takbirat

Takbirat is the plural form of takbir, an Islamic expression that begins with the phrase Allāhu Akbar, usually translated as “God is the Greatest.” The term takbir itself comes from the Arabic root k-b-r, meaning greatness, and takbirat refers to the various occasions or sequences in which that phrase is recited as part of worship or remembrance.

In daily Muslim worship, takbir plays a central role. The opening takbir, known as takbīrat al-iḥrām, marks the entry into formal prayer (the beginning of the ritual prayer, or salah). In many traditions, additional takbirs are recited at specific moments during the prayer to signal transitions between postures, though the exact practice can vary by school of law and community.

Takbirat are also prominent during Eid celebrations. In the days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, communities commonly recite a prescribed sequence of takbirs, known in some traditions as takbirat al-Eid, both in and around the Eid prayers and in individual or communal remembrance throughout the day. The number and pattern of these takbirs differ among Islamic schools and cultures.

Beyond these rites, takbir is used in various forms of remembrance and supplication across the Islamic calendar, including personal devotion and communal worship. As a simple yet powerful declaration of God’s greatness, takbirat function as a linguistic and liturgical thread throughout diverse Islamic practices.