Can you translate this Arabic sign?

September 9, 2014 5:13 PM

A friend saw this sign in a store and wondered what it says. Can anybody help translate? Thanks!
posted by belladonna to Writing & Language (3 answers total)

Best answer: I am not up for a translation of the entire sign of such length, but the large text is ما شاء الله, read "masha'Allah". It is a set expression that literally translate as "God has willed it" and is an expression of thanks or joy at something that has just occurred or been mentioned.
posted by Tanizaki at 5:49 PM on September 9, 2014

Best answer: First line is the bismillah ("in the name of God the most Gracious the most Merciful", set phrase before reciting from the Qur'an)
Second line is "mashallah" as pointed out above
The body of the text is from the Qur'an Sura 18 Aya 39-40

At the end it says "Sadaqa Allahu al-Azeem" (Almighty Allah has spoken the truth) another set phrase which some people say after reciting from the Qur'aan.
posted by pravit at 5:59 PM on September 9, 2014 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: Thank you both! That's very helpful.
posted by belladonna at 6:44 PM on September 9, 2014