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{{Short description|Arabic phrase "ʾAllāhu ʾakbar", meaning "God is the greatest"}} {{Short description|Arabic phrase "ʾAllāhu ʾakbar", meaning "God is the greatest"}}
{{italics}}
{{Redirect2|Allahu Akbar|Allah akbar|the former national anthem of Libya|Allahu Akbar (anthem)|other uses|Allahu Akbar (disambiguation)}} {{Redirect2|Allahu Akbar|Allah akbar|the former national anthem of Libya|Allahu Akbar (anthem)|other uses|Allahu Akbar (disambiguation)}}
{{Distinguish|Takfir}}
{{Infobox Arabic term
| title = Takbir
| arabic = {{large|{{wikt-lang|ar|تَكْبِير}}}}
| arabic_rom = {{transl|ar|takbīr}}
| native pronunciation = {{IPA|ar|tak.biːr}}
| literal meaning = "magnification "
}}
{{Infobox Arabic term
| title = Allahu Akbar
| arabic = {{large|{{wikt-lang|ar|اَللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ}}}}
| arabic_rom = {{transl|ar|Allāhu ʾakbar}}
| native pronunciation = {{IPA|ar|ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hu ʔak.bar||Ar-eg-الله أكبر.oga}}
| literal meaning = "Allah is greater "
}}


The '''Takbir''' ({{lang-ar|تَكْبِير}}, {{IPA-ar|tak.biːr|pron}}, "magnification "){{efn|Also transliterated as '''Takbīr''', '''Takbiir''' or '''Takbeer'''.}} is the name for the ] phrase ''{{transliteration|ar|DIN|''' ʾAllāhu ʾakbar{{smallsup|u}}'''}}'' ({{lang|ar|ٱللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ}}, {{IPA-ar|ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hu ʔak.baru|pron|Ar-eg-الله أكبر.oga}}), meaning "God is greater".<ref name=beydoun/><ref name="raleighmasjid.org">{{cite web|title=The Times of the Five Daily Prayers|url=http://www.raleighmasjid.org/how-to-pray/times.htm|access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref> The '''''takbīr''''' ({{langx|ar|تَكْبِير}}, {{IPA|ar|tak.biːr|pron}}, {{lit|magnification }}) is the name for the Arabic phrase ''{{transliteration|ar|DIN|'''Allāhu ʾakbar'''}}'' ({{langx|ar|اَللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ}}, {{IPA|ar|ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hu ʔak.bar|pron|Ar-eg-الله أكبر.oga}}, {{lit|Allah is greater than everything}}).<ref name="">Wensinck, A.J., "Takbīr", in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Consulted online on 09 September 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_7330>
First published online: 2012</ref><ref name="OUA">{{cite book | url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195305135.001.0001/acref-9780195305135-e-0980 | isbn=978-0-19-530513-5 | title=The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World | chapter=Takbīr | date=2009 | publisher=Oxford University Press }}</ref><ref name="Encyclopedia.com 2023">{{cite web | title=Takbīr | website=Encyclopedia.com | date=22 Aug 2023 | url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/takbir | access-date=9 September 2023}}</ref><ref name="raleighmasjid.org">{{cite web|title=The Times of the Five Daily Prayers|url=https://raleighmasjid.org/times/|access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref>


It is a common Arabic expression, used in various contexts by ]s and Arabs around the world: in formal ] (prayer),<ref name="raleighmasjid.org"/> in the ] (Islamic call to prayer),<ref name="Nigosian102">{{cite book |last=Nigosian |first=S. A. |title= Islam: Its History, Teaching, and Practices |url=https://archive.org/details/islamitshistoryt0000nigo |url-access=registration |year=2004 |publisher=] |location=] |isbn= 0-253-21627-3 |page=}}</ref> in ], as an informal expression of faith, in times of distress or joy, or to express resolute determination or defiance. The phrase is also used by ].<ref name="BI 2017">{{cite web | last=Team | first=Bridge Initiative | title=Allahu Akbar - Factsheet: Islam, Muslims, Islamophobia | website=Bridge Initiative | date=12 Sep 2017 | url=https://bridge.georgetown.edu/research/factsheet-allahu-akbar/ | access-date=2 Nov 2021}}</ref> It is a common Arabic expression, used in various contexts by ]s and ] around the world: in formal ] (prayer),<ref name="raleighmasjid.org"/> in the ] (Islamic call to prayer),<ref name="Nigosian102">{{cite book |last=Nigosian |first=S. A. |title= Islam: Its History, Teaching, and Practices |url=https://archive.org/details/islamitshistoryt0000nigo |url-access=registration |year=2004 |publisher=] |location=] |isbn= 0-253-21627-3 |page=}}</ref> in ], as an informal expression of faith, in times of distress or joy, or to express resolute determination or defiance. The phrase is the official motto of ] and ]. It is also used by Orthodox ] as an expression of faith.<ref name="Telegraph">
Emma Bennett, , The Telegraph (UK), 12 June 2016.
</ref>


