A friend of mine asked me a question recently, “What is the meaning of “Allahu Akbar?” I simply replied “Allah is the Greatest”. But I strongly felt that we won’t be able to understand its depth by mere translation of the word until we look at its implications in our daily lives. This phrase is closely related to our every act of worship; and is also heard at all the minarets that resound five times a day with the melodious call to prayers. This phrase is also recited in abundance during the days of Hajj.
When someone proclaims a being to be ‘the Greatest’, a question comes to mind, why and when One becomes the greatest. In this world, where everything withers away, some are considered great when they have either money, public following or political power, and when that fades, with time, then the tag of “Greatness” shifts to someone else. But that’s the case with humans, not with God. God’s Greatness encompasses each and every thing.
He is ultimately perfect; He is above what the beings He has created conceive Him to be. There is nothing like him (Quran; 42:11). He is the sole owner of this universe and He is everlasting and without inheritors or partners in His dominion. There won’t be an atom’s change in His greatness if the whole world was to go against Him or to worship Him. He alone has knowledge of everything. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. Everything that happens in this world is due to His will. His greatness is independent of all parameters that a human can think of; not just during specific month/days or in a particular place; He’s the Greatest and will always be.
One of the attributes of Allah is “Al-Kabeer” which means the one who is “incomparably great“. He is the Greatest in knowledge ,wisdom and in being merciful to His creation. It is a name that brings tranquility and confidence to every person who is overwhelmed. It is a name that reminds us of our priorities, of where true greatness lies and who is ultimately in control. His greatness is in the fact that He “is far exalted above being confined by a certain place, space or volume; but He is All-Great from the perspective of mental conception.”
When a person realizes that God is superior to anything and anyone in this world and that all the blessings he has are given by God, then there remains no arrogance or pride in him, but there grows in his heart the fruits of sincerity, humbleness and modesty in his character.
It’s ordered in the Holy Quran to Glorify God especially during the two festivals of Islam. “…exalt the greatness of Allah for His having guided you and that you may give thanks” (Quran; 2:185, 22:37). Guidance is to recognize your only Creator and to follow His commands in your life. God being the Greatest in knowledge and wisdom, His commands are the best for the whole of mankind, unlike those laws created by man which are in many ways flawed and benefit only a particular group of people. When a person whole heartedly realizes that God is the greatest, he surrenders his own will to the obedience of God’s wills and laws and he implements it individually and also collectively. When he has to choose between his desires and God’s laws, he will choose the latter for indeed that is better for him. It is only by following His commands that he/she will be able to lead a purposeful and successful life. And this is the truthful way of glorifying God’s greatness and being grateful to Him.
We see today the society is menaced with hatred, discrimination and intolerance, and all these and other evils are rooted in pride and arrogance. A person having more wealth feels superior to the one who has less. In a world ridden by materialism a person having the latest smartphone feels superior to a person not having it. There are disputes among people literally over the pettiest of issues. Even in acts of worship, there’s this pride and arrogance leading people to look at others with contempt, which can never be a part of piety. When a person realizes that God is superior to anything and anyone in this world and that all the blessings he has are given by God, then there remains no arrogance or pride in him, but there grows in his heart the fruits of sincerity, humbleness and modesty in his character. This humbleness manifests in every act of life: by obedience and submission before the Majestic Greatness of God; in relations with all other people based on love. This single phrase- Allahu Akbar- when recited with such spirit and heard with fervor, is enough to eradicate all the racism, discrimination and animosity prevalent in today’s world, and fill the air and hearts with affection, humility and modesty.
Mashallah very well said….May Allah SWT reward you with jazaye khair…Ameen