Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, the remembrance of Allah is of greater merit} [Surat al-‘Ankabūt: 45] And He says: {Therefore remember Me; I will remember you} [Surat al-Baqarah: 152] And He says: {And remember your Lord within yourself with humility and fear, without raising your voice, in the morning and evening, and do not be of those who are heedless.} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 205] And He says: {And remember Allah much so that you may be successful.} [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 10] And He says: {Muslim men and women...} until the part where Allah says: {and men and women who remember Allah much – Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 35] And He says: {O you who believe, remember Allah much. And glorify Him morning and evening.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 41-42] There are many other well-known verses in this regard.
Remembering Allah Almighty is done by the heart, tongue, and body parts and senses.
- Remembering Allah by the heart is done by worshipful contemplation which generates heedfulness of Allah and awe of Him.
- Remembering Allah by the tongue comprises all sayings that draws the sayer close to Allah Almighty, like saying Tahlīl, Tasbīh, and Takbīr, reciting the Qur’an, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, reading and spreading knowledge, and the like.
- Remembering Allah by the body parts and senses includes all actions that draw one close to Allah Almighty, like prayer, fulfilling people’s needs, and the like.
This is what is meant by Dhikr (remembrance) in its comprehensive meaning under the Shariah, but when it is referred to by people customarily, then here it is confined to remembering Allah Almighty through Tasbīh, Tahmīd, and Takbīr, which is the remembrance of the tongue.
1) The verses encourage taking good advantage of the early and late hours of the day in remembering Allah Almighty, since doing this results in success, reward, safety from heedlessness, bringing about Allah Almighty’s love for the slave, and being remembered by Allah Almighty in the highest assembly of angels.
2) The best type of remembrance is that which is done by both the heart and tongue, and which inspires awe and increases faith.
1408/1- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Two words that are light for the tongue to utter, heavy in the scale (of deeds), and dear to the Most Merciful: Subhān Allah wa bihamdih, Subhān Allah al-‘Azhīm (Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, Glory be to Allah the Great.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) Those two words are among the reasons through which one gains the love of Allah Almighty, and among the reasons his scale of good deeds outweigh that of his bad deeds on the Day of Reckoning.
2) The successful slave of Allah is the one who takes advantage of simple deeds to earn thereby great rewards.
Subhān Allah wa bihamdih: means I hold Allah Almighty Exalted above any fault and imperfection, along with praising Him with such praise that denotes His perfection and complete wisdom.
Subhān Allah al-‘Azhīm: means glorifying Allah Almighty, the Owner of greatness, might, and glory. He is Great in His Essence and Great in His Attributes.
1409/2- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) also reported that Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Saying: Subhān Allah (Exalted be Allah), Al-Hamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), Lā ilāha illa Allah (There is no god except Allah), and Allahu Akbar (Allah is Most Great) is dearer to me than everything upon which the sun rises.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Those four words of remembrance of Allah Almighty are dearer to Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) than the whole world, and this indicates the great status of these words in the sight of Allah Almighty.
2) The devil deceives the believer, disheartens and discourages him from engaging in remembering Allah and receiving the good reward for it; otherwise, how could one be heedless of something that is better than the world and all that is in it?
3) These words are the enduring good deeds that are referred to in Allah’s statement: {But the lasting righteous deeds are better with your Lord in reward and better in hope.} [Surat al-Kahf: 46]
1410/3- He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever says a hundred times in a day these words: ‘Lā ilaha illa-Allah wahdahu lā sharīka lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in Qadīr’ (There is no god except Allah. He is One and He has no partner with Him; His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is Omnipotent over all things), he will have a reward equivalent to that of emancipating ten slaves, a hundred good deeds will be added to his record, a hundred of his sins will be erased, and he will be shielded against the devil on that day till the evening; and no one will exceed him in doing good deeds except someone who said these words more frequently than him.” He also said: “Whoever says a hundred times in a day: ‘Subhān-Allah wa bihamdih (Glory be to Allah and His is the praise),’ his sins will be erased even if they were as abundant as sea foam.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) Demonstrating the great virtue of reciting the reported Dhikr as it is an acknowledgment of Allah’s divinity and affirmation of His oneness.
