Islamic phrase · meaning and usage
Wallahi meaning
Also written Wallahi, Wallah, Walahi, Wallahi al-azim, Billahi
وَاللَّهِ
wallāhi
“By Allah (I swear)”
The sound button uses your device’s built-in Arabic voice. It is a computer voice, so use it as a rough guide and learn the exact sounds from a teacher or a reciter.
Wallahi (وَاللَّهِ) means “by Allah”: it is an oath. Islam allows swearing only by Allah (Bukhari 2679). Habitual oaths without intent are not held against you (2:225), but a deliberate oath that is broken needs an expiation (5:89).
What Wallahi means
The letter wa at the start of a noun can mark an oath, as in the Qur’an’s wash-shams (“by the sun”). Wallāhi swears by Allah’s name. Other forms are billāhi and tallāhi.
Because it uses Allah’s name, the Qur’an warns against making Allah an excuse in oaths (2:224) and tells believers to keep their oaths (5:89).
Word by word
| Arabic | Say | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| وَ | wa | by (the letter of oath) |
| اللَّهِ | Allāhi | Allah |
When to say it
- Only when you need to stress that something is true, and it is true.
- Not for jokes, small talk or to win an argument with a lie.
How to reply
No reply is needed.
Where it comes from
In the Qur’an
لَّا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِٱللَّغْوِ فِىٓ أَيْمَٰنِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا كَسَبَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌۭ
Allah does not impose blame upon you for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He imposes blame upon you for what your hearts have earned. And Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing.
لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِٱللَّغْوِ فِىٓ أَيْمَٰنِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ ٱلْأَيْمَٰنَ ۖ فَكَفَّٰرَتُهُۥٓ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَٰكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍۢ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَٰثَةِ أَيَّامٍۢ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّٰرَةُ أَيْمَٰنِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ ۚ وَٱحْفَظُوٓا۟ أَيْمَٰنَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Allah will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths. So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. But whoever cannot find [or afford it] - then a fast of three days [is required]. That is the expiation for oaths when you have sworn. But guard your oaths. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be grateful.
In the hadith
“Whoever must swear, let him swear by Allah or keep silent.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 2679; Sahih Muslim 1646
Aishah said the verse on thoughtless oaths (2:225) was revealed about a man saying “no, by Allah” and “yes, by Allah” in speech.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6663
Common mistakes
- Swearing by anything other than Allah (“on my mother’s life”, “on the Qur’an” is debated). The hadith says swear by Allah or stay silent.
- Swearing falsely. A deliberate lying oath is a major sin, not just a broken promise.
- Saying wallahi in every sentence. Habitual oaths may not count legally (2:225), but scholars advise guarding the tongue and Allah’s name.
Frequently asked questions
What does wallahi mean?
“By Allah.” It is an oath swearing by Allah’s name.
Is it haram to say wallahi?
No. Swearing by Allah is allowed when you are truthful. Lying under oath is a major sin, and scholars advise not swearing too much.
What happens if I break a wallahi oath?
If you deliberately swore to do or not do something and broke it, the expiation is feeding or clothing ten poor people; if you cannot, fast three days (Qur’an 5:89).
Do casual wallahis count?
Thoughtless oaths said out of habit, with no intention, are not held against you (2:225; Bukhari 6663).
What is the difference between wallah and wallahi?
None in meaning. Wallāh is the spoken short form of wallāhi.
Related phrases
How this page works and sources
Qur’an text and its English meaning are taken from the same Uthmani text and translation the Niyat app uses, and each ayah links to its place in our Qur’an reader. Hadith are cited by collection and number (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud, Jami at-Tirmidhi, Sunan an-Nasa’i, Sunan Ibn Majah); where a narration has a weak chain we say so. Hadith wording is summarised in plain English. Where the schools of law differ, the page says so in one line. The sound button uses your browser’s own Arabic voice; nothing is sent anywhere.
Keep this dhikr with you
Niyat has duas and adhkar with Arabic, transliteration and audio, plus prayer times with adhan alerts, qibla and the Qur’an word by word. Rated 4.9 stars.
Download Niyat for iPhone Get it on Google Play