ALHAMDULILLAH IS TRANSLATED AS THANK GOODNESS'
Indeed, all praises are for Allaah subhaanahu wa ta'ala. We praise Him, we seek His help, we seek His forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Allaah from the evils of our souls and our evil actions. Whosoever Allaah guides then none can misguide and whosoever Allaah misguides then none can guide aright. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah alone, having no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam is His servant and Messenger.
Perhaps every Muslim who has a grasp of both English and Arabic language knows that the English translation of the Arabic word 'al-Hamdulillah', is 'Praise be to Allah or All praises and thanks are to Allah alone' or something similar to them. However, today, we find stickers on the cars and vehicles of people, used s decoration or perhaps as a sort of reminder, with the word 'al-Hamdulillah' written and immediately below it, the word 'thank goodness' is placed. In this brief article, we shall endeavor to prove that the translation is not accurate both in its literal sense and in its meaning. And we shall also, Insha-allah, try to unveil its contradiction with the principles of Islam.
Before we do that, it is important to note that the Qur'anic 'translations' we read in English are not the Qur'an. "Neither the translator nor his audience believe that the translation is the Qur'an."[1] This is because the Qur'an itself, in about eleven references, explained that it was revealed in the language of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam, which is in Arabic.[2] With this in mind, whenever we say the English translation of 'al-Hamdulillah', we mean the translation of the meaning of 'al-Hamdulillah' in English.
We say the translation is not accurate in its literal sense because if one browses through the widely disseminated Qur'anic 'translations' today, one will not find 'al-Hamdulillah' translated as 'thank goodness'.
Amazingly, in a span of two centuries of translation of the Qur'an, none of the translators render 'al-Hamdulillah' into English as 'thank goodness'. In the 18th century, George Sale translates 'al-Hamdulillahi-Rabbil-'alameen' as "Praise be to God the Lord of all creatures". Likewise, in the 19th century J.M. Rodwell, he translated it as "Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds". Also, in first half of 20th century, M. Pickthall translated it as "Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds"[3]
In recent times, The Interpretation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an in the English Language By AI-Hilali et. al. translated 'al-Hamdulillah' as 'All the Praises and Thanks be to Allah'[4].
Also if one looks through Arabic-English Dictionaries, 'Hamd is translated as 'praising' or 'thanking' or something similar to them, and I am yet to find a dictionary that translate the word 'Allah' as 'goodness'.
Due to this unusual translation, the intended meaning of 'al-Hamdulillah' has been severely corrupted.
To know the intended meaning of 'al-Hamdulillah', we quote some of the Tafseer (Explanation of the Scholars of the Qur'an^ of the Scholars. AI-Haafidh Ibn Kathir, rahimahullah, in his Tafseer of the Qur'an, quoted at-Tabari (Tafseer of the Qur'an by at-Tabari 1:135) regarding the meaning of 'al-hamdulillah' as follows:
The meaning of 'al-Hamdulillah' is "All thanks are due purely to Allah, alone, not any of the objects that are being worshipped instead of Him, nor any of his creation. These thanks are due to Allah's innumerable favors and bounties that only He knows the amount of. Allah's bounties include creating the tools that help the creation worship Him, the physical bodies with which they are able to implement His commands, the sustenance that He provided them in this life, and the comfortable life He has granted them, without anything or anyone compelling Him to do so. Allah also warned His creation and alerted them about the means and methods with which they can earn eternal dwelling in the residence of everlasting happiness. All thanks and praises to Allah for these favors from beginning to end."[5]
Shaykh Muhammad Ameen Shanqeetee, rahimahullah, explained in his Tafseer of the Qur'an, Adwaa'ul Bayaan, the meaning of 'alhamdulillah' as follows:
"The saying of the Exalted, 'all the praises and thanks are for Allaah': there is no mention here as to when this praise is said or from where this praise comes from, but in Surah (a chapter of the Qur'an,) Rum there is mention that from amongst the 'where's' are the heavens and the earth – in His saying, 'and His is all the praises and thanks in the heavens and the earth.' (30:18).
And in Surah Qasas there is mention that from amongst the 'when's' are in this world and in the Hereafter - in His sayings,
'And He is Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped
besides Him. To Him belongs all praise in the beginning (i.e. this world) and in the end (i.e.
the Hereafter).' (28:70).
And He said in the beginning of Surah Saba'a,
'His is all the praise in the Hereafter, and He is the All-Wise, All-Aware.' (34:1).
The Alif and Laam (i.e. the definite article 'the') in al-Hamd is so as to include all the different manners of praise, and it is an extolling with which Allaah has praised Himself and ordered His servants to praise Him with." [6]
It is clear, without any doubt from the above translations of scholars (Muslims and Non-Muslims), and as well as from the Tafseer of the Mufassiroon[7], that translating 'al-Hamdulillah' as 'thank goodness' is not accurate both from the linguistic point of view or from the meaning of the Tahmid (al-Hamdulillah). It is absolutely clear that nothing deserves 'al-Hamd' except Allah alone.
