Biden’s use of the word “inshallah” during the presidential debate has prompted a lot of questions from viewers. Here’s what it means.
The first of three presidential debates is under our belts, and if Tuesdayβs fiasco of a face-off is any indication, weβre in for a bumpy ride between now and November 3.
President Donald Trump and Joe Biden went at it in an unprecedented manner, barely allowing the other person to speak. CNNβs Dana Bash described it perfectly: βThat was a shit show.β Few policies were discussed and the moderator, Chris Wallace, had a hard time controlling the situation. Still, after the 90 minutes had passed, many memes were born and there were a few moments worth discussing, like when Biden said βinshallahβ as a reply to Trumpβs response regarding questions on his tax returns.
I just heard Biden saying InshaAllah… am I hearing things?
β Aymann Ismail (@aymanndotcom) September 30, 2020
People of non-Arabic descent, or those not familiar with the term, were confused as to what was said, wondering if theyβd misheard Biden.
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βInshallahβ is a popular Arabic phrase, perhaps their most popular and utilized expression; it means βGod willing.β Itβs a word that has many wrinkles, that can mean different things depending on the context and the way that itβs used.

βIf you grew up Muslim, Arabic speaking or not, youβd know it best as the thing your parents say like a gentle-sneaky no. Youβd ask your parents to buy you a skateboard or a guitar, and not taking you seriously, theyβd say Inshallah,β American Muslim Aymann Ismail explained via Slate.
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βTheyβre telling you eventually or, in most cases, never. Itβs amorphous in this way, and really changes in meaning the way you say it. Iβd say it fits pretty well in Bidenβs purported use.β
Okay, for those of you wondering – did Joe Biden really drop an βinshallahβ with the appropriate sarcastic usage?
Yes, he did. I confirmed with his campaign – that is indeed what the man said. https://t.co/MqseBsl2Ck
β Asma Khalid (@asmamk) September 30, 2020
The use of the word βinshallahβ has riled both Democrats and Republicans. Democrats of Arabic descent have praised the use of the phrase while others have decried it. Some Republicans started to speculate on whether this means that Biden is a Muslim, which is highly unlikely.
Okay, for those of you wondering – did Joe Biden really drop an βinshallahβ with the appropriate sarcastic usage?
Yes, he did. I confirmed with his campaign – that is indeed what the man said. https://t.co/MqseBsl2Ck
β Asma Khalid (@asmamk) September 30, 2020
Bidenβs use of the word βinshallahβ likely suggests that he surrounds himself with a diverse group of people, something that we could all use more of. While the debate may have been a dumpster fire, at least viewers got schooled on a new term.