John McCain compares Syrian rebel’s shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ to a Christian saying ‘Thank God’

While many are nervous about supporting the Syrian rebels, John McCain continues to speak out in support of the group.

McCain argues during a Fox News interview that the Syrian rebels who are shooting down Assad’s aircraft and then shouting ‘Allahu Ackbar’ are moderates because he’s been there and met them. After all, a Muslim saying ‘Allahu Ackbar’ is the same thing as a Christian saying ‘Thank God’

Watch the video below

Translated as “God is great”, or “God is the Greatest” it can be used by Muslims to express delight and euphoria or as a war cry during battles.

The phrase is also used as a jihadist ‘war cry,’ which was the case with Nidal Hasan in the Fort Hood shootings.

One of the English translators of the great 14^th century Muslim jurist (d. 1350) Ibn Qayyim’s “The Way to Patience and Gratitude” opts for “Allah is Greater” as the specific translation of Allahu Akbar. On page 463, the following explanation is provided:

…I preferred using “the Greater” to “the Greatest”… Allahu Akbar literally means, “Allah is Greater” with the comparative mode. Yet, this does not mean that He (Glory be to Him) is not the Greatest, nor does it mean that there is anything that is put in comparison with Him. This is because when the Muslim says it, he means He is “Greater” than anything else, which, consequently, means He is the Greatest. This use gives more influence. This may be why it is used in Arabic this way, otherwise it should have been used as “Allahu al-Akbar”, in the superlative mode. Surely, Allah Knows best.

2008 photo/Flicker photographer dsb nola