ALLAHU'AKBAR (GOD IS GREAT)

 - Muhammad b. al-Hasan b. Ahmad b. al-Waleed - Allah be pleased with him - narrated to us, he said: Muhammad b. Yahya al-`Ataar narrated to us from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. `Isa, from his father, from Marouk b. `Ubayd, from Jamee` b. `Umayr, who said:

Abu `Abdillah (al-Sadiq) [a] asked me: Allah is greater than what thing?

He replied: Allah is greater than every thing.

He [a] said: Was there another thing (existing) besides (Allah) that He would be greater than it?

He (narrator) said: So what is it? (i.e., What is the correct meaning of Allahu'Akbar?)

He [a] replied: Allah is greater than can be described. (i.e., Allah is beyond description.)

2 - Muhammad b. Musa b. Mutawakkil narrated to us, he said: Muhammad b. Yahya al-`Ataar narrated to me, from Sahl b. Ziyad, from ibn Mahboub, from who narrated to him, from Abi `Abdillah (al-Sadiq) [a]. He (narrator) said:

Once a man said Allahu'Akbar (Allah is great) next to him (Imam Sadiq).

He [a] said: Allah is greater than what thing?

He replied: Than all things.

So Abu `Abdillah [a] said: You have limited Him!

So the man said: So how should I say it?

He [a] replied: Allah is greater than can be described.