==Etymology== ==Etymology==
]]] ]]]
The Arabic word {{lang|ar|كَبِير}} ({{transliteration|ar|DIN|kabīr}}) means ''big'' from the ] ''{{transliteration|ar|DIN|]-]-]}}''. The Arabic word {{lang|ar|أَكْبَر}} ({{transliteration|ar|DIN|]}}) is the ] form (''biggest'') of the ] ''kabīr''. When used in the {{transliteration|ar|DIN|Takbīr}} it is usually translated as ''biggest'', but some authors translate it as ''bigger''.<ref>E. W. Lane, '']'', 1893, gives for ''kabir'': "bigger, and biggest, in body, or corporeal substance, and in estimation or rank or dignity, and more, or most, advanced in age, older, and oldest" {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161007201240/https://archive.org/stream/ArabicEnglishLexicon.CopiousEasternSources.EnlargedSuppl.Kamoos.Lane.Poole.1863/07.ArabicEnglLex.v1p7.let.21.22.23.24.Qaf.Kaf.Lam.Mim..Lane-Poole.1885.#page/n113/mode/2up |date=October 7, 2016 }}.</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=A Practical Arabic Grammar|page=66|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ex4UAAAAYAAJ&q=comparative&pg=PA69|year=1887|author=A.O.Green|publisher=Clarendon Press}}</ref><ref>"The formula, as the briefest expression of the absolute superiority of the One God, is used in Muslim life in different circumstances, in which the idea of God, His greatness and goodness is suggested." Wensinck, A. J. ''The ]'', 2nd edition. Brill, 2000. Volume 10, T-U, p. 119, Takbir.</ref> The term ''{{transliteration|ar|DIN|Takbīr}}'' itself is the stem II ] of the root ''kbr'', meaning "big", from which ''akbar'' "bigger" is derived. The form ''{{transliteration|ar|DIN|Allāhu}}'' is a ] of '']'', meaning ']'.<ref name="EoQ">Böwering, Gerhard, ''God and His Attributes'', Encyclopaedia of the Qurʼān, Brill, 2007.</ref><ref>Macdonald, D. B. ''The ]'', 2nd edition. Brill, 1971. Volume 3, H-Iram, p. 1093, '']''.</ref> The Arabic word {{lang|ar|كَبِير}} ({{transliteration|ar|DIN|kabīr}}) means ''big'' from the ] ''{{transliteration|ar|DIN|]-]-]}}''. A ] word for this root exists in ] as {{lang|he|כביר}} (kabir). The Arabic word {{lang|ar|أَكْبَر}} (]) is the ] form (''bigger'') of the ] ''kabīr''. When used in the {{transliteration|ar|DIN|takbīr}} it is usually translated as ''biggest'', but some authors translate it as ''bigger''.<ref>E. W. Lane, '']'', 1893, gives for ''kabir'': "bigger, and biggest, in body, or corporeal substance, and in estimation or rank or dignity, and more, or most, advanced in age, older, and oldest" {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161007201240/https://archive.org/stream/ArabicEnglishLexicon.CopiousEasternSources.EnlargedSuppl.Kamoos.Lane.Poole.1863/07.ArabicEnglLex.v1p7.let.21.22.23.24.Qaf.Kaf.Lam.Mim..Lane-Poole.1885.#page/n113/mode/2up |date=October 7, 2016 }}.</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=A Practical Arabic Grammar|page=66|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ex4UAAAAYAAJ&q=comparative&pg=PA69|year=1887|author=A.O.Green|publisher=Clarendon Press}}</ref><ref>"The formula, as the briefest expression of the absolute superiority of the One God, is used in Muslim life in different circumstances, in which the idea of God, His greatness and goodness is suggested." Wensinck, A. J. ''The ]'', 2nd edition. Brill, 2000. Volume 10, T-U, p. 119, Takbir.</ref> The term ''{{transliteration|ar|DIN|takbīr}}'' itself is the stem II ] of the root ''k-b-r'', meaning "big", from which ''akbar'' "bigger" is derived. The form ''{{transliteration|ar|DIN|Allāhu}}'' is a ] of '']'', meaning ']'.<ref name="EoQ">Böwering, Gerhard, ''God and His Attributes'', Encyclopaedia of the Qurʼān, Brill, 2007.</ref><ref>Macdonald, D. B. ''The ]'', 2nd edition. Brill, 1971. Volume 3, H-Iram, p. 1093, '']''.</ref>


"God is greater" is short for "God is greater than all" ({{Lang|ar|الله أَكْبَرُ من كلِّ شيء}}); it is said like that in Arabic because the meaning does not need clarification. There are other examples where an incomplete sentence, used normally because of its clarity, is considered grammatically correct.<ref>{{Cite web |last=إسماعيل عتوك |first=محمد |date=December 2019 |title=لماذا لا نقول في الأذان : ( الله الأكبر ) مع أل التعريف، بدلاً من ( الله أكبر ) ؟ |url=https://quran-m.com/لماذا-لا-نقول-في-الأذان-الله-الأكبر-مع/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230611031350/https://quran-m.com/لماذا-لا-نقول-في-الأذان-الله-الأكبر-مع/ |archive-date=2023-06-11}}</ref> The {{transliteration|ar|DIN|takbīr}} is sometimes translated into English as "God is greater", which is short for "God is greater than all" ({{Lang|ar|الله أَكْبَرُ من كلِّ شيء}}). It is an example of an Arabic idiom where an incomplete sentence, abbreviated because of its familiarity, is considered grammatically correct.<ref>{{Cite web |last=إسماعيل عتوك |first=محمد |date=December 2019 |title=لماذا لا نقول في الأذان : ( الله الأكبر ) مع أل التعريف، بدلاً من ( الله أكبر ) ؟ |url=https://quran-m.com/لماذا-لا-نقول-في-الأذان-الله-الأكبر-مع/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230611031350/https://quran-m.com/لماذا-لا-نقول-في-الأذان-الله-الأكبر-مع/ |archive-date=2023-06-11}}</ref>


==Usage in Islamic rituals== ==Usage in Islamic rituals==
] ]
].]] ]]]
This phrase is recited by ]s in many different situations.
This phrase is recited by ]s in many different situations. For example, when they are very happy, to express approval, to prevent a Muslim from becoming prideful by reminding them that God is their source of success, as a ], or during times of extreme stress.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} The phrase is not found in the Quran, which does not describe God as ''akbar'', but uses the name ''al-Kabīr'' "The Great" or ''Kabīr'' "Great", commonly translated as "Most Great" (13:9, 31:30, 22:62, 34:23, 40:12, 4:34).{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

