The phrase Allahu Akbar, also spelled Allahou Akbar, is known as the Takbir in Arabic and translates to God is greatest. It has been used for centuries in Islamic prayer, calls to prayer, and everyday religious expression. Online, short shouted recordings of the phrase became detached from formal contexts and circulated on soundboards and in meme edits during the 2010s, where creators used the abrupt volume and recognisable wording as a comedic reaction for explosions, surprise entrances, and exaggerated dramatic timing.