The Book of Divine Unity · Hadith 349 (#Ḥadīth #2)

2 - حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد رضي الله عنه، قال: حدثنا محمد بن يحيى العطار، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن أبيه، عن مروك بن عبيد عن جميع بن عمرو قال: قال لي أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: أي شئ (الله أكبر)؟! فقلت: الله أكبر من كل شئ، فقال: وكان ثم شئ فيكون أكبر منه؟! فقلت: فما هو؟ قال: الله أكبر من أن يوصف باب معنى (الأول والآخر)

2. Muhammad ibn Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn Walid said: Muhammad ibn Yahya al-`Attar said, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Isa, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Muruk ibn `Ubayd, on the authority of Jumay’ ibn `Amr that Al-Sadiq asked me “What is the meaning of `Allahu Akbar’?” I replied, “Allah is greater than everything.” He said: “He was there when nothing existed. Then was it possible to say at that time that Allah is greater than everything?” I asked, “Then what is its meaning?” He replied, “Allah is greater than what He can be attributed with.”

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).