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| Allahu Akbar |
The takbir - the Arabic phrase Allahu akbar ("God is greatest" or "God is greater") - is one of the best-known expressions in Islam. It has been used for nearly fourteen centuries in daily prayer, religious observance, and, historically, as a battlefield cry by Muslim armies. In recent decades it has also become associated in the public mind with Islamist terrorism because it is frequently shouted during attacks.
The phrase is frequently mispronounced in English-language media. Even experienced speakers occasionally omit the final 'u' in Allahu, pronouncing it as Allah akbar instead of the grammatically correct Allahu akbar.
The takbir appears on the national flags of two countries* - Iraq and Iran.
On the Iraqi flag (left), the takbir is the green script in the white stripe. The takbir was added to Iraq's flag in January 1991 just days before the beginning of the Gulf War, when Saddam Hussein sought to portray the conflict as a jihad against the U.S.-led coalition.
On the Iranian flag (right), the takbir in white stylized script appears 22 times in the green and white stripes.
My guide to pronouncing the takbir: a-LAH-hu AK-bar.
International Phonetics: ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hu ʔak.ba
Listen to a native speaker.
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Saudi Arabia's flag does not contain the takbir. Instead, it bears the shahadah: "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is His messenger."
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