How to pronounce La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّه · laa-HAW-la-wa-laa-QUW-wa-ta-il-laa-bi-LLAAH · /laː ħaw.la wa laː quw.wa.ta ʔil.laː bi‿ɫˈɫaːh/
The answer
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah is pronounced laa-HAW-la-wa-laa-QUW-wa-ta-il-laa-bi-LLAAH. laa-HAW-la wa-laa QUW-wa-ta il-laa bi-LLAAH, in two balanced halves. The capitalised syllable carries the stress, and the phrase means there is no power and no strength except by allah.
Syllable by syllable
The highlighted syllables are stressed. Say the phrase slowly at first, hold the long vowels for a full beat, then bring it up to normal pace. Most mistakes come from rushing the stressed syllable rather than from getting a consonant wrong.
The sounds English speakers miss
- q (ق)
- A deep k made far back at the uvula, distinct from the ordinary k of akbar. Substituting a k is common in several dialects and is understood, but they are different letters.
- Doubled w
- Quwwata holds the w. The doubling is audible: quw-wa, not qua-wa.
- Phrasing
- Breathe after quwwata, not in the middle of it. The phrase is built as no power, and no strength, except by Allah.
Spellings people use for La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah is a transliteration, so no spelling is officially correct. These are the forms people write and search for, and what each one is reaching for.
| Spelling | What it reflects |
|---|---|
| la hawla wala quwwata illa billah | Standard spaced spelling of the same phrase. |
| la haula wala quwwata illa billah | au instead of aw for the same diphthong. |
Frequently asked
How do you pronounce La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah?
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah is pronounced laa-HAW-la-wa-laa-QUW-wa-ta-il-laa-bi-LLAAH. laa-HAW-la wa-laa QUW-wa-ta il-laa bi-LLAAH, in two balanced halves.
How many syllables does La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah have?
12: laa, HAW, la, wa, laa, QUW, wa, ta, il, laa, bi, LLAAH. The capitalised syllable carries the stress.
What is the IPA for La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah?
A broad transcription is /laː ħaw.la wa laː quw.wa.ta ʔil.laː bi‿ɫˈɫaːh/. It is readable rather than narrow, so it marks the throat consonants and vowel length without every dialect detail.
Am I saying La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah wrong?
A deep k made far back at the uvula, distinct from the ordinary k of akbar. Substituting a k is common in several dialects and is understood, but they are different letters. Everyday speech smooths several of these sounds, and the phrase is still understood, but the recited form keeps them.
How is La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah spelled in English?
There is no single official spelling, because it is a transliteration from Arabic. Common variants include la hawla wala quwwata illa billah, la haula wala quwwata illa billah. They all refer to the same Arabic phrase, لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّه.
How long does La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah take to say?
About four seconds said carefully.
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