Living Quran

Al-Kabir — The Most Great

Al-Kabir is the One greater than everything, whose greatness is intrinsic rather than relative to anything else. Human greatness is always measured against something and can be surpassed; Allah's is not measured at all. The Quran pairs it with Al-Muta'ali in 13:9 — the Great, the Exalted — placing it after a description of His knowledge of the seen and unseen. Classical scholars connect it to the takbir a Muslim says many times a day: Allahu akbar, Allah is greater than whatever is in front of you.

Updated July 16, 2026

Name 37 of 99

الْكَبِيرُ

Al-Kabir

The Most Great

Where Al-Kabir appears in the Quran

Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:9

عَٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ ٱلۡكَبِيرُ ٱلۡمُتَعَالِ

He is the Knower of the Invisible and the Visible, the Great, the High Exalted

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Arabic text: Tanzil Uthmani (public domain). English translation: Marmaduke Pickthall, “The Meaning of the Glorious Koran” (1930) — public domain.

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