Takbir
The
takbir is an Arabic name for the phrase
Allāhu Akbar (), a common Arabic expression, which can be translated as "God is Great,"[
1] "God is Greater,"[
2] or "God is the greatest."[
3]
The
consonantal root of "Akbar" is k-b-r; "Akbar" is the
elative of the adjective "kabīr". Some dictionary definitions are:
*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 form 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.
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 (), 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.
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.
*
Hallel*
Hallelujah*
List of Arabic phrases*
*
Audio clip (Real Audio)