2) Remembering Allah Almighty by reciting Tahlīl (saying lā ilāha illa Allah) is a reason for being protected from the devil’s access points.
3) Saying ‘Subhān Allah wa bihamdih (Glory be to Allah and His is the praise) one hundred times is a reason for having all sins to be forgiven, no matter how abundant they are.
4) The Hadīth encourages Muslims to compete in doing good and race with one another in performing acts of obedience.
1411/4- Abu Ayyūb al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever says ten times: Lā ilaha illa Allah wahdahu lā sharīka lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in Qadīr (There is no god except Allah alone, Who has no partner, to Him belongs the sovereignty, to Him belongs the praise, and He is Omnipotent over all things), it will be as though he emancipated four from the offspring of Ismā‘īl (Ishmael).” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) Saying Tahlīl (as mentioned in the Hadīth) ten times is equal in terms of reward to emancipating four from the people with the most honorable lineage, namely the offspring of Ishmael.
2) Demonstrating the virtue of the Dhikr mentioned in the Hadīth, and that the successful is the one who is helped by Allah Almighty to say it regularly.
1412/5- Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: ‘Shall I inform you of the most beloved words to Allah? They are: Subhān-Allah wa bihamdih (Glory belongs to Allah and praise is due to Him).’” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Glorifying Allah Almighty and praising Him is among the dearest speech to Allah Almighty as it implies exaltation of the Lord and extolling Him.
2) Tawhīd (declaration of Allah’s oneness) is one of the greatest deeds whereby the slaves draw near to their Lord, Exalted be He. So, where is the call to Tawhīd, O Muslim callers?!
1413/6- Abu Mālik al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Purification is half of faith, and saying Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah) fills the scale, and saying Subhānallah and Alhamdulillah (Exalted is Allah and praise be to Allah) fills what is between the heavens and earth.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Praising Allah Almighty is of the greatest types of remembrance to the point that its virtue will fill the scale on the Day of Recompense due to the huge reward assigned to praising Allah.
2) The virtue of glorifying Allah paired with praising Him fills what is between the heavens and earth.
1414/7- Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “A Bedouin man came to Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and said to him: ‘Teach me some words to say.’ He said: ‘Say: La ilāha illa Allah wahdahu lā sharīka lah; Allahu Akbar kabīra, wal-hamdu lillahi kathīra, wa subhān-Allahi Rabbil-‘ālamīn, wa lā hawla wa lā quwwata illā billahil-‘Azīzil-Hakīm (There is no god except Allah, the One, and He has no partner; Allah is Most Great and greatness is for Him. Abundant praise is due to Him. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. There is no might nor power save with Allah, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise).’ The Bedouin said: ‘These are for my Lord; what is for me?’ Thereupon, he (the Messenger of Allah) said: ‘Say: Allahumm ighfir li, warhamni, wahdini, warzuqni (O Allah, forgive me, have mercy upon me, guide me, and give me provision).’” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Praising Allah Almighty through reciting Tahlīl, Takbīr, Tahmīd and Tasbīh are of the best words one may say and fill his time with.
2) The gracefulness of what the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) taught the Bedouin, as he taught him what he should say to Allah Almighty and what he should say to attain what is good for himself.
3) Pointing out the etiquette to be observed when supplicating Allah Almighty, as the supplicant should start by praising Allah then ask Allah for whatever he wishes.
1415/8- Thawbān (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to seek Allah’s forgiveness thrice after finishing the prayer then say: ‘Allahumma anta as-salām wa minka as-salām tabārakta ya Dhal-Jalāli wal-Ikrām (O Allah, You are Salām and from You is Salām. Blessed are You, Owner of Majesty and Honor).’” It was said to Al-Awzā‘i, who is one of the sub-narrators of this Hadīth: “How should we seek forgiveness?” He said: “Say: Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah (I seek Allah’s forgiveness, I seek Allah’s forgiveness).” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Seeking forgiveness after finishing the prayer suits the purpose of asking Allah to pardon whatever shortcomings, negligence, or deficiency that might have occurred in the prayer.
2) Imploring Allah Almighty through His Name As-Salām (the Perfection) is meant for asking Allah Almighty to make the prayer free of any faults so that it expiates the worshiper’s sins and raises him in rank.