Writing in the ] Mohamad Ghazanfari etal studied the various pragmatic functions of 'Allah Akbar'. The authors analyzed 510 examples of its use, from which they identified eleven pragmatic functions of its utterance in the "context of situation" in today's Islamic societies.<ref name="IJSCL">{{Cite Journal | last1= Ghazanfari| first1=Mohamad| last2=Attaran| first2=Atena| last3= Zabetipour| first3=Mohammad|date=September 2019 |title=Contemporary Sociopolitical Functions of the “Allahu Akbar” Ritual Speech Act in Today’s Muslim Communities: A Focus on the Iranian Society | url=https://www.ijscl.net/issue_5540_5829.html| work=]|page=94-106}}</ref>


===In prayer=== ===In prayer===
The phrase is said during each stage of both ] (obligatory prayers, performed five times a day), and ] (supererogatory prayers, performed at will). The call to prayer by the '']'' to those outside the mosque ('']'') and the call to those inside to line up for the commencement of prayer ('']'') also contain the phrase.<ref name="Nigosian102"/> The phrase is said during each stage of both ] (obligatory prayers, performed five times a day), and ] (supererogatory prayers, performed at will). The call to prayer by the '']'' to those outside the mosque ('']'') and the call to those inside to line up for the commencement of prayer ('']'') also contain the phrase.<ref name="Nigosian102"/>


While there are many short prayers like it, the takbir is used more frequently than any other.<ref>{{cite web|title=What I learned from Muslims about God|url=https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/called-prayer|author=Patrick J. Ryan, S.J.|date=29 October 2015 |publisher=]}}</ref> While there are many short prayers like it, the ''takbīr'' is used more frequently than any other.<ref>{{cite web|title=What I learned from Muslims about God|url=https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/called-prayer|author=Patrick J. Ryan, S.J.|date=29 October 2015 |publisher=]}}</ref>


=== Following births and deaths === ===Following births and deaths===
The phrase is used after the birth of a child as a means of praising God.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jerrahi.org/library/articles/birth_school|title=On Birth & School|access-date=4 September 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827111517/http://www.jerrahi.org/library/articles/birth_school|archive-date=27 August 2013}}</ref> It is also part Islamic funeral and burial customs.<ref>{{cite book|last1=el-Hibri|first1=Tayeb|title=Parable and Politics in Early Islamic History: The Rashidun Caliphs|date=19 October 2010|publisher=]|isbn=9780231521659|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ouwL4dGrTN8C&pg=PA362}}</ref> The phrase is used after the birth of a child as a means of praising God.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jerrahi.org/library/articles/birth_school|title=On Birth & School|access-date=4 September 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827111517/http://www.jerrahi.org/library/articles/birth_school|archive-date=27 August 2013}}</ref> It is also part of Islamic funeral and burial customs.<ref>{{cite book|last1=el-Hibri|first1=Tayeb|title=Parable and Politics in Early Islamic History: The Rashidun Caliphs|date=19 October 2010|publisher=]|isbn=9780231521659|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ouwL4dGrTN8C&pg=PA362}}</ref>


=== During the Eid Festival and the Hajj === ===During the Eid Festival and the Hajj===
During the festival of ] and the days preceding it, Muslims recite the Takbīr. This is particularly the case on the ].<ref name="Faraz Rabbani">{{cite web|last=Rabbani|first=Faraz|title=The Day of 'Arafah: The 9th of Dhu'l Hijjah|url=http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=763&CATE=3|publisher=Qibla.com|access-date=4 September 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015192812/http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=763&CATE=3|archive-date=15 October 2013}}</ref> During the festival of ] and the days preceding it, Muslims recite the ''takbīr''. This is particularly the case on the ].<ref name="Faraz Rabbani">{{cite web|last=Rabbani|first=Faraz|title=The Day of 'Arafah: The 9th of Dhu'l Hijjah|url=http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=763&CATE=3|publisher=Qibla.com|access-date=4 September 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015192812/http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=763&CATE=3|archive-date=15 October 2013}}</ref>


===During the halal slaughter of animals=== ===During the halal slaughter of animals===
The process of pronouncing the name of God while performing ] one must say "Bismillah Allahu Akbar".<ref name ="USA">{{cite web|url=https://www.ushalalcertification.com/terminology.html|title=Arabic Definitions|publisher=USA Halal Chamber of Commerce, Inc.|access-date=5 August 2020}}</ref> In the process of pronouncing the name of God while performing ] one must say "Bismillah Allahu Akbar".<ref name ="USA">{{cite web|url=https://www.ushalalcertification.com/terminology.html|title=Arabic Definitions|publisher=USA Halal Chamber of Commerce, Inc.|access-date=5 August 2020}}</ref>


==Other social usage== ==Other social usage==
], ]]] ], ]]]
] architecture (center of the Iwan), 1994]] ] architecture (center of the Iwan), 1994]]
]
The expression "Allah Akbar" can be used in a variety of situations, from celebrations to times of grief. The expression "Allāhu Akbar" can be used in a variety of situations, from celebrations to times of grief.


In a historical account by someone who was present both at the birth of ] and at his funeral, the author observes that "Allahu Akbar" was said on both occasions.<ref name=suleiman/> In a historical account by someone who was present both at the birth of the ruler ] (7th century) and at his funeral, the author observes that "Allahu Akbar" was said on both occasions.<ref name=suleiman/>


=== In times of joy and gratitude === ===In times of joy and gratitude===
The takbir can be used to express joy or surprise. It is also used as applause in religious contexts, such as after a Quran recital, as other forms of applause are considered less appropriate.<ref name=venice>{{cite web|title=Allahu akbar: What is the Takbir?|url=https://www.theweek.co.uk/88011/allahu-akbar-what-is-the-takbir|publisher=]}}</ref> The ''takbīr'' can be used to express joy or surprise. It is also used as applause in religious contexts, such as after a Quran recital, as other forms of applause are considered less appropriate.<ref name=venice>{{cite web|title=Allahu akbar: What is the Takbir?|date=25 August 2017 |url=https://www.theweek.co.uk/88011/allahu-akbar-what-is-the-takbir|publisher=]}}</ref>


