What does Allahu akbar mean ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mansio
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 20
  • Views Views 21K
M

mansio

Account Disabled
Messages
133
Reaction score
3
Everybody translates "Allahu akbar" as "God is great".

Is not the exact translation as "God is the greatest" ?

"God is great" should be "Allahu kabir" in Arabic.
 
I was thinkin that too, how people translated it as 'Allaah is Great' and it kinda confused me. Allaah is the Greatest, but why weren't the people sayin it right?

After i read that Allaahu akbar, means Allaah is Greater, i believed that because even though i have little knowledge of the arabic language - it may mean 'Allaah is Greater' because there may be no such word is 'greatest' in arabic. So 'Allaah is Greater' matches perfectly because no matter what you say is 'great' - Allaah is Greater.


lol hope u get wa i mean..
 
I forgot about the meaning "greater". I think Arabic does not dinstinguish between comparative "greater" and superlative "the greatest".
 
mansio said:
I forgot about the meaning "greater". I think Arabic does not dinstinguish between comparative "greater" and superlative "the greatest".
Click to expand...


You are almost correct. I thank you for pointing that out.

There's another form of noun in Arabic language termed Seeghah mubalaghah.

For example, you are correct that if Allah is great the arabic equivalent is Allahu Kabeer. but since the term is Allahu Akbar, the proper translation is Allah is Greater.

To say Allah is Greatest, the word kabeer is used. In fact, one of the attributes of Allah is Al Kabeer. (The Greatest) with the prefix "Al" denoting a definite attribute.

Seegha mubalaghah is not only used to give the superlative attribute but also gives Allah the attribute of ALWAYS having that quality.

For example, the word Raheem is a seeghah mubaalaghah of raahim. (assuming that you know Arabic language, this is the verbal noun [ism faa'il] of the verb rahima [to be merciful].

Now Allah is also raahim [merciful] but to use Raheem [double vowel shows prolongation of sound] would denote he's not only the Most Merciful but this attribute is ALWAYS with him.

Unlike us, humans, we may be "raahim" or "raahimah [female], but we are not ALWAYS merciful to others.

In a precis, the Akbar is used to note that Allah is greater than anything else complemented by another attribute of al kabeer.

I hope that clarifies the matter a bit. :)

You may want to check Antoine Dahdah collection of Arabic grammar and syntax. His are the best ones out there.
 
As-Salamu alaykum

i dont mean to get toooo clever but akbar is a noun which is known as ism tafdeel, and it will be more compared to others. akbar means the greatest (compared to others) Ahmad is the one who praises most compared to others

i hope i wasnt getting to witty and offending anybody,

wasalams
 
You didn't offend anyone of course. That's one good piece of information.
 
Assalam Alaikam

It perhaps does mean God is great

Why? because If you know arabic has many different dialects and forms. Allah Akbar Can be translated as God is Great in one context. Then in another context God is the Greatest?

All the tribes of Arabia were different, So the true translation at that form of arabic Which says Allah Akbar as God is Great perhaps is the best translation rather than saying in another tribe Allah Akbar and it is saying God is the Greatest.

Ya got it or confusing?
 
God is the Greatest but as it says Allah....hmm....den it wud b Allahis the Greatest wudnt it? :?
 
Assalama Alaikam

First, When the Quran was revealed, Arabic grammer was derived from The Quran. The elequency and Words of the Glorious Quran is so High that all say Quran is considered to be the highest arabic literature of the highest Poetry regarded.

Very long explanation..
 
Allah is mubtada (opening) and akbar is the khabr (information) this will be a nominal sentence and it will transalte as Allah is the greatest.

in the context of nobody has more powre than God none can overcome Him, He is the Creator and has power over all things , it does not mean there are gods besides Allah, it just means ...im nothing and Allah is the almighty , He is all powerful therefore He is greater than i and i humble myself before Him, negation of ones pride type thing ...wasalams
 
Andaraawus said:
As-Salamu alaykum

i dont mean to get toooo clever but akbar is a noun which is known as ism tafdeel, and it will be more compared to others. akbar means the greatest (compared to others) Ahmad is the one who praises most compared to others

i hope i wasnt getting to witty and offending anybody,

wasalams
Click to expand...
:sl:
i was just about to say that akhee u took the words right outta my mouth .............great minds think alike ey ???? (just kiddin!!):giggling: :giggling: :giggling: :giggling:
:w:
 

Similar Threads

Back
Top