3) The manner of seeking forgiveness upon ending the prayer is for the worshiper to say: “Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah.” This is the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in this regard. Thus, a Muslim should not be deceived by what people do in some mosques, like making additions to this formula, along with engaging in collective Istighfār, for all this is against the prophetic Sunnah.
1416/9- Al-Mughīrah ibn Shu‘bah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) ended his prayer he would say: “Lā ilāha illa Allah wahdahu lā sharīka lah lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadīr. Allahumma lā mani‘a lima a‘tayta wa lā mu‘tiya lima mana‘ta wa lā yanfa‘u dhal jaddi minka al-jadd (There is no god except Allah alone, He has no partners. For Him is the Kingdom and for Him is the praise, and He is Omnipotent over all things. O Allah! There is none who can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold, and no one’s riches can benefit them against You).” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1417/10- ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to say at the end of the prayer after making Taslīm: “Lā ilāha illa Allah wahdahu lā sharīka lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadīr. La hawla wala quwwata illa billah, lā ilāha illa Allah wa lā na‘budu illa iyyāh, lahu an-ni‘mah wa lahu al-fadlu wa lahu ath-thanā’ul-hasan. Lā ilāha illa Allah mukhlisīna lahud-dīna wa law karih-al-kāfirūn (There is no god except Allah alone, He has no partners. For Him is the Kingdom and for Him is the praise. He is Omnipotent over all things. There is neither might nor power except with Allah. There is no god but Allah, and we worship none but Him. To Him belong blessings and to Him belongs favor and to Him is due good praise. There is no god but Allah, we are sincere to Him in religion, although the disbelievers may dislike it).” Ibn Al-Zubayr said: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to say them out loud after every obligatory prayer.” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) Dhikr (remembering Allah) after prayer implies affirmation of Allah’s oneness, praising Him, and delegating all affairs to Him, Exalted and Glorified be He.
2) Knowing that Allah is the One Who gives and withholds makes one enjoy peace of mind and never pin his hopes upon anyone other than Allah Almighty.
3) Adhering to this Dhikr after prayers is the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), so Muslims should not neglect it by engaging in worldly speech right after finishing the prayer.
1418/11- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the poor among the Muhājirūn came to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and said: “The wealthy have obtained the high ranks and the everlasting bliss. They offer prayer as we do and observe fasting as we do, but they have surplus wealth thereby they perform Hajj and ‘Umrah, make Jihād and give in charity. He (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Shall I teach you something whereby you will catch up with those who have preceded you and will get ahead of those who succeed you, and no one will surpass you unless he does the same as you do?’ They said: ‘Surely, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Say: Subhān Allah, Al-hamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar thirty-three times after every prayer.’” The sub-narrator Abu Sālih, quoting Abu Hurayrah when he was asked about how to say them, said: “He says: ‘Subhān Allah wal-hamdulillah wallahu Akbar’ thirty-three times.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
The version narrated by Muslim has the following addition: “The poor among the Muhājirūn returned to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and said: ‘Our wealthy brothers heard about what we did and they did the same.’ Thereupon, he said: ‘That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills.’”
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1) Combining Tasbīh, Tahmīd, and Takbīr in one statement that is repeated thirty-three times after the prayer is one of the versions of Dhikr reported from the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
2) The virtuousness of the community of the Companions is highlighted in their race in doing good and their strive to overcome one another in doing what draws them closer to Allah Almighty, the poor and the rich among them alike.
3) The Hadīth points out the patience, forbearance and mercifulness with which the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to respond to the Companions’ questions about issues related to religious knowledge.
1419/12- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever says immediately after each prayer: Subhānallah (Exalted is Allah) thirty-three times, Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah) thirty-three times, and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Most Great) thirty-three times; these are ninety-nine, and completes one hundred by saying: Lā ilāha illa Allah, wahdahu lā sharīka lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in Qadīr (there is no god except Allah. He is One and has no partner with Him. To Him belongs sovereignty and to Him belongs praise, and He is over everything Omnipotent), his sins will be forgiven even if they are as abundant as the foam of the sea.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) One of the reported versions of Dhikr to be recited after each obligatory prayer is to say Tasbīh thirty-three times, Tahmīd thirty-three times, Takbīr thirty-three times, and to say Tahlīl once to complete one hundred.
