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)?

I love it when my non Muslim friends use this word or any other similar phrases/words that they have picked up that is in common use amongst Muslims. To me it is an indication of our (for the most part) integrated, multi faith/culture/race society and that we can all live side by side peacefully and respect each other. If you think about it words from other cultures etc have made their way into main stream society too eg ‘mazel tov’ from Hebrew, which I personally use a lot.

Sadly the events of past day in the Middle East show that there is still a very long way to go to achieve worldwide love, peace and respect for each other as human beings.
Carry on saying it if you want to.

It’s not charming. Especially when it’s said by my mother in law with a hard ‘t’ at the end 😡

Allah is the name for God for Christians who speak Arabic too.
Why can't the OP just say God Willing if speaking English.

Call me a massive, try-hard ponce, but I use loads of foreign words, including inshallah, as do many of my friends. Words are interesting and fun, and I’m damned if I’m going to be told which I can and can’t use. (I’m not talking about deliberately using words that will cause serious offence, obvs. I’m not a complete dick.)

I don't know about offensive - but it certainly sounds affected!

I agree @MorrisWallpaper though I often think that in the Middle East it’s also used instead of ‘if I can be arsed’ or ‘don’t blame me if it doesn’t happen/ I’m late/ some other shoddy customer service.

It has the same meaning. Its just become fashionable. Its not at all a word we have adopted due to lack of that meaning in an English word or phase. Its come into use entirely due to fashion.

It’s just a loan word/phrase and the practice has been going on pretty much since there was more than one language in the world.

Don’t think any French speakers get insulted by deja - vu/ je ne sais quoi / savoir faire.

but generally some people do find loan words and phrases a bit pompous.

I stayed in Cairo and Luxor for a while, coming back and forth many times. People said it casually, all the time. I want to catch the train to Luxor tomorrow. Inshallah. God willing.

This. This! You said this so much better than me!

I grew up in an Arab country and there’s an element of that there, it peppers everyday conversation and justifies not really actively involving oneself in getting something done. “Yes there will be milk in the shop tomorrow inshallah” . Handy in a dictatorship when things tend to be unpredictable and capricious and subject to semi hidden systems , corruption, connections etc.

When I was a young woman inshallah was a thing hippy types said. I wouldn't say it now. Just like I wouldn't say namaste.

You can say D.V if you want something from a Christian heritage.

I have a french cousin and he peppers his sentences with English words. At first I was puritanically against this, but I’ve caved in and do it too when we meet up, it’s become our patois. When we left a hotel recently I asked him tu as checké la chambre? and he answered most naturally that he had indeed checké’d it. Sorry I’m fully aware it makes me sound massively pretentious .

As a scientist and atheist, I'd rather say "physics allowing."

I see no problem with it.

in’sha’allah simply means “god willing” so you’re just making that acknowledgment.

it is also used by Arab speaking people of any religion as Allah is the Arab translation of the word God. So there shouldn’t be any reason why you can’t use it.

If anyone is puzzled after you said it, simply add “it means god willing”.
☺️

I'm a muslim and wouldn't be offended!

It would strike me as pretentious

I say it to my Muslim friend and she says " God Bless" to me. Im Roman Catholic, both practising. Say it if you want OP.

@User562377

Don't go around just dropping random words from other languages into your everyday conversation if you don't actually speak the language. It's weird.

Why? genuine question. Why should people be prohibited from this?

I get that it can sometimes be a bit culturally appropriative and cringey if white British people start talking what they think is Jamaican patois. Or that sprinkling your conversation with French or Italian phrases can sound pretentious.

But the blanket restriction on any words or phrases which you are not fluent in seems heavy handed and joyless.

I think learning about other languages is massively life enhancing, even if you don't use them fluently. I speak another language reasonably fluently because I was married to someone for whom it was a first language. I don't need to use it in day to day life but every now and then a phrase from that language that better encapsulates what I'm thinking than can be done in English will pop into my head. Why should I be restricted from using it?

I sometimes use inshallah because I think its a lovely word (I'm not Muslim or Arabic) and I've wondered about this. I would always it respectfully and I probably wouldn't say it to a Muslim without asking first. But I don't think it's inherently offensive.

@TheGander Iraq?

What should Christian or Druze or even atheist Arabic speakers say then? is there a religion specific version?

I would register it as mildly odd because whereas ‘god willing’ can refer to your god, my god, any god, Allah is a specific god.

Same god as the one Jews and Christians have. Different revelation and holy texts, but with enough in common for all to be recognised as Ahl al-kitāb (people of the book).

Honestly, why use words from a religion that does not support women rights? Respect and spread ideas that are from your own culture that (I am guessing here) sees women as equal.

Yabu because God doesn't care what you're doing and he's sick of your bullshit.

Declaring this to be so doesn't make it so. Many Jews and Christians in particular do not agree with this, never have and never will.