باسم الله
bi-smi llāh/bis.mi‿l.laːh/
The English phrase "in god's name" is expressed in Arabic as باسم الله (bi-smi llāh).
The phrase is used as an intensifier to seek blessings or to commence various actions.
Meaning: intensifier (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the preposition bi- (in/with), the noun ism (name) and Allah (God).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /bis.mi‿l.laːh/. It has 3 syllables.
When do people say it?
The expanded verse بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is used to begin auspicious activities and to seek Allah's blessings.
Did you know?
- In the written form of باسم الله, the first letter of the word اسم is often dropped to create a shorter, specialized spelling used exclusively for this phrase.
- The term الله is related to the Hebrew word אֱלוֹהַּ and the Syriac ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ, reflecting a shared linguistic heritage across Semitic languages.
- Arabic speakers often say باسم الله when tasting food for the first time or when starting a meal to avoid bad luck or to seek a blessing.
Example sentences for Arabic are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Yousef is surprised by a huge mess in the kitchen.
- يوسف Youssefباسم الله! ما كل هذا الركام يا ليلى؟Bism Allah! Ma kull hadha al-rukam ya Layla?Good heavens! What is all this debris, Layla?
- ليلى Laylaكنت أحاول إصلاح الرف.Kuntu uhawil islah al-raff.I was trying to fix the shelf.
- يوسف Youssefلقد دمرتِ المطبخ بالكامل!Laqad dammarti al-matbakh bil-kamil!You have completely destroyed the kitchen!
- ليلى Laylaسأقوم بتنظيف كل شيء فوراً.Sa'aqum bi-tandhif kull shay' fawran.I will clean everything up immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “in god's name” translations and entries باسم الله, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries الله, باسم, CC BY-SA 4.0.