2) It is recommended to recite the reported Dhikr while counting its number with the right hand, since this is the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in this regard. It is authentically reported that: “He used to count Tasbīh on his right hand.” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd]
1420/13- Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There are certain things, the sayer of which – or the performer of which – after every prescribed prayer will never be disappointed: Tasbīh thirty-three times, Tahmīd thirty-three times, and Takbīr thirty-four times.” [Narrated by Muslim]
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The Dhikr mentioned in the Hadīth is one of the reported versions of Dhikr to be recited after obligatory prayers.
Tasbīh, Tahmīd, and Takbīr are the enduring good deeds; whoever says them is promised good.
The variation in the versions of Dhikr to be recited after the obligatory prayers reflects the vast mercy of Allah Almighty towards His slaves and how He spares them hardship. The fortunate person is the one who recites all the reported versions alternately in order to be perfectly complying with the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in this regard. He should memorize all these versions and observe as much devotion and attentiveness as he offers acts of worship.
1421/14- Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allah at the end of each prayer by saying the following words: Allahumma inni a‘ūdhu bika min al-jubni wal-bukhl, wa a‘ūdhu bika min an uradda ila ardhalil-‘umur, wa a‘ūdhu bika min fitnat ad-dunya, wa a‘ūdhu bika min fitnat al-qabr (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from cowardice and stinginess. I seek refuge with You that I be returned to the most decrepit age. I seek refuge with You from the trial of the worldly life, and I seek refuge with You from the trial of the grave).” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
At the end of each prayer: What is meant here is after Tashahhud and before Taslīm.
Decrepit age: The worst phase of man’s life, when he becomes physically and mentally feeble.
1) The invocation mentioned in the Hadīth is to be said before Taslīm, where one should seek refuge with Allah against these four things.
2) Seeking refuge with Allah against these four things after each obligatory prayer indicates the huge Fitnah (trial) they involve. Whoever is protected by Allah Almighty from such things has attained success in the worldly life and the Hereafter.
1422/15- Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) held his hand and said: “O Mu‘ādh, by Allah, I truly love you. I advise you, O Mu‘ādh, never fail to say after each prayer: Allahumma a‘innī ‘ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ‘ibādatik (O Allah, help me remember You, thank You, and worship You in an excellent manner.” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd, with an authentic Isnād]
1) The heartfelt advice of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) for those whom he loves is for them to say: “O Allah, help me remember You, thank You, and worship You in an excellent manner.” This indicates the greatness of this advice and that it is one of the most beneficial pieces of advice for a slave, because it is true that a lover stores nothing but good and enduring for those whom he loves.
2) An excellent manner of worship means that worship is sincerely devoted to Allah Almighty and done in conformity with the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
3) The good moral character of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and his kindness to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) are manifested in this Hadīth, as he used to be gentle with them in word and deed.
Regarding the phrase “at the end of prayer” in the aforementioned Hadīths, if it is Dhikr and praise of Allah, like Tasbīh, Tahmīd, and Takbīr, then it should be recited after Taslīm. But if it is supplication, then it is to be recited before Taslīm. This is because “at the end of prayer” may refer to the time before ending prayer with Taslīm or the time immediately after it. In this way, the prophetic texts are in agreement and far from contradiction.
1423/16- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When one of you finishes the (last) Tashahhud, he should seek refuge with Allah from four things by saying: O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the punishment of Hellfire, the punishment of the grave, the trial of life and death, and the evil of the trial of the Antichrist.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) One should adhere to reciting those invocations after finishing the last Tashahhud and before making Taslīm, following the command of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). Some scholars even said that it is one of the prayer’s obligatory acts.
2) The trial of life and death refers to all that which may be a source of temptation for man in his life, such as alluring lusts or misleading doubtful matters.
3) The mercy of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) towards his nation shows in his command to them to seek refuge with Allah Almighty from the major trials and evils.
