Allahu Akbar (God is Greater): Difference between revisions

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[[File:Malaysia Allah for Muslims only.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]The phrase '''Allahu Akbar''' (الله أكبر) is a common phrase used by Muslims in various situations, including the [[Salah]] (obligatory five [[prayers]] a day) and has even been used in the past by some [[non-Muslims]] as a show of support or in reference to the common Abrahamic god. It is widely conflated with the Muslims who shout it whilst engaged in [[Jihad|Jihad]]. The literal translation of this phrase from [[Arabic]] means "God is greater!" The phrase has a unique history in [[Islam and Scripture|scripture]] and its early use and conception.
[[File:Malaysia Allah for Muslims only.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]The phrase '''Allahu Akbar''' (الله أكبر) is a common phrase used by Muslims in various situations, including the [[Salah]] (obligatory five [[prayers]] a day) and has even been used in the past by some [[non-Muslims]] as a show of support or in reference to the common Abrahamic god. It is widely used for a multitude of reason by Muslims, including some Muslims who shout it whilst engaged in [[Jihad|Jihad]]. The literal translation of this phrase from [[Arabic]] means "God is greatest!" The phrase has a unique history in [[Islam and Scripture|scripture]] and its early use and conception.


==Difference between Allah and Ilah==
==Difference between Allah and Ilah==
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'''Literal:''' I testify that there is no <font color="blue">god</font> but <font color="red">Allah</font> and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of <font color="red">Allah</font>.}}
'''Literal:''' I testify that there is no <font color="blue">god</font> but <font color="red">Allah</font> and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of <font color="red">Allah</font>.}}


The phrase is commonly mistakenly translated to "There is no god but God." However, in Islam the name Allah as a proper noun, as opposed to a common noun descriptive applicable to any deity. Allah is not the generic word for 'god' in Arabic, but the ''name'' of Islam's deity.
The phrase is commonly mistakenly translated to "There is no god but God." However, in Islam the name Allah as a proper noun, as opposed to a common noun descriptive applicable to any deity. Allah is not the generic word for 'god' in Arabic, but the ''name'' of Islam's deity. See [Allah]


{{Quote|[http://bewley.virtualave.net/Riscreeds.html The Risala of 'Abdullah ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani]<BR>A Treatise on Maliki Fiqh (Including commentary from ath-Thamr ad-Dani by al-Azhari)(310/922 - 386/996)|['''1.1a'''] The belief that Allah is One is the fundamental basis of Islam, and when Divine Unity is expressed, '''the name "Allah" must be used. It is not permissible to say, "There is no god but the Almighty"''' or use any other names except Allah for the shahada. Nothing at all resembles Him or is equal to Him.}}
{{Quote|[http://bewley.virtualave.net/Riscreeds.html The Risala of 'Abdullah ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani]<BR>A Treatise on Maliki Fiqh (Including commentary from ath-Thamr ad-Dani by al-Azhari)(310/922 - 386/996)|['''1.1a'''] The belief that Allah is One is the fundamental basis of Islam, and when Divine Unity is expressed, '''the name "Allah" must be used. It is not permissible to say, "There is no god but the Almighty"''' or use any other names except Allah for the shahada. Nothing at all resembles Him or is equal to Him.}}
====Is Allah the same as God?====
In another case in Malaysia, the government banned Christians from using the word 'Allah' in reference to the Christian God,<ref>"[http://archive.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&lang=en&length=long&idelement=5183&backpage=archives&critere=&countryname=Malaysia&rowcur=0 Malaysia: Government Maintains Only Muslims Can Use ‘Allah’ Term]" - Compass Direct News, January 08, 2008</ref> and in one incident, reported by CNN in October of 2009, twenty-thousand Bibles were seized by authorities because they referred to the Christian God as 'Allah,'<ref>Saeed Ahmed - "[http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/29/malaysia.bibles.seized/ Bibles seized as Malaysia minorities fear fundamentalism]" - CNN, October 29, 2009</ref> completely disregarding the fact that due to the evolution of the Malay language, which has borrowed extensively from Arabic, Sanskrit and Portuguese, there is no indigenous Malay word for 'God' other than the pagan 'Allah'. It was reported that in 2010 a court ruling overturned the ban, a decision which the government has appealed against, insisting that it should remain in place.<ref name="Churches Attacked in Malaysian ‘Allah’ Dispute"></ref> This decision to allow Christians to use the word 'Allah' has led to violent protests and bombings of several Malaysian churches.<ref name="Churches Attacked in Malaysian ‘Allah’ Dispute"></ref> One of the protesters summed up the thoughts of many Malaysian Muslims, stating, “Allah is only for us, The Christians can use any word, we don’t care, but please don’t use the word Allah.”<ref name="Churches Attacked in Malaysian ‘Allah’ Dispute">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/world/asia/09malaysia.html|title=Churches Attacked in Malaysian ‘Allah’ Dispute|publisher=The New York Times|last=Mydans|first=Seth|date=January 9, 2010}}</ref>
Muslims differ on whether or not Allah is a generic term, but the Quran is rather unambiguous on the matter, as will be show in the remainder of the article.


===Akbar===
===Akbar===
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