La Hawla wa La Quwwata Illa Billah Meaning
There is no power and no strength except with Allah. The meaning, Arabic, when to say it, and its source in the Quran and Sunnah.
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
- Transliteration
- Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh
- Meaning
- There is no power and no strength except with Allah
Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh means “there is no power and no strength except with Allah”. It is said in difficulty, before a hard task, or when something is beyond our control.
A treasure of Paradise
The Prophet ﷺ asked a companion, “Shall I not tell you of a treasure from the treasures of Paradise?” and then taught him: lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh (Sahih al-Bukhari 6384).
When to say it
- When facing something hard or overwhelming.
- When hearing bad news, as a statement of trust in Allah.
- As part of daily dhikr.
In the Quran
The words “lā quwwata illā billāh” appear in Surah al-Kahf with Mashallah (Quran 18:39).
Quran and hadith references link to quran.com and sunnah.com, where you can read the full text. Reviewed 19 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.
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Frequently asked questions
What does La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah mean?
“There is no power and no strength except with Allah.”
When should you say La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah?
In difficulty, before hard tasks, on hearing bad news, and as regular dhikr. The Prophet ﷺ called it a treasure of Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari 6384).