اللہ آپ کو سلامت رکھے
Allah aap ko salamat rakheblessing, religious
In Pakistan people say اللہ آپ کو سلامت رکھے (Allah aap ko salamat rakhe), "may God keep you safe". After a sneeze, Muslims say یرحمک اللہ (yarhamukallah), "may God have mercy on you". It is also called جیتے رہیں (jeete rahen).
Meaning: blessing or reply to a sneeze (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Pakistan | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| اللہ آپ کو سلامت رکھے | Allah aap ko salamat rakhe | blessing, religious |
| جیتے رہیں | jeete rahen | warm |
| یرحمک اللہ | yarhamukallah | after a sneeze, Arabic |
The person who sneezes first says الحمدللہ (alhamdulillah), "praise be to God". The listener then answers with یرحمک اللہ (yarhamukallah).
Which one should you use?
جیتے رہیں (jeete rahen), "may you live long", is a warm everyday blessing and has no link to sneezing.
When do people say it?
Because Pakistan is mostly Muslim, blessings use اللہ (Allah) rather than the English word "God", and they can be said to friends and elders alike.
Did you know?
- The sneeze custom comes from a hadith, a saying of the Prophet Muhammad, which is why Pakistani Muslims follow it as a small religious habit.
Examples in context
- اللہ آپ کو سلامت رکھے۔Allah aap ko salamat rakhe.God bless you and keep you safe.
- جیتے رہیں۔jeete rahen.God bless you, may you live long.
Example conversation
Two colleagues, Adeel and Hira, sit in an office in Islamabad when Adeel sneezes.
- Adeelالحمدللہ۔alhamdulillah.Praise be to God.
- Hiraیرحمک اللہ۔yarhamukallah.May God have mercy on you.
- Adeelشکریہ، موسم بدل رہا ہے۔shukriya, mausam badal raha hai.Thanks, the weather is changing.
