Billah

Billah (Arabic: بالله‎) is an Arabic phrase meaning with God or through God. It is used in various standard sayings, such as the Hawqala and the Ta'awwudh. It is also often used as a component of compound personal proper names, particularly as regnal names by caliphs and other rulers when it might be seen as a counterpart of the Christian usage by the grace of God. It is used for example as follows:

• al-Aziz Billah (Arabic: العزيز بالله‎), mighty through God
  • Abu Mansoor Nizar al-Aziz Billah (955–996), fifth Caliph of the Fatimids
• Baqi Billah (Arabic: باقى بالله‎), everlasting through God
  • Khwaja Baqi Billah (1563–1603), Sufi saint from Kabul
• al-Mahdi Billah (Arabic: المهدي بالله‎), rightly guided through God
  • Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah (ruled 909–934), founder of the Fatimid dynasty
• Al-Muhtadi Billah (Arabic: المهتدي بالله‎), rightly guided through God
  • Al-Muhtadee Billah (born 1974), heir to the Sultan of Brunei
• Al-Muktafi Billah (Arabic: المكتفي بالله‎), contented through God
  • one of the names of Mahmud of Terengganu (1930–1998), Sultan of Terengganu, Malaysia
• Al-Mustafa Billah (Arabic: المصطفى بالله‎), one who is chosen through God
  • one of the names of Abdullah of Pahang (born 1959), Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia
• Al-Musta'in Billah (Arabic: المستعين بالله‎), one who asks for help through God
  • Al-Musta'in (Sultan), (c. 1390–1430), "shadow" caliph of Cairo.
  • one of the names of Ahmad Shah of Pahang (1930–2019), Sultan of Pahang, Malaysia
• al-Mustansir Billah (Arabic: المستنصر بالله‎), one who asks for victory through God
  • Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah (1029–1094), Fatimid Caliph
• Al-Musta'sim Billah (Arabic: المستعصم بالله‎), he who holds fast through God
  • Al-Musta'sim Billah, (1213–1258), last Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad
• al-Mu'tasim Billah (Arabic: المعتصم بالله‎), abstaining from sin through God
  • one of the names of Abdullah al-Mu’tasim Billah Shah of Pahang (1874–1932), Sultan of Pahang, Malaysia
  • one of the names of Abdul Halim of Kedah (1927-2017), Sultan of Kedah, Malaysia
  • Proper given name of Mutassim Gaddafi, son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi
  • Motasim Billah Mazhabi (born 1964), Afghan politician
• Al-Qahir Billah (Arabic: القاهر بالله‎), victorious through God
  • Al-Qahir bi'llah (899–950), Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad
• Al-Wathiqu Billah (Arabic: الواثق بالله‎), he who holds trust through God
  • one of the names of Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu (born 1962), Sultan of Terengganu, Malaysia

References

• Salahuddin Ahmed (1999). A Dictionary of Muslim Names. London: Hurst & Company.
• S. A. Rahman (2001). A Dictionary of Muslim Names. New Delhi: Goodword Books.