No John, “Allah Akbar” Does Not Mean “Thank God” and It Matters

What’s in a word?

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) blasted Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade on Tuesday for questioning members of a Syrian opposition groups’ use of the phrase “Allahu Akbar” after what Kilmeade said “looks like a fighter jet being shot out of the sky.”
“I have a problem helping those people screaming that after a hit,” Kilmeade said.
McCain criticized Kilmeade for his skepticism of the phrase, which means “God is greater” or “God is the greatest” in Arabic.
“Would you have a problem with an American person saying ‘Thank God? Thank God?’” McCain said. “That’s what they’re saying. Come on! Of course they’re Muslims, but they’re moderates and I guarantee you they are moderates.”

They’re not saying Thank God. They’re not even saying Thank Allah. If they wanted to praise Allah for surviving, they would say “Alhamdulillah”.
The difference is significant. Allah Akbar is a proclamation of Islamic superiority in line with its Koranic mission of making Islam superior over all religions.
Koran 61:9. “He it is who has sent his Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it victorious over all religions even though the infidels may resist.”
It’s not merely a praise of their deity, Allah. It’s a mission statement.


“We killed this man. This proves that our god is greater than his.”
McCain is being willfully ignorant when he conflates Thank God with Allahu Akbar.
The origin of Allah Akbar, which does not appear in the Koran, comes from the Hadith, during Mohammed’s genocide of the Jews.
“So, when the day dawned, the Jews came out with their bags and spades. When they saw the Prophet; they said, “Muhammad and his army!” The Prophet said, Allahu–Akbar! (Allah is Greater) and Khaibar is ruined, for whenever we approach a nation (i.e. enemy to fight) then it will be a miserable morning for those who have been warned.” Sahih Bukhari 4:52:195
Khaybar, Khaybar Ya Yahud Jash Muhammad Saya’ud, Khaybar, Khaybar, O Jews, Mohammed’s Army Will Return is still used as an anti-Semitic battle cry by Muslims today.
Like it, Allahu Akbar has clear hostile religious overtones. It’s used to denote the religious supremacism that is the fundamental mission of Islam.
Until Senator McCain gets that, he’s as clueless as any of the 1920s politicians who pretended that the Bolsheviks were just a bunch of social reformers.