The phrase Allahu Akbar is used, abused and misused by Muslims, unfortunately it has come to symbolize death and destruction to Non-Muslims.
We the Muslims unequivocally condemn abuse of the phrase Allahu Akbar and call on the Imams and the scholars to coach appropriate use of the phrase.
It is the responsibility of Muslims to reign in on such abuse; the Yemeni passenger abused it while pounding on the cockpit door. It has happened many times including Major Nidal Malik in Killeen , Texas
Damn you if you are a criminal, do it in your own name and not use God’s name for your criminal acts. It puts me the good user and you the abuser on par, and it is not acceptable.
Allahu Akbar is meant to bring humility by acknowledging that God is great and we are not. However, the Phrase has become boundless and used in just about any situation rendering meaningless. The Muslim fans of Greenbay Packers most likely screamed Allahu Akbar with joy when their team won, if your kid kicks in the goal on soccer field the response would be Allahu Akbar. When some one steps up and does some good it goes with the phrase Allahu Akbar. It has been a beautiful expression of appreciation and praising the lord for our achievements.
It is time for the Imams to start preaching to use the phrase appropriately. During tense times, what if your Jewish Neighbors daughter kicks the goal and a Muslim friend shouts in joy, Allahu Akbar, it will frighten the crap out of every one, and it is almost like shouting Fire, Fire.
What if a few Muslims choose to pray in the lobby of an airport or an office and say Allahu Akbar, the praise is uttered at least twelve times and a maximum 50 times in one single sitting. What if the Imam is quietly praying while sitting in the plane and the next passenger hears the whispering Allahu Akbar while the man leans forward as a part of the prayer called ruku?
It is our duty to keep law and order and faithfully guard the safety of every citizen. Language is one of many sources of disrupting the peace in a society and it is our duty to track down the source of such phrases and work on mitigating it. We have an obligation to maintain a balance in the society.
I call on Muslims to limit the use of the phrase Allahu Akbar for Prayers alone and avoid using in public to prevent disruptions. It will take a few years to undo it, but it would be the right thing to do. This is a clarion call for us to guard the name of God from being abused. Let’s do it voluntarily on our own. *** ( I am pleased to add three comments from my friends that I value).
Mike Ghouse is committed to build cohesive societies and believes the role of a Muslim is to mitigate conflicts and nurture goodwill. He is available to speak at your place and his work is indexed at www.Mikeghouse.net
Special Note:
**** Jai Vishnuvarman N Rachana …. Mike what happened to your stand on freedom of speech? You now want to limit the religious expression of people? Even though your aim is righteous to prevent abuse of religious terms, I think the only way to achieve that is by educating people and making them God-conscious, so they are in awe of God and naturally, do not take God's name in vain. But to try and suggest banning or limiting its usage, is really ridiculous. Why not start a blog about limiting the use of expletives all around us that are disgusting and harmful to people's minds? Perhaps that might better serve peace.
Adena Levine My friend... How sad it is if people wouldn't be able to say "OH MY GOD"! anymore...Please dont stop saying "Allahu Akbar" for the fear of scaring people...
Sheila Hansen The swastika was commonly used as a religious reference by the Hindus and Buddhists, but they don't use it so much anymore because of the negative connotations Adolf Hitler brought to it. I think the Akbar phrase has taken the same path an...d should no longer be used as a celebratory term, another phrase should be used. No one looking at the swastika, other than Nazis, Hindus and Buddhists, look at it with endearment today. It's not the fault of the average person, it's the fault of Adolf Hitler and Co. Likewise, the average person cannot look at this phrase today because of another evil man and his followers, Osama bin Laden. Unfortunate.
Khalid Khan Mike, why did you write "Allah Akbar" as the main heading when you know very well the real phrase is "Allah hu akbar"?
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