Takbir
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| Arabic |
| الله أَكْبَر |
| Transliteration |
| Allahu Akbar, allāhu akbar |
| Translation |
| Allah is greatest |
The takbir is an Arabic name for the phrase Allāhu Akbar الله أكبر, a common Arabic expression, which can be translated as "God is Great," or "God is (the) greatest."
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[edit] Definition and grammar
The form akbar is the elative of the adjective kabīr "great". Its consonantal root is k-b-r. Some dictionary definitions are:
- E. W. Lane, Arabic English Lexicon, 1893
- kabīr: great in body, or corporeal substance, and in estimation or rank or dignity
- akbar: greater, and greatest, in body, or corporeal substance, and in estimation or rank or dignity, and more, or most, advanced in age, older, and oldest
- F. Steingass, 1970
- kabīr: Great, large, bulky, immense, heavy, serious, senior, elder...
- akbar: Greater, greatest.
- R. Baalbaki, 1995
- kabīr: Great, big, large, sizeable, bulky, huge, senior...
- akbar: Greater, bigger, larger, major, senior, superior
Allahu Akbar is a shortened form of the Arabic phrase Allahu Akbar min kulli shay, which means "God is greater than everything."[citation needed]
The term takbīr (تَكْبِير) itself is the stem II verbal noun (tafʿīlun) of k-b-r.
[edit] 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 halaal fashion, when they want to praise a speaker, during battles, and even times of extreme stress or euphoria. The term has gained relative infamy in the eyes of some Westerners, who only view it as a battle cry.
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 (تَكْبِير), while the phrase itself is "Allahu Akbar". In the Islamic world, instead of applause, often someone will yell "takbir" and the crowd will respond "Allahu Akbar" in chorus.
[edit] Takbir on the flag of Iraq
The phrase "Allahu 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.
 Current flag of the Islamic republic of Iran, introduced in 1980. |
 Current flag of Iraq with stylized Kufic script. |
[edit] Usage of the Takbir by Islamic militants
The mainstream public gained an immediate awareness of the phrase "Allahu Akbar" due to the various killings of-non-muslims by islamist groups such as Al Qaeda. In these instances the Takbir has been recited by the various islamist and jihadist groups such as Al Qaeda in Iraq and Ansar al-Sunnah before killing hostages, such as Nick Berg, Jack Hensley, Eugene Armstrong, Kim Sun-il and countless Iraqis. Some claim the phrase is used during a killing to ask God to show mercy on the soul of the victim.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Dr. Rohi Baalbaki (1995). Al-Mawrid, 7th, DAR EL-ILM LILMALAYIN, Beirut.
- F. Steingass PhD, University of Munich (1970). Persian-English Dictionary, Including the Arabic words and phrases to be met with in literature.. Librairie Du Liban, Beirut.
