I don't know where else to post this.

[asianangel]

But is it wrong for a Christian to say "Inshallah"?

 

[heymikey80]

But is it wrong for a Christian to say "Inshallah"?

Couple of things.

I have little problem with using the word "allah" for God. I mean, what right do we English people have to derive the word for the deity from our own word for "good"? However, if it begins to refer to certain concepts of God in Islam, I would indeed press against it, much as I'd push against an Englishman worshiping Thor or a Greek worshiping Zeus. God isn't like that.

"God-willing" needs a revolution of meaning in Islamic as well as western Christian circles. Often it's a capitulation to the will of God, instead of a hearty embrace of His will. It reminds me of the diseased man coming up to Christ, "If you want, you could heal me." Such a capitulation and despair that could mean. And yet he's placing himself in Christ's hands, hoping for what God can do.

When he heard, "I'm willing", was that some kind of despair to him? No! He could've exploded with the gratefulness for God's willing healing of him. Who would say, "God willing" in this case? But that's the proper situation to say it, "This is so right: God's willing!"

"I'm willing" -- let's conceive of God saying this before we say, "God willing". We should be wary of tossing this phrase around easily. Maybe God sees things as unjust, things that He will correct on the Last Day. Should we say, "Inshallah" / "God willing" to those things only half-completed? No! God will fix things. We should look forward to His fixes -- because that is all of God's willing. Some present event is just a small sliver of what God wills to bring to His people.

And it'll all be made for our good, too. As crazy as it sounds, it's true: even bad things are for the good of God's people (Rom 8:28). Because we have eternity to look forward to, and this present, limited, temporary horror of sin is a brief blip that will fade into the horizon as we learn more and more about the God of all glory.

 

[Jakihe]

I believe Allah is a false god, so yes, I say it is wrong.
Some believe that Allah is just another name for God, but the Islamic god, I believe, is not the same God Christians serve and worship.
Allah is not The God of The Bible.

 

[Criada]

Allah is simply the arabic word for God.
If arabic is your native language, then saying 'God willing' is not a problem. If it is not, then why adopt the language of another religion when you can say it perfectly well in English (or French, Spanish, German, Swahili, or whatever is your native tongue)?

 

[DoctorJosh]

The wiki version.
Insha'Allah - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Aramaic God is written Elah. Some think that why Allah is similar in Arabic to Elah. But Hebrew it is either YHVH, YHWH, Jehovah, Adonai, Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh. All meaning one thing, God the Creator, God of the Universe, God of Love and Life or close in those origins compared to other languages that describe the same in their language. In Greek its like they are still confused on a term that describes God of the Universe, but Theos is used as well as kuros (Greek Lexicon uses Kuros). For each Language they have a word for God of the Universe, to describe God the Father of Heaven. There are also different versions for Jesus in each of the languages during that time.

If I hear anyone say, "Praise be to Allah" I say also, "Praise the Lord Jesus". After all both God the Father and the Lord Jesus deserve Praise. =)

Hence, even our English term Jesus is not His True name or how it was spelled. Actually, in Hebrew and Arabic the translation was Joshua for Yeshua, (Arabic was Yasu'u or Isa), which was also written in different versions including Esa. But granted Jesus, Yeshua, Yasu'u, and Joshua all being the same knows our hearts and knows who we are talking to. Since there is only one who was crucified on the cross for our sins and we are directing our Prayers to that one, by what ever language we speak that we know Him by. For us who speak English, It is Jesus our Savior.

God Bless.

 

[seashale76]

Just say it in English- 'God willing.' There is nothing wrong with it and it can be found in scripture. You're not supposed to say that you are definitely going to do something, for example, say tomorrow, because we don't know if we've been given tomorrow. Instead, a believer should say, 'God willing, I'll do this tomorrow.'

 

[Mister_Al]

Whatever name you invoke as a god to you is the god that will manifest itself to you. If you call upon the name of allah, then you'll get allah. If you call upon the name of satan, then you'll get satan. But, if you call upon the name of Jesus, you'll get Jesus.

Don't think for a minute these spirits don't know their names, and don't be fooled into thinking that God knows your heart so it doesn't matter what you call Him. How do you think that witches summon demons to do their evil for them--they call them by name.

But is it wrong for a Christian to say "Inshallah"? You may be saying "god willing," but your reference to god is allah, not Jehova or Jesus. You decide!

Alan

 

[asianangel]

Ooohh. Thanks everyone.

 

[Rick Kirkham]

I've never believed promoting Christianity is insulting other religions. I refuse to believe that any religion which promotes spirituality and humans to love one another is incorrect. It is simply that I personally have chosen Christianity.

Rick

 

[Sketcher]

"Allah" means "the God" in Arabic. There's no other word more appropriate than that to describe God, so Christian Arabs use that when praising our God. I would therefore imagine that they use term "inshallah" as well. But I see no reason to use that kind of language if I'm not with Christians whose primary language is Arabic.

 

[singpeace]

But is it wrong for a Christian to say "Inshallah"?

Inshallah is not bad... "God-willing". I have said that many times in English.

However, in the current climate, it's a word I would put on the shelf and forget. Terrorists that speak Arabic use this word all the time.

I would find another word.