In addition, regarding 'al-Hamd', Shaykh-al-lslam Ibn Taymiyyah, rahimahullah,
says:
"Hamd means praising orally a grace regardless of being benefited by it, be it a favour or anything else, such as a statement that 'I did hamd to a certain person in connection with the prize he had been awarded or for his feat of boldness.' Shukr (thanking) is that praise which is done orally or emotionally or by any other organ of the body in lieu of some favor. This shows that the word hamd is commonly used in one situation and Shukr m another situation."[8]
If 'al-Hamdulillah 'means to praise and thank Allah for His bounties, therefore, the translation should mention Allah being thanked and praised or else we would be praising or thanking someone or something other than Allah. If Allah should be acknowledged first when being grateful for some fortune, then all the more so the translation should mention the word Allah or at least put the word 'God' for those who don't know the word 'Allah'.
In the translation, however, Allah is not mentioned, instead, 'goodness' was mentioned. The dangeir in translating 'al-Hamdulillah' as 'thank goodness' has this implication: That the translation of the word 'al-Hamd' is 'thanks' and the English word for 'Allah' is 'goodness'. It is obvious that both words 'al-Hamd' and Allah' don't mean 'thanks' and 'goodness' respectively. The logical consequence of this is that saying 'thank goodness' as the conscious translation of the meaning of 'al-Hamdulillah' in English language is like saying thanks for the bounties we receive to some abstract idea like 'goodness'. This is because 'Allah' does not mean 'goodness'.
Moreover, some might say that goodness could be one of Allah's Names. If this is the case then we say ‘produce your proof’. We describe Allah the way He describes Himself and the way His Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) described Him.
Imaam Aboo 'Uthmaan ibn 'Abdur-Rahman As-Saboonee in describing what the people of the Sunnah believe concerning the Names and Attributes of Allah, says:
They affirm what Allah, the Most Majestic, has affirmed for Himself in His Book or through the tongue of His Messenger, (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam).[9]
Imaam Ibn Qudaamah says about the obligation of sticking to Qur'an and authentic Hadeeth concerning the Names and Attributes of Allah:
We are obliged to believe in and to welcome with submission and acceptance everything that is mentioned in the Qur'an or that is correctly transmitted from the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) concerning the attributes of Allah. And we must not oppose it (which is done) by radd (rejection), ta'weel (distortive interpretation), tashbeeh (comparison) and tamtheel (representation).[10]
Furthermore, Shaykh 'Umar Sulaiman AI-Ashqar says:
"It is not permitted to talk about the unseen except with a clear proof.
And do not follow that of which you have no knowledge. Surely the hearing, the sight and heart, about each of these you will be questioned. (17:36)
In addition, Allah criticized those who claimed that the angels are female and He made what they said a testimony about which they are going to be asked when He brings them to stand in front of Him.
And they made the angels, who themselves are slaves to the Most Merciful, females. Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be recorded and they will be questioned? (43:19)
If such matter of speaking about the angels without knowledge is such, then consider the seriousness of speaking about Allah without knowledge. It is a sin, considered as one of the major sins according to the scales of Truth and His Law.
Say: What my Lord has forbidden you are all acts of indecency, whether committed openly or in secret, sin and wrongful oppression, that you associate with Allah that which has not been sanctioned by Him and that you say concerning Allah something about which you have no knowledge. (7:33)
The reliable and safe way that will lead us to knowledge of Allah, the Most High, is through revelation, which brought this knowledge to light in the clearest possible manner. It is clear and distinct method whose results are reliable and trustworthy because the source of it is the All-Knowing the All Aware and His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihiwa sallam).
There is no one more knowledgeable about Allah than Allah Himself just as no one in creation is more knowledgeable about Allah than His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihiwa sallam"[11]
The names of Allah are the matters of al-ghaib (unseen) and as such that they can't be known except from revelation from Allah. Hence we require proof from the revelation - the Qur'an and authentic Hadeeth—that says that 'goodness' is one of the Names of Allah.
It must be emphasized, however, that in no way we mean that Allah is not good. No doubt that Allah is the Creator and the Source of all good. In fact, there is a hadeeth that Allah is described as At-Tayyib, The Good. But The Good' is entirely different from 'goodness'.
