# أعوذ بالله



## TheArabicStudent

Can someone give me an explanation as to what this means?  I've had some people try to explain it to me and when to use it, but they didn't know English very well, so I don't have a complete grasp on it.  Thanks much.

Does it mean the same thing as لا سمح الله ?


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## elroy

No, it's not the same.

I suspect there are differences across dialects.  In Palestinian Arabic, it is commonly used to mean "No way!", i.e. an emphatic and decisive "no."

Example:

رايح عالحفلة؟
أعوذ بالله!

Are you going to the party?
No way!


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## Mahaodeh

It literally means "I take refuge in God"; it's supposed to go with something you really don't want such as: أعوذ بالله من الكفر، أعوذ بالله من الشيطان (for a religious context) or أعوذ بالله من الفقر، أعوذ بالله من الخيانة for a more general context. It's sort of asking God to protect you from something.
 
In general speech, it can be used as a "most definitely not" expression, such as the example given by elroy; you may not really mean it in the context of "I take refuge in God" or "I want God to protect me from going to the party", but it's sort of an exaggeration to make a point.


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## Arabian Prince

Basically it means "I seek refuge in Allah" and it is said when you see something extremely inhumane or somethings are extremely against the Islamic beliefs .. for example:

When we hear about someone killed his mom!! we say أعوذبالله
When someone tells me to committee a sin like adultery or drinking alcohol we say أعوذبالله
When someone mention something evil like "hey let's go steal this and that" we say "WHAT!!! AUTHOO BILLAH man r u crazy!!" which means "I seek refuge in Allah from that evil deed".

so basically it is to show fear and seek refuge in Allah from any evil deed happened, mentioned, and thought.

I hope this is helpful


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## WadiH

elroy said:


> No, it's not the same.
> 
> I suspect there are differences across dialects.  In Palestinian Arabic, it is commonly used to mean "No way!", i.e. an emphatic and decisive "no."
> 
> Example:
> 
> رايح عالحفلة؟
> أعوذ بالله!
> 
> Are you going to the party?
> No way!



More than just emphasis, it expresses a sense of disgust, revulsion, or even offense at the mere thought (though sometimes this is tongue-in-cheek).


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## clevermizo

In Palestinian Arabic, how do you normally pronounce the ذ in this phrase when it appears in colloquial speech? As [dh] or as [z]? (I imagine this varies from person to person as well as region.)


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## WadiH

clevermizo said:


> In Palestinian Arabic, how do you normally pronounce the ذ in this phrase when it appears in colloquial speech? As [dh] or as [z]? (I imagine this varies from person to person as well as region.)



I bet it's [z] because it will be perceived as lifted from Classical Arabic.


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## Arabian Prince

clevermizo said:


> In Palestinian Arabic, how do you normally pronounce the ذ in this phrase when it appears in colloquial speech? As [dh] or as [z]? (I imagine this varies from person to person as well as region.)



either Dal or Dhal .. I'm pretty sure that they don't substitute z for ذ


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## elroy

It is actually [z] - with the possible exception of regions in which ذ's are generally pronounced as in fus7a (but it's possible that this phrase is an exception, meaning that it's pronounced [z] in those regions as well; I'm not sure).  Either way, it's never [d].

Wadi Hanifa, what do you mean by "lifted from Classical Arabic"?


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## Josh_

In my experience it can be used in a similar manner to "God help us!" And as mentioned it can be used seriously or sarcastically, in the same manner that the English phrase can.

In Egyptian it is pronounced with [z].


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## MarcB

Josh_ said:


> In my experience it can be used in a similar manner to "God help us!" And as mentioned it can be used seriously or sarcastically, in the same manner that the English phrase can..


Also God forbid is common.


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## elroy

Josh and MarcB, could you give examples of situations in which this phrase would correspond to "God help us!" or "God forbid!"?  I can't think of any.

There may be differences across dialects.


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## Josh_

It may be different across dialects.  Here are some example of how it might be used in Egyptian (as per my understanding), and maybe MSA as well.

صاحب البيت جاي, أعوذ بالله!
The landlord is coming. God help us!

مراتي حتطبخ اللنهار ده، أعوذ بالله!
My wife is going to cook today.  God help us!

أعوذ بالله، بنتي عازة تروح السوق النهار ده تتسوق.
My daughter wants to go shopping today.  God help us!

بوش انتخب رئيسا، أعوذ بالله!
Bush was elected president.  God help us!


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## elroy

It must indeed be different across dialects, because in Palestinian Arabic we would not use أعوذ بالله in any of those contexts.

We would say الله يستر.


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## Arabian Prince

Josh_ said:


> It may be different across dialects.  Here are some example of how it might be used in Egyptian (as per my understanding), and maybe MSA as well.
> 
> صاحب البيت جاي, أعوذ بالله!
> The landlord is coming. God help us!
> 
> مراتي حتطبخ اللنهار ده، أعوذ بالله!
> My wife is going to cook today.  God help us!
> 
> أعوذ بالله، بنتي عازة تروح السوق النهار ده تتسوق.
> My daughter wants to go shopping today.  God help us!
> 
> بوش انتخب رئيسا، أعوذ بالله!
> Bush was elected president.  God help us!



