Meaning of Wallaahi, Billaahi and Tallaahi

25-8-2012 | IslamWeb

Question:

Es selamu alejkum May Allah reward you for your work. I want you to ask you, what does the word ''Wallahi Billahi Tallahi'' means? Thank you for the answer.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The three words have different meanings depending on their context in speech. They may be said and mean swearing by Allaah, because the Arabic letters Waaw, Baa’a, Taa’a are used for swearing, so if a person says Wallaahi, Billaahi, or Tallaahi, it means that he swears by Allaah or makes an oath by Allaah.

On the other hand, if the word “Allaah” is preceded by the letter Waaw or Baa’a, then it could mean other than swearing. For example, if someone says “Ista’antu Billaah”, i.e. I seek help from Allaah, then the letter Baa’a here is for seeking help.

Likewise, the letter Waaw could mean Ist’inaaf (i.e. to indicate beginning a new sentence to make a different point); like the saying of Allaah "Wallaahu Rau’oofun Bil Ibaad" (which means): {And Allaah is Kind to [His] servants.}[Quran 2:207]

As regards the letter Taa’a, if it is added to the word "Allaah", it only means swearing by Allaah.

Allaah Knows best.