Discussion of the Takbir in Prayer and Its Form
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The Shaykh : You say the first takbir, which is called the takbir of ihram. It is called that because a person enters the sacred precinct of prayer just as a person in ihram for Hajj or 'Umrah enters the sacred precinct of the rites. Therefore, when one says "Allahu Akbar," everything that is forbidden to the one in prayer becomes forbidden to him. In the takbir of ihram, one says "Allahu Akbar," and it is obligatory to say "Allahu Akbar." If one says "Allahu Ajall," it is not valid. If one says "Allahu A'zam," it is not valid.
Now, what if one says "Al-Allahu Akbar," elongating the hamzah? It is not valid, because if one says "Al-Allah," the declarative sentence becomes an interrogative one, like the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Naml 27:59] Are you asking whether Allah is the Greatest, or are you declaring that Allah is the Greatest? You are declaring it, and it is known that this is a grammatical error, meaning that if you say "Al-Allahu Akbar," it is a grammatical error that changes the meaning.
Now, what if I say "Allahu Akbar" and elongate the ba? The scholars say it is not valid. Why? They say that "Akbar" is the plural of "Kabr," just as "Asbab" is the plural of "Sabab," and "Ibtal" is the plural of "Batil." And "al-Kabr" in the Arabic language is the name for the drum, the drum that is beaten in songs and anthems. This corrupts the meaning and disrupts it, so the takbir is not valid in that case.
Now, what if one says "Allahu Wukbar," meaning some people turn the hamzah into a waw and say "Allahu Wukbar"? The answer is that this is correct, because the Arabic language permits turning the hamzah into a waw if it is preceded by a dammah. On this basis, the meaning does not change by that, unless the person intends the waw of conjunction. In that case, there is no doubt that it corrupts the meaning, but he does not intend that, without doubt. Rather, by saying "Allahu Wukbar," he intends "Allahu Akbar."
Now, what if one says "Al-Allahu Akbar," elongating the hamzah? It is not valid, because if one says "Al-Allah," the declarative sentence becomes an interrogative one, like the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Is Allah better or what they associate with Him?"
آللَّهُ خَيْرٌ أَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَNow, what if I say "Allahu Akbar" and elongate the ba? The scholars say it is not valid. Why? They say that "Akbar" is the plural of "Kabr," just as "Asbab" is the plural of "Sabab," and "Ibtal" is the plural of "Batil." And "al-Kabr" in the Arabic language is the name for the drum, the drum that is beaten in songs and anthems. This corrupts the meaning and disrupts it, so the takbir is not valid in that case.
Now, what if one says "Allahu Wukbar," meaning some people turn the hamzah into a waw and say "Allahu Wukbar"? The answer is that this is correct, because the Arabic language permits turning the hamzah into a waw if it is preceded by a dammah. On this basis, the meaning does not change by that, unless the person intends the waw of conjunction. In that case, there is no doubt that it corrupts the meaning, but he does not intend that, without doubt. Rather, by saying "Allahu Wukbar," he intends "Allahu Akbar."