One of the Names of Allah is Ar-Rahman (The Merciful) but we don't say that Allah is rahmah (mercy). And Allah is AI-Hakeem (The All-Wise), but we don't say that Allah is hikmah (wisdom). Likewise, Allah is At-Tayyib (The Good) but we don't say that He is 'goodness'. Ar-Rahman, Al-Hakeem, At-Tayyib are Names of Allah, therefore we may say At-Tayyib is Allah. However 'mercy', 'wisdom', and 'goodness' are characters ascribed to Allah, but we don't say 'mercy' is Allah, 'wisdom' is Allah, or 'goodness' is Allah. And besides the meaning of At-Tayyib is closer to mean 'Pure' and it is not the meaning of 'goodness'. Hence, we can say 'all praises and thanks to Ar-Rahman;' but we can't say 'all praises and thanks to rahmah'. Likewise, we can say 'all praises and thanks to At-Tayyib' but we can't say 'all praises and thanks to goodness'.
Thus, the final analysis is, neither the word 'Allah' means 'goodness', nor can 'goodness' be established from any angle to mean 'Allah'. Hence, saying 'thank goodness' instead of saying 'thanks Allah' is close to committing Shirk[12] (polytheism) " because 'goodness' doesn't deserve the thanks and praises of the creatures between the heavens and earth. Even though we may thank someone who's done something good at the same time we must recognize or acknowledge that ultimately all good comes from Allah. Therefore, He is the One Who deserves to be praised.[13]
It could tantamount to Shirk because 'goodness' replaced the word 'Allah' as if 'goodness' is the translation of the word 'Allah', or as if 'goodness' is Allah Himself. This, by necessity, gives a connotation that 'goodness' can avert or inflict harm or can grant good or wishes when undoubtedly this Ability is the prerogative of Allah. Allah says in the Qur'an, the English translation of its meaning is:[14]
Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Wakil (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian, etc.) over all things. (39:62)[15]
The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam), the one sent to explain the Qur'an in detail, says in a hadeeth reported by Ibn Abbas (radi-Allahu- anhu):
Know that if the whole nation united in an effort to benefit you with something, they would only be able to benefit you with something that Allah has destined for you. Likewise, if the whole nation united to harm you with something, they would only be able to do so if Allah had destined it to happen to you.[16]
If this could be Shirk, then, Muslims must be very far from this because Shirk is the greatest Zulm[17]. Allah doesn't forgive shirk if one did not repent before death.
Allah says in the Qur'an:
Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin." (4:48)
In addition, 'al-Hamdulillah' is a Speech of Allah, His Word, and should be considered with utmost care when translating and not taken lightly. Saying 'al-Hamdulillah' is the best form of supplication as was recorded in this hadeeth:
"The most excellent dhikr (remembrance) is [the statement] laa ilaaha illallaah and the most excellent du'a (supplication) is [the statement] al-Hamdulillaah"[18]
Therefore, we must translate it in the best possible manner.
The origin of the expression 'thank goodness'
The origin of the expression 'thank goodness' is from Western Societies in which the predominant life's philosophy is atheistic in nature and science is the ultimate yardstick in life (i.e. what can't be proven by science is non-existent). Instead of saying the word 'God', they replaced it with the word 'goodness' or with other words, since 'God' according to science can't be proven by physical experiment.
They do this even though the whole of Creation points to the existence of God. And belief in God in these societies is not something that one can really be proud of, instead, religion is viewed as a shackle to one's mind (the opium of the masses).
The danger in imitating the Kuffar (disbelievers)
The Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam said: "Whoever imitates a people, then he is from them"
This expression is actually an imitation of the Kuffar because this is what some of them say when something good happened to them or some harm was removed from them. While in Islam, Allah is acknowledged first as the ultimate cause of everything. Meaning if something good happens then it is from Allah[19], and if some calamities happen, then they are tests from Allah. That is why there are words to say in times of happiness (i.e. alhamdulillah) and in times of disaster {Qaddarallah, it is Allah's decree).
Perhaps the one who translated this had this in mind: That the reason for the translation is for the non-Muslims - who don't believe in God - to understand the expression 'al-Hamdulillah' in a frame of mind they are familiar with. If he (the translator) is a Muslim he must understand that He is required to speak about Allah and His Greatness. If he is a non-Muslim, then he has blundered in his translation.
Conclusions
Trivial as it may be to non-Muslims, translating 'al-Hamdulillah' to 'thank goodness' have grave implications to Muslims because it strikes at the very foundation of Islam, which is Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism, Affirmation of Uniqueness and Perfection of Allah)[20]. That is because the expression 'thank goodness' as the English for 'al-Hamdulillah' is not accurate, and at the least, ascribing an inappropriate name to Allah, or carries some form of Shirk.
Lastly, this saying 'thank goodness' has deep psycho-social roots in western societies that are permeated with and anchored upon atheism and upon the belief that religion is divorced from mundane life, and Muslims must be aware of this.
[1] An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur'an by Abu Ammaar Yaasir Qadhi, page 352.
