Takbir

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A muslim raises his hands to recite takbir in prayer

The takbīr or takbeer (تَكْبِير) is the Arabic name for the phrase Allāhu Akbar, الله أكبر. Usually translated "God is [the] greatest," it is a common Islamic Arabic expression, used as both an informal expression of faith and as a formal declaration.

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". As used in the takbir it indicates the superlative (best), usually translated as "greatest". The term takbīr (تَكْبِير) itself is the stem II verbal noun (tafʿīlun) of the triliteral root k-b-r "great".^[1]

Usage

Takbīr (تَكْبِير) is only the name of the expression; the phrase itself is "Allahu Akbar".

This phrase is recited by Muslims in many different situations. For example, when they are happy, to express approval, to praise a speaker, during battles, and during times of extreme stress or euphoria. In the Islamic world, instead of applause, often someone will shout "takbir" and the crowd will respond "Allahu Akbar" in chorus.

In prayer

The phrase is said during each stage of both obligatory prayers (which are supposed to be performed five times a day), and supererogatory prayers (performed at will). The Muslim call to prayer (adhan) and to commence prayer (iqama) also contains the phrase.^[2]

Islamist usage

After 9/11, the FBI released a handwritten hijackers' letter found in three separate copies at Dulles, the Pennsylvania crash site, and in Mohamed Atta's suitcase. It included a practical checklist of final reminders for the 9/11 hijackers. One notable excerpt: "When the confrontation begins, strike like champions who do not want to go back to this world. Shout, 'Allahu Akbar,' because this strikes fear in the hearts of the non-believers."^[3][4]

When in 2003, Imam Samudra became the second Bali bomber from a violent Islamist group to be sentenced to death for his role in the 2002 Bali bombings which killed 202 people, Samudra greeted the sentence with chants of "Allahu Akbar".^[5][6]

In 2004, in an execution video of Nick Berg being beheaded in Iraq, one man sawed off Berg's head while the other captors shouted: "Allahu Akbar!".^[7]

In the 2007 Fort Dix attack plot, a group of radical Islamist^[8] men were convicted of plotting to stage an attack on the Fort Dix military base in New Jersey. A group of them^[9] had recorded video footage of themselves shooting weapons and shouting Allahu Akbar.^[10]

During the Fort Hood shooting on November 5, 2009, soldiers who witnessed the shooting reported that gunman Major Nidal Malik Hasan shouted "Allahu Akbar" before opening fire in Fort Hood, killing 13 people and wounding 30 others.^[11]

Iranian usage

During the Iranian revolution of 1979, it was shouted from rooftops during the evenings as a form of protest. This practice returned in the aftermath of the 2009 Iranian presidential election,^[12][13] to protest the election results. Many people shouted it from 22:00–23:00 for nine days after the 2009 Iranian election to protest the result.

On flags

The phrase "Allahu Akbar" is written on the center of the flag of Iraq, 22 times 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 Afghanistan, with the phrase beneath the Shahadah

Current flag of Iraq, with stylized Kufic script

Current flag of Iran, introduced in 1980

Flag of the 1930s Waziristan (Pakistan) resistance movement

In popular media

On the television show Family Guy the phrase is used instead of an alarm on Peter's "Palestinian alarm clock" which then explodes and blows off the roof of the house.^[14]

See also

• Hallel
• Hallelujah
• List of Arabic phrases

Notes

References

• Dr. Rohi Baalbaki (1995). Al-Mawrid (7th ed.). 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. 
• 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 2007-08-25 .

External links

• Slate.com essay on takbir
• Audio clip (Real Audio)
• What Does Allah Akbar Mean