Wa iyyak (وإياك) — and its feminine “wa iyyaki” and plural “wa iyyakum” — is the standard Sunnah reply to a Muslim who has said “Jazakallah Khair” (May Allah reward you with goodness). It is short, complete, and returns the very same dua of goodness back to the speaker. This guide covers the Arabic script, the gendered grammar, the hadith and Quranic basis for the exchange, the scholarly status of the phrase, the correct pronunciation, and how to use it in everyday Muslim conversation.
Wa Iyyak Meaning in Arabic and English
The Arabic word وإياك (transliterated wa iyyak or wa iyyaak) is formed from two parts: the conjunction وَ (“and”) and the object pronoun إِيَّاكَ (“you”). Read together, the literal meaning is “and you,” but in the context of a reply to dua it carries the sense of “and to you also” — a polite, reciprocal return of the same blessing the speaker just gave you.
وَإِيَّاكَ — wa iyyaaka — “and to you also”
Without diacritical marks the same phrase is written وإياك. Both spellings refer to the identical word; the marks only show vowels for learners and Quranic recitation. In casual chat and social media you will see it spelled in many transliterations — wa iyyak, waiyyak, wa iyyaak, wa iyaak, wa iyyakum, waiyyakum, wa iyyaki, waiyyaki — all of these point to the same Arabic word with different gender or number endings.
Key takeaways:
- Wa iyyak (وإياك) means “and to you also” — the reciprocal reply to Jazakallah Khair.
- Form changes by gender and number: wa iyyak (singular male), wa iyyaki (singular female), wa iyyakum (plural, mixed or male), wa iyyakunna (plural female), wa iyyakuma (dual).
- The most authentic words to say to a benefactor are reported in Jami at-Tirmidhi 2035 — “Jazakallahu khayran” — graded Hasan by Imam al-Tirmidhi.
- “Wa iyyak” is a widely accepted custom; the more substantive narrated reply is “Wa antum fa jazakumullahu khayran,” recorded in Al-Adab al-Mufrad and graded sahih by Shaykh al-Albani in Silsilat al-Ahadith as-Sahihah no. 3096.
- “Ameen” or “Ameen, wa iyyak” are also acceptable replies — both ask Allah to accept the dua said over you.
Wa Iyyak, Wa Iyyaki, Wa Iyyakum — Gender and Number Forms
Arabic is a gendered language. Every pronoun ending shifts based on who you are speaking to — male or female, one person, two people, or a group. The إيّاك family of pronouns follows the same rule. Below is the full table of forms you will encounter when replying to a dua.
Wa Iyyak (Male Singular)
Arabic: وَإِيَّاكَ — transliteration: wa iyyaaka or wa iyyak. Use this when replying to one male. The ending كَ (with fatha) marks the masculine singular pronoun “you.”
Wa Iyyaki (Female Singular)
Arabic: وَإِيَّاكِ — transliteration: wa iyyaaki, wa iyyaki, or waiyyaki. Use this when replying to one female. The ending كِ (with kasra) is the feminine singular pronoun. “Ameen wa iyyaki” is the most common form heard between Muslim women.
Wa Iyyakuma (Dual)
Arabic: وَإِيَّاكُمَا — transliteration: wa iyyakuma. Used when addressing exactly two people, regardless of gender. Arabic preserves a distinct dual form that most other languages do not.
Wa Iyyakum and Wa Iyyakunna (Plural)
Arabic: وَإِيَّاكُمْ (wa iyyakum) for a group of males or a mixed group, and وَإِيَّاكُنَّ (wa iyyakunna) for a group of women only. The plural wa iyyakum is also used as a polite, respectful form when addressing a single person formally — exactly as French uses vous or Urdu uses aap. This is why many Muslims default to “wa iyyakum” even one-on-one: it is the safer, more respectful choice when in doubt.
