Allahu Akbar (God is Greater): Difference between revisions

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Allahu Akbar (God is Greater) (view source)

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==Introduction==
==Introduction==


Although the phrase "Allahu Akbar" (الله أكبر) is a common phrase used by all 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 for the protesting Iranians, it is widely associated with the Muslims who shout it whilst engaged in [[Terrorism|Jihad]]
Although the phrase "Allahu Akbar" (الله أكبر) is a common phrase used by all 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 for the protesting Iranians, it is widely associated with the Muslims who shout it whilst engaged in [[Terrorism|Jihad]]


Many Muslims and their apologists claim it is 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 is a war cry for the Jihadists<ref name="Ludwig W. Adamec">Ludwig W. Adamec, Historical Dictionary of Islam, Scarecrow Press, 2nd ed. 2009, pg. 32</ref> should give you a clue to this.
Many Muslims and their apologists claim it is 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 is a war cry for the Jihadists<ref name="Ludwig W. Adamec">Ludwig W. Adamec, Historical Dictionary of Islam, Scarecrow Press, 2nd ed. 2009, pg. 32</ref> should give you a clue to this.
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'''Literal:''' There is no <font color="blue">god</font> but <font color="red">Allah</font> and Muhammad is the messenger of <font color="red">Allah</font>.}}
'''Literal:''' There is no <font color="blue">god</font> but <font color="red">Allah</font> and Muhammad is the messenger of <font color="red">Allah</font>.}}


As you can see, even though many English speaking Muslims falsely claim it states "there is no god but God", this is clearly not the case. Muslims view 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.
As you can see, even though many English speaking Muslims claim it states "there is no god but God", this is clearly not the case. Muslims view 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.


{{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.}}
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Some are willing to take advantage of people's ignorance of the Arabic language when it suits their purpose. For example: the [[Fake Conversions|false conversion]] story of pop legend [[Michael Jackson (Conversion to Islam)|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 Muslim commentators 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 ''HIS''tory 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.
Some are willing to take advantage of people's ignorance of the Arabic language when it suits their purpose. For example: the [[Fake Conversions|false conversion]] story of pop legend [[Michael Jackson (Conversion to Islam)|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 Muslim commentators 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 ''HIS''tory 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.


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>
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>


So, according to Muslims, is 'Allah' the word for 'God' (i.e. the God of [[Ibrahim|Abraham]]) or the name of their particular deity distinct from the God of Christianity and Judaism? No doubt you will receive very different answers depending on the situation. However, the original Arabic script found within the Qur'an tells you all that you need to know.
So, according to Muslims, is 'Allah' the word for 'God' or the name of their particular deity distinct from the God of Christianity and Judaism? No doubt you will receive very different answers depending on the situation. However, the original Arabic script found within the Qur'an tells you all that you need to know.


===Akbar===
===Akbar===
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==Conclusion==
==Conclusion==


'Allah' is not simply the Arabic word for 'God,' but the name of Islam's chosen deity 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''.  
'Allah' is not simply the Arabic word for 'God,' but the name of Islam's chosen deity 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''.  


==See Also==
==See Also==
Sahab
Bureaucrats, Editors, em-bypass-2, Reviewers, rollback, Suppressors, Administrators
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