The takbīr or takbeer (تَكْبِير) is the Arabic name for the phrase Allāhu Akbar, الله أكبر. Usually translated "God is great" or "God is [the] greatest," it is a common Arabic expression, used as both an informal expression of faith and as a formal declaration. Arabic redirects here. ... Due to the fact that the Arabic language has a number of phonemes that have no equivalent in English or other European languages, a number of different transliteration methods have been invented to represent certain Arabic characters, due to various conflicting goals. ... Look up translate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Allahu Akbar and similar can mean:- Allahu Akbar (called the Takbir in Arabic) is a shortened form of the Arabic phrase Allahu Akbar min kulli shay, which means God is greater than everything. ... Arabic redirects here. ... Islam reveres the one God, who is considered the only Creator and Lord of the Universe. The main fundamental creed (shahadah) of Islam is There is but (one) God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God. The Arabic word for The God is Allah (الله); Muslims consider him the same deity... Islam reveres the one God, who is considered the only Creator and Lord of the Universe. The main fundamental creed (shahadah) of Islam is There is but (one) God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God. The Arabic word for The God is Allah (الله); Muslims consider him the same deity...

Definition and grammar

The form Allāhu is the nominative of Allah "[the one] God" The form akbar is the elative of the adjective kabīr "great". In Semitic languages, an elative may indicate a superlative (best), or a comparative (better). The term takbīr (تَكْبِير) itself is the stem II verbal noun (tafʿīlun) of the triliteral root k-b-r "great".^[1] Allah is the Arabic language word for God. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... See Elative for disambiguation. ... 14th century BC diplomatic letter in Akkadian, found in Tell Amarna. ... For the noun case, see superlative case. ... In grammar the comparative is the form of an adjective or adverb which denotes the degree or grade by which a person, thing, or other entity has a property or quality greater or less in extent than that of another. ... Arabic is a Semitic language. ... In the terminology used to discuss the grammar of the Semitic languages, a triliteral is a root containing a sequence of three consonants (so also known as a triconsonantal root). ... Kaph or Kaf is the eleventh letter of many Semitic abjads, including Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic alphabet . Its value is IPA . ... Beth or Bet is the second letter of many Semitic abjads, including Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew Syriac and Arabic alphabet . Its value is a voiced bilabial plosive, IPA . ... Resh is the twentieth letter of many Semitic abjads, including Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic alphabet . Its value is IPA or , in Hebrew also or . ...

The word akbar as used in the takbir indicates the superlative, usually translated as "greatest". In Arabic usage, akbar may also be used as a comparative, in which sense it may be approximately translated as "greater" (dictionaries carry both senses of akbar). The translation as comparative does not apply to the case at hand, because no comparandum is present. For the noun case, see superlative case. ... Arabic redirects here. ... In grammar the comparative is the form of an adjective or adverb which denotes the degree or grade by which a person, thing, or other entity has a property or quality greater or less in extent than that of another. ...

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. There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... Halaal (حلال, halāl, halal) is an Islamic Arabic term meaning permissible. In English it is most frequently used to refer to food that is permissible according to Islamic law. ...

The phrase is said during each stage of both obligatory prayers, which are supposed to be performed five times a day, and supererogatory 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. Adhan (Azaan) (أَذَان) is the Islamic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin. ... The word iqama (Arabic: إقامة) refers to the second call to Islamic Prayer, given immediately before the prayer begins. ...

Note that takbīr (تَكْبِير) is only the name of the expression, while the phrase itself is "Allahu Akbar". In the Islamic world, instead of applause, often someone will shout "takbir" and the crowd will respond "Allahu Akbar" in chorus. The Islamic world is the world-wide community of those who identify with Islam, known as Muslims, and who number approximately one-and-a-half billion people. ... Applause (Latin applaudere, to strike upon, clap) is primarily the expression of approval by the act of clapping, or striking the palms of the hands together, in order to create noise; generally any expression of approval. ...

Takbir on flags

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 Iraq with stylized Kufic script. ... Current flag of the Islamic republic of Iran, introduced in 1980. ... White flag featuring the Shahada text as used by the Taliban. ...

Current flag of Iraq with stylized Kufic script

Current flag of the Islamic republic of Iran, introduced in 1980 Image File history File links Flag_of_Iran. ...

Flag of the 1930s Waziristan resistance movement Image File history File links Flag_of_Waziristan_resistance_(1930s). ...

See also

• Hallel
• Hallelujah
• List of Arabic phrases

Hallel (Hebrew: הלל Praise [God]) is part of Judaisms prayers, a verbatim recitation from Psalms 113-118, which is used for praise and thanksgiving that is recited by observant Jews on Jewish holidays. ... Look up Hallelujah in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The following list consists of concepts that are derived from both Islam and Arab tradition, which are expressed as words in the Arabic language. ...

Notes

1. ^ Some dictionary definitions of k-b-r derivatives include:
   • 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.

Kaph or Kaf is the eleventh letter of many Semitic abjads, including Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic alphabet . Its value is IPA . ... Beth or Bet is the second letter of many Semitic abjads, including Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew Syriac and Arabic alphabet . Its value is a voiced bilabial plosive, IPA . ... Resh is the twentieth letter of many Semitic abjads, including Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic alphabet . Its value is IPA or , in Hebrew also or . ... Title page of the first volume The Arabic English Lexicon of 1893 by Edward William Lane in eight volumes is the monumental standard work of reference for Classical Arabic in western scholarship. ...

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. 
• AP (2006), written at Baghdad, "New beheading video aims to quash hopes for respite in Iraq violence", USA Today (Arlington, Va.: Gannett), 2006-06-10, ISSN 0734-7456, OCLC 8799626, <http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-06-10-iraq-beheadings_x.htm>. Retrieved on 17 August 2007.
• Fisher, Ian (2006-09-18), "Pope’s Regrets Over Statement Fail to Quiet a Storm of Protests", New York Times (Rome), 2006-09-19, ISSN 0362-4331, <http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/19/world/europe/19pope.html?ei=5088&en=c56927eae2c42670&ex=1316318400&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all>. Retrieved on 26 March.

The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... ISSN, or International Standard Serial Number, is the unique eight-digit number applied to a periodical publication including electronic serials. ... The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) was founded in 1967 and originally named the Ohio College Library Center. ... Charles Ian Fisher (born 1965) is an American journalist who has been the Rome bureau chief of The New York Times since 2004. ... ISSN, or International Standard Serial Number, is the unique eight-digit number applied to a periodical publication including electronic serials. ...

External links

• Slate.com essay on takbir
• Audio clip (Real Audio)