1424/17- ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) got up for the prayer, one of the last things he would say between Tashahhud and Taslīm was: Allahumma ighfir li mā qaddamtu wa mā akhkhart, wa mā asrartu wa mā a‘lant, wa mā asraftu wa mā anta a‘lamu bihi minni. Anta al-muqaddimu wa anta al-mu’akhkhiru, lā ilāha illā ant (O Allah, forgive me for what has come to pass of my sins and what will come to pass, what I have concealed and what I have declared, what I have done with excess and what You know about better than me. You are the One Who sends forward and You are the One Who holds back. There is no god except You).” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Sinning and negligence in fulfilling Allah’s rights are inevitable in humans, therefore, it is recommended for one to renew his repentance constantly.
2) It is recommended to draw closer to Allah Almighty by reciting this invocation before Taslīm since it is one of the comprehensive aphoristic invocations.
It is recommended to say whatever invocations one wishes to say before making Taslīm, yet if he abides by the reported invocations, this surely involves more good and blessings since the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is to invoke Allah Almighty by the most concise and aphoristic wordings, as is the case with the invocations reported in the Hadīths of Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās, Abu Hurayrah, and ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with them all.
1425/18- ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to say often in his bowing and prostration: “Subhānaka Allāhumma Rabbana wa bihamdik, Allāhumm-ighfir li (Glory be to You O Allah, Our Lord, and praise. O Allah, forgive me).” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1426/19- ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his bowing and prostration: “Subbūhun Quddūsun Rabb-ul-malā’ikati war-rūh (The Most Glorious, the Most Holy, Lord of the angels and of the Spirit).” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) One of the etiquettes of making supplication is to commence it by praising Allah, The Exalted, by His Attributes of Perfection, as He is far exalted above any aspect of imperfection, then one should thereafter ask Him for forgiveness.
2) In compliance with the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), the person performing prayer should often say while bowing and prostrating: Subhānaka Allāhumma Rabbana wa bihamdik, Allāhumm-ighfir li (Glory be to You O Allah, Our Lord, and praise. O Allah, forgive me).
3) In saying: “Subbūhun Quddūsun Rabb-ul-malā’ikati war-rūh (The Most Glorious, the Most Holy, Lord of the angels and of the Spirit),” the slave shows due glorification and reverence to Allah Almighty. It is a sign of one’s good understanding that he suffices with the reported prophetic invocations in his prayers, and does not come up with something else.
1427/20- Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “As for bowing, glorify the Lord therein, and as for prostration, strive hard in supplication, for it is more deserving of a response.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1428/21- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The nearest a slave to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so increase (your) supplications (while in this state).” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) It is impermissible to recite the Qur’an during bowing or prostration. In fact, bowing is meant for glorifying and praising Allah Almighty, while prostration is meant for supplicating Allah and asking Him for what one wishes for.
2) The slave is closest to His Lord when he is prostrating himself for Him, so he should avail himself of this opportunity and make as much supplication as he can.
3) Bowing implies the slave’s perfect reverence to Allah Almighty, while prostration implies showing full humbleness to Him. Thus, the slave combines humbleness of appearance and the humility of entreating His Lord.
1429/22- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his prostration: “Allāhumma ighfir li dhambi kullah, diqqahu wa jillahu, wa awwalahu wa ākhirahu, wa ‘alāniyatahu wa sirrah (O Allah, forgive all my sins, small and great, first and last, secret and public).” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) One should keenly adhere to reciting the supplications reported from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) because they comprise the most comprehensive and beneficial formulas of supplication.
2) Elaboration in supplication is recommended and praiseworthy because supplication is essentially an act of worship, the more one repeats its statements, the more he worships Allah Almighty.
3) The wisdom behind the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) making detailed supplication after general supplication is for recalling all one’s sins and asking Allah Almighty to forgive them.
1430/23- ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “One night, I missed the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) [meaning he was not in bed]. I groped in search for him and found him bowing – or prostrating – and saying: Subhānaka wa bihamdika. Lā ilāha illā Ant (You are free from imperfection and praise be to You. There is no god except You).” In another narration, she said: “So my hand fell on the bottom of his feet while he was in prostration with his feet erect. He was saying: Allāhumma inni a‘ūdhu biridāka min sakhatik, wa bimu‘āfatika min ‘uqūbatik, wa a‘ūdhu bika mink, lā uhsi thanā’an ‘alayk, anta kamā athnayta ‘alā nafsik (O Allah, I seek protection in Your pleasure against Your wrath, I seek protection in Your pardon against Your chastisement, and I seek protection with You from You. I am not capable of enumerating praise of You; You are as You have lauded Yourself).” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) One may seek refuge with Allah, the Exalted, from bad deeds by virtue of his good deeds, because bad deeds incur Allah’s wrath and anger upon the slave while good deeds earn him Allah’s pleasure. In fact, things are treated by their opposites.
