Three days ago, People magazine posted a clip from an interview with actor Anne Hathaway, who is currently on a global press tour. One of the questions concerned Hathaway’s feelings about ageing. In her response she – a non-Muslim – casually threw the word “inshallah” in mid-sentence.

The reaction was big. The clip quickly went viral, with the incident reported on Al Jazeera, Grazia, and HuffPost, among others. Why has this moment struck such a chord with Muslims and Arabs worldwide?

So what does it mean?

Inshallah (also transliterated as “insha'Allah” and “inshaallah”) is an Arabic term that means “if God wills” or “God willing”.

The term is most commonly associated with Muslims, as the explicit exhortation to use “inshaallah” appears in the Quran, a revelation Muslims believe was first received by Muhammad in 610 CE.

Chapter 18, verses 23-24 instructs people not to say “I will do that in the future” without adding “inshaallah” – if God wills. Muslims regularly use the phrase in daily life as an affirmation that, ultimately, everything is under divine – not human – control.

The term is not exclusive to Muslims, however. Christian Arabs (particularly those that live among Muslims) will also regularly use it, as will other people from different communities (including non-religious people) living in Muslim countries.

‘Inshallah’ and pop culture

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