Masha'Allah

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For other uses, see Mashallah (disambiguation).

Mā šāʾ Allāh (ما شاء الله) is an Arabic phrase evoked by Muslims to indicate appreciation for an aforementioned individual or event. Towards this, it is used as an expression of respect, while at the same time serving as a reminder that all accomplishments are so achieved by the will of God. The closest English translation is "God has willed it", the present perfect tense of God's will accentuating the essential Islamic doctrine of belief in fate. It is used to show joy and praise. It is said upon hearing good news. Another reason people use this phrase is to prevent the evil eye or jinxing.

Example:

Person A: Abdur Rasheed and his wife have had a baby.
Person B: Masha'Allah!

It's a phrase that has also found its way into the colloquial language of many non-Arabic peoples, such as Turks (who say "Maşallah"), and some of the peoples of the Balkans who once lived under Turkish rule, including some who are not of the Islamic faith.

The triliteral of šāʾ is š-y-ʾ "to will", a doubly weak root.