a feeling of wonder or beauty about an event or person that was just mentioned. It is a common phrase used by Arabs and Muslims to mean, in its literal meaning, that “what God has willed has occurred .”
On the other hand, the literal sense of MashAllah is “what God has willed,” in the intention of “what God has willed has occurred”; It is used to say that something good has occurred, a verb employed in the past tense. Inshallah, which means “if God wills,” is a comparable phrase that refers to a future event. To congratulate someone, say “Masha Allah.”
It reminds us that although the person is being hailed, ultimately, God willed it. Also, you’ll see how other countries spell MashAllah and InshAllah, such as Adyghe or Russian.
Continue reading the article to know more!
History
People in various cultures may utter Masha Allah to ward off envy, the evil eye, or a jinn. Many non-Arab languages with primarily Muslim speakers have adopted the word, including Indonesians, Azerbaijanis, Malaysians, Persians, Turks, Kurds, Bosniaks, Somalis, Chechens, Avars, Circassians, Bangladeshis, Tatars, Albanians, Afghans, Pakistanis, and others.
Some Christians and others were also used in areas that the Ottoman Empire ruled: Some Georgians, Armenians, Pontic Greeks (descendants of people that have come from the Pontus region), Cypriot Greeks, and Sephardi Jews say “машала” (“mašala”), often in the sense of “a work well done.”
What Is the Meaning of In sha’Allah?
In sha’Allah ((/ɪnˈʃælə/; Arabic, In sh Allah Arabic pronunciation: [in a.a.ah]), sometimes written as Inshallah, is an Arabic language word that means “if God wills” or “if God wills.”
The phrase is mentioned in the Quran, a Muslim holy book, which requires its use when speaking about future events. Muslims, Arab Christians, and Arabic speakers of various religions regularly use the phrase to refer to events that they hope will occur. It reflects that nothing happens unless God wills it and that God’s will takes precedence over all human will.
The statement might be humorous, meaning that something will never happen and that it is in God’s hands, or it can be used to decline invites politely. The term could signify “definitely,” “no,” or “maybe,” depending on the context.
InshAllah in Different Languages
Adyghe
Circassians commonly employ the phrases “тхьэм ыIомэ, thəm yı’omə” and “иншаллахь inshallah” in Adyghe, which mean “hopefully” or “If God wills.”
Asturleonese, Galician, Spanish and Portuguese
In Asturleonese, Galician (more seldom in this language “ogallá”), and Portuguese, the word “oxalá” is used. “Ojalá” is a Spanish word that means “hope.” They’re all derived from the Arabic law šā’ l-lāh (which uses a different term for “if”), which dates back to Muslim presence and dominance on the Iberian Peninsula.
“We hope,” “I hope,” “we wish,” and “I wish” are all examples.
Bulgarian, Macedonian, and Serbo-Croatian
The South Slav equivalents of the word, calqued from Arabic, are Bulgarian and Macedonian “Дай Боже/дај Боже” and Serbo-Croatian “ако Бог да, ako Bog da,” owing to Ottoman dominance over the Balkans.
They are frequently used in Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Ukraine, and Russia. Non-theists sometimes use them.
Cypriot Greek
The word ίσσαλα ishalla, which means “hopefully” in Greek, is used in Cypriot Greek.
Esperanto
In Esperanto, Dio volumeans “God willing”.
Maltese
In Maltese, jekk Alla jrid is a similar statement (if God wills it). [9] Siculo-Arabic, an Arabic dialect that arose in Sicily and later in Malta between the end of the 9th century and the end of the 12th century, is descended from Maltese.
Persian
In the Persian language, the phrase is nearly the same, انشاءالله, being pronounced formally as en shâ Allah or colloquially as ishâllâ.
Polish
“Daj Boże” and “Jak Bóg da” are Polish expressions comparable to their South Slavic counterparts. “God, give,” and “If God will give/allow,” respectively.
Tagalog
“Sana” means “I hope” or “we hope” in Tagalog. It is the Tagalog word synonym “nawa.”
Turkish
In Turkish, the word İnşallah or inşaallah is used in its literal meaning, “If God wishes and grants,” but is also used in an ironic context.
Urdu
In Urdu, the word is used with the meaning “God willing,” but rarely used in the ironic context above.
Russian
In Russian, “Дай Бог! [dai bog]” means about the same.
What Is the Meaning of MashAllah?
The Arabic phrase Mashallah is “what Allah has willed has happened” or “that which God wanted.”
Mashallah is often said to show appreciation for something happening to a person. It’s a way for Muslims to show respect and serves as a reminder that the will of God achieves everything.
It’s a way for us to acknowledge that Allah, the creator of all things, has placed a blessing on us. This awe might be expressed by saying Mashallah.
MashALLAH to Protect From the Evil Eye and Jealousy
Some cultures think that chanting Masha Allah will shield them from jealousy, the evil eye, or jinns when something nice happens. A good example would be if you had just had a healthy newborn, you would say ‘Mashallah’ to show gratitude for Allah’s gift and avoid risking the baby’s future health.
MashAllah or InshaAllah?
These two words sound familiar and have similar definitions, so it’s easy to get confused between the Mashallah and Inshallah. The main differences are:
| INSHALLAH | MASHALLAH |
| Inshallah is said to wish for a future result | It’s used when someone’s nice acts or achievements take you by surprise. |
| If Allah wills it | Allah has willed |
| I hope for the birth of a healthy baby, inshallah. | After birth to Mashallah, what a beautiful, healthy baby |
Watch the video below for a clear understanding:
MashAllah Used in a Sentence and a Response:
When someone says Mashallah to you, there’s no one correct response. You can react by saying Jazak Allahu Khayran, which means “may Allah reward you,” if they say it to share in your delight, accomplishment, or achievement.
If a friend comes to your house and says, “What a magnificent house, mashallah,” he is allowed to respond with jazak Allah Khair.
Here are some more instances we found on social media profiles of Muslims who organically use the word Mashallah:
- More power to Hijabis and Niqabis as well. They are wearing hijab in this hot weather as well. Mashallah! May Allah bless them.
- Watching the sunrise fills me with happiness I can’t express. Gorgeous, mashallah.
- Mashallah, I’m getting such good marks on my assignments even though they’re not great, but it’s still good.
- Mashallah, my sweet nephew Salman. May Allah bless him with this smile throughout his life.
When Is It Okay to Say Mashallah?
To congratulate someone, say “Masha Allah.” It reminds us that it was ultimately God’s will while the individual was being praised. People in various cultures may utter Masha Allah to ward off envy, the evil eye, or a jinn.
Final Thoughts
- This article explains the difference between “Mashallah” and “Inshallah.” These are two common Arabic phrases with distinct meanings.
- “Mashallah” expresses wonder or admiration for something that has already happened. It acknowledges that it occurred by the will of God.
- “Inshallah” means “if God wills” and is used when discussing future events. It emphasizes that nothing can happen without the will of God.
- Arabs and Muslims widely use these phrases. Speakers speak these words in various languages in predominantly Muslim regions.
- “Mashallah” is sometimes used to protect against jealousy. It is used against the evil eye or supernatural forces when something good happens.
- There’s no one correct response when someone says “Mashallah” to you. You can reply with gratitude, such as “Jazak Allahu Khayran,” which means “may Allah reward you.”
- Understanding the meaning and context of these phrases is essential. It is to avoid confusion and to respect their cultural significance.
- Learning about different cultures and their linguistic nuances can foster understanding and appreciation.
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