What does mashallah mean? Meaning, the evil eye and usage

What does the word mashallah mean?

Mashallah is made of three Arabic words: mā (what), shā’a (willed) and Allāh (God). Together they mean “what God has willed has happened”. In everyday Turkish it works like “how lovely, God bless it”, a mix of admiration and a short prayer.

The heart of it is this: the beauty, health, success or blessing you see does not come from a person’s own power but from God’s grace. Saying mashallah expresses your admiration and entrusts that good thing to God.

Is mashallah in the Qur’an?

Yes. In Surah al-Kahf (18:39), a man boasts about his gardens as if he owed them to himself, and his friend tells him: “When you entered your garden, why did you not say, ‘Mā shā’ Allāh, lā quwwata illā billāh’ (This is what God has willed; there is no power except with God)?”

The lesson is clear: instead of showing off what we have, we should remember that it comes from God. That is why Muslims say mashallah even when looking at their own home, children or work.

What does mashallah have to do with the evil eye?

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, in authentic hadith, that “the evil eye is real”. Saying “mashallah” or “barakallah” (may God bless it) when you admire something is seen as a short prayer so that the good thing is not harmed.

That is why in Turkey you see “Maşallah” written on babies’ clothes, new cars and shop windows. The blue evil eye bead (nazar boncuğu) sold in the bazaars, however, comes from old folk tradition rather than from Islam; the religious advice against the evil eye is prayer and saying mashallah. Good to know when you shop for souvenirs in the Grand Bazaar; for ideas, see our guide to spiritual souvenirs from Istanbul.

When do people say mashallah in daily life?

In Turkey you will hear mashallah many times a day. The most common moments:

• Complimenting children: “Mashallah, what a sweet girl!” In Turkey adding mashallah when you praise a child is almost a rule of good manners.
• A success or something beautiful: “Mashallah, your new home is lovely.” “Mashallah, your Turkish is very good.”
• Wonder and amazement: looking at the tiles of the Blue Mosque or a Bosphorus view, “mashallah” comes naturally.

When someone says mashallah to you or about your child, you can answer “thank you” or “jazakallah khair” (may God reward you).

Mashallah, inshallah and alhamdulillah: what is the difference?

The three phrases belong to different moments:

Mashallah is for the good thing in front of you, inshallah for the future and alhamdulillah for gratitude. More: What does inshallah mean? and What does alhamdulillah mean?