Muslims and Christians frequently say, "God willing!" Why? Is it some sort of prayer?

Question

I believe that God is all-powerful--in fact, all-everything (omnific). If you agree, then why would you or I question that anything could possibly happen that God was not willing to have happen? Cheers.

Answer 1

Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim - In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Hello. Muslims say "inshAllah" which translates to "if God wills" whenever we are intending to do something in the future. "I'll pick you up after school tomorrow, inshAllah". Since I do not know the future I might be delayed due to some reason such as a breakdown or a traffic jam, so I say inshAllah as a reminder that I am only a human with no knowledge of the future and that God is All-Knowing. It is a way of showing humbleness in acknowledging that we don't have perfect knowledge, yet God does. It does not reflect on God's ability or knowledge, rather, on our human limitations.

InshAllah you will read this and understand :)

May Allah guide you to that which is best in this world and the next. Ameen.

Fi Aman Allah,

Nancy Umm Abdel Hamid

Answer 2

Jas 4:13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"--
Jas 4:14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
Jas 4:15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

I hope this helped.

Answer 3

Because God isn't the one doing the bad acts. Satan is.
While mans cruelty on his own can be pretty bad but egged on by Satan he can become a terriorist.
If God controled everything then why in Genesis 6:
Say that he regreted making man in the first place because he was so violent. That tells me he doesn't have control over what man does. I mean if it was God's will then why did he drown them for being so violent?
He made us with free will and when we use that free will to sin much as Satan did then he comes wickedness.
God is not the one fighting wars and starving people.

Answer 4

James 4:13-16 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.

Answer 5

We're not questioning God, but noting that what we plan and want might not coincide with what He wills. Thus, "I'll see you tomorrow, God willing" means that I can't promise that I'll see you tomorrow since it's possible that some unforeseen event could occur that could prevent this.

Answer 6

They usually say it when they want something to happen, like "He will arrive safely, God willing." That means if God is willing to allow him to arrive safely, they are not saying it will happen if he doesn't will it, they are just hoping that he will will it to happen.

Answer 7

That means, If it is God's will then it (whatever it may pertain to) will happen. Example: Will I see you tomorrow? Yes, God willing.

Answer 8

People use this expression in the case of something "they" want to happen, and if it is God's will, then it will happen.(i.e. " God willing, my mom's cancer will stay in remission.")

Answer 9

anything that happens 2 u (fate) is all gods (allah's) will. so (for example) if i want to get freaky wit sum honey. if sum1 asks, 'r u gonna hit it then?' il say ' yea man, maybe. god willing (insha allah)

Answer 10

I say it because I submit to the will of God, and not my own will.