Takbir

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For other usages of the phrase Allahu Akbar, see Allahu Akbar (disambiguation).

The takbir is an Arabic name for the phrase Allahu Akbar (Arabic: الله أكبر translit: Allāh-u-Akbar), a common Arabic expression, which can be translated as "God is Great,"[1] "God is Greater,"[2] or "God is the greatest."[3]

1 Definition and grammar
2 Usage
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

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Definition and grammar

The root of "Akbar" is "kabīr". They are defined as:

kabīr: Great, big, large, sizeable, bulky, huge, senior... (Dr. Rohi Baalbaki, 1995)
kabīr: Great, large, bulky, immense, heavy, serious, senior, elder... (F. Steingass, 1970)
Akbar: Greater, bigger, larger, major, senior, superior. (Dr. Rohi Baalbaki, 1995)
Akbar: Greater, greatest. (F. Steingass, 1970)

Allahu Akbar is a shortened from of the Arabic phrase Allahu Akbar min kulli shay, which means "God is greater than everything." Akbar is the elative form of the adjective kabīr. The elative combines the meanings of comparative (greater than) and superlative (most great). However, the elative is only explicitly a term of comparison when used with the preposition min, e.g. Allāhu akbar min mala'ikatihi, "Allah is greater than His angels", Allāhu Akbar min kulli shay "Allah is greater than all". Without a term of comparison, the elative conveys the superlative quality "greatest", "supreme."

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Usage

This phrase is recited by Muslims in numerous different situations. For example, when they are happy or wish to express approval, when an animal is slaughtered in a halāl fashion, when they want to praise a speaker, during battles, and even times of extreme stress or euphoria.

The phrase is said during each stage of both obligatory prayers, which are supposed to be performed five times a day, and superogatory prayers, which are performed at will. The Muslim call to prayer, or adhan, and to commence the prayer, or iqama, also contains the phrase, which is heard in cities all over the Muslim world.

The actual title of this phrase is takbīr (Template:ArB), while the phrase itself is "Allahu Akbar". In the Islamic world, instead of applause, often someone will yell "takbīr" and the crowd will respond "Allahu Akbar" in chorus. In many places, this is a fairly recent phenomenon brought about by a reaction to Westernization.

The phrase "Allāhu Akbar" is written on the center of the flag of Iraq, along the borders of the central white stripe on the flag of Iran, and beneath the Shahadah in the 2004 draft constitution of Afghanistan in white script on the central red background.

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