Allahu Akbar

From WikiIslam

[edit] What does it mean?

Although the phrase "Allahu Akbar" (الله أكب) is a common phrase used by all Muslims in various situations, including the Salah (obligatory five prayers a day) and has even been used by some non-Muslims, as a show of support for the protesting Iranians; it is widely associated with the "radical" (fundamental) Muslims who shout it while engaged in Jihad - which usually entails the murder of innocent non-Muslims. Many 'moderates' and apologists claim its simply the Arabic translation of a common English phrase meaning "God is great!"

However, this is untrue. "Allahu Akbar" does not mean "God is great" as claimed. It actually means "Allah is greater." Greater than what? You may ask. The fact that it's a 'war cry' for the Jihadi's (more recently including Major Nidal Malik Hasan) should give you a clue to this. lets examine the words in their original Arabic.

[edit] Allah

Islamic claim:

'Allah' is simply the Arab word for 'God.'

Reality:

'God' in Arabic is translated 'ilah,' not 'Allah.'

Allah = الله (alif ا, lam ل, lam ل, ha ه)

ilah = اله (alif ا, lam ل, ha ه)

How do we know this? The Shahada is one of the five pillars of Islam, and is recited by all Muslims:

As you can see, even though many English speaking Muslims falsely claim the Shahada states "there is no god but God", this is clearly not the case. Allah is not the generic word for 'god' in Arabic, but the name of Islam's deity - at the start of almost every Surah (Chapter) of the Quran is the phrase (in part): "In the name of Allah...."

[edit] Why do Muslims & apologists insist 'Allah' means 'god'?

For many (like Muhammad before them,) a lie is worth being told if it will ease the process of protelysation. For other 'moderate' Muslims and non-Muslims alike, its purely out of ignorance. language is always evolving, so the actual definition of a word and its popular usage can and very often does differ. For example, 'Gay' still means 'happy' but through its use in popular western culture, it can also mean 'homosexual'. This is also the case for the word "Allah" in predominantly Muslim cultures & societies. It is used interchangeably with 'god', as most people are Muslims; and to them, Allah is God. So to make the distinction is redundant.

It is unfortunate how so many are willing to take advantage of peoples ignorance of the Arabic language when it suits their purpose. For example; the false conversion story of pop legend Michael Jackson. A video entitled "Inshallah" (Allah willing) has been doing the rounds on user-contributed media sites like Youtube. It contains edited footage of Michael Jackson using the phrase "Inshallah," and its editor proudly proclaimed on its page "only Muslims say Inshallah." a view which was echoed by many of the Muslims who viewed it. However, it was simply a case of selective editing. The Muslim who made the video had cut off the first part of Michael's statement. It was a 12 year-old promo for his Tunisian fans on the eve of his HIStory world tour. Since Arabic is Tunisia's official language and since Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians living in Tunisia also use the phrase "Inshallah", it was not proof that he had converted to Islam. So, according to Muslims, is 'Allah' the word for 'god' or the name of their deity of choice? No doubt, you will receive different answers from them depending on the situation, however, the original Arabic script found within the Qur'an tells you all you need to know.

[edit] Akbar

Islamic claim:

'Akbar' means 'great.'

Reality:

'Akbar' in English is translated 'greater,' not 'great.'

كبير (kebir) = Great

أكبر (Akbar) = Greater

They are not interchangeable words. For evidence, we only need look to the Quran. Both kebir (great) & Akbar (greater) are used in the following verse:

[edit] Conclusion

'Allah' is not simply the Arabic word for 'God,' but the name of Islam's chosen deity (i.e. the pre-Islamic moon god located in the Ka'aba.) and 'Akbar' does not mean 'great,' but 'greater.' Greater than what? The answer is - Allah is greater...than whatever god you happen to believe in.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Doublespeak
• Glossary of Islamic Terms
• Arabic terms

[edit] External link

• Malaysia 2008: Government Maintains Only Muslims (& Not Catholics) Can Use The Term "Allah" When Referring to Their God
• October 2009: 20,000 Bibles Seized by Authorities Because They Refer to God as "Allah" (The Malay Word for "God" is "Allah")