In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated regarding the statement: [ الله أكبر – Allaah is the Greatest], “When one says this, he (or she) has testified to Allaah’s Majesty”.

[سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ. تَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ. وَلاَ إِلهَ غَيْرُكَ – I declare You free from all imperfections O Allāh, and all praise is for You. Blessed is Your Name, great and exalted is Your kingdom. And there is none worthy of worship besides You (1)]. When one says this, he (or she) has testified with the heart that the Lord (Allaah) is free from every fault, removed from every shortcoming and worthy of praise with every perfect praise. This necessitates that Allaah is described with every Attribute of perfection and free from every deficiency – blessed be His Name. Neither is His Name mentioned in a small matter except that it becomes big nor in something good except that it increases and becomes blessed; neither mentioned in a state of affliction except that it ceases nor mentioned against a shaytaan except that the shaytaan is repelled, turned away and defeated. The perfection of a name is from the perfection of the one named with it; therefore when it is the fact that nothing can cause harm in the heavens or the earth with (a mention) of His Name, then the affair of the owner of the name is loftier and more exalted.

[وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ – great and exalted is Your kingdom]– Meaning, “Exalted is His Greatness and above everything that is considered great. His affair is exalted above every affair and every authority (kingdom) is completely under His absolute authority, and exalted is He above having a partner in His kingdom, Lordship, deity ship, His actions and Attributes, just as (He informed us) that the believers amongst the Jinn said:

[وَأَنَّهُ ۥ تَعَـٰلَىٰ جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا ٱتَّخَذَ صَـٰحِبَةً۬ وَلَا وَلَدً۬ا – ‘And exalted be the Majesty of our Lord, He has taken neither a wife, nor a son (or offspring or children)]. [Surah Al-Jinn. Verse 3]

[أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ – I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed devil]. When the person says this, he (or she) has turned to Allaah’s all encompassing powerful against the enemy (shaytaan) who wants to cut him (or her), separate him (or her) from the Lord and distance him (or her) from earning the love, pleasure and assistance of the Lord, and leave him (or her) in the worst situation. [An Excerpt from Kitaab as-Salaah. page 344. slightly paraphrased]

Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadee Al-Madkhalee [may Allaah preserve him] said:

Allaah [The Most High] said: [إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ ۗ – It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah]. [Surah Faatir. Verse 28]

They are (truly) acquainted with the Greatness of Allaah and His Perfection [i.e. the Perfection of Allaah’s Lordship, Names and Attributes, Actions, Judgements, Commands, Prohibitions etc], His Rights and the rights of His slaves [i.e. the rights of mankind, Jinn and all other creatures]. They [truly] distinguish between halaal and haraam, between what is harmful and what is beneficial [i.e. what will benefit the people in their religious and worldly affairs & what will harm them]; so they have a much greater piety, fear of Allaah founded upon knowledge of Allaah’s Greatness, Perfect Sovereignty and Dominion, and being constantly aware of the fact that Allaah knows, hears and sees everything they conceal and proclaim. As for the Jaahil, he is not (or not truly) acquainted with the Greatness of Allaah nor the rights of Allaah. How can he fear [or truly] fear Allaah when he is not (or not truly) acquianted with Allaah’s punishment and what is within the fire of hell, the Barsakh [i.e. the life after death and before the day of judgement], life in the grave and the severe anxiety people will encounter [i.e. due to one’s evil deeds]. [Marhaban Yaa Taalibal Ilm’ page 240. slightly paraphrased]

The Shaikh also stated: Many people humble themselves to one another more than they humble themselves to Allaah – The Most High, The Most Great. It is neither permissible for a person to be a slave [i.e. by worshipping anyone] except to Allaah, nor humble himself except to the Greatness of Allaah. Allaah [Glorified be He and free is He from all imperfections] said:

هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ‌ۖ عَـٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ‌ۖ هُوَ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡمَلِكُ ٱلۡقُدُّوسُ ٱلسَّلَـٰمُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُ ٱلۡمُهَيۡمِنُ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡجَبَّارُ ٱلۡمُتَڪَبِّرُ‌ۚ سُبۡحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشۡرِڪُونَ
هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡخَـٰلِقُ ٱلۡبَارِئُ ٱلۡمُصَوِّرُ‌ۖ لَهُ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ‌ۚ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ ۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ

He is Allaah than Whom there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He; the King, the Holy, the One Free from all defects, the Giver of security, the Watcher over His creatures, the All-Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Glory be to Allaah! [High is He] above all that they associate as partners with Him. He is Allaah, the Creator, the Inventor of all things, the Bestower of forms. To Him belong the Best Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. [Surah Al-Hashar. Verses 23-24]

Examine those verses in the last part of Surah Al-Hashar! The statement: [هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ – He is Allah than Whom there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He)]: This necessitates Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah.

The statement: [هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ‌ۖ عَـٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ‌ۖ هُوَ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ- He is Allaah, than Whom there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He, the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen (open). He is the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful]: This necessitates Tawheed Al-Asmaa Was Sifaat.

And the statement: [هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡخَـٰلِقُ ٱلۡبَارِئُ ٱلۡمُصَوِّرُ‌ۖ – He is Allaah, the Creator, the Inventor of all things, the Bestower of forms” necessitates Tawheed Ar-Roboobiyyah]. These few verses in the last part of Surah Al-Hashr necessitate all the categories of Tawheed. [Majmoo’ah Wa Rasaail Wa Fataawa 1/22. slightly paraphrased]

An Additional Reminder Regarding An We Hear a Lot In Our Era

We’ve heard many times that the Khawaarij – individuals and groups – utter the statement Allaahu Akbar when committing terrorist acts against Muslims and non-Muslims. This is a wicked affair indeed, because Allaah’s Name can only be mentioned in that which He loves and has legislated. Allaah [The Most High] said: [وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيراً – And magnify Him (i.e. Allaah) with all the magnificence, [Allahu-Akbar (Allah is the Most Great)]. [Surah Al-Israa. Verse 111]

Imaam Ibn Jareer [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated in his Tafseer of this verse, “And exalt your Lord O Muhammad through what He has commanded you to exalt Him- in speech and deeds; obey Him in what He has commanded you and in that which He has forbidden you [i.e. by keeping away from it]. (2)

Imaam Muhammad Al-Ameen Ash-Shanqeetee [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated in his Tafseer of this verse, “Exalt Him – a powerful exaltation. Manifest the greatness of Allah by strongly guarding what He has commanded and keeping away from what He has forbidden, and hastening towards everything that pleases Him, (and this is) similar to His statement: [لِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ -That you may magnify Allah for His Guidance to you. (3)

Ref 1: Supplication translated by Shaikh Abu Khadeejah [may Allaah preserve him]. See here: https://www.abukhadeejah.com/prophets-prayer-beginners-illustrations/

Ref 2: جامع البيان عن تأويل آي القرآ

Ref 3: أضواء البيان في إيضاح القرآن بالقرآن