to Muslims and the humanity for material, spiritual and intellectual
upliftment. The rewards of glorifying, praising, declaring Allah's
unity and His greatness are among the fundamental concepts of Islam.
In the following hadith, practical guidance is given to Muslims to
incorporate these concepts in their lifestyles:
Samura b. Jundub reported God's messenger as saying, "The most
excellent words are four: Glory be to God (Subhan Allah) ; Praise be
to God (Al-Hamdu Lillah) ; there isno god but God (La ilaha illa-llah)
; and God is most great (Allahu Akbar) ." A version has, "The words
dearest to God are four: Glory be to God; Praise be to God; there is
no god but God; and God is most great. It does not matter which you
say first." 1
The significance of the phrase 'Subhan Allah' has been explained in
the following hadith:
Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas said: " Once when we were with God's messenger he
asked whether any of us was incapable of acquiring athousand blessings
daily, and when one of those who were sitting with him asked how any
ofthem could acquire a thousand blessings he replied, "If he says
'Glory be to God' (Subhan Allah) a hundred times, a thousand blessings
will be recorded for himor a thousand sins will be removed from him.".
2
The significance of the phrase 'Al-Hamdu Lillah' has been explained in
the following hadith:
'Abdallah b. Amr reported God's messenger saying that "Praise be to
God" (Al-Hamdu Lillah) is the beginning of thanksgiving, for theman
who does not praise God hasnot thanked Him." 3
The significance of the phrase 'La ilaha illa-llah' has been explained
in the following hadith:
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God'smessenger saying that Moses asked
his Lord to teach him something with which to make mention of Him or
to supplicate Him, and was told to say, "There isno god but God " (La
ilaha illa-llah) . He replied to his Lord that all His servants said
this, but he wanted something particularly for himself, and He said,
"Moses, were the seven heavens and their inhabitants apart from me and
the seven earths put in one side of balance and 'There is no god but
God' in the other, 'There is no god but God' would outweigh them." 4
It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna .
The significance of the phrase 'Allahu Akbar' has been explainedin the
following hadith:
Abu Musa al-Ash'ari said: Once when we accompanied God's messenger on
a journey and the people began to say aloud, "God ismost great"
(Allahu Akbar) , he said, "Restrain yourselves, people; you are not
supplicating one who is deaf or absent, but are supplicating One who
hears, sees and is with you. He whom you aresupplicating is nearer to
each of you than the neck of his riding-beast."
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