It is used to celebrate an election win.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.news18.com/world/mothin-ali-british-councillor-green-party-who-shouted-allahu-akbar-after-being-elected-in-local-polls-8878969.html | title=Who is Mothin Ali? British Councillor Who Shouted 'Allahu Akbar' After Being Elected in Local Polls | date=6 May 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/05/18/copy-of-most-voters-think-allahu-akbar-inappropriate-politicians/ | title=Most voters think shouting 'Allahu Akbar' is inappropriate for politicians | newspaper=The Telegraph | date=18 May 2024 | last1=Hazell | first1=Will }}</ref>
When Reshma Begum was discovered alive 17 days after the ] in Bangladesh which killed 1129 people, crowds jubilantly cried "''Allāhu akbar''" to express their joy and gratitude that she had survived.<ref>{{cite web|last=Andrea|first=Crossan|title=Survivor Found in Collapsed Bangladesh Building After 17 Days|url=http://www.theworld.org/2013/05/bangladesh-survivor/|publisher=PRI's The World|access-date=4 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Survivor pulled from Bangladesh ruins after 17 days|url=http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130513/survivor-pulled-bangladesh-ruins-after-17-days|work=Global Post|access-date=4 September 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928054402/http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130513/survivor-pulled-bangladesh-ruins-after-17-days|archive-date=28 September 2013}}</ref>
As a multi-purpose phrase, it is sometimes used by Arab ] ] as an expression of amazement, or even as a ].<ref name=nyt/>


===In battle===
As a multi-purpose phrase, it is sometimes used by Arab ] commentators as an expression of amazement,{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} or even as a ].<ref name=nyt/>
Historically, the ''takbīr'' has been used as a cry of victory during battle.<ref>Ludwig W. Adamec, Historical Dictionary of Islam, Scarecrow Press, 2nd ed. 2009, pg. 32</ref> ]'s 8th century ''Life of Muhammed'' narrates two occasions when ] proclaimed the ''takbīr'' during battle.<ref>Life of Mohammed by Ibn Ishaq, translated by Alfred Guillaume, Oxford University Press, 1955, 17th printing, Karachi, 2004

=== In battle ===
Historically, the takbir has been used as a cry of victory.<ref>Ludwig W. Adamec, Historical Dictionary of Islam, Scarecrow Press, 2nd ed. 2009, pg. 32</ref> Ibn Ishaq's Life of Mohammed narrates at least two incidents in which it was so used.

"When the apostle raided a people he waited until the morning. If he heard a call to prayer he held back; if he did not hear it he attacked. We came to Khaybar by night, and the apostle passed the night there; and when morning came he did not hear the call to prayer, so he rode and we rode with him, and I rode behind Abu Talha with my foot touching the apostle's foot. We met the workers of Khaybar coming out in the morning with their spades and baskets. When they saw the apostle and the army they cried, 'Muhammad with his force,' and turned tail and fled. The apostle said, 'Allah akbar! Khaybar is destroyed. When we arrive in a people's square it is a bad morning for those who have been warned.'" (page 511) "So he got off his horse and came at him and 'Ali advanced with his shield. 'Amr aimed a blow which cut deeply into the shield so that the sword stuck in it and struck his head. But 'Ali gave him a blow on the vein at the base of the neck and he fell to the ground. The dust rose and the apostle heard the cry, 'Allah Akbar' and knew that 'Ali had killed him." (page 456)<ref>Life of Mohammed by Ibn Ishaq, translated by Alfred Guillaume, Oxford University Press, 1955, 17th printing, Karachi, 2004
https://archive.org/details/TheLifeOfMohammedGuillaume</ref> https://archive.org/details/TheLifeOfMohammedGuillaume</ref>


===In protest=== ===Iran===
During the ] of 1979, it was shouted from rooftops in Iran during the evenings as a form of protest. This practice returned in the ],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090614/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_election|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617072238/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090614/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_election|url-status=dead|title=Yahoo News|archivedate=June 17, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WU-cxEEJ-E | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211110/9WU-cxEEJ-E| archive-date=2021-11-10 | url-status=live|title=YouTube |publisher=YouTube |date=June 9, 2009 |access-date=May 8, 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref> which protested the election results.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8386335.stm|title=How Iran's opposition inverts old slogans |date=December 7, 2009|work=BBC News|access-date=December 21, 2009}}</ref> During the ] of 1979, it was shouted from rooftops in Iran during the evenings as a form of protest. The ''takbīr'' was later adopted as the official motto of Iran.<ref>], Article 18</ref> This practice returned in the ],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090614/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_election|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617072238/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090614/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_election|url-status=dead|title=Yahoo News|archivedate=June 17, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WU-cxEEJ-E | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211110/9WU-cxEEJ-E| archive-date=2021-11-10 | url-status=live|title=YouTube |publisher=YouTube |date=June 9, 2009 |access-date=May 8, 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref> which protested the election results.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8386335.stm|title=How Iran's opposition inverts old slogans |date=December 7, 2009|work=BBC News|access-date=December 21, 2009}}</ref>


=== Usage by extremists and terrorists=== ===Usage by extremists and terrorists===
{{See also|Islamic terrorism}}
The phrase has sometimes been used as a battle cry by ].<ref name="Chap1">{{cite book |chapter='We Have Some Planes' |url=http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/report/911Report_Ch1.htm |year=2004 |title=9/11 Commission Report |publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States |access-date=May 30, 2008}}</ref><ref name="DavidChazan2020">{{Cite news|last1=Chazan|first1=David|last2=Jalil|first2=Jannat|last3=Samuel|first3=Henry|date=16 October 2020|title=Teacher beheaded in Paris suburb after showing cartoons of Prophet Mohammed to class|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/10/16/man-dies-stabbed-paris-suburb-police-shoot-attacker/|work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> This usage has been denounced by other Muslims.<ref name=suleiman>{{cite news|title=What 'Allahu Akbar' really means|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/01/opinions/allahu-akbar-meaning/index.html|author=]|publisher=]}}</ref><ref name="nyt">{{Cite news |last=Nagourney |first=Eric |date=2017-11-02 |title='Allahu Akbar': An Everyday Phrase, Tarnished by Attacks |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/world/americas/allahu-akbar-terrorism.html |access-date=2023-01-10 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The phrase has been used as a battle cry by ] and ].<ref name="Chap1">{{cite book |chapter='We Have Some Planes' |url=http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/report/911Report_Ch1.htm |year=2004 |title=9/11 Commission Report |publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States |access-date=May 30, 2008}}</ref> However, this usage has been denounced by other Muslims.<ref name=suleiman>{{cite news|title=What 'Allahu Akbar' really means|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/01/opinions/allahu-akbar-meaning/index.html|author=]|publisher=]}}</ref><ref name="nyt">{{Cite news |last=Nagourney |first=Eric |date=2017-11-02 |title='Allahu Akbar': An Everyday Phrase, Tarnished by Attacks |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/world/americas/allahu-akbar-terrorism.html |access-date=2023-01-10 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>


