Billah () 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 (), mighty through God Al-Aziz Billah (955–996), fifth Fatimid Caliph Baqi Billah (), everlasting through God Khwaja Baqi Billah (1563–1603), Sufi saint from Kabul Al-Mahdi Billah (), rightly guided through God Muhammad al-Mahdi Billah (744 or 745 – 785), third Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Abd Allah al-Mahdi Billah (873–934), founder of the Fatimid dynasty Muhammad II al-Mahdi Billah (976–1010), fourth Umayyad Caliph of Córdoba Al-Mansur Billah (), he who is victorious through God Al-Mansur Billah (914–957), third Fatimid Caliph one of the names of Muhammad al-Badr (1926–1996), King and Imam of Yemen Al-Muhtadi Billah (), rightly guided through God Al-Muhtadi Billah (died 870), fourteenth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Muhtadee Billah (born 1974), heir to the Sultan of Brunei Al-Muktafi Billah (), contented with God alone Al-Muktafi Billah (877/78 – 908), seventeenth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad one of the names of Mahmud of Terengganu (1930–1998), Sultan of Terengganu, Malaysia Al-Muntasir Billah (), he who triumphs in God Al-Muntasir Billah (837–862), eleventh Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Mustafa Billah (), 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 (), one who asks for help through God Ahmad al-Musta'in Billah (836–866), twelfth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Sulayman al-Musta'in Billah (965–1016), fifth Umayyad Caliph of Córdoba Abbas al-Musta'in Billah (1390–1430), tenth Abbasid Caliph of Cairo. one of the names of Ahmad Shah of Pahang (1930–2019), Sultan of Pahang, Malaysia Al-Mustakfi Billah (), desirous of being satisfied with God alone Al-Mustakfi Billah (905–949), twenty-second Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Muhammad III al-Mustakfi Billah (976–1025), tenth Umayyad Caliph of Córdoba Al-Mustakfi Billah I (1285–1340), third Abbasid Caliph of Cairo Al-Mustakfi Billah II (1388–1451), twelfth Abbasid Caliph of Cairo Al-Musta'li Billah (), exalted through God Al-Musta'li Billah (1074–1101), ninth Fatimid Caliph Al-Mustamsik Billah (), one who restrains himself through God Al-Mustamsik Billah (died 1521), sixteenth Abbasid Caliph of Cairo Al-Mustanjid Billah (), one who implores for help through God Yusuf al-Mustanjid Billah (1124–1170), thirty-second Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Yusuf al-Mustanjid Billah (died 1479), fourteenth Abbasid Caliph of Cairo Al-Mustansir Billah (), one who asks for victory through God Al-Hakam II al-Mustansir Billah (915–976), first Umayyad Caliph of Córdoba Al-Mustansir Billah (1029–1094), eighth Fatimid Caliph Abu Ja'far al-Mustansir Billah (1192–1242), thirty-sixth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Ahmad al-Mustansir Billah (died 1261), first Abbasid Caliph of Cairo Ali Shah al-Mustansir Billah (died 1480), thirty-second Nizari Isma'ili Imam Gharib Mirza al-Mustansir Billah (died 1498), thirty-fourth Nizari Isma'ili Imam Al-Mustarshid Billah (), one who seeks direction through God Al-Mustarshid Billah (1092–1135), twenty-ninth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Musta'sim Billah (), he who holds fast through God Abd Allah al-Musta'sim Billah (1213–1258), last Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Zakariya al-Musta'sim Billah (died 1389), eighth Abbasid Caliph of Cairo Al-Mustazhir Billah (), one who knows by heart through God Abd al-Rahman V al-Mustazhir Billah (1001–1024), ninth Umayyad Caliph of Córdoba Al-Mustazhir Billah (1078–1118), twenty-eighth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Mu'tadid Billah (), seeking support in God Al-Mu'tadid Billah (853/4 or 860/1 – 902), sixteenth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Mu'tadid Billah I (died 1362), sixth Abbasid Caliph of Cairo Al-Mu'tadid Billah II (died 1441), eleventh Abbasid Caliph of Cairo Al-Mu'tasim Billah (), abstaining from sin through God Al-Mu'tasim Billah (796–842), eighth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad one of the names of Abdullah al-Mutassim Billah Shah of Pahang (1874–1932), Sultan of Pahang, Malaysia one of the names of Abdul Aziz al-Mutasim Billah Shah of Perak (1887–1948), Sultan of Perak, 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 Qazi Mu'tasim Billah (1933–2013), Bangladeshi Islamic scholar and teacher Al-Mu'tazz Billah (), he who is strengthened by God Al-Mu'tazz Billah (847–869), thirteenth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Muqtadir Billah (), mighty through God Al-Muqtadir Billah (895–932), eighteenth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Qadir Billah (), powerful through God Al-Qadir Billah (947–1031), twenty-fifth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Qahir Billah (), victorious through God Al-Qahir Billah (899–950), nineteenth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Radi Billah (), content with God Al-Radi Billah (909–940), twentieth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Rashid Billah (), rightly guided through God Al-Rashid Billah (1109–1138), thirtieth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Wathiq Billah (), he who holds trust through God Al-Wathiq Billah (812–847), ninth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Al-Wathiq Billah I (died 1341), fourth Abbasid Caliph of Cairo Al-Wathiq Billah II (died 1386), ninth Abbasid Caliph of Cairo one of the names of Taimur bin Feisal (1886–1965), Sultan of Oman one of the names of Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu (born 1962), Sultan of Terengganu, Malaysia
References