The Opening Allahu Akbars (God is Great) Are Seven
1
7-17 حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن أبيه، عن أحمد بن عبد الله الخليجي، عن أبي علي الحسن بن راشد قال: سألت الرضا عليه السلام عن تكبيرة الافتتاح، فقال: سبع قلت: روي عن النبي صلى اله عليه وآله إنه كان يكبر واحدة، فقال: إن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله كان يكبر واحدة يجهز بها ويسر ستا
7-17 (The compiler of the book narrated) that his father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Abdullah al-Khalijee, on the authority of the father of Ali al-Hassan ibn Rashid, “I asked Al-Ridha (MGB) about the number of times the Allahu Akbars (God is Great) are said before the start of the prayer. He (MGB) replied, ‘It is seven times.’ I said, ‘It has been narrated that God’s Prophet (MGB) said it only once.’ The Imam replied, ‘God’s Prophet (MGB) said it loudly once and said it quietly the other six times.’”
2
7-18 حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن أبيه عن ابن أبي عمير، عن عبد الله بن بكير، عن زرارة قال: رأيت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام وسمعته استفتح الصالة بسبع تكبيرات ولاء
7-18 (The compiler of the book narrated) that his father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim quoted on the authority of Ibn Abi Umayr, on the authority of Abdullah ibn Bakir that Zurarah said, “I saw Aba Abdullah as-Sadiq (MGB) and heard him start his prayer with seven continuous Takbirs (saying God is Great).”
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7-19 حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن أحمد بن محمد ابن عيسى، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن حماد، عن الحلبي، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إذا كنت إماما فإنه يجزيك أن تكبر واحدة وتسر ستا
7-19 (The compiler of the book narrated) that his father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa’ed ibn Abdullah quoted Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr, on the authority of Himad, on the authority of Al-Halabi, on the authority of Aba Abdullah as-Sadiq (MGB), “Whenever you are the prayer leader it suffices that you say the opening Takbir (God is Great) once aloud and say the rest in a low voice.”
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7-20 حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن حريز، عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: أدنى ما يجزي من التكبير في التوجه إلى الصلاة تكبيرة واحدة، وثلاث تكبيرات وخمس وسبع أفضل. وقد أخرجت علة السبع التكبيرات في الافتتاح في كتاب علل الشرايع والاحكام والاسباب
7-20 (The compiler of the book narrated) that his father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa’ed ibn Abdullah quoted on the authority of Yaqoob ibn Yazid, on the authority of Hammad ibn Isa, on the authority of Hurayz, on the authority of Zurarah that Abi Ja’far al-Baqir (MGB) said, “The minimum number of the opening Takbirs (saying God is Great) before the start of the prayer is 1. It may be said three times. It is even better to say it five or even seven times.”The compiler of the book added, “I have compiled the reasons behind the seven opening Takbirs in my book Elal al-Shar’ye val Asbab.”