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Islamic phrases

Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raji'un in Arabic

Inna lillahi in Arabic is إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ (innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn), meaning "Indeed we belong to God, and indeed to Him we will return." It comes from Surah Al-Baqarah 2:156. Muslims say it on hearing of a death, and also when struck by any loss or hardship.

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn

Literally: “indeed we belong to God, and indeed to Him we are returning”

Quranic Arabic (Al-Baqarah 2:156), said identically by Muslims everywhere
By dialect

Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raji'un across the Arab world

Arabic changes from country to country. Here's what you'll actually hear.

Standard (MSA)إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَinnā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn

Quranic wording, the same in every country. Often shortened in speech and text to إنا لله (innā lillāh).

Egyptianإنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون، البقية في حياتكinnā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rāgiʿūn, il-baʾiyya fi ḥayātak

Same phrase, followed by the Egyptian condolence "may the rest (of his life) be in yours." Some pronounce rāgiʿūn with a g.

Levantineإنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون، الله يرحمهinnā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn, alla yirḥamu

Same phrase, usually followed by "may God have mercy on him."

Gulfإنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون، عظم الله أجركمinnā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn, ʿaẓẓam allāh ajrakum

Same phrase, followed by "may God make your reward great," the standard Gulf condolence.
Variations

Other ways to say inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un

ArabicMeaningWhen to use it
إنا للهinnā lillāh
We belong to GodCommon short form in speech and messages
اللَّهُمَّ أْجُرْنِي فِي مُصِيبَتِي وَأَخْلِفْ لِي خَيْرًا مِنْهَاallāhumma'jurnī fī muṣībatī wa akhlif lī khayran minhā
O God, reward me in my affliction and replace it for me with something betterThe dua the Prophet taught to say after Inna lillahi (Sahih Muslim)
الله يرحمه / الله يرحمهاallāh yirḥamu / allāh yirḥamha
May God have mercy on him / herAll dialects; said about the deceased
عظم الله أجركمʿaẓẓama llāhu ajrakum
May God make your reward greatFormal condolence to the bereaved family; very common in the Gulf and Levant
البقية في حياتكil-baʾiyya fi ḥayātak
May the rest (of their life) be added to yoursStandard Egyptian condolence; also heard in the Levant
أحسن الله عزاءكمaḥsana llāhu ʿazā'akum
May God grant you good consolationFormal condolence across dialects
البركة فراسكl-baraka f-rāsek
The blessing is in you (may you live on)Common Moroccan condolence
Replies

How to respond

شكر الله سعيكمshakara llāhu saʿyakum

May God reward your effort (the bereaved family's reply to condolences)

حياتك الباقيةḥayātak il-bāʾya

May your life be the one that lasts (Egyptian reply to il-baʾiyya fi ḥayātak)

أجرنا وأجركمajrana w ajrakum

Our reward and yours (reply to ʿaẓẓam allāh ajrakum)

آمينāmīn

Amen (reply to allāh yirḥamu)

Pronunciation

How to say it right

The sounds English speakers find tricky, and how to get them right.

Practise with feedback

  1. Innā has a doubled n and a long ā at the end: in-NĀ. Don't shorten it to "inna."

  2. Lillāhi has a doubled l: lil-lā-hi. Because it follows i, the l here is light, not thick.

  3. Rājiʿūn ends with ʿayn (ع) before the long ū: rā-ji-ʿŪN. If you can't make the ʿayn yet, a slight catch in the throat is better than skipping it.

  4. Ilayhi is i-LAY-hi, with the final h clearly breathed.

In a sentence

Example sentences

إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون، اللهم أجرني في مصيبتي واخلف لي خيراً منها.innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn, allāhumma'jurnī fī muṣībatī wa akhlif lī khayran minhā.

We belong to God and to Him we return. O God, reward me in my affliction and replace it with something better.

Standard (MSA)
إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون، البقية في حياتك يا حاج.innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rāgiʿūn, il-baʾiyya fi ḥayātak ya ḥāg.

We belong to God and to Him we return. My condolences, sir.

Egyptian
سمعت إنه جدك توفى؟ إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون، الله يرحمه.smiʿt innu jiddak twaffa? innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn, alla yirḥamu.

I heard your grandfather passed away? We belong to God and to Him we return; may God have mercy on him.

Levantine
إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون، عظم الله أجركم وغفر لميتكم.innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn, ʿaẓẓam allāh ajrakum w ghafar li-mayyitkum.

We belong to God and to Him we return. May God make your reward great and forgive your deceased.

Gulf
Culture

Using it like a local

The phrase comes from Surah Al-Baqarah 2:155-157, which describes people tested with fear, hunger and loss "who, when disaster strikes them, say: innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn." The next verse says they receive blessings and mercy from their Lord. It is an expression of acceptance: everything we have, including ourselves, belongs to God.

It is said first and foremost on hearing that someone has died, Muslim or not, but it isn't limited to death. Many Muslims say it for any setback: losing something valuable, bad news, an accident, a missed opportunity. Sahih Muslim records the Prophet teaching it together with the dua allāhumma'jurnī fī muṣībatī.

When offering condolences, keep it simple: say Inna lillahi, then a blessing like الله يرحمه (allāh yirḥamu) or the local phrase. Long speeches aren't expected. In messages, many Muslims write the phrase in full or as "Inna lillahi" rather than "RIP."

FAQ

Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raji'un: common questions

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What does inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un mean?

It means "Indeed we belong to God, and indeed to Him we will return." It's a Quranic phrase from Surah Al-Baqarah 2:156 that expresses acceptance of loss and trust in God.

When do you say inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un?

Most often on hearing that someone has died. It's also said for any misfortune or loss, big or small, as the verse refers to anyone afflicted by a calamity. Many add the dua allāhumma'jurnī fī muṣībatī wa akhlif lī khayran minhā.

Can you say inna lillahi when a non-Muslim dies?

Yes. The phrase is a statement that all people belong to God and return to Him, and many Muslims say it on hearing of any death. Some prefer to then offer general sympathy rather than prayers specific to Muslims.

How do you reply when someone says inna lillahi to you after a loss?

You can say شكر الله سعيكم (shakara llāhu saʿyakum), "may God reward your effort," or جزاك الله خيراً (jazāk allāhu khayran). In Egypt, reply to il-baʾiyya fi ḥayātak with ḥayātak il-bāʾya.

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