Al-Mutakabbir
Al-Mutakabbir is the supremely great. He is exalted far above all creation. He has rights and privileges and attributes which others do not have. He is truly great and manifests this greatness in all things and in many ways.
From the root k-b-r which in Classical Arabic means:to be great in size, rank or dignity to be great in size, to be vast, formidable to be great in age, oldest to be great in dignity, noble, majestic to be great in learning, most knowing to have rights above all others
He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him. (Quran 59:23)
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “Allah the Almighty said: Pride is my cloak and greatness is my garment, so whoever competes with me regarding these two will be thrown into the Hellfire.”
Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 4090 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to As-Suyuti
Further mentioned of Allah detesting prideful people in The Quran “In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful” (Quran 57:23).
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Name |
Al-Mutakabbir |
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Al-Mutakabbir in Arabic |
ٱلْمُتَكَبِّرُ |
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Arabic root |
ك ب ر |
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Meaning in English |
The Supreme, The Possessor of All Rights, The Perfect Greatness |
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Meaning in Urdu |
بڑائی اور بزرگی والا |
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Pronounciation |
Al M-u-u-t-a-k-a-b-b-i-r |
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Appearance in the Quran |
One time |
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Tasbeeh |
Recite constantly to achieve honor and greatness and for the successful completion of any task. |
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Asma Ul Husna with similar meaning |
Al-Kabir |
In the Holy Quran, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) refers to Himself as Al-Mutakkabir – the Supreme, the Great, the perfection of greatness, and the possessor of all rights and doings. Al-Mutakabbir is one name that reveals Allah's supremacy and power over every living and non-living thing that has come to exist and ceased to exist.
Al-Mutakabbir comes from the Arabic root kaaf, baa, raa, which has three meanings. The first means to be supreme or great in rank, the second means to be great or superior in learning or being, and the third means to have rights and attributes that others do not.
The name emphasizes Allah's vast uniqueness and superiority. Everything and every being is nothing compared to Allah's greatness and perfection.
Allah says in the Quran:
"He is Allah besides Whom there is no other god, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Source of peace (and perfection), the Guardian of the Faith, the Preserver of safety, the One Exalted in Might, Irresistible, Supreme; Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners, they attribute to (Him)" (Qur'an, 59:23).
In this above-mentioned verse, Al-Mutakkabir (Allah) Himself says that He is incomparable and superior to everything or everyone that is associated with Him.
However, the word mutakabbireen (proud) is also mentioned several times in the Quran and has been associated with human beings who are arrogant and unnecessarily proud. The word is used for people who have arrogance in their hearts and willingly refuse to see the signs of Allah and his supreme power. The Quran teaches us an important lesson by referring to the disbelievers as mutakabbireen – Allah does not permit or prefer for his creation to act arrogant. Instead, they must always be humble and polite. Only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) can be referred to us Al-Mutakabbir.
Moreover, Al-Mutakkabir, meaning the possessor of all rights, is also referred to Allah, as He is the one believers can lean on during their hardships or in time of need – the One they call out to whenever an obstacle comes their way. It's a name that emphasizes the hope believers get from Allah.
Allah says in the Quran:
"If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely." — (Qur'an 3:160)
The name emphasizes the greatness and supremeness of Allah and, therefore, should be included in your dhikr. The benefits of Al-Mutakkabir include its recitation, which grants honor, respect, and success. The name can be recited repeatedly for as long as you can recite it as a part of your dhikr routine.
Al-Mutakkabir can also be recited after your five daily prayers as dhikr or at any other time during the day. However, since the dhikr of the name is known to bring success when one aims to do a challenging or difficult task, it is also recommended to recite the blessed name of Allah before you're about to do anything you want to complete successfully. Moreover, you can also include it in your general dhikr routine since there is no specific time of the day for which you must recite the name.
Al-Mutakkabir can be recited on the tasbeeh as dhikr as often as one wishes. There is no specific count limit. However, it is recommended that a routine for the recitation be established. For example, make up your mind to recite it 100 times a day or as many times as is suitable. This will help you achieve a routine without forgetting or procrastinating.
A routine can be established by deciding what times of day you want to recite the Al-Mutakkabir. It can be done during the morning, afternoon, evening, or even during the tahajjud prayer.
Mutakkabir is also a name one can use to name one’s child. A common name used for boys is Abdul Mutakkabir. Naming your child Abdul Mutakkabir or Mutakabbir is surely bound to bring blessings as the name is associated with the supremeness and greatness of Allah.
Another name of Allah that has a similar meaning to Al-Mutakkabir is Al-Kabir, which literally means the Greatest or the All-Great.
Allah says in the Quran:
"That is because Allah is the Truth, and that what they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Highest, the Grand." — (Qur'an 31:30)
Like Al-Mutakkabir, Al-Kabir emphasizes Allah's power, supremeness, and uniqueness. Al-Kabir has been mentioned six times in the Quran and is a testament to the essential concept of Tawhid (oneness of Allah). The name reminds Muslims to be humble and kind, keeping in mind the superiority and supremeness of their Lord. Human beings and their creations can never be compared to the power Allah holds, and therefore, they must stay humble and not get caught up in their worldly desires, forgetting the presence of Allah in their lives.
Al-Mutakabbir has been mentioned once in the Quran in Surah Al-Hashir.
Allah says in the Surah:
"He is Allah besides Whom there is no other god, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Source of peace (and perfection), the Guardian of the Faith, the Preserver of safety, the One Exalted in Might, Irresistible, Supreme; Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners, they attribute to (Him)" (Qur'an, 59:23).
Dhikr and remembrance of Allah is a type of convenient worship that one can do anywhere and at any time and should, therefore, be an integral part of every Muslim's day. Abu Ad-Darda narrated the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to have said:
"Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions, the purest in the sight of your Lord, which raises your rank to the highest, which is better for you than spending gold and silver, better than meeting your enemy so that you strike at their necks and they strike at yours?' They replied: 'Yes, indeed,' and he said: 'It is the remembrance of Allah." (At-Tirmidhi)