2) One of the most general and comprehensive formulas of supplication is for seeking refuge with Allah Almighty and resorting to Him for protection against His punishment and chastisement. This is what is meant by “wa a‘ūdhu bika minka” (I seek protection from You with You).
3) The love ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had for Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and her being the dearest of all people to him. She is the Siddīqah, daughter of the Siddīq, may Allah be pleased with them both. By Allah, a slave’s faith is never valid unless he shows due reverence and respect to the Mothers of the Believers, in obedience to Allah Almighty and His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
Some scholars took this Hadīth as evidence to prove that one is recommended to set his feet close to each other in prostration and not set them wide apart, as this is the correct posture of prostration. This is so because Ā’ishah’s hand would not have touched both feet of Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) unless they were close together. It is an act of Sunnah to align one’s heels in prostration.
1431/24- Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) when he said: “Is anyone of you unable to earn one thousand good deeds each day?” One of those present asked: “How can one earn one thousand good deeds?” He replied: “He glorifies Allah (i.e. he says Subhān Allah) one hundred times, so one thousand good deeds will be added to his record or one thousand sins will be removed from his record.” [Narrated by Muslim]
Al-Humaydi said that the wording of Muslim reads: “or one thousand sins will be removed”. Al-Barqāni, on the other hand, said: Shu‘bah, Abu ‘Awānah, and Yahya al-Qattān, from whom Muslim narrated the Hadīth also narrated the hadith with “and one thousand sins will be removed” instead of “or”.
1) The Hadīth encourages doing virtuous deeds as they are a means for being honored by Allah Almighty and drawing closer to Him.
2) Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) involves little work but yields abundant reward, which is an aspect of Allah’s favor upon those who remember Him.
3) The Companions were keen on doing good deeds and they always hastened to do them. How far our resolve is from that of the Companions ( may Allah be pleased with them)!
1432/25- Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Every morning, charity is due on every joint in the body of each of you. Every utterance of Allah’s exaltation (saying Subhānallah) is an act of charity, every utterance of praising Him (saying Al-hamdulillah) is an act of charity, every utterance of profession of Faith (saying Lā ilaha illa Allah) is an act of charity, every utterance of Allah’s glorification (saying Allahu Akbar) is an act of charity, enjoining good is an act of charity, forbidding evil is an act of charity, and a two-Rak‘ah prayer which one offers in the forenoon (Duha) suffices for all this.” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) All categories of good deeds are considered charity; every statement or deed that draws one closer to Allah Almighty is charity.
2) Saying Subhān Allah, Alhamdulillah, Lā ilaha illa Allah, and Allahu Akbar, as well as similar words of remembrance are all acts of charity whereby a slave gets closer to his Lord.
1433/24- The Mother of the Believers, Juwayriyyah bint al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) left her chamber in the early morning to perform the Fajr prayer, and she was at her praying place. He returned at the time of Duha (forenoon) and she was still sitting there. He said to her: “Are you still in the same state you were when I left you?” she said: “Yes.” The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I recited four phrases after I had left you, if they were to be weighed against what you have been reciting since morning, they would outweigh them. They are: Subhān Allah wa bihamdih, ‘adada khalqih, wa rida nafsih, wa zinata ‘arshih, wa midāda kalimātih (Praise and glory be to Allah, as much as the number of His creation, and as much as pleases Him, and as much as the weight of His Throne, and as much as the ink of His words).” [Narrated by Muslim]
According to another narration by Muslim, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Subhān Allah ‘adada khalqih, Subhān Allah rida nafsih, Subhān Allah zinata ‘arshih, Subhān Allah midāda kalimātih (Glory be to Allah, as much as the number of His creatures. Glory be to Allah as pleases Him. Glory be to Allah as much as the weight of His Throne. Glory be to Allah as much as the ink of His words).”
