Should we not say “Allah Akbar” in our Salat
The issue of Allah Akbar is quite old. A number of years ago some believers made the following claims:
Claim 1
That the words Allah and Akbar do not appear in the Quran side by side.
Claim 2
That the word “Akbar” is not one of the names of God and thus it is unrighteous to call God “Akbar” or use these words in our Salat. For that, it was suggested that we use the words Allah Al-Kabeer (Al-Kabeer is a name for God used in the Quran).
Claim 3
That it is wrong in principle to call God as “Akbar” (Greater/Greatest) because this promotes the false belief that there may be other gods who may also be great.
Claim 4
That it is wrong to use the word Akbar for God because this word is a comparative adjective and it is wrong to compare God with others because God is beyond compare.
Let us then analyse each of these claims:
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Claim 1
The words Allah and Akbar are found in the Quran side by side in two verses, they are 9:72 and 29:45.
[9:72] God promised the believing men and the believing women gardens with rivers flowing beneath, wherein they forever remain, as well as fine dwellings in the gardens of Eden and 'Ridwan min ALLAH AKBAR' (the approval of God is greatest). This is the great triumph.
[29:45] You shall recite what is revealed to you of the book and observe the Salat, for the Salat prohibits vice and evil and for the 'zkikr ALLAH AKBAR. God knows what you do.
Some will say that Akbar in those verses do not speak of God. This is debatable since this view is based solely on the tashkeel on top of some of the words in those verses. (tashkeel are the little signs on top of Arabic letters which decide how the letters are pronounced).
The tashkeel was introduced at a later stage to the time of the revelation of the Quran. The early Quran did not have any tashkeel nor dots above or below letters.
As a result, if we take 29:45 as an example, and without the input of the tashkeel, we would have 2 valid interpretations for this verse, and they are:
a- The Salat prohibits evil and vice, and the commemoration of God is a greater benefit (of the Salat).
b- The Salat prohibits evil and vice and is also for the proclamation of Allah Akbar (God is Great).
As a result, whichever of the two above interpretations we accept, it remains that those who claim that the words Allah and Akbar are not found in the Quran side by side are uttering a lie. We see the words Allah and Akbar side by side in two Quranic verses, 9:72 and 29:45. The accusation that the one who utters Allah Akbar is not using Quranic words is a false accusation.
Claim 2
The claim that “Akbar” is not one of the names given in the Quran for God is correct. But who said that every word we utter in the Salat must be a name of God! As long as the words we utter are Quranic words, and they glorify God, that is all that matters.
When we examine the reason as to why we must utter the phrase "Allah Akbar", we find that this is in compliance to a specific command that we are given in 17:111. It is the command to magnify God.
To clarify the difference between a command to magnify God and a command to specifically use one of God’s names, we look at the following Quranic commands:
"You shall glorify your Lord with the ISM (name) of Al-Azeem (The Great)" 56:74.
also:
"You shall glorify your Lord with the ISM (name) of Al-Aala (The Most High)" 87:1.
In both of the above verses God commands us to glorify Him by using specific names, the word ISM which is given in these verses means NAME, the word ISM is an integral part of the commands in 56:74 and 87:1. In these verses God is commanding us to use the specific names of Al-Aala (Most High) and Al-Azeem (The Great) to glorify Him.
In contrast, the command in 17:111 is of a completely different nature; here God is not instructing us to use one of His names, but the command is for us to specifically magnify God.
The word Al-Kabeer (The Great), which is indeed one of God’s names, does not fulfil the command to magnify God.
When we want to magnify anything, we make it greater (akbar) and not just say it is great.
Claim 3
As for the claim that it is wrong in principle to call Allah as Akbar because this promotes the false belief that there are other gods who may also be great, this is a totally irrational claim! A believer who says Allah Akbar is not in any way saying or implying that there are other gods, he is simply saying that God is greater than anything that existed or will ever exist.
Claim 4
Finally, to claim that it is unrighteous to compare God with others because none can be compared to God, this too is totally false and it demonstrates a poor understanding of the Quran!
God does compare Himself to others in many Quranic verses:
In 3:54 God says He is the Best Schemer (Khayr Al-Makereen).
In 3:150 God says He is the Best Supporter (Khayr Al-Nasereen).
In 7:87 God says He is the Best Judge (Khayr Al-Judge).
All these verses include the word “khayr” which means: the best among all others. This is a comparative word and it indicates that God does indeed compare Himself to others.
The Quran is given to us so we can use the words which describe God whenever we speak about God and when we implore God, and so we too are able to use words which compare God to others.
Conclusion
To conclude, those who promote such restrictive claims are confused between two issues:
1- Using God beautiful names, which is something we are invited to do and is a clear Quranic command.
2- The specific command in 17:111 to magnify God which is totally independent from the instruction to use specific names of God such as the commands in 56:74 and 87:1.
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