Professor Khaled A. Beydoun writes that the association of the phrase "Allah Akbar" with terrorism has been exacerbated by mass media and television pundits. He points out that fictional films and shows also utilize it as a ] further cementing the association.<ref name=beydoun>{{cite news|title=The perils of saying 'Allahu Akbar' in public|author=Khaled Beydoun|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2018/08/25/the-perils-of-saying-allahu-akbar-in-public/|newspaper=]}}</ref> Professor ], author of ''The New Crusades: Islamophobia and the Global War on Muslims'' (2023),<ref>{{cite book | isbn=978-0520356306 | title=The New Crusades: Islamophobia and the Global War on Muslims | last1=Beydoun | first1=Khaled A. | date=21 March 2023 | publisher=Univ of California Press }}</ref> writes that the association of the phrase "Allah Akbar" with terrorism has been exacerbated by mass media and television pundits. He adds that films and shows also utilize it as a cinematic ] further cementing the association.<ref name=beydoun>{{cite news|title=The perils of saying 'Allahu Akbar' in public|author=Khaled Beydoun|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2018/08/25/the-perils-of-saying-allahu-akbar-in-public/|newspaper=]}} </ref>


=== In politics === ===In politics===
In India, ], president of the ] and ], representing ], after being elected as ], ended their oath with the slogan of "Allahu Akbar".<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 June 2019 |title='Jai Shri Ram', 'Allahu Akbar': Religious slogans mark swearing in ceremony of 17th LS |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/nation/-jai-shri-ram-allahu-akbar-religious-slogans-mark-swearing-in-ceremony-of-17th-ls-789685 |website=Tribune India}}</ref> In India, ], president of the ] and ], representing ], after being elected as ], ended their oath with the slogan of "Allahu Akbar".<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 June 2019 |title='Jai Shri Ram', 'Allahu Akbar': Religious slogans mark swearing in ceremony of 17th LS |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/nation/-jai-shri-ram-allahu-akbar-religious-slogans-mark-swearing-in-ceremony-of-17th-ls-789685 |website=Tribune India}}</ref>


=== Usage by Christians === ===Usage by Christians ===
The phrase is also used by Arabic-speaking Christians, "God" being translated "Allah" in Arabic. The phrase is used in liturgical contexts among ], and its use has been defended by ], the Palestinian Orthodox ] of ].<ref>{{Cite web|title=We Palestinian Christians say Allahu Akbar|last=Tiessen|first=Terrance|website=Thoughts Theological|url=https://www.thoughtstheological.com/we-palestinian-christians-say-allahu-akbar/|access-date=2021-02-20|language=en-US}}</ref> The phrase (Allah; meaning God in English) is only used by ] in third person view, and is rarely mentioned during prayers or church service. The ] use Allah in their prayer to refer to the creator of the world, and the takbir as an expression of their faith. The use of Takbir has been defended by ], the Palestinian Orthodox ] of ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tiessen |first=Terrance |title=We Palestinian Christians say Allahu Akbar |url=https://www.thoughtstheological.com/we-palestinian-christians-say-allahu-akbar/ |access-date=2021-02-20 |website=Thoughts Theological |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Use on flags== ==Use on flags==
===Afghanistan=== ===Afghanistan===
The Afghan constitution that came into force on January 4, 2004, required that ''Allāhu akbar'' be inscribed on the Flag of the ].<ref>]'', March 27, 2006, accessed February 11, 2010]</ref> After the ], the ] was readopted, and thus the takbir removed from the flag.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-31 |title=Taliban hoist giant flag in Afghan capital, eight months after return |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220331-taliban-hoist-giant-flag-in-afghan-capital-eight-months-after-return |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=France 24 |language=en}}</ref> The Afghan constitution that came into force on January 4, 2004, required that ''Allāhu akbar'' be inscribed on the Flag of the ].<ref>]'', March 27, 2006, accessed February 11, 2010]</ref> After the ], the ] was readopted, and thus the ''takbīr'' removed from the flag.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-31 |title=Taliban hoist giant flag in Afghan capital, eight months after return |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220331-taliban-hoist-giant-flag-in-afghan-capital-eight-months-after-return |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=France 24 |language=en}}</ref>


===Iran=== ===Iran===
''Allāhu akbar'' is written in stylized form across the bottom of the green stripe and the top of the red stripe of the ], adopted in 1980.<ref>{{cite web |last=McKeever |first=Amy| url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/iran-flag-symbolism-history-meaning-controversy | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129160617/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/iran-flag-symbolism-history-meaning-controversy | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 29, 2022 |title=Why Iran's flag is at the center of controversy at the World Cup |date=November 29, 2022 |work= National Geographic|accessdate=10 October 2023}}</ref>
The phrase ''Allāhu akbar'' is written on the ], as called for by Article 18 of the ].<ref>{{cite book|author=Iran|title=Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=koyJAAAAMAAJ|year=1980|publisher=Mizan Press|isbn=978-0-933782-02-0}}</ref> The phrase appears 22 times on the flag, written on the borders of the central white stripe.<ref>, '']'', November 14, 2007, accessed February 11, 2010 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808061732/http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2007/11/14/is_israel_a_jewish_state/ |date=August 8, 2014 }}</ref>


===Iraq=== ===Iraq===
The phrase ''Allāhu akbar'' is written on the center of the ]. The phrase ''Allāhu akbar'' is written on the center of the ].


