Understanding the Significance of ‘Subhan Allah’ Dhikr: Authentic Teachings and Practices

Exploring the Importance of ‘Subhan Allah’ and Its Authentic Narrations

🌱 ۔ ذکر ” سبحانَ اللهِ والحمدُ للهِ ولا إلهَ إلا اللهُ واللهُ أكبرُ ولا حولَ ولا قوةَ إلا باللهِ العليِّ العظيمِ”

This is a very great dhikr (remembrance) that should be practiced. It is also narrated with variations in its repetition, and it should be noted that there is no mention of a specific number related to this dhikr in any authentic hadith.

(1) Sayyidina Abdullah bin Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
جاءَ رجلٌ إلى النَّبيِّ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ فقالَ: إنِّي لا أستَطيعُ أن آخذَ منَ القرآنِ شيئًا فعلِّمني ما يُجزئُني منهُ، قالَ: قُل: سُبحانَ اللَّهِ، والحمدُ للَّهِ، ولا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُ، واللَّهُ أَكْبرُ، ولا حَولَ ولا قوَّةَ إلَّا باللَّهِ العليِّ العظيمِ، قالَ: يا رسولَ اللَّهِ، هذا للَّهِ عزَّ وجلَّ فