Sat 23rd Shawwaal 1439/ 7th Jul 2018
Lesson 16: The statements “Allaahu Akbar” and “laa ilaaha illallaah”
• The Takbeer (saying “Allaahu Akbar”) has a great standing and reward with Allah
• The takbeer is something mentioned often in the Quran: For exmample
o “The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah [i.e. to say Takbir (Allahu-Akbar; Allah is the Most Great) on seeing the crescent of the months of Ramadan and Shawwal] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.” [Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) verse 185]
o “O you (Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn! And your Lord (Allah) magnify” [Suratul-Mudathir (The one Enveloped in Garments) verses 1-3]
• Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned that the rtakbeer is pronounced in the prayer, the adhan, the eid and the high places (hills, mountains)
• The takbeer is one of the best of the statements and speech after the Qur’an along with
• Whenever the takbeer is mentioned it is always “Allaahu Akbar”, there can be no substitute for it
o Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said “The key to prayer is purification; its beginning is takbeer and its end is taslim” [At-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi Dawud and Ibn Majah]
o This is the opinion of Imam Ahmed and others besides him, i.e. that to start the prayer with any othert statement other than “Allaahu Akbar”, then his prayer is invalid
• The takbeer is something that is always with a Muslim
• The takbeer is mentioned in the call to prayer (the adhan), the call to stand for the prayer (iqaamah), when opening the prayer as well as frequently during the prayer itself.
• In a 4 rak’ah prayer (e.g. dhur, Asr or Isha) the statement “Allaahu Akbar” is mentioned 22 times
o In every Rak’ah there are 5 times for saying the takbeer
o Based on this, the Muslim says “Allaahu Akbar” 94 times just from the five daily prayers
o Then how about the one who adds to this with the optional prayers as well as additional remembrance?
o The one who prays the five daily prayers, the optional rawaatib prayers as well as the optional night prayer will say the statement “Allaahu Akbar” 342 times!
• Therefore when a muslim guards over his/her five daily prayers as well as their optional prayers then this will earn him/her a great deal of reward!
• The fact that Allah has made the statement “Allaahu Akbar” as a key part of the prayer shows the importance of this statement
• However, how many times have we stopped to think and ponder about the magnificence of this statement!
• The takbeer is not something that has no meaning or substance to it. It has a great and lofty
• Ibn Jareer (may Allah have mercy upon him) said that the takbeer means to say the greatness of Allah and perform what Allah has commanded you and obey him in what he has commanded and prohibited (to show the greatness of Allah with both statements and actions)
• Shaykh Muhammad Al-Ameen As-Shinqeeti (may Allah have mercy upon him) said the takbeer is to show the greatness of Allah, and that the greatness of Allah will become apparent by you guard over the commandment of Allah and stay away from his prohibitions and that you are quick in those things that please Allah
• This indicates that all of the religion is an explanation of the statement “Allaahu Akbar”
• Therefore the muslim fulfils his obedience to Allah and that is due to him/her recognising the greatness of Allah
• Umar’s statement regarding the statement “Allaahu Akbar”
What does “Allaahu Akbar” mean?
• Some scholars have said that it means that Allah is the greatest, no matter how great anything is, Allah is always the greatest
• Shayk ul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said the takbeer’s meaning is that a servant recognises that Allah is greater than anything and everything
The statement: “Laa Ilaaha Illallaah”
• This is the testimony of faith
• It means that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah
• Believing it, understanding it and saying it is a condition of someone being a muslim
• It differentiates the people of Paradise from the people of Hell.
• Whoever dies upon this statement will enter paradise
• Islam is built upon 5 pillars and Pillar 1 is the testimony of faith to say “Laa Ilaaha Illallaah”
What is the connection between these 4 statements?
• The first two statements, “Subhaanallaah” and “Alhamdulillaah” often come together (what is the evidence?)
• The second two statements “Laa Ilaaha Illallaah” and “Allaahu Akbar” often come together (what is the evidnce?)
Q&A:
- Question regarding saying the takbeer together (e.g. when one person says “Takbeer!” and everyone says Allaahu Akbar together)
- What about in eid or during the hajj when people recite dhikr in unison?
- What if you come to the congregational prayer and the first row is full, can you start a second row by yourself? should you grab someone from the front row and take them to the second?
- Is the Imam a sutra for the whole first row?
- If someone has missed days from a previous Ramadhaan which they have to make up, are they allowed to fast the 6 days of Shawwaal or should they concentrate on completing their missed fasts from Ramadhaan?
- What about someone who breaks his fast (has iftaar) based on Adhaan from TV channel which may not be correct for his specific location?
- Can sisters ask questions out loud by raising their voice in the masjid? is it better to write down questions?
- What if one missed a rak’ah by accident (e.g. forgot), does he have to make up the entire prayer again?