Billah Explained
Billah (Arabic: بالله|bi-ʾllāh) is an Arabic phrase meaning with God or through God. It is used in various standard sayings, such as the Hawqala and the Ta'awwudh. It is also often used as a component of compound personal proper names, particularly as regnal names by caliphs and other rulers when it might be seen as a counterpart of the Christian usage by the grace of God. It is used for example as follows:
- Al-Aziz Billah (Arabic: العزيز بالله|al-ʿAzīz bi-ʾllāh), mighty through God
- Baqi Billah (Arabic: باقى بالله|Bāqī bi-ʾllāh), everlasting through God
- Al-Mahdi Billah (Arabic: المهدي بالله|al-Mahdī bi-ʾllāh), rightly guided through God
- Al-Mansur Billah (Arabic: المنصور بالله|al-Manṣūr bi-ʾllāh), he who is victorious through God
- Al-Muhtadi Billah (Arabic: المهتدي بالله|al-Muhtadī bi-ʾllāh), rightly guided through God
- Al-Muktafi Billah (Arabic: المكتفي بالله|al-Muktafī bi-ʾllāh), contented with God alone
- Al-Muntasir Billah (Arabic: المنتصر بالله|al-Muntaṣir bi-ʾllāh), he who triumphs in God
- Al-Mustafa Billah (Arabic: المصطفى بالله|al-Muṣṭafā bi-ʾllāh), one who is chosen through God
- Al-Musta'in Billah (Arabic: المستعين بالله|al-Mustaʿīn bi-ʾllāh), one who asks for help through God
- Al-Mustakfi Billah (Arabic: المستكفي بالله|al-Mustakfī bi-ʾllāh), desirous of being satisfied with God alone
- Al-Musta'li Billah (Arabic: المستعلي بالله|al-Mustaʿlī bi-ʾllāh), exalted through God
- Al-Mustamsik Billah (Arabic: المستمسك بالله|al-Mustamsik bi-ʾllāh), one who restrains himself through God
- Al-Mustanjid Billah (Arabic: المستنجد بالله|al-Mustanjid bi-ʾllāh), one who implores for help through God
- Al-Mustansir Billah (Arabic: المستنصر بالله|al-Mustanṣir bi-ʾllāh), one who asks for victory through God
- Al-Mustarshid Billah (Arabic: المسترشد بالله|al-Mustarshid bi-ʾllāh), one who seeks direction through God
- Al-Musta'sim Billah (Arabic: المستعصم بالله|al-Mustaʿṣim bi-ʾllāh), he who holds fast through God
- Al-Mustazhir Billah (Arabic: المستظهر بالله|al-Mustaẓhir bi-ʾllāh), one who knows by heart through God
- Al-Mu'tadid Billah (Arabic: المعتضد بالله|al-Muʿtaḍid bi-ʾllāh), seeking support in God
- Al-Mu'tasim Billah (Arabic: المعتصم بالله|al-Muʿtaṣim bi-ʾllāh), abstaining from sin through God
- Al-Mu'tasim Billah (796–842), eighth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad
- one of the names of Abdullah al-Mutassim Billah Shah of Pahang (1874–1932), Sultan of Pahang, Malaysia
- one of the names of Abdul Aziz al-Mutasim Billah Shah of Perak (1887–1948), Sultan of Perak, Malaysia
- one of the names of Abdul Halim of Kedah (1927–2017), Sultan of Kedah, Malaysia
- Proper given name of Mutassim Gaddafi, son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi
- Motasim Billah Mazhabi (born 1964), Afghan politician
- Qazi Mu'tasim Billah (1933–2013), Bangladeshi Islamic scholar and teacher
- Al-Mu'tazz Billah (Arabic: المعتز بالله|al-Muʿtazz bi-ʾllāh), he who is strengthened by God
- Al-Muqtadir Billah (Arabic: المقتدر بالله|al-Muqtadir bi-ʾllāh), mighty through God
- Al-Qadir Billah (Arabic: القادر بالله|al-Qādir bi-ʾllāh), powerful through God
- Al-Qahir Billah (Arabic: القاهر بالله|al-Qāhir bi-ʾllāh), victorious through God
- Al-Radi Billah (Arabic: الراضي بالله|al-Rāḍī bi-ʾllāh), content with God
- Al-Rashid Billah (Arabic: الراشد بالله|al-Rāshid bi-ʾllāh), rightly guided through God
- Al-Wathiq Billah (Arabic: الواثق بالله|al-Wāthiq bi-ʾllāh), he who holds trust through God
References
- Book: A Dictionary of Muslim Names. Salahuddin Ahmed. Hurst & Company. London. 1999.
- Book: A Dictionary of Muslim Names. S. A. Rahman. Goodword Books. New Delhi. 2001.