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Insha'Allah (إن شاء الله) is an Arabic term to indicate hope for an aforementioned event to occur in the future. The phrase translates into English as "God willing" or "If it is God's will", sometimes spoken as DV; the Latin abbreviation for Deo volente or simply "God willing". In Arabic speaking countries the term is used by members of all religions; meaning the term in and of itself does not denote a religion, but simply means "God willing."
One's use of Insha Allāh indicates not one's desire to succeed in an endeavor, but rather that the endeavor one embarks on will be within God's will, which might be interpreted as that which is best for Humanity, the Earth, and all of Allah's creation. It indicates one's desire for being in tune with God's plan for the Kosmos. For example, if one's submission to God's will might be accomplished with great difficulty, one invokes God's blessing, and even more the fact it is in tune with God's will as the primary focus before one attempts to achieve it, otherwise one wishes their endeavor to fail. It is commonly used by Muslims, but is also common in Christian groups in the Middle East, like the Coptic Orthodox Church. Insha Allāh is said when speaking about plans and events expected to occur in the future. The phrase also acknowledges submission to God, with the speaker putting him or herself into God's hands, and accepting the fact that God sometimes works in unexpected ways.
In the Qu'ran, Muslims are told that they should never say they will do a particular thing in the future without adding "insha'Allah" to the statement.[1] This is why "insha'Allah" is sometimes perceived as a way to shrug off a question. This usage of Insha Allāh is from Islamic scripture, Surat Al Kahf (18):24: "And never say of anything, 'I shall do such and such thing tomorrow. Except (with the saying): 'If God wills!' And remember your Lord when you forget...'"
The triliteral of šāʾ is š-y-ʾ "to will", a doubly weak root in Arabic grammar.
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Muslim scholar Ibn Abbas stated that it is in fact obligatory for a Muslim to say In šāʾ Allāh when referring to something he or she intends to do in the future. If carelessness leads to the omission of the phrase, it may be said at a later time upon the realization of the omission. This is stated in the Qur'an, in al-Kahf (The Cave) 18:23-24. And do not say, regarding anything, 'I am going to do that tomorrow,' Except (with the saying), "If Allah wills!" And remember your Lord when you forget and say: "It may be that my Lord guides me unto a nearer way of truth than this."
A similar phrase, law šāʾ Allāh, means "if God willed it" or "if God wished it". In šāʾ Allāh is used for the execution of real actions (I'm going to or I will go the store "if God wills it"); law šāʾ Allāh is used to express a wish or desire one cannot fulfill (I would go to the store "if God willed it" or "if God wished it").
The Spanish phrase, ojalá (que), and the Portuguese phrase, oxalá (que), both meaning "I hope (that)," "would (that)," "would to God (that)," etc., are both derived from the Arabic law shā' Allāh.[2] This phrase is an example of the many words borrowed from Arabic due to the Muslim rule of some areas of the Iberian Peninsula from the 8th to 15th centuries.