Masha'Allah
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Mā šāʾ Allāh (ما شاء الله) is an Arabic phrase indicating appreciation for an aforementioned individual or event. Towards this, it is used as an expression of respect, while at the same time serving as a reminder that all accomplishments are so achieved by the will of God. The closest English translation is "God has willed it", the present perfect tense of God's will accentuating the essential Islamic doctrine of belief in fate. It is used to show joy and praise. It is said upon hearing good news. Another reason people use this phrase is to prevent the evil eye or jinxing.
Example:
Person A: Friends of ours have adopted a baby.
Person B: Masha'Allah!
The phrase is also used frequently by non-Muslims in the Arab World.
It's a phrase that has also found its way into the colloquial language of many non-Arabic peoples, such as Persians, Turks, Bosniaks, Albanians and Muslims and Urdu-speakers of South and Southeast Asia (who say "Masha'allah"), and some of the peoples of the Balkans who once lived under Turkish rule, including some who are not of the Islamic faith. A living example of this phenomena is witnessed in the vernacular form of Cypriot Greek whereby speakers invoke Masha'Allah as similar to their Turkish counterparts.
In the Middle East, Mediterranean, and South Asia, "Masha'allah" is also said as a way of warding off the superstition of the evil eye. Often when one asks whether someone is ailing, "Masha'allah" is inserted into the sentence.
The triliteral of šāʾ is š-y-ʾ "to will", a doubly weak root.
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