Hawqala


The Ḥawqala is an Arabic word referring to the statement lā ḥawla wa-lā quwwata ʾillā bi-llāh which is usually translated as "There is no power nor strength except by Allah." A longer version is lā ḥawla wa-lā quwwata ʾillā bi-llāhi l-ʿalīyi l-aẓīm, meaning "There is no power nor strength except in Allah, the Lofty, the Great". This expression is mentioned by a Muslim whenever seized by a calamity or in a situation beyond their control. The word Ḥawqala is a portmanteau of the words ḥawla and quwwata.
The English translation does not completely convey the full meaning of the phrase. For example, translating the word ḥawla as "power" is an oversimplification. The Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic shows the linguistic verb root for ḥawla as ḥ-w-l, and it depicts all manner of change, transformation and motion.
It is used in other phrases like: