"Allah u Akbar," as it is sometimes transliterated, is the declaration of faith by Muslims. It is often inaccurately translated by some sections of the media as "God is great," but it would be more accurate to say that it means "God is greater." It is a rubric often used in prayer by Muslims and as a way of giving thanks to God. For example, when a child is born, it is common to say...
"Allah u Akbar," as it is sometimes transliterated, is the declaration of faith by Muslims. It is often inaccurately translated by some sections of the media as "God is great," but it would be more accurate to say that it means "God is greater." It is a rubric often used in prayer by Muslims and as a way of giving thanks to God. For example, when a child is born, it is common to say "Allah u Akbar" as an expression of profound gratitude for the creation of a new life. The phrase also encourages believers to focus on the bigger picture, as it were, by acting as a salutary reminder that God is so much greater, so much more important than our often petty everyday concerns.
In recent years it has become all too common for Islamist terrorists to scream "Allah u Akbar!" as they are about to commit an atrocity. However, for most Muslims it is an outrageous blasphemy to invoke the name of God in committing what is a serious crime not just against people, but also against God himself.
No comments:
Post a Comment