Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un

The phrase written in Arabic

Recitation of إِنَّا ِلِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ in 2:156

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (Arabic: إِنَّا ِلِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ, ʾinnā li-llāhi wa-ʾinnā ʾilayhi rājiʿūn^a), also known as Istirja (Arabic: إِسْتِرْجَاع, ʾIstirjāʿ), is an Arabic phrase, mentioned in the second surah of the Quran,^[1] and meaning "Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we return." It reflects the belief that life and all that exists belong to God, and that every being will ultimately return to Him and serves as a reminder for Muslims to stay patient and seek solace in their faith during trials. It is often recited upon hearing news of death but also used in response to any form of calamity as a sign of acceptance of divine will and trust in God’s wisdom. ^[2][3][4]

It is reported that Muhammad said when a disaster befalls a believer and they recite this phrase, God would grant them something better in return.^[5]

The phrase conveys the broader theological principle of human existence being temporary and the afterlife being the ultimate destination. A similar phrase also exist in the Tanakh (Genesis 3:19): עָפָ֣ר אַ֔תָּה וְאֶל־עָפָ֖ר תָּשֽׁוּב׃, Dust you are, and to dust you will return.^[6]

References

1. Quran 2:156 ^{(Translated by Al-Hilali & Khan)}. "Arabic: ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَ أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَالُوا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّ إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ"
2. "The believers attitude towards calamities". IslamQA (in English, Arabic, and Spanish). 19 March 2006.
3. "When to say: Inna Lilaahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raaji'oon". Islamweb. 2018-04-01.
4. Adia, Aida (2018-02-07). Hijab (in Arabic). Alaf 21. ISBN 978-967-446-339-7.
5. "Sahih Muslim 918b - The Book of Prayer - Funerals - كتاب الجنائز - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)". sunnah.com. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
6. In the Masoretic Text of the Tanakh