Related:
Why Muslims Say Wa Iyyak: The Hadith and Quranic Basis
The exchange of “Jazakallah Khair” followed by “wa iyyak” is grounded in two complementary teachings from the Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
The Quranic Principle: Returning Good with Good
In Surah Ar-Rahman, Allah ﷻ asks rhetorically:
هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ
“Is the reward for good anything but good?” — Surah Ar-Rahman 55:60. This single ayah is the theological foundation for the entire culture of reciprocal dua among Muslims. When someone says a dua of goodness over you, returning a dua of goodness is the natural response sanctioned by the Quran itself.
The Prophetic Hadith: The Highest Form of Thanks
Usamah ibn Zayd (raḍiyaAllahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever has good done to him and says to the one who did it, ‘Jazakallahu khayran,’ has done the utmost in praising him.”
— Jami at-Tirmidhi 2035 (Book 27, Hadith 141). Graded Hasan by Darussalam; also recorded as Sahih Ibn Hibban 3413.
The Arabic of the hadith reads: “Man suni’a ilayhi ma’ruf, fa-qala li-fa’ilihi: Jazakallahu khayran, fa-qad ablagha fi al-thana'” (مَنْ صُنِعَ إِلَيْهِ مَعْرُوفٌ فَقَالَ لِفَاعِلِهِ جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا فَقَدْ أَبْلَغَ فِي الثَّنَاءِ). This is why Jazakallah Khair is itself the recommended Sunnah expression of thanks; “wa iyyak” is the natural reciprocal pairing — you return the same dua to the one who said it first, so neither party is left without a portion of khair (goodness).
Is Wa Iyyak the Correct Sunnah Reply to Jazakallah Khair?
This is the most common scholarly question on the topic, and the honest answer is more nuanced than a one-word “yes.”
The narrated, explicit reply from the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ is not the short “wa iyyak” but the fuller phrase “Wa antum fa jazakumullahu khayran” (وَأَنْتُمْ فَجَزَاكُمُ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا) — “And may Allah reward you all with goodness too.” This is reported from Usayd ibn Hudayr (raḍiyaAllahu ‘anhu) and is collected in Imam al-Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad. Shaykh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani graded the narration Sahih in Silsilat al-Ahadith as-Sahihah no. 3096, and a similar wording is recorded in Sahih Ibn Hibban no. 6231.
The short “wa iyyak” does not have an explicit prophetic narration commanding it. The phrase emerged organically from the Arabic-speaking Muslim culture as a brief, grammatically correct way to return the same dua. Scholars at Darul Uloom Trinidad and Tobago (Hanafi position), and Mufti Waseem Khan in particular, have ruled that both “wa iyyak” and “wa jazaka” are permissible replies — they fulfill the Quranic principle of returning good with good (Surah Ar-Rahman 55:60).
The practical takeaway: “Wa iyyak” is widely accepted across the Muslim world and is not innovation (bid’ah). It is a permissible custom that fulfills a Quranic ideal. If you want to follow the most explicitly narrated form, say “Wa antum fa jazakumullahu khayran”. If you want the briefest correct reply, “wa iyyak” is sound.
How to Pronounce Wa Iyyak Correctly
Break wa iyyak into three syllables:
- wa — quick, light “wah” (like the start of “water”), unstressed.
- iy — short “ee” sound, glide into the next syllable.
- yāk — stressed syllable, long “aa” as in “father,” ending with a clean “k.”
So the rhythm is wa · iy · YĀK, with the emphasis on the final syllable. The double yy in the middle is a shadda — a doubling of the “y” sound — and it should be pronounced with a slight hold, almost like “wa-EE-yyak.”
Common mispronunciations to avoid: saying it as “wa-EE-ack” (dropping the doubled y) sounds rushed; saying “wa-yak” (skipping the i altogether) is incorrect Arabic; and pronouncing the final letter as “ch” or “ck” instead of a clean Arabic kaaf (ك) is the most common non-native error.
When to Use Wa Iyyak in Daily Conversation
Say wa iyyak whenever a Muslim makes a dua for you — most commonly when someone says “Jazakallah Khair,” “Jazak Allahu Khayran,” or any phrase that asks Allah to reward, bless, or grant you goodness. You return the same blessing back to them.
Four worked examples of natural usage:
- After a sister thanks her brother:
— “Jazakallahu khayran for helping me move the boxes.”
