Tafseer: The Takbeer

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ﴾

{…and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 185]

Yaa ikhwaan! Raise your voices when you say the Takbeer on the two Eids. Don’t murmur it and don’t keep silent, looking here and there. Every Eid, it is seen that only a handful of people are reciting the Takbeer out loudly, and the vast majority sits in such a way as if they had no purpose coming out for Eid.

Imaam Ibn Katheer رحمه الله said:

Allaah's statement:

﴿وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ﴾

{...and that you must magnify Allaah for having guided you} means: So that you remember Allaah upon finishing the act of worship. This is similar to Allaah's statement:

﴿فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُم مَّنَـسِكَكُمْ فَاذْكُرُواْ اللَّهَ كَذِكْرِكُمْ ءَابَآءَكُمْ أَوْ أَشَدَّ ذِكْرًا﴾

{So when you have accomplished your Manasik, (rituals of Hajj) remember Allaah as you remember your forefathers or with far more remembrance.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 200]

And:

﴿فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَوةُ فَانتَشِرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَابْتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُواْ اللَّهَ كَثِيراً لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴾

{...Then when the (Jumu`ah) Salah (prayer) is ended, you may disperse through the land, and seek the bounty of Allaah (by working), and remember Allaah much, that you may be successful.} [Surah al-Jumu`ah (62):10]

And:

﴿فَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ - وَمِنَ الَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْهُ وَأَدْبَـرَ السُّجُودِ ﴾

{...and glorify the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting. And during a part of the night, glorify His praises, and after the prayers.} [Surah Qaaf (50): 39-40]

This is why the Sunnah encouraged Tasbih (saying Subhaan Allaah, i.e., all praise is due to Allaah), Tahmeed (saying Al-Hamdu Lillaah, i.e., all the thanks are due to Allaah) and Takbeer (saying Allaahu Akbar, i.e., Allaah is the Most Great) after the compulsory prayers.

Ibn `Abbaas said, "We used to know that Allaah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم has finished the prayer by the Takbeer.''

Similarly, several scholars have stated that reciting Takbeer the during `Id-ul-Fitr was specified by the Ayah that states:

﴿وَلِتُكْمِلُواْ الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ﴾

{(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah for having guided you...}

Allaah's statement:

﴿وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ﴾

{...so that you may be grateful to Him.} means: If you adhere to what Allaah commanded you, obeying Him by performing the obligations, abandoning the prohibitions and abiding by the set limits, then perhaps you will be among the grateful.

--end of quote.