What is the proper way to write Inshallah, Insha’Allah or In Shaa Allah?

What is the proper way to write Inshallah, Insha’Allah or In Shaa Allah?

This is something I came across on the forums and wanted to make sure if it is accurate…

When writing God Willing in Arabic/english, we should NOT write it as “inshAllah”or “inshallah” because it means create Allah. 

Whether Arabic or English please make sure we write it properly as “In shaa Allah”,this means “if Allah wills”.

I didn’t realize this mistake myself till I read this So make sure you forward this to everyone and help them correct their mistake too!

http://forums.islamicawakening.com/f42/inshallah-or-in-shaa-allah-46096/

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Transliteration is to change letters, words, etc. into corresponding letters or alphabets of another language. This is done to facilitate for those unfamiliar with the transliterated language, or merely for purposes of ease when writing in another language. Writing “insha Allah” in various forms is to fulfil this same purpose. Furthermore, the rules of Arabic to English transliteration are not standardized. Every writer transliterates opting to convey the most accurate pronunciation in his opinion. As such, he spaces, combines, capitalizes letters and words as he deems appropriate. Hence, whether a person combines the entire phrase, “inshallah,” or puts one or two spaces, “insha Allah” “in sha Allah,” all these forms are permissible. This point is even clearer to those who have researched the transformation of the Arabic writing style (or any language for that matter) throughout the ages.[1] In every era, scribes wrote Quran and Hadith based on the style prevalent in their age and society. The same applies to the usage of diacritical marks and dots. If the permissibility of variant styles in Arabic was never contested in the history of Islam, why then should varying transliterations be contested?

As far as the claim that if one writes “inshaAllah”/ “inshallah” it will mean “create Allah,” this is incorrect. Firstly, because every reader and writer understands the purport of this word formulation. Just as words having multiple meanings are interpreted/understood contextually, so too will a transliteration be understood contextually. Secondly, the verb “create” is classified as فعل الأمر (imperative verb) in Arabic. The imperative form of “create” using the root word إنشاء is أنشئ (Anshi’ with a sharp ending, unlike an alif). When the word الله is joined to the imperative أنشئ, the final letter of the imperative is given a kasrah ( ئِ ) based on the rules of morphology: أنشئ الله. Technically speaking, the transliteration should then be “anshi illah.” It is therefore incorrect to scrutinize a transliteration based on the technicalities of another language.

In light of the above, the various forms of transliteration for “insha Allah” are permissible.[2] Delving into such intricacies only brings difficulty on a person.     

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Hisham Dawood

Student, Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net