— “Wa iyyaki, anytime.” - In a group setting after a teacher’s dua:
— “May Allah grant all of you success in your studies.”
— “Ameen, wa iyyakum, ustadh.” - Online comment reply on a beneficial post:
— “JazakAllah Khairan for sharing this. I learned a lot.”
— “Waiyyak, alhamdulillah it was useful.” - After a parent’s dua for a child:
— “May Allah remove every difficulty from your life, my son.”
— “Ameen, wa iyyakum, baba.”
Notice that wa iyyak usually closes the exchange — you don’t need to keep volleying replies forever. One reciprocal dua is enough to complete the Sunnah etiquette.
Longer and Alternative Replies
Beyond the bare “wa iyyak,” there are several longer or alternative replies you will hear in Muslim communities. Each is correct; the choice is mostly a matter of regional custom and how much depth you want to add to the dua.
- “Wa iyyak khayran” (وإياك خيرًا) — “And to you also goodness.” A slightly fuller version that explicitly names what you are returning.
- “Wa antum fa jazakumullahu khayran” (وَأَنْتُمْ فَجَزَاكُمُ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا) — “And may Allah reward you all with goodness too.” The fullest narrated reply, recorded in Al-Adab al-Mufrad and graded sahih in Silsilat al-Ahadith as-Sahihah no. 3096.
- “Ameen, wa iyyak” — Combines “Ameen” (a request to Allah to accept the dua just said over you) with the reciprocal return. Extremely common in everyday speech.
- “BarakAllahu feek“ (بارك الله فيك) — “May Allah bless you.” A related dua-reply that asks Allah for a different kind of goodness (barakah). Often used interchangeably with “wa iyyak.”
- “Allahumma ameen“ — “O Allah, accept.” Used alone or paired with “wa iyyak” when you want to emphasise that you are asking Allah to grant what was supplicated for you.
All of these complete the Quranic principle of returning good with good. None of them cancels out the others — pick the one that feels most natural for the moment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does wa iyyak mean in English?
“Wa iyyak” (وإياك) literally means “and you,” and in the context of a reply it carries the sense “and to you also.” It is the reciprocal return of any dua said over you, most commonly the dua “Jazakallah Khair” (May Allah reward you with goodness).
What is the difference between wa iyyak, wa iyyaki, and wa iyyakum?
All three mean “and to you also.” They differ only in gender and number: wa iyyak (وإياك) is for one male, wa iyyaki (وإياكِ) is for one female, and wa iyyakum (وإياكم) is for two or more people of any gender — and is also used as a polite, respectful form when addressing one person formally.
Is wa iyyak a Sunnah reply to Jazakallah Khair?
“Wa iyyak” itself does not have a direct prophetic narration commanding it; it is a widely accepted Muslim custom that fulfils the Quranic principle in Surah Ar-Rahman 55:60. The more explicitly narrated reply is “Wa antum fa jazakumullahu khayran” (And may Allah reward you all with goodness too), recorded in Al-Adab al-Mufrad and graded sahih by Shaykh al-Albani in Silsilat al-Ahadith as-Sahihah no. 3096.
How do you reply to wa iyyak?
Usually no further reply is needed — “wa iyyak” closes the dua exchange. If you wish to continue, you can say “Ameen” (O Allah, accept) or extend a fresh dua such as “BarakAllahu feek” (May Allah bless you). The Sunnah etiquette is satisfied after one reciprocal exchange.
Can I say wa iyyakum to one person?
Yes. In Arabic, the plural form is commonly used as a respectful way to address a single individual — similar to vous in French or aap in Urdu. Saying “wa iyyakum” to one person is grammatically valid and culturally polite, especially when addressing an elder, a scholar, or someone you have not met before.
What is wa iyyakum meaning in Urdu?
In Urdu, wa iyyakum (وإياكم) means “اور آپ کو بھی” — “and to you (plural) also.” It is the polite plural form of the reply to “Jazakallah Khair” and is used either when addressing multiple people or as a respectful form when addressing one person formally. The female singular “wa iyyaki” is rendered as “اور آپ کو بھی” when speaking to one woman.
