Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un

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The phrase written in Arabic n llh wn lyh rj`wn.jpg
The phrase written in Arabic
Recitation of إِنَّا لِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ in 2:156
Muslim Cemetery along the Eastern Wall of the Old City of Jerusalem with the phrase written on the tombstone Muslim Cemetery Jerusalem 07.jpg
Muslim Cemetery along the Eastern Wall of the Old City of Jerusalem with the phrase written on the tombstone

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un, [a] [a 1] also known as Istirja, [b] is an Arabic phrase from 156th verse of the second chapter of the Quran, and meaning "Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we return." It reflects the belief that life and all that exists belong to God, and that every being will ultimately return to Him and serves as a reminder for Muslims to stay patient and seek solace in their faith during trials. It is often recited upon hearing news of death but also used in response to any form of calamity as a sign of acceptance of divine will and trust in God's wisdom. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

It is reported that the Islamic Prophet Muhammad said when a disaster befalls a believer and they recite this phrase, God would grant them something better in return. [4]

The phrase conveys the broader theological principle of human existence being temporary and the afterlife being the ultimate destination. A similar phrase also exists in the Tanakh, "Dust you are, and to dust you will return. [c] (Genesis 3:19) [5]

See also

Notes

  1. Quran   2:156  (Translated by Al-Hilali & Khan). " Arabic : ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَ أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَالُوا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّ إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ, lit. 'Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly! To Allâh we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.".''"
  1. Arabic: إِنَّا لِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ, ʾinnā li-llāhi wa-ʾinnā ʾilayhi rājiʿūn
  2. Arabic: إِسْتِرْجَاع, romanized: ʾIstirjāʿ
  3. Hebrew: כִּֽי־עָפָ֣ר אַ֔תָּה וְאֶל־עָפָ֖ר תָּשֽׁוּב

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References

  1. "The believers attitude towards calamities". IslamQA (in English, Arabic, and Spanish). 19 March 2006.
  2. "When to say: Inna Lilaahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raaji'oon". Islamweb. 2018-04-01.
  3. Adia, Aida (2018-02-07). Hijab (in Arabic). Alaf 21. ISBN   978-967-446-339-7.
  4. "Sahih Muslim 918b - The Book of Prayer - Funerals - كتاب الجنائز - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)". sunnah.com. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  5. In the Masoretic Text of the Tanakh

Further reading

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