During the ] in January 1991, ] held a meeting with top military commanders, where it was decided to add the words ''Allāhu akbar'' (described as the Islamic ])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=37gTAAAAIBAJ&pg=5117,3700016&dq=flag+iraq+islamist+allahu-akbar&hl=en |title=New Straits Times |date=January 15, 1991 |access-date=May 8, 2011}}</ref> to Iraq's flag to boost his secular regime's religious credentials, casting himself as the leader of an Islamic army.<ref name="usat">{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-04-26-iraq-flag_x.htm|title=U.S.-picked Iraq leaders approve new flag|date=April 26, 2004|work=USA Today|access-date=February 9, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Deroy Murdock |url=http://article.nationalreview.com/268429/the-911-connection/deroy-murdock |title=Murdock, Deroy, "The 9/11 Connection," April 3, 2003 |work=The National Review |access-date=May 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617021913/http://article.nationalreview.com/268429/the-911-connection/deroy-murdock |archive-date=June 17, 2010 }}</ref> Hussein described the flag as "the banner of jihad and monotheism".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0OkasRnU4K0C&q=flag+%22allahu+akbar%22&pg=PA138 |title=''Saddam's war of words: politics, religion, and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait'', Jerry Mark Long, University of Texas Press, 2004, ISBN 0-292-70264-7 |access-date=February 19, 2014|isbn=9780292702646 |last1=Long |first1=Jerry M. |date=April 2004 }}</ref> During the ] in January 1991, ] held a meeting with top military commanders, where it was decided to add the words ''Allāhu akbar'' (described as the Islamic ])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=37gTAAAAIBAJ&pg=5117,3700016&dq=flag+iraq+islamist+allahu-akbar&hl=en |title=New Straits Times |date=January 15, 1991 |access-date=May 8, 2011}}</ref> to Iraq's flag to boost his secular regime's religious credentials, casting himself as the leader of an Islamic army.<ref name="usat">{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-04-26-iraq-flag_x.htm|title=U.S.-picked Iraq leaders approve new flag|date=April 26, 2004|work=USA Today|access-date=February 9, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Deroy Murdock |url=http://article.nationalreview.com/268429/the-911-connection/deroy-murdock |title=Murdock, Deroy, "The 9/11 Connection," April 3, 2003 |work=The National Review |access-date=May 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617021913/http://article.nationalreview.com/268429/the-911-connection/deroy-murdock |archive-date=June 17, 2010 }}</ref> Hussein described the flag as "the banner of jihad and monotheism".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0OkasRnU4K0C&q=flag+%22allahu+akbar%22&pg=PA138 |title=''Saddam's war of words: politics, religion, and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait'', Jerry Mark Long, University of Texas Press, 2004, ISBN 0-292-70264-7 |access-date=February 19, 2014|isbn=9780292702646 |last1=Long |first1=Jerry M. |date=April 2004 |publisher=University of Texas Press }}</ref>


In 2004, the US-picked ] approved a new flag for Iraq that abandoned symbols of Hussein's regime, such as the words ''Allāhu akbar''.<ref name="usat"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FE26Ak05.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040528171025/http://atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FE26Ak05.html |url-status=unfit |archive-date=May 28, 2004 |title=Rosen, Nir, "Iraq's religious tide cannot be turned back,"|work=Asia Times |date=May 26, 2004 |access-date=May 8, 2011}}</ref> In January 2008, however, Iraq's ] passed a law to change the flag by leaving in the phrase, but changing the ] of the words ''Allāhu akbar'', which had been a copy of Hussein's handwriting, to a ] script.<ref> '']'', January 22, 2008, accessed February 9, 2010 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305202752/http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Jan22/0%2C4670%2CIraqFlagDispute%2C00.html |date=March 5, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Abdul |first=Qassim |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-02-05-1386576333_x.htm |title=Abdul-Zahra, Qassim, "Iraq unveils flag without Saddam's stars" |work=USA Today|date=February 5, 2008 |access-date=May 8, 2011}}</ref> The Iraqi flag under Hussein had each of the two words of the phrase written in one of the spaces between the stars on the central band; the 2008 flag, while leaving the phrase in, removes the stars. In 2004, the US-picked ] approved a new flag for Iraq that abandoned symbols of Hussein's regime, such as the words ''Allāhu akbar''.<ref name="usat"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FE26Ak05.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040528171025/http://atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FE26Ak05.html |url-status=unfit |archive-date=May 28, 2004 |title=Rosen, Nir, "Iraq's religious tide cannot be turned back,"|work=Asia Times |date=May 26, 2004 |access-date=May 8, 2011}}</ref> In January 2008, however, Iraq's ] passed a law to change the flag by leaving in the phrase, but changing the ] of the words ''Allāhu akbar'', which had been a copy of Hussein's handwriting, to a ] script.<ref> '']'', January 22, 2008, accessed February 9, 2010 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305202752/http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Jan22/0%2C4670%2CIraqFlagDispute%2C00.html |date=March 5, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Abdul |first=Qassim |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-02-05-1386576333_x.htm |title=Abdul-Zahra, Qassim, "Iraq unveils flag without Saddam's stars" |work=USA Today|date=February 5, 2008 |access-date=May 8, 2011}}</ref> The Iraqi flag under Hussein had each of the two words of the phrase written in one of the spaces between the stars on the central band; the 2008 flag, while leaving the phrase in, removes the stars.
Line 90: Line 106:
File:Flag of Iran.svg|], introduced in 1980 File:Flag of Iran.svg|], introduced in 1980
File:Flag of Afghanistan (2013–2021).svg|Former ], with the phrase beneath the ], used from 2004 to 2021 File:Flag of Afghanistan (2013–2021).svg|Former ], with the phrase beneath the ], used from 2004 to 2021
File:Flag of Waziristan resistance (1930s).svg|Flag of 1930s ] resistance movement File:Flag of Waziristan resistance (1930s).svg|Flag of 1930s ] resistance movement
</gallery> </gallery>


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*] *]
*] *]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}


===Books=== ===Sources===
* {{cite book|year=1995|author= Rohi Baalbaki|title=Al-Mawrid|edition=7th |location=Beirut |publisher=Dar El-Ilm Lilmalayin|isbn=9953-9023-1-3}} * {{cite book|year=1995|author= Rohi Baalbaki|title=Al-Mawrid|edition=7th |location=Beirut |publisher=Dar El-Ilm Lilmalayin|isbn=9953-9023-1-3}}
* {{cite book|year=1870|author=] Ph.D., University of Munich|title=Persian-English Dictionary, Including the Arabic words and phrases to be met with in literature |location=Beirut |publisher=Librairie Du Liban}} * {{cite book|year=1870|author=] Ph.D., University of Munich|title=Persian-English Dictionary, Including the Arabic words and phrases to be met with in literature |location=Beirut |publisher=Librairie Du Liban}}
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{{commons category}} {{commons category}}
* at '']'' * at '']''
* {{cite web | last=Team | first=Bridge Initiative | title=Allahu Akbar - Factsheet: Islam, Muslims, Islamophobia | website=Bridge Initiative | date=12 September 2017 | url=https://bridge.georgetown.edu/research/factsheet-allahu-akbar/ | access-date=2 Nov 2021}}


{{Islamic prayer}} {{Islamic prayer}}
{{Characters and names in the Quran}} {{Characters and names in the Quran}}
{{Authority control}} {{Authority control}}

]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]

Latest revision as of 07:51, 11 December 2024

Arabic phrase "ʾAllāhu ʾakbar", meaning "God is the greatest"

"Allahu Akbar" and "Allah akbar" redirect here. For the former national anthem of Libya, see Allahu Akbar (anthem). For other uses, see Allahu Akbar (disambiguation). Not to be confused with Takfir.
Takbir
Arabicتَكْبِير
Romanizationtakbīr
IPAArabic pronunciation: [tak.biːr]
Literal meaning"magnification "
Allahu Akbar
Arabicاَللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
RomanizationAllāhu ʾakbar
IPA[ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hu ʔak.bar]
Literal meaning"Allah is greater "

The takbīr (Arabic: تَكْبِير, pronounced [tak.biːr], lit. 'magnification ') is the name for the Arabic phrase Allāhu ʾakbar (Arabic: اَللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ, pronounced [ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hu ʔak.bar] , lit. 'Allah is greater than everything').

It is a common Arabic expression, used in various contexts by Muslims and Arabs around the world: in formal Salah (prayer), in the Adhan (Islamic call to prayer), in Hajj, as an informal expression of faith, in times of distress or joy, or to express resolute determination or defiance. The phrase is the official motto of Iran and Iraq. It is also used by Orthodox Arab Christians as an expression of faith.

Etymology

The takbīr in nastaʿlīq

The Arabic word كَبِير (kabīr) means big from the Semitic root k-b-r. A cognate word for this root exists in Hebrew as כביר (kabir). The Arabic word أَكْبَر (ʾakbar) is the elative form (bigger) of the adjective kabīr. When used in the takbīr it is usually translated as biggest, but some authors translate it as bigger. The term takbīr itself is the stem II verbal noun of the root k-b-r, meaning "big", from which akbar "bigger" is derived. The form Allāhu is a nominative of Allah, meaning 'God'.

The takbīr is sometimes translated into English as "God is greater", which is short for "God is greater than all" (الله أَكْبَرُ من كلِّ شيء). It is an example of an Arabic idiom where an incomplete sentence, abbreviated because of its familiarity, is considered grammatically correct.

Usage in Islamic rituals

A Muslim raises both of his hands to recite the takbīr in prayer.
Calligraphic Takbir in minaret of Sancaklar Mosque

This phrase is recited by Muslims in many different situations.

In prayer

The phrase is said during each stage of both salah (obligatory prayers, performed five times a day), and nafl (supererogatory prayers, performed at will). The call to prayer by the muezzin to those outside the mosque (adhan) and the call to those inside to line up for the commencement of prayer (iqama) also contain the phrase.

While there are many short prayers like it, the takbīr is used more frequently than any other.

Following births and deaths

The phrase is used after the birth of a child as a means of praising God. It is also part of Islamic funeral and burial customs.

During the Eid Festival and the Hajj

During the festival of Eid al-Adha and the days preceding it, Muslims recite the takbīr. This is particularly the case on the Day of Arafah.

During the halal slaughter of animals

In the process of pronouncing the name of God while performing Dhabihah one must say "Bismillah Allahu Akbar".

Other social usage

Allāhu akbar in a memorial, Desouk, Egypt
Allāhu akbar in Arabic calligraphy seen on Imam Ali Mosque architecture (center of the Iwan), 1994
A sign with Allāhu akbar written on the side of a road in Iran

The expression "Allāhu Akbar" can be used in a variety of situations, from celebrations to times of grief.

In a historical account by someone who was present both at the birth of the ruler Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr (7th century) and at his funeral, the author observes that "Allahu Akbar" was said on both occasions.

In times of joy and gratitude

The takbīr can be used to express joy or surprise. It is also used as applause in religious contexts, such as after a Quran recital, as other forms of applause are considered less appropriate.

It is used to celebrate an election win. As a multi-purpose phrase, it is sometimes used by Arab football commentators as an expression of amazement, or even as a football chant.

In battle

Historically, the takbīr has been used as a cry of victory during battle. Ibn Ishaq's 8th century Life of Muhammed narrates two occasions when Muhammad proclaimed the takbīr during battle.

Iran

During the Iranian Revolution of 1979, it was shouted from rooftops in Iran during the evenings as a form of protest. The takbīr was later adopted as the official motto of Iran. This practice returned in the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests, which protested the election results.

Usage by extremists and terrorists

See also: Islamic terrorism

The phrase has been used as a battle cry by Islamic extremists and terrorists. However, this usage has been denounced by other Muslims.

Professor Khaled A. Beydoun, author of The New Crusades: Islamophobia and the Global War on Muslims (2023), writes that the association of the phrase "Allah Akbar" with terrorism has been exacerbated by mass media and television pundits. He adds that films and shows also utilize it as a cinematic trope further cementing the association.

In politics

In India, Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the AIMIM and Abu Taher Khan, representing TMC, after being elected as Members of the Indian Parliament, ended their oath with the slogan of "Allahu Akbar".

Usage by Christians

The phrase (Allah; meaning God in English) is only used by Arab Christians in third person view, and is rarely mentioned during prayers or church service. The Palestinian Christians use Allah in their prayer to refer to the creator of the world, and the takbir as an expression of their faith. The use of Takbir has been defended by Theodosios Hanna, the Palestinian Orthodox Archbishop of Sebastia.

Use on flags

Afghanistan

The Afghan constitution that came into force on January 4, 2004, required that Allāhu akbar be inscribed on the Flag of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. After the Taliban takeover, the flag of the first emirate was readopted, and thus the takbīr removed from the flag.

Iran

Allāhu akbar is written in stylized form across the bottom of the green stripe and the top of the red stripe of the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran, adopted in 1980.

Iraq

The phrase Allāhu akbar is written on the center of the flag of Iraq.

During the Gulf War in January 1991, Saddam Hussein held a meeting with top military commanders, where it was decided to add the words Allāhu akbar (described as the Islamic battle cry) to Iraq's flag to boost his secular regime's religious credentials, casting himself as the leader of an Islamic army. Hussein described the flag as "the banner of jihad and monotheism".

In 2004, the US-picked Iraqi Governing Council approved a new flag for Iraq that abandoned symbols of Hussein's regime, such as the words Allāhu akbar. In January 2008, however, Iraq's parliament passed a law to change the flag by leaving in the phrase, but changing the calligraphy of the words Allāhu akbar, which had been a copy of Hussein's handwriting, to a Kufic script. The Iraqi flag under Hussein had each of the two words of the phrase written in one of the spaces between the stars on the central band; the 2008 flag, while leaving the phrase in, removes the stars.

Other uses

A resistance movement that fought British rule in Waziristan, Pakistan, used a red flag bearing Allāhu akbar in white letters.

The flag used by the Houthis in Yemen also includes bearing Allāhu akbar in green letters.

See also

References

  1. Wensinck, A.J., "Takbīr", in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Consulted online on 09 September 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_7330> First published online: 2012
  2. "Takbīr". The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World. Oxford University Press. 2009. ISBN 978-0-19-530513-5.
  3. "Takbīr". Encyclopedia.com. 22 Aug 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  4. ^ "The Times of the Five Daily Prayers". Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  5. ^ Nigosian, S. A. (2004). Islam: Its History, Teaching, and Practices. Indiana: Indiana University Press. p. 102. ISBN 0-253-21627-3.
  6. Emma Bennett, What does Allahu Akbar mean?, The Telegraph (UK), 12 June 2016.
  7. E. W. Lane, Arabic English Lexicon, 1893, gives for kabir: "bigger, and biggest, in body, or corporeal substance, and in estimation or rank or dignity, and more, or most, advanced in age, older, and oldest" (p. 2587) Archived October 7, 2016, at the Wayback Machine.
  8. A.O.Green (1887). A Practical Arabic Grammar. Clarendon Press. p. 66.
  9. "The formula, as the briefest expression of the absolute superiority of the One God, is used in Muslim life in different circumstances, in which the idea of God, His greatness and goodness is suggested." Wensinck, A. J. The Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition. Brill, 2000. Volume 10, T-U, p. 119, Takbir.
  10. Böwering, Gerhard, God and His Attributes, Encyclopaedia of the Qurʼān, Brill, 2007.
  11. Macdonald, D. B. The Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition. Brill, 1971. Volume 3, H-Iram, p. 1093, Ilah.
  12. إسماعيل عتوك, محمد (December 2019). "لماذا لا نقول في الأذان : ( الله الأكبر ) مع أل التعريف، بدلاً من ( الله أكبر ) ؟". Archived from the original on 2023-06-11.
  13. Patrick J. Ryan, S.J. (29 October 2015). "What I learned from Muslims about God". America.
  14. "On Birth & School". Archived from the original on 27 August 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  15. el-Hibri, Tayeb (19 October 2010). Parable and Politics in Early Islamic History: The Rashidun Caliphs. Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231521659.
  16. Rabbani, Faraz. "The Day of 'Arafah: The 9th of Dhu'l Hijjah". Qibla.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  17. "Arabic Definitions". USA Halal Chamber of Commerce, Inc. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  18. ^ Omar Suleiman. "What 'Allahu Akbar' really means". CNN.
  19. "Allahu akbar: What is the Takbir?". The Week. 25 August 2017.
  20. "Who is Mothin Ali? British Councillor Who Shouted 'Allahu Akbar' After Being Elected in Local Polls". 6 May 2024.
  21. Hazell, Will (18 May 2024). "Most voters think shouting 'Allahu Akbar' is inappropriate for politicians". The Telegraph.
  22. ^ Nagourney, Eric (2017-11-02). "'Allahu Akbar': An Everyday Phrase, Tarnished by Attacks". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
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Sources

  • Rohi Baalbaki (1995). Al-Mawrid (7th ed.). Beirut: Dar El-Ilm Lilmalayin. ISBN 9953-9023-1-3.
  • F. Steingass Ph.D., University of Munich (1870). Persian-English Dictionary, Including the Arabic words and phrases to be met with in literature. Beirut: Librairie Du Liban.

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