[2] Amongst them are (Qur'an) 16:103,12:2, and 42:7
[3] Translating the Meaning of Surate Al-Fatiha and Amma section to the English (Twelve English Translations To The Meanings Of Surate Al-Fatiha and Amma Section Between Years 1734 and 1974). Prepared and presented by Dr. Anwar Mahmoud Abdul Wahed, pp. 31
[4] Interpretation of the Meanings of the Qur'an in the English Language by Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan, page 1.
[5] Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged), English Translation, by a group of Scholars under the supervision of Shaykh Safiur-Rahman al-Mubaarakpuri, volume 1 page 70.
[6] Adwaa 'ul Bayaan [Part 1] The Tafseer of Sooratul-Faatihah By al'Allaamah Muhammad al-Ameen ash- Shanqeetee. Translated by Abu Rumaysah from http://www.troid.org/.
[7] Mufassiroon - Those scholars who are highly skilled in explaining the Qur'an.
[8] Shark Al-Aqeedat-il-Waasitiyah (Text on the fundamental Beliefs of Islam and rejection of False concepts of its Opponents By Sheikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, commentary by Dr. Muhammad Khalil Harras, page 21.
[9] The Creed of the PIOUS PREDECESSORS and the PEOPLE OF HADEETH, By Aboo 'Uthmaan Ismaa'eel ibn "Abdurrahman As-Saboonee, English Translation, pp. 3.
[10] Lum 'atul I 'tiqaad (The Radiance of the Faith), By Imaam Muwaffiq-ud-Deen Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisee, English translation by Masjid Ahlus-Sunnah Publication, Jamaica, pp. 11.
[11] The Names and Attributes of Allah According to the doctrine of Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah by Shaykh 'Umar Sulaiman al-Ashqar. Translated to English and published by Jam 'iat Ihyaa' Minhaaj Al-Sunnah, UK, pp. 16 - 17.
[12] Shirk basically is polytheism, i.e. worship of others along with Allah. It also implies attributing divine attributes to any other besides Allah. It particularly implies associating partners in worship with Allah or to believe that the source of power, harm or blessings is from others besides Allah. (The definition is taken from the Noble Qur'an by al-Hilali et. al. Appendix II, pp. 1018).
[13] '...And His is all the praises and thanks in the heavens and the earth.' Qur'an (30:18).
[14] Whenever we say 'Allah says in the Qur'an', we mean the interpretation of its meaning in the English language.
[15] The Translation is from The Noble Qur'an by Al-Hilali et. al.
[16] Reported by Ibn Abbas and collected by at-Tirmidhee, and authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheeh al- Jaami' as-Sagheer, vol. 2. Pp. 1317; no. 3957. The English wording came from the Tafseer of SooratuI Hujuraat by Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, pp. 142
[17] Verily, Shirk is the great Zulm. Qur'an 31:13
[18] Sunan at-Tirmidhee [no. 3623]. It was declared hasan by Shaykh Al-Albaanee, rahimahullah, in Saheeh at-Tirmidhee' [no. 2694]
[19] Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah... Qur'an 4:89
[20] Tawhid (Islamic Monotheism) has three aspects:
(I) Oneness of the Lordship of Allah; Tauhid-ar-Ruboobiyya: To believe that there is only one Lord for
the Universe, its Creator, Organizer, Planner, Sustainer, and the Giver of Security, etc., and that is
Allah.
(II) Oneness of the Worship of Allah; Tawhid-al-Uloohiyya: To believe that none has the right to be
worshipped [e.g. praying, invoking, asking for help (from the unseen), swearing, slaughtering
sacrifices, giving charity, fasting, pilgrimage, etc.] but Allah.
(Ill) Oneness of the Names and the Qualities of Allah: Tawhid-al-Asma-was-Sifaaf. To believe that:
(t) We must not name or qualify Allah except with what He or His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi
wa sallam) has named or qualify Him;
(<-r>) None can be named or qualified with the Names or Qualifications of Allah; e.g. Al-Karim;
We must confirm all of Allah's Qualifications which Allah has state in His Book (Qur'an) or mentioned
through His Messenger (Muhammad sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) without changing them or ignoring them
completely or twisting the meanings or giving resemblance to any of the created things [e.g. Allah is
present over His Throne as mentioned in the Qur'an (20:5). Allah said: "The Most Beneficent (Allah)
Istawa (rose over) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty)," over the seventh heaven;
and comes down over the first (nearest) heaven to us on the day of 'Arafat (Hay, i.e. the 9th of Dhul-Hijja)
and also during the last third part of the night as mentioned by the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam, but
He is with us by His knowledge only, not by His Personal-Self (Bi-Dhatihi).. (The definition is taken from
the Noble Qur'an by al-Hilali et. al. Appendix n, pp. 1010)
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