Islamic phrases, their meanings and replies.
The everyday Arabic phrases Muslims use, from assalamu alaikum to inshaAllah. Each page gives the Arabic, transliteration and meaning, when to say it, the reply, and its source. There are 23 phrases so far.
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Greetings and replies 6
Wa alaikum assalam
The reply to the salam, from the short form to the full wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
Jazakallah khair
The Islamic way to say thank you, with the forms for a man, a woman and a group.
Wa iyyakum, wa iyyaki
"And you too": the usual reply to jazakallah khair and to good wishes.
Yarhamukallah (sneezing)
What to say when you sneeze, what others reply, and your answer back.
Allahumma barik
The dua for blessing when you see something good, its forms, and how to reply.
Ameen
What ameen means, whether Muslims say amen, and how it is said in salah.
Praise and remembrance 7
SubhanAllah
Glory be to Allah: its meaning, the tasbih after salah, and the hadith on its reward.
Alhamdulillah
All praise is for Allah: its meaning, when to say it, and alhamdulillah ala kulli hal.
Allahu Akbar
Allah is the Greatest: the takbir of salah, the adhan, Eid and daily life.
Astaghfirullah
I seek Allah's forgiveness: meaning, when to say it, and how often the Prophet ﷺ said it.
Subhanahu wa ta'ala (SWT)
Glorified and exalted is He: what SWT means, and the other honorifics Muslims use.
Bismillah
In the name of Allah: the full basmalah, when to say it, and what to say if you forget.
Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah (Shahada)
The declaration of faith word by word, with its meaning and how to say it.
Trust, hardship and protection 6
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un
Said on hearing of a death or any loss, with the dua that follows it.
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
There is no power and no strength except with Allah: a treasure of Paradise.
Hasbiyallahu la ilaha illa huwa
Allah is sufficient for me: the ayah of trust, and hasbunallahu wa ni'mal wakil.
A'udhu billahi minash shaytanir rajim
Seeking refuge from Shaytan: before the Quran, when angry, and in salah.
La ilaha illa anta subhanaka (dua of Yunus)
The dua of Prophet Yunus in the belly of the whale, for distress and forgiveness.
Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum
O Ever-Living, O Sustainer: the dua the Prophet ﷺ made when worried.
Everyday speech 3
Guide
All the phrases at a glance.
Islamic phrases are short Arabic words of remembrance and good manners that Muslims use every day, whatever language they speak. Most come straight from the Quran or from the words of the Prophet ﷺ. The table below gives each phrase, its meaning, when to say it and the usual reply. Tap a name for the Arabic, the transliteration, a copy button and the full source.
| Phrase | Arabic | Meaning | Say it when | Reply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wa alaikum assalam | وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ | And upon you be peace | Someone greets you with assalamu alaikum | This is the reply |
| Jazakallah khair | جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا | May Allah reward you with good | Someone helps you or does you a favour | Wa iyyakum, or wa jazakum |
| Wa iyyakum, wa iyyaki | وَإِيَّاكُمْ | And you too | Replying to jazakallah khair or a good wish | Itself a reply |
| Yarhamukallah (sneezing) | يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ | May Allah have mercy on you | Someone sneezes and says alhamdulillah | Yahdikumullahu wa yuslihu balakum |
| Allahumma barik | اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ | O Allah, bless it | You see something you like in someone | Wa fik barakallah, or ameen |
| Ameen | آمِين | O Allah, answer it | After a dua, and after Al-Fatiha | None needed |
| SubhanAllah | سُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ | Glory be to Allah | On seeing something amazing, and in dhikr | None needed |
| Alhamdulillah | ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ | All praise is for Allah | For any blessing, after eating and after sneezing | Yarhamukallah, if it follows a sneeze |
| Allahu Akbar | اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ | Allah is the Greatest | Starting the prayer, in the adhan, going uphill, at Eid | None needed |
| Astaghfirullah | أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ | I seek Allah's forgiveness | After a mistake, after salah, and through the day | None needed |
| Subhanahu wa ta'ala (SWT) | سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ | Glorified and exalted is He | After saying or writing the name of Allah | None needed |
| Bismillah | بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ | In the name of Allah | Before eating, wudu, reading Quran and any good act | None needed |
| Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un | إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ | We belong to Allah and to Him we return | On hearing of a death, or any loss | None needed |
| La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah | لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ | There is no power or strength except with Allah | Facing a task, a difficulty, or hearing hayya alas-salah | None needed |
| Hasbiyallahu la ilaha illa huwa | حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ | Allah is sufficient for me; there is no god but Him | When worried, wronged or afraid | None needed |
| A'udhu billahi minash shaytanir rajim | أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ | I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan | Before reciting Quran, and when angry | None needed |
| La ilaha illa anta subhanaka (dua of Yunus) | لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ | There is no god but You; glory be to You | In distress, anxiety or after a sin | None needed |
| Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum | يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ | O Ever-Living, O Sustainer, by Your mercy I seek help | When worried or in distress | None needed |
| InshaAllah | إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ | If Allah wills | Talking about anything you plan to do | None needed |
| MashaAllah | مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ | What Allah has willed | On seeing something good or praising someone | Barakallahu fik, or jazakallah khair |
| Allahu a'lam | اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ | Allah knows best | When you are not sure, or at the end of an answer | None needed |
| Rabbana atina fid dunya hasanah | رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ حَسَنَةًۭ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ | Our Lord, give us good in this world and the next | Any time, and in tawaf between the corners | Ameen |
| Rabbish rahli sadri | رَبِّ ٱشْرَحْ لِى صَدْرِى | My Lord, expand my chest for me | Before speaking, teaching, an exam or a hard task | Ameen |
Why these phrases matter
Each phrase turns an ordinary moment into dhikr, the remembrance of Allah. A greeting becomes a dua for peace, a sneeze becomes praise, a plan becomes trust in Allah, and a loss becomes a reminder of our return to Him. The Prophet ﷺ said: "The most beloved words to Allah are four: SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, la ilaha illallah and Allahu akbar" (Sahih Muslim 2137).
About the spellings
Arabic does not map neatly onto English letters, so every phrase has several spellings: walaikum salam and wa alaykum as-salam, inshallah and insha'Allah. None of them is wrong. On each page we give a careful transliteration with marks such as ā and ḥ, which show long vowels and sounds English does not have, and we list the spellings you will often see.
How we source them
Quran wording on these pages is taken from the Uthmani text, with the Sahih International translation. Each hadith is cited by its collection, and by number where we have checked it. Where a practice rests on a weak report, the page says so. Pages that touch a ruling give the Hanafi position first and the other madhhabs where they differ.
- Sahih Muslim 2137.
- Quran text: Tanzil Uthmani via AlQuran.cloud. Translation: Sahih International.
Questions
Good to know.
What are common Islamic phrases?
Assalamu alaikum, bismillah, alhamdulillah, subhanAllah, Allahu akbar, inshaAllah, mashaAllah, jazakallah khair, astaghfirullah and inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un are among the most used.
What do Muslims say when someone dies?
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un: indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.
How do Muslims say thank you?
Jazakallahu khayran: may Allah reward you with good. The reply is wa iyyakum, and you too.
What do Muslims say when they sneeze?
The sneezer says alhamdulillah, others reply yarhamukallah, and the sneezer answers yahdikumullahu wa yuslihu balakum.