‘Rise high, Hubal! Rise high, Hubal!’ the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Will you not answer him?’ They asked, ‘What should we say?’ He said, ‘Say: Allah is higher and more majestic.’”

Here, “al-A‘lā” (the Most High) appears with the definite article, as in “and your Lord is the Most Generous,” unlike the expression “Allāhu akbar” (Allah is greater), in which the comparative is indefinite. The former has its own distinctive meaning, and the latter has its own distinctive meaning, just as there are distinctions between highness, greatness, and magnificence. Although these attributes are closely related—indeed, inseparable—there are subtle differences between them. Thus, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, relating from his Lord Most High:

“Magnificence is My lower garment, and greatness is My upper garment. Whoever contests either with Me, I shall punish.”

He thus likened greatness to the upper garment, which is above the lower garment.

For this reason, takbīr—saying “Allāhu akbar” (Allah is greater)—is the distinctive proclamation associated with prayer, the call to prayer, the Eids, and elevated places. It is one of the utterances that constitute the finest speech after the Quran: “Glory be to Allah,” “Praise be to Allah,” “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,” and “Allah is greater,” as is authentically established from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

No transmitted report substitutes “Allāhu a‘zam” (Allah is more magnificent) for “Allāhu akbar” (Allah is greater). Accordingly, the majority of jurists hold that prayer can only be validly begun with the wording of takbīr. If someone were to say “Allāhu a‘zam,” the prayer would not be validly begun, because the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

“The key to prayer is purification; takbīr marks entry into its sacred restrictions, and the salutation of peace marks release from them.”

This is