What does "Qadarallah" mean?
"Qadarallah" means "Allah has decreed it", and Muslims say it when something goes wrong to accept that it happened by Allah's will. The full phrase is "Qadar Allahu wa ma sha'a fa'al": Allah decreed it, and He does what He wills. It is a short way of saying "it was meant to be, and I trust Allah".
Where the phrase comes from
The words come from a hadith. The Prophet ﷺ said the strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, and told us to strive for what benefits us and seek Allah's help. Then he said: if something befalls you, don't say "If only I had done this and that", but say "Qadar Allahu wa ma sha'a fa'al", because "if only" opens the door to the work of Shaytan (Sahih Muslim 2664).
So the phrase is not about giving up. It comes right after the instruction to work hard. You do your best, and when the result is out of your hands, you let it go.
When do Muslims say it?
- You miss a train, drop your phone or burn dinner.
- A job application, exam or house purchase doesn't work out.
- A friend tells you about a loss or disappointment, and you want to comfort them.
- You made a mistake and you are tempted to replay it over and over.
For deaths and heavy news, Muslims usually say "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un" instead or as well. See What do I say when I hear bad news as a Muslim?
The belief behind it
Qadar, or divine decree, is one of the six pillars of faith. Nothing happens in the universe except by Allah's knowledge and will. See What is qadr in Islam?
What it doesn't mean
"Qadarallah" isn't an excuse for carelessness or for sins. If you hurt someone, you apologise and fix what you can. If you skipped revision, you study harder next time. It also doesn't mean you can't feel sad. The Prophet ﷺ wept when his son Ibrahim died. Saying it simply stops the endless "what if" spiral and turns your heart back to trust. See Does tawakkul mean I shouldn't worry?
Spelling varies: "Qadarullah", "Qaddarallah" and "Qadr Allah" are all used online. The meaning is the same.
- "Qadarallah" means "Allah has decreed it".
- The full phrase is "Qadar Allahu wa ma sha'a fa'al" (Sahih Muslim 2664).
- Say it after a setback instead of "if only I had...".
- It comes after effort, not instead of effort, and sadness is still allowed.
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