The version of the Hadīth narrated by Al-Tirmidhi reads: “Shall I teach you some words to say? Subhān Allah ‘adada khalqih, Subhān Allah ‘adada khalqih, Subhān Allah ‘adada khalqih. Subhān Allah rida nafsih, Subhān Allah rida nafsih, Subhān Allah rida nafsih. Subhān Allah zinata ‘arshih, Subhān Allah zinata ‘arshih, Subhān Allah zinata ‘arshih. Subhān Allah midāda kalimātih, Subhān Allah midāda kalimātih, Subhān Allah midāda kalimātih.”
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1) Adhering to prophetic Dhikr throughout one’s life involves ultimate blessings, as one makes a little effort and earns abundant rewards. Meanwhile those who come up with innovated Dhikr are like one who carries a provision made up from heavy stones in a long journey, whereby he suffers much toil but receives no benefit.
2) A man should encourage his household to recite the reported Dhikr and advice them to remember Allah Almighty. Indeed, a man is a caretaker in his house and is responsible for his wards.
3) This Dhikr has a special merit as it includes exaltation and glorification of Allah Almighty as much as the number of His creation, as much as the weight of His Throne, as much as pleases Him, and as much as the ink of His words.
1434/27- Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The parable of the one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not remember Him is the parable of a living and a dead person.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
The same Hadīth was narrated by Muslim with the following wording: “The example of the house where Allah is remembered and the one where He is not remembered is the example of a living and a dead person.”
1) Negligence of remembering Allah Almighty is a reason for the heart’s hardness and death.
2) Remembrance gives life to the heart and peace to the soul, whereas failure to remember Allah causes death to the heart and depression to the soul.
1435/28- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah Almighty says: ‘I am as My slave expects of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly, I will remember him inwardly, and if he remembers Me in an assembly, I will remember him in a better assembly.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It is better for the slave to remember his Lord in an assembly than to remember Him within himself, unless he fears to fall in ostentation and seeking fame.
2) The more one has good expectations of his Lord, the more Allah Almighty honors him as he deserves, and if he has bad expectations of his Lord, He will leave him to loss and failure. So one should always have good expectations of his Lord.
1436/29- Abu Hurayrah also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “‘The Mufarridūn have gone ahead.’ They said: ‘Who are the Mufarridūn, O Messenger of Allah?’ He said: ‘They are those men and women who remember Allah frequently.’” [Narrated by Muslim]
Mufarridūn was spelled in another version as Mufridūn, but the most common spelling is Mufarridūn.
1) Those who remember Allah Almighty are ahead of all others because they have surpassed them in doing good deeds, so they precede them in winning the rewards and bliss.
2) By remembering Allah, one is elevated to higher ranks and surpasses other doers of good.
1437/30- Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “I heard the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: ‘The best Dhikr (remembrance and mention of Allah) is to say: Lā ilāha illa Allah (There is none worthy of worship except Allah).’” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan (sound)]
1) Saying: “Lā ilāha illa Allah” (There is none worthy of worship except Allah) is the statement of monotheism and the key to Islam and Paradise. It is thus the best Dhikr.
2) There is no act of worship whatsoever that can be equal to acknowledging the oneness of Allah Almighty, as it is the backbone of Islam.
1438/31- ‘Abdullah ibn Busr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man said: “O Messenger of Allah! Indeed, the legislations of Islam have become too much for me, so inform me of a thing that I should stick to.” He (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah.’” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan (sound)]
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1) The legislations of Islam here refer to acts other than the obligations, because the performance of obligatory acts of worship is a must. But, when one feels that it is hard for him to perform voluntary acts of worship, then remembering Allah could make up for any shortcoming in this regard.
2) Remembering Allah Almighty softens the tongue and gives life to the heart. Meanwhile, engaging in backbiting and gossip hardens the tongue and causes death to the heart.
3) The legislated form of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) is that which is uttered by the tongue and felt by the heart. It is not part of the prophetic guidance to remember Allah by the heart alone without moving the tongue with uttering it.
