Tahlil
/təˈliːl/noun
An Islamic devotional recitation of the declaration “There is no god but God,” often repeated as a form of remembrance.
Did you know?Tahlil is the verbal noun of the Arabic verb hallala, meaning to utter the formula lā ilāha illā Allāh, “There is no god but God.”
Etymological Timeline
Classical Arabic root
Arabic
ḥ-l-l
“A root associated with releasing, untying, making lawful, or becoming permissible.”
Early Islamic Arabic
Arabic
hallala
“To say lā ilāha illā Allāh, the Islamic declaration of divine unity.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
taḥlīl
“The verbal noun meaning the utterance or repetition of that declaration.”
Medieval Islamic usage
Arabic
taḥlīl
“Devotional recitation of the declaration, especially in collective remembrance and religious gatherings.”
Modern English
English
tahlil
“An English loanword for the Islamic recitation or devotional practice.”