Allāhumma , also (l)lāhumma , is an Arabic vocative and invocation of God, the usage of which predates Islam. It is one of the most important Islamic prayer formulas and is used in a variety of contexts. Talbiyya s, formulas beginning with "Labbayka, Allāhumma, Labbayka" (Here we are, oh God, here we are!), are used during the ḥajj between entering into a condition of consecration and approaching Mecca. The debates surrounding the pagan character of the talbiyya s and other formulas (e.g., "bi-smi llāhumma" ) and their ultimate substitution for