Insh’allah
Insh’allah (or إن شاء الله) is one of my favorite phrases in Arabic. To quote Laurie King, it’s a “verbal shrug.” The literal translation is something along the lines of “if it be the will of Allah,” and you can insert it almost anywhere. You might ask a cab driver to take you somewhere, for instance, and he’ll nod and say “Insh’allah” – I will get you there if Allah allows it.
That might be a bad example, considering the traffic in Cairo. Or perhaps it’s a comforting thought. No matter whether you believe in Allah or not (hint: if you’re Jewish, Christian, or Muslim, you do), the general concept – acceptance, “so be it” – is a healthy one, and I suspect I’ll be leaning on it quite a bit during my time here in Egypt, so I suppose it’s as good a mantra as any. Let the repetition begin! Feel free to join in – I suspect that at times, I will be loud enough for you to hear me across the Atlantic.
i like that, a “verbal shrug.” you have made a linguistics nut very happy with this tid-bit.
also being Christian, i see Allah and God as different understandings of the same deity, but that’s just my view. but, even if you don’t see it that way, i think it would be the same sentiment as “if it be the will of God,” or even, “go with God.”
enough of this. long story short, i too, like this phrase. thanks for sharing.