Using اعوذبالله in these cases are not really accurate.. in these cases we would rather use الله المستعان او الله يعين Allah help us!

but أعوذبالله is used in more extreme cases especially things are forbidden Islamically .. like stealing, adultery, drinking alcohol ..etc 

basically any evil deeds happened, mentioned, or you thought of.

I mentioned some examples in the 4th post in this thread


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## clevermizo

Arabian Prince said:


> either Dal or Dhal .. I'm pretty sure that they don't substitute z for ذ



Actually it is usually [z] or [d] in urban dialects of the Levant, but rarely [dh] (the ذ dhal sound in fus7a).




elroy said:


> Wadi Hanifa, what do you mean by "lifted from Classical Arabic"?



He means that it is a classicism, so it would not likely be 'd', only 'z' or 'dh.' When I asked I knew that it was not likely to be 'd' at all, only one of the fricatives, though I wasn't sure which one.


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## ayed

*ذ =* as in "_th_at*"*


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## clevermizo

ayed said:


> *ذ =* as in "_th_at*"*



I'm aware, but I use 'dh' to represent this, because otherwise you will also use 'th' to represent ث.


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## WadiH

elroy said:


> It must indeed be different across dialects, because in Palestinian Arabic we would not use أعوذ بالله in any of those contexts.
> 
> We would say الله يستر.



Yes, the way we would use it would be something like:

Q: So are you a Lakers fan?
A: Me? أعوذ بالله!

Or another way to use it would be something like:
"Stop yelling, you're such a hot-head أعوذ بالله."

Or here's another:
"Did you see what that guy just did? أعوذ بالله what's wrong with him?"


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## elroy

Wadi Hanifa said:


> *(1)* Q: So are you a Lakers fan?
> A: Me? أعوذ بالله!
> 
> Or another way to use it would be something like:
> *(2) *"Stop yelling, you're such a hot-head أعوذ بالله."
> 
> Or here's another:
> *(3) *"Did you see what that guy just did? أعوذ بالله what's wrong with him?"


 In Palestinian Arabic, we would only use it in scenario (1).


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## djamal 2008

God forbid.
 we may say, و العياذ بالله to ask God for protection and salvation.


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## xebonyx

elroy said:


> Josh and MarcB, could you give examples of situations in which this phrase would correspond to "God help us!" or "God forbid!"? I can't think of any.
> 
> There may be differences across dialects.


 
I think they'd work in these instances:

1-* God forbid* I'd ever invite that woman to our festivities!
2- Our teacher is excercising her power again today by slapping our wrists with rulers, *god help us!*


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## WadiH

xebonyx said:


> I think they'd work in these instances:
> 
> 1-* God forbid* I'd ever invite that woman to our festivities!



A good equivalent of "God forbid" in this sort of situation would be معاذ الله, especially if you're being sarcastic.


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## hence

Josh_ said:


> It may be different across dialects.  Here are some example of how it might be used in Egyptian (as per my understanding), and maybe MSA as well.
> 
> صاحب البيت جاي, أعوذ بالله!
> The landlord is coming. God help us!
> 
> مراتي حتطبخ اللنهار ده، أعوذ بالله!
> My wife is going to cook today.  God help us!
> 
> أعوذ بالله، بنتي عازة تروح السوق النهار ده تتسوق.
> My daughter wants to go shopping today.  God help us!
> 
> بوش انتخب رئيسا، أعوذ بالله!
> Bush was elected president.  God help us!





Hi Josh!

From my very limited arabic....in all the scenerios you listed we would use...."Rabena yostor"


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## elroy

xebonyx said:


> I think they'd work in these instances:
> 
> 1-* God forbid* I'd ever invite that woman to our festivities!
> 2- Our teacher is excercising her power again today by slapping our wrists with rulers, *god help us!*


 Unfortunately, أعوذ بالله would not be used in those contexts - at least not in Palestinian Arabic.

It could be used in a modification of #1:

-Would you ever invite that woman to the festivities?
-*Not in a million years!*


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## xebonyx

elroy said:


> Unfortunately, أعوذ بالله would not be used in those contexts - at least not in Palestinian Arabic.
> 
> It could be used in a modification of #1:
> 
> -Would you ever invite that woman to the festivities?
> -*Not in a million years!*


 
Well, when you think about it, what you wrote is the same as saying "I'd die before I'd ever invite her" which is still an equivalent to the expression "God forbid".


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## elroy

It's not about meaning; it's about usage.  أعوذ بالله is used _in response_ to a preposterous notion, not when you just want to say that you find a certain notion preposterous.

Again, I'm talking about Palestinian Arabic only.


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## xebonyx

elroy said:


> أعوذ بالله is used _in response..._.


 
Ah ok, شكرا على التوضيح . I guess I interpreted some of the other suggestions by our native speakers as all-encompasing.


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