his day and night will total 342 takbīrs. This undoubtedly demonstrates the virtue of the takbīr, since Allah has assigned it such an abundant share in the prayer. If one adds to this the takbīrs in the call to prayer and the iqāmah—whether one gives the call oneself or consistently responds to the caller—the number of takbīrs proclaimed throughout the day and night increases further. The call to prayer and the iqāmah contain fifty takbīrs over the course of each day and night, thereby increasing the total.
Moreover, if the Muslim regularly observes the unrestricted takbīr, which is not confined to any particular time, then none but Allah, Glorified is He, can count the number of times he proclaims Allah’s greatness throughout his days and nights.
The takbīr is one of the pillars of prayer, and the prayer’s inviolable state begins only through it. This undoubtedly indicates the takbīr’s place within the prayer and shows that the prayer is but a detailed unfolding of the takbīr with which its inviolable state begins. Ibn al-Qayyim—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “…Nothing is more fitting than that the takbīr should mark entry into the prayer’s inviolable state. This state begins by magnifying the Lord, Exalted is He—a proclamation that affirms every perfection as His, declares Him free of every deficiency and defect, affirms that these belong uniquely and exclusively to Him, and venerates and glorifies Him. The takbīr encompasses all the details of the prayer’s actions, words, and postures. Thus, from beginning to end, the prayer is a detailed expression of the meaning of ‘Allah is greater.’ What finer way could there be of entering the prayer’s inviolable state than one that embodies sincerity and monotheism!” 1. End quote.
This makes clear the takbīr’s eminent place, lofty rank, and immense importance within the religion. The takbīr is not a meaningless word or an expression devoid of substance. Rather, it is a word of immense significance and exalted rank, containing great meanings, profound implications, and sublime purposes.