Is it offensive to say inshallah?

[Loulou599]

I think it's a really beautiful sound and is more wistful than saying touch wood or god willing, but would it be offensive (if you're not muslim)?

Just to add to my previous post, I'm a born and bred Muslim with a very wide network of other fellow muslims in the UK and abroad and I doubt any of them would take offence to a non-Muslim saying the phrase. I'm sure it'll bring a smile to their faces like many PP have implied.

FYI MNetters, you may get a different reaction from those newer to the faith who didn't grow up in the culture and only know the phrase in a religious context. As I mentioned before, we don't own the phrase and if it pleases God, who are we to complain. 😬

Yeah I have seen quite a bit of hijab hate and ignorance on here. And the historical context of Muslims in Britain and how they are perceived would make a difference as compared to Spanish or French or Russian phrases, for example. I remember once someone on a baby names thread wanted to call her child a Greek name (Eleni, I think it was) and I seem to recall the consensus was some people might think it's weird and raise an eyebrow but no once could say it's offensive or appropriation because the historical context is different. Apart from the Elgin marbles of course!

@VineRipened

Allah is just Arabic for god just like Dieu is French. There's only one God in the Jewish/Christian/Muslim world - it's just we disagree on prophets and sons of god

My family member is born and bred Muslim too, though not exactly so religious nowadays. But she and her whole family have no issue with others Saying it.

I did notice the person that has the main issue is not born and bred Muslim. I’m not Muslim, I’m atheist but I’m not claiming to be anything. Just writing how my family member uses it and her whole family.

No it’s not, please be a bit more precise

Allah means THE god. The Arabic word for God or diety is Lah. al is the definite article hence Allah is The God (implied the one true god)

So I have less of a say in appropriation than a ‘born and bred’ Muslim? I’m less in this equation right? My opinion matters less. Cool thanks!

Point is it’s not jaw on the floor offensive but those non Muslims and non Arabs that want to use it, need to do some self interrogation as to why.

if it’s just to sound exotic or to use ironically or actually when they hold Islam in contempt then it’s weird and problematic

Not what I said. Don’t put words in my mouth. All I did was agree with what the poster said, that you have a different opinion on it potentially because you are newer to the faith.

fucking appropriation. It’s called sharing cultures with others who admire it.

But it’s not though is it? It’s not sharing culture, because it’s a maligned culture. Maybe if you’re an advocate and an ally and heavily involved to the Middle Eastern and Muslim community it’s different but given as most aren’t well

Yeah. I found fatwa explaining the translation into just gof not The god because god is simply any diety (even "false" ) etc. So distinction is important

اعوذو بالله

audhu billah

😉

Seriously?

Thats quite the generalization.

My experience over many decades living in the Middle East is that it’s something taken very seriously and only usually uttered by people who wouldn’t dream of using it as a get out clause. It’s actually quite a thing to say it because once you do say it you really are supposed to try your very hardest to make whatever it is possible. It’s why most people who do say it do so with a lowered voice and with feeling and respect.

Someone previously said that her husband who’d worked in the Middle East uses the word often throughout the day and I find it ridiculous. I can go days without hearing it for the smoke fact you really don’t say it lightly.

It means god willing and in my experience with my many, many muslim friends, it’s mainly used when they don’t want to commit but don’t know the other person well enough to say no. Lol close family and friends get mashallah. Eg I ask if they can come to my son’s party and they want to go - mashallah he’s so big, we will come. If they don’t want to - Oh bless him. Inshallah we will definitely come (and then they don’t grr). Lighthearted.

Are you Muslim? Do you know what that means and the rest of that phrase? I don’t get why you’d use it here, it’s not really appropriate

i appreciate thats what you’ve heard but that’s not what the words mean

ma sha Allah isn’t definitely it’s basically being in awe of gods work, like you’ve said ma sha Allah he’s so big, that’s basically praising the work of God

Again, this is absolutely not agreed by many Christians and Jews particularly. Just saying it over and over doesn't make it so.

Did you really just say there's no punishment for polytheism in Islam? Look, I get that you're new to this but you need to do some reading.

The concept that Jesus was the son of god, that he was god incarnated, is not some little misunderstanding that somehow crept in there. It's the literal foundation of Christianity. It's inseparable from the Christian concept of God and always has been. The idea that you could read the Old and New testaments, the Quran and the hadiths and conclude that the being described in them is the same is actually so nuts to me that I genuinely don't know where to start with it. I mean, the god of the Old Testament is very obviously not the same god as the god of the New Testament. Let alone the god who chose Mohammed, of all people, to be his final prophet. Utter madness.

But I generally don't waste my breath arguing with religious people. Futile.

I’m atheist. My immediate family member is Muslim and I know what it means. I’m casting out the devil. light hearted

Dh is now on this we are having beers and enjoying some interesting reading. He even included some family members 😂

People have studied in tedious detail how Islam incorporated aspects of Christian but even more so Jewish traditions/stories. It often did so in a strangely garbled form, which makes sense if you think about 7th century Arabia and oral stories being passed over distances. It made perfect sense to do that, of course, if you wanted the Jews to convert. Obviously you have to fit your new religion into the framework of the existing ones, for legitimacy. Why would that be a coincidence?

How offensive, I’ve been Muslim for the majority of my adult life and have a masters in theology.

what is the sharia punishment for someone being born a polytheist? You’re talking absolute nonsense. In this life?

there is a very prominent verse that says to you your religion and to my mine. Were there times that the Muslims battled the mushrik of Arabia, yeah, but it wasn’t under the banner of ‘kill all the polytheists’.

might I suggest that you do some reading (and not from the mail or fox news). I know you think you’re more qualified to talk on Christianity and theology than the Pope but you know, maybe try a book

I love it that Inshallah can be used by people who have absolutely no intention of doing X to kind of pawn the blame off on God when it doesn't come about.😁

It's very endearing and much more likeable than, say, English politicians saying "We are very much committed to..."

I absolutely don't care what you find offensive. Shrieking offence doesn't work on me. But I enjoy how you rephrased my question, you've been doing some googling! Keep going, by all means. I won't be engaging with you further. As I said, I don't debate with religious people about their religion. I'm sure I have paint to watch dry.

Don't even know what it means....can't pronounce it...spell it....guess that could be offensive too?...... only reason I could even think you would say it was to prove you aren't ignorant.....which could in turn cause offence! Say nothing......

And they’ve said the same about Christianity, especially the authors of the gospels, writing to show Jesus as the fulfilment of the Jewish prophecies