IN SHA ALLAH (IF ALLAH WILLS)

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu

Surah Al-Kahf (Q18:23-24)

ﻭَﻻَ ﺗَﻘُﻮﻟَﻦَّ ﻟِﺸَﻲْﺀ   wa la taqulanna lishay’in

“And never say of anything,”

ﺇِﻧِّﻲ ﻓَﺎﻋِﻞٌ ﺫَﻟِﻚَ ﻏَﺪﺍ  ‘inni fa ‘ilu dhalika ghadaa

“Indeed, I will do that tomorrow.”

ﺇِﻟَّﺎ ﺃَﻥْ ﻳَﺸَﺎﺀَ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪُ  ‘illa ‘an yasha’a Except [when adding],

“If Allah wills.”

ﻭَﺍﺫْﻛُﺮْ ﺭَﺑَّﻚَ ﺇِﺫَﺍ ﻧَﺴِﻴﺖَ  wa adhkur rabbaka ‘idha nasit

“And remember your Lord when you forget,”

ﻭَﻗُﻞْ ﻋَﺴَﻰٰ ﺃَﻥْ ﻳَﻬْﺪِﻳَﻦِ ﺭَﺏِّ  wa qul ‘asa ‘anyahdiyani rabbi and say,

“Perhaps my Lord will guide me,”

ﻟِﺄَﻗْﺮَﺏَ ﻣِﻦْ ﻫَٰﺬَﺍ ﺭَﺷَﺪًﺍ  li’qraba min hadharashada.

“To a nearer way of truth than this.” (Nearer to right conduct).

(Here is a further breakdown of the words used in this ayah)

These ayahs are about the phrase Insha’Allah that you and I say all the time. Allah says: Wa la taqulanna lishay’in. Don’t you say about something. Inni fa ‘ilun dhalika ghadaa. No doubt about it, for sure I’m going to do this tomorrow. Don’t say it about anything, don’t say I’m going to do this and this in the future. Don’t say, I got this. Say, “I got this, insha’Allah.” ‘Illa ‘an yasha’a Allah.”- Except that Allah wills. “I’ll do this for sure, except if Allah wills.” That’s the phrase that you should say. “I’ll do this unless Allah wills otherwise.” In other words, I have full intention of doing this, and the only thing that will get in the way is if Allah’s plan is different from my plan. That is not under my control. That is the intention of saying insha’Allah illa ‘an yasha’a Allah. Unless Allah wills otherwise.

Now when we say insha’Allah, we say I will do this if Allah wills, we say it in the positive sense too. If Allah wills, this will happen, but I’m making my commitment. You know what we’ve done? We’ve taken insha’Allah as the ultimate religious “I’m probably not going to do this,” translated “insha’Allah.” “Hey brother, are you coming to the program?” “Ehh yeah… insha’Allah.” “Are you going to be able to make the deadline?” “InshaAllah, inshaAllah.” You say it twice, and you know it isn’t going to happen!” “So we’ve turned something that’s supposed to be a recognition that the future is not in our hands into something that’s saying “I’m not responsible,” and that’s a joke. That is not how it’s supposed to be. Muslims, “wal-mufuna bi’ahdihim idha ‘ahadu.” They fulfill their promises when they make them. If and when they get into an agreement, they stick to it. So if you have an agreement, you cannot just use insha’Allah to say, “Well, that’s my way of saying probably not.” Don’t do that, don’t use insha’Allah like that. “Wal-mufuna bi’ahdihim idha ‘ahadu” “And those who fulfill their covenants (keep their promises).” This phrase is from Surah Al-Baqarah, (Q2:177).

It’s describing characteristics of the truly pious person, this is one quality listed of a righteous, God-fearing individual. However, you should use it in the correct meaning, with correct belief. And so we should be with such an attitude like, “I’m going to do my best to make it to this meeting, appointment, or class. And the only thing I can’t control is the will of Allah.” Because if Allah decides there’s going to be a storm tomorrow, or the car isn’t going to start, or I’m not going to be healthy enough to wake up, we don’t know any of those things. That is the mashi’a of Allah. But to the best of my efforts, I will do this. If you show laziness on your part, [and] Allah didn’t put any obstacles in your path in doing what you said you would do, and you turn back and say, “Well, I guess Allah didn’t want it to happen,” then you know and Allah knows that you’re playing games with His word. This is not something we should do. Mashi’a- will as in “the will of Allah.” is related to the phrase “Masha’Allah.” So when we say insha’Allah, it is not an acknowledgement that this might not happen. It is only an acknowledgement that things ultimately are in the hands of Allah, but we will do whatever we can to complete our word.

And Allah knows best.