Skip to content
Assabile

الْكَبِيرُ

Al-Kabir (الكبير): Meaning of Allah’s Name

Name 38 of 996 verses of the Quran

Al-Kabir: The Incomparably Great

Recitation: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary · 24 voices to choose from

Explanation of the name Al-Kabir

He is described with the Attributes of Glory and Grandeur and Greatness and Magnificence. He is the One Who is greater, more exalted and magnificent than anything. He is glorified and magnified in the hearts of His friends and close ones. Their hearts overflow in exalting and magnifying Him, submitting to him and humbling themselves before his Grandeur.

"Owner of the Throne, the Glorious." (85:15)

"All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Great, the Most High." (13:9)

"Then glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, the Most Great." (56:74)

— ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sa‘di · Explanation shared with: Al-Majid, Al-Azim, Al-Jalil

The Exalted said: “All-Knower of the Unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Most High.” (Ar-Ra’d: 9)

The Linguistic Meaning:

Al-Kebr: is the big in size, and high in stature. God is Al-Kabeer: the Great and High in stature, that everything else becomes small in front of His Sublimity, for He is bigger than everything, by His Essence, Attributes, and Actions. He has the glorification in the hearts of His obedient believers. He is greater than being similar to the creatures and all descriptions of flaws or defects.

The Grandeur of Al-Kabeer

No one really knows the Grandeur of His Superiority (Supremacy) except Him (not even an angel, or a messenger), for God had distinguished Himself with It that It became purely exclusive to Him, and anyone who attempts to share It with Him, would be punished, He said in Hadeeth Al-Qudsi: “Superiority is My Dress and Supremacy is My Clothing, and whoever attempts to share Them with Me, I will torture him.”

(Allahu Akbar) means: Allah (God) is bigger than everything; bigger by His Essence, Attributes, Stature and Grandeur, and this is the most eloquent term in the Arabic language for the meaning (or the use) of glorification.

— Maher bin Moqaddam

The name in the Quran

This name occurs in 6 verses of 6 surahs.

ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ قَٰنِتَٰتٌ حَٰفِظَٰتٌ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُ وَٱلَّٰتِى تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلَا تَبْغُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًا إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّا كَبِيرًا ۝٣٤

Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allāh has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allāh would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them [lightly]. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allāh is ever Exalted and Grand.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

Men are responsible for women, protecting and taking care of them, because of the bounty He has given men over them, and because of their duty to maintain and take care of them. Righteous women are devoted to their Lord, and devoted to their husbands, protecting things for them in their absence through Allah’s help. The women who you fear would not show devotion to their husbands in what they say or do, first remind them of how they should act according to the sacred laws; if they do not change their ways, then leave them alone in bed, turning your back to them and not having sexual relations; and if they still do not change their ways, then strike them without any ferocity. If they become loyal again, then do not do anything against them, not wronging them nor blaming them. Allah is High in His essence, Great in His attributes, so be mindful of Him.

Surah An-Nisa, Verse 34

عَٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ ٱلْكَبِيرُ ٱلْمُتَعَالِ ۝٩

[He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Grand, the Exalted.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

This is because He, may He be glorified, knows about everything that is not perceived by His creation as well as everything that is perceived by them. He is the Majestic in His attributes, names and actions. The Supreme over every creation of His in His self and attributes.

Surah Ar-Ra’d, Verse 9

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ هُوَ ٱلْبَٰطِلُ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْكَبِيرُ ۝٦٢

That is because Allāh is the True Reality, and that which they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allāh is the Most High, the Grand.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

The aforementioned, i.e. entering the night into the day and the day into the night, is because Allah is truly existent, and so His religion is the truth, His promise is also true and His helping the believers is also true. The idols that the idolaters worship instead of Allah are false and have no basis. And Allah is supreme over His creation in being, in power and in subjugation; the Grand to Whom belongs all majesty, grandeur and exaltedness.

Surah Al-Hajj, Verse 62

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ ٱلْبَٰطِلُ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْكَبِيرُ ۝٣٠

That is because Allāh is the True Reality, and that what they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allāh is the Most High, the Grand.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

That organisation and decree bears testimony to Allah alone being true; He is true in His being, attributes and actions. It also bears testimony to everything that the idolaters worship being unfounded falsehood, and that Allah is the Exalted in His being and His attributes over all His creation; there is none higher than Him, and He is greater than everything.

Surah Luqman, Verse 30

The 2 other verses

Tuesday, October 20, 2026 9 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