1439/32- Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever says ‘Subhānallah wa bihamdih’ (Glory be to Allah and Praise is due to Him), a date-palm tree is planted for him in Paradise.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan (sound)]
1440/33- ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I met Ibrāhīm (Abraham) on the Night of Isrā’ and he said to me: ‘O Muhammad, convey my greetings to your nation, and tell them that Paradise has pure soil and sweet water. It is a vast plain land, and its seedlings are: Subhān Allah (glory be to Allah), Al-hamdulillāh (praise be to Allah), Lā ilāha illa Allah (there is no god worthy of worship except Allah), and Allahu Akbar (Allah is Most Great).” [Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan/sound]
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1) Rembrance of Allah is the slave's seedlings in Paradise, so let a slave prepare much for his seedlings or a little!
2) The Hadīth highlights the virtue of this nation that is blessed with Allah’s mercy, as Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) sent his greetings of peace to it and advised it to say good words, for are the seedlings of Paradise.
1441/34- Abu ad-Dardā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Shall I inform you of the best of your deeds which are the most praiseworthy in the sight of your Lord, and the highest in rank, and better for you than spending gold and silver in charity, and better for you than encountering your enemies in battle so they strike your necks and you strike theirs?” They said: “Certainly.” He said: “Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah, the Exalted.” [Narrated by At-Tirmidhi. Al-Hākim said that its chain of narration is authentic]
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1) The best of deeds is remembrance of Allah which the slave observes by his heart and tongue and inspires the body to show awe and reverence to Allah Almighty. Remembrance of Allah is even greater than spending in charity and performing Jihād in the cause of Allah Almighty.
2) All acts enjoined by the Shariah aim at celebrating the remembrance of Allah Almighty which is the ultimate end and the utmost aspiration.
1442/35- Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he entered with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) upon a woman who had some date stones – or pebbles – which she used in reciting Tasbīh (i.e. to count her Tasbīh). So he said: “I tell you of what is easier – or better – than this.” Then he said: “Subhān Allah ‘adada ma khalaqa fis-samā’ (Glory be to Allah as much as what He created in the heaven), Subhānallāh ‘adada ma khalaqa fil-ard (Glory be to Allah as much as what He created in the earth), Subhānallāh ‘adada ma bayna dhālik (Glory be to Allah as much as what is between them), Subhānallāh ‘adada ma huwa khāliq (Glory be to Allah as much as what He is going to create); and (say) Allahu Akbar (Allah is Most Great) in the same manner; and say Al-hamdu lillāh (praise be to Allah) in the same manner; and say la ilāha illa Allah (there is no god except Allah) in the same manner; and say la hawla wa la quwwata illa billāh (there is no might nor power save by Allah) in the same manner.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan (sound)] [2]
1) Abiding by formulas of Dhikr that conform to the prophetic guidance is easier to recite and greater in terms of earning rewards.
2) Every good thing that one earns is contingent on complying with the authentic Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
The content of the Hadīth was previously introduced in the story of the Mother of the Believers, Juwayriyyah, no. (1433), without mentioning the use of pebbles in reciting Tasbīh, and this is the correct version. In fact, the version that mentions using pebbles has a weak chain of narration, which makes it unacceptable in terms of establishing a Shariah ruling. Furthermore, using pebbles in reciting Dhikr, or what is known nowadays as Misbahah or Dhikr counter is not part of the recommended guidance because it was not communicated by the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to his Ummah. So, whoever is keen to follow the Sunnah, in pursuit of complying with the way of our role model (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) has to use the fingers of his right hand in counting Dhikr, for they are going to testify on his behalf about that, as authentically reported in the prophetic Sunnah.
1443/36- Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: ‘Shall I guide you to one of the treasures of Paradise?’ I said: ‘Yes, please do, O Messenger of Allah!’ He said: ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billāh (There is no might nor power except with Allah).’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billāh” (There is no might nor power except with Allah) is a statement that denotes disassociation and seeking help: a slave disassociates himself from his inability and weakness and resorts to Allah, the Exalted, in reliance on Him and seeking His help.
2) This Dhikr has a special merit, as it is a treasure from under the Throne. This special merit relates to the fact that this Dhikr demonstrates the weakness of the slave before his Lord, and that he is unable to do anything, even to change from one state to another, unless he seeks the help of his Lord.