Allah Allah Akbar
From Muhammad bin Tughluq · 1971
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Muhammad bin Tughluq1971
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Allaah akbar allaah akbar | Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. |
| Nee illaatha idamae illai | There is no place where You do not exist. |
| Neethaanae ulgin ellai | You alone are the boundary of the world. |
| Male | |
| Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah | Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah. |
| Nee illaatha idamae illai | There is no place where You do not exist. |
| Neethaanae ulagin ellai | You alone are the boundary of the world. |
| Chorus | |
| Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah | Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah. |
| Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah | Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah. |
| Male | |
| Nilam velukka neerthaan undu | There is water to cleanse the land. |
| Neer velukka meenthaan undu | There is fish to purify the water. |
| Nilam velukka neerthaan undu | There is water to cleanse the land. |
| Neer velukka meenthaan undu | There is fish to purify the water. |
| Manam velukka edhuthaan undu | What is there to cleanse the human mind? |
| Nabiyae un vedham undu | O Prophet, Your holy scripture is there. |
| Male | |
| Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah | Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah. |
| Nee illaatha idamae illai | There is no place where You do not exist. |
| Neethaanae ulagin ellai | You alone are the boundary of the world. |
| Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah | Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah. |
| Male | |
| Udalukku onbathu vaasal | The physical body has nine gates. |
| Manathukku enbathu vaasal | The human mind has eighty gates. |
| Uyirukku uyiraai kaanum | Seen as the soul of the soul itself, |
| Oru vaasal palli vaasal | One sacred gate is the mosque's gate. |
| Male | |
| Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah | Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah. |
| Nee illaatha idamae illai | There is no place where You do not exist. |
| Neethaanae ulagin ellai | You alone are the boundary of the world. |
| Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah | Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah. |
| Male | |
| Irupporkku ellaam sontham | For those who possess wealth, everything is theirs. |
| Illaarkku edhuthaan sontham | For those who have nothing, what is theirs? |
| Irupporkku ellaam sontham | For those who possess wealth, everything is theirs. |
| Illaarkku edhuthaan sontham | For those who have nothing, what is theirs? |
| Nallaarkkum pollaarkkumthaan | For both the righteous and the wicked, |
| Naayaganae neeyae sontham | O Supreme Lord, You alone are their true relation. |
| Male | |
| Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah | Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah. |
| Nee illaatha idamae illai | There is no place where You do not exist. |
| Neethaanae ulagin ellai | You alone are the boundary of the world. |
| Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah | Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah. |
அல்லாஹூ அக்பர் அல்லாஹூ அக்பர்
நீ இல்லாத இடமே இல்லை
நீ தானே உலகின் எல்லை
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.
There is no place where You do not exist.
You alone are the boundary of the world.
அல்லா அல்லா லா அல்லா அல்லா
நீ இல்லாத இடமே இல்லை
நீ தானே உலகின் எல்லை
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
There is no place where You do not exist.
You alone are the boundary of the world.
அல்லா அல்லா லா அல்லா அல்லா
அல்லா அல்லா லா அல்லா அல்லா
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
நிலம் வெளுக்க நீர்தான் உண்டு
நீர் வெளுக்க மீன்தான் உண்டு
நிலம் வெளுக்க நீர்தான் உண்டு
நீர் வெளுக்க மீன்தான் உண்டு
மனம் வெளுக்க எது தான் உண்டு
நபியே உன் வேதம் உண்டு
There is water to cleanse the land.
There is fish to purify the water.
There is water to cleanse the land.
There is fish to purify the water.
What is there to cleanse the human mind?
O Prophet, Your holy scripture is there.
அல்லா அல்லா லா அல்லா அல்லா
நீ இல்லாத இடமே இல்லை
நீ தானே உலகின் எல்லை
அல்லா அல்லா லா அல்லா அல்லா
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
There is no place where You do not exist.
You alone are the boundary of the world.
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
உடலுக்கு ஒன்பது வாசல்
மனதுக்கு எண்பது வாசல்
உயிருக்கு உயிராய் காணும்
ஒரு வாசல் பள்ளி வாசல்
The physical body has nine gates.
The human mind has eighty gates.
Seen as the soul of the soul itself,
One sacred gate is the mosque's gate.
அல்லா அல்லா லா அல்லா அல்லா
நீ இல்லாத இடமே இல்லை
நீ தானே உலகின் எல்லை
அல்லா அல்லா லா அல்லா அல்லா
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
There is no place where You do not exist.
You alone are the boundary of the world.
