Allah Akbar Meaning

Since the moment of birth Muslim fathers softly whisper the phrase Allahu Akber into the ears of their new born babies. Since then, we have been listening to this phrase echoing from the nearest mosque five times a day. Have you ever paused while reading takbir and reflected on what does Allahu Akbar means and the objective of its echoing. It is not just a word but a confession of the greatness of the creator and reminder of the purpose of life. In this blog, we will shed light on Allah Akbar meaning, its significance, and why it is so special for Muslims.

Allahu Akbar Meaning

The phrase Allah hu Akbar is composed of two Arabic letters Allah and Akbar. Allah is the name of God Almighty and ‘Akber’ means ‘the greatest’. So, Allahu Akbar Meaning can be translated as ‘Allah is the greatest’. The word Akbar is the superlative adjective that makes the noun ‘Allah’ greatest among others. This word can only be used to describe the attribute of Allah being the greatest and can’t be used for other deities and gods.    

Takbir Definition

Takbir is an Arabic expression that holds great significance in Islamic tradition. Its literal meaning is ‘to regard as great’. Takbir definition, in Islamic terminology, alludes to the meaning of Allahu Akbar and proclamation of the greatness of Allah Almighty. 

Allahu Akbar In Arabic

Allah u Akbar is the basic component of Islamic faith and proclaims the sovereignty and greatness of God Almighty. Allahu Akbar in Arabic script is written as;

Allahu Akbar Translation

Allah ho Akbar is also referred as the Takbeer. Allah is the name of Islam’s deity and the creator of the entire universe. It is a proper noun and can not be applicable to any deity. In Arabic, the word Allah is not a generic word for any deity and god. So, the Allahu Akbar translation is "Allah is greater" or "Allah is the greatest".

Allah hu Akbar In Adhan 

Adhan or Azan is an Islamic call to prayer. It is tradition to remind Muslims that it is a time of particular obligatory prayer. The words of daily Adhan begin with Allah hu Akbar which means ‘God is greater’. It is recited four times in Adhan, twice in the beginning and twice at the end. The objective of it is to call people to worship Allah who is creator and greater than anyone and anything in the universe.    

Significance Of Allah Akbar in Islam

Islam is the true religion and encourages the followers to remember the creator and His bounties in every aspect of life. Allah Akbar is a sacred phrase of Islam and the basic component of faith. It not only reiterates the greatness of God Almighty but reminds us of the purpose of our lives and the way of living a virtuous life. The life of Muslim begins with the whisper of Allahuakbar and ends with understanding and following the meaning and teaching of this sacred phrase. 

Allahu Akbar takbir is an important part of Muslim prayers (salah). Muslim prepare for prayer when they hear this statement from Muazzin in the Mosque. Then they rush to the Masjid to offer prayer and it does not start until the Imam says Allahu Akbar'. The statement is read at every movement during Salah such as going to Ruku, at Qiam, and doing Sajdah. Saying Allah uh Akbar is the best form of worship of Allah. Allah Almighty commanded the Holy Prophet SAW to proclaim His greatness. The Quran say;

And pronounce the greatness of your Lord(74:3)    

In another verse of Surah An’am Allah says;

Say, “Praise belongs to Allah who has neither had a son, nor is there any partner to Him in His kingdom, nor is anyone (needed) to protect Him from (any) weakness. And proclaim His greatness, an open proclamation. (17:111)

When To Say Allah u Akbar

Human life is instilled with ups and downs. Islam teaches to remember Allah in every moment and situation. Muslim say takbeer to indicate the greatness of Allah whatever they are facing in their life. Here are some occasions where everyone should say Allah u Akbar.

Newborn Baby

Children are bounty of Allah. Blessing with a child is one of the blessed moments for parents. Muslim parents should say Allah Akhbar into the ears of newborn babies. It will not only let the babies know that they are born in Muslim family but also reiterate the concept that Allah is the greatest who created you. It will also give a blessing at the beginning of life. 

Happy Occasions

Humans always strive for happiness. Happy occasions are the blessing of Allah. Muslims say Takbir Allahu Akbar at happy occasions such as when they hear any good news, recovering from illness, when getting good marks, when meeting family after a long time, and getting married. It reinforces that Allah is the greatest and only He can make us happy.      

At The Time Of Trouble 

Difficulties and troubles are a part of human life. The believers are those who remember the Lord at every time. Allah Akbr acts as a source of courage and bravery in troubling times. This statement reassures that problems are smaller and God is the greatest and He can help overcome the difficult time.  

Prayers 

Takbeer is a permanent part of Muslim prayer. From calling for prayer to standing for salah and during the entire mechanism of prayers, Allahu Akbr follows in every moment. Without this sacred phrase the obligation of prayer is incomplete. 

Slaughtering Animals

Muslims are only allowed to eat Halal meat. The halal slaughtering of animals follows the killing of animals according to procedure mentioned in the Shariah. The first condition of Halal slaughtering is that the slaughterer should be Muslim of the Book. The second condition is to read Bismillah and Allah hu Akbar in Arabic. Without this statement, a slaughtered animal can not be halal not allowed to be used in Islam.  

During Eclipse 

The eclipse occurs when the sun and moon align with the earth. This is among the miracles of Allah.The Holy Prophet PBUH urged to read Allah o Akbar during lunar or solar eclipse. Hazrat Aisha R.A. narrates that the Holy Prophet SAW said; 

 "The sun and the moon are two signs against the signs of Allah; they do not eclipse on the death or life of anyone. So when you see the eclipse, remember Allah and sayTakbir, pray and give Sadaqa." (Sahih al-Bukhari 1044)

Hadith About Allah o Akbar

Allah Almighty is the greatest of All is the message of Allah o Akbar. This phrase holds paramount significance in the tapestry of Islam. There are numerous Hadith that underline the importance of saying Allah hu Akbar takbeer. The Ahadees below shed light on the virtue of this short yet deep statement. 

Hazrat Abu Hurairah R.A. narrate that;The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 

"The uttering of the words: "Subhan-Allah (Allah is free from imperfection), Al-hamdu Lillah (all praise is due to Allah), La Ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)' is dearer to me than anything over which the sun rises." (Riyad as-Salihin 1409)

In another Hadith Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Ibn Amr R.A reports that the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon Him) said: 

“Whoever extols Allah’s greatness (says God is the greatest) a hundred times in the day and a hundred in the night, none shall bring on that day, more than what he brought, except one who said similar to what he said, or increased upon it.” (Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3471)

Another Hadith that underscore the virtue of extolling the greatness of Allah is, the Holy Prophet SAW said;

“No one ever utters La Ilaha Illa Allah or Allahu Akbar except that he is given glad tidings.”  And as it was, the Sahaba’s curiosity led them to question the Prophet SAW about what those “Glad Tidings” were. And the Prophet PBUH replied, “The glad tidings of Jannah.” (Tabarani)

Conclusion 

We learnt Allah Akbar meaning, its importance, and when to say it. It is not just a phrase but part of faith, source courage, means of reminder of greatness of the Lord. Embracing its message, we can change the perspective of life. It is the source of guidance toward virtuous life and encourages us to face difficulties of life with courage.