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
இருப்போர்க்கு எல்லாம் சொந்தம்
இல்லார்க்கு எதுதான் சொந்தம்
இருப்போர்க்கு எல்லாம் சொந்தம்
இல்லார்க்கு எதுதான் சொந்தம்
நல்லார்க்கும் பொல்லார்க்கும் தான்
நாயகனே நீயே சொந்தம்
For those who possess wealth, everything is theirs.
For those who have nothing, what is theirs?
For those who possess wealth, everything is theirs.
For those who have nothing, what is theirs?
For both the righteous and the wicked,
O Supreme Lord, You alone are their true relation.
அல்லா அல்லா லா அல்லா அல்லா
நீ இல்லாத இடமே இல்லை
நீ தானே உலகின் எல்லை
அல்லா அல்லா லா அல்லா அல்லா
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
There is no place where You do not exist.
You alone are the boundary of the world.
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
Allaah akbar allaah akbar
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.
Nee illaatha idamae illai
There is no place where You do not exist.
Neethaanae ulgin ellai
You alone are the boundary of the world.
Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
Nee illaatha idamae illai
There is no place where You do not exist.
Neethaanae ulagin ellai
You alone are the boundary of the world.
Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
Nilam velukka neerthaan undu
There is water to cleanse the land.
Neer velukka meenthaan undu
There is fish to purify the water.
Nilam velukka neerthaan undu
There is water to cleanse the land.
Neer velukka meenthaan undu
There is fish to purify the water.
Manam velukka edhuthaan undu
What is there to cleanse the human mind?
Nabiyae un vedham undu
O Prophet, Your holy scripture is there.
Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
Nee illaatha idamae illai
There is no place where You do not exist.
Neethaanae ulagin ellai
You alone are the boundary of the world.
Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
Udalukku onbathu vaasal
The physical body has nine gates.
Manathukku enbathu vaasal
The human mind has eighty gates.
Uyirukku uyiraai kaanum
Seen as the soul of the soul itself,
Oru vaasal palli vaasal
One sacred gate is the mosque's gate.
Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
Nee illaatha idamae illai
There is no place where You do not exist.
Neethaanae ulagin ellai
You alone are the boundary of the world.
Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
Irupporkku ellaam sontham
For those who possess wealth, everything is theirs.
Illaarkku edhuthaan sontham
For those who have nothing, what is theirs?
Irupporkku ellaam sontham
For those who possess wealth, everything is theirs.
Illaarkku edhuthaan sontham
For those who have nothing, what is theirs?
Nallaarkkum pollaarkkumthaan
For both the righteous and the wicked,
Naayaganae neeyae sontham
O Supreme Lord, You alone are their true relation.
Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
Nee illaatha idamae illai
There is no place where You do not exist.
Neethaanae ulagin ellai
You alone are the boundary of the world.
Allaah allaah laa allaah allaah
Allah, Allah, La... Allah, Allah.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Allaah Akbar' is a devout philosophical song from Cho Ramaswamy's iconic political satire 'Muhammad bin Tughluq' (1971), set to music and sung by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics penned by Vaali. The song praises the omnipresence, supreme benevolence, and omnipotence of God (Allah). It uses vivid analogies from nature and spirituality to illustrate how divine wisdom purifies the human soul, comparing sacred scripture to water that cleanses the earth and aquatic life that purifies the water. The song emphasizes universal solace, noting that while the wealthy possess material possessions, the Almighty belongs equally to all—the rich, the poor, the good, and the wicked. Through poetic references to the body's physical sensory openings and the mind's endless paths, it highlights the holy mosque (Palli Vaasal) as the ultimate gateway to spiritual liberation and ultimate peace.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Nilam velukka neerthaan undu / Neer velukka meenthaan undu”
Repetition of the initial sound 'N' in words within consecutive lines.
Antithesis (Ethir-inai / Contrast)
“Irupporkku ellaam sontham / Illaarkku edhuthaan sontham”
Contrasting those who possess wealth (Irupporkku) against those who have nothing (Illaarkku), as well as the good (Nallaarkkum) vs. the wicked (Pollaarkkum).
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Manam velukka edhuthaan undu / Nabiyae un vedham undu”
Comparing sacred teachings/scripture to a cleansing agent that purifies the human mind, parallel to water purifying land.
Numerical Symbolism (Aegai / Imagery)
“Udalukku onbathu vaasal / Manathukku enbathu vaasal”
Contrasting physical sensory gates (nine openings of the body) and mental distractions (eighty gates) with the single spiritual gateway (the mosque).
Did you know?
Trivia
This famous song features in Cho Ramaswamy's iconic political satire film 'Muhammad bin Tughluq'. Composed and soulfully rendered by M. S. Viswanathan himself, lyricist Vaali seamlessly blended Islamic spiritual philosophy with classical Tamil poetic idioms, creating a timeless non-denominational devotional track widely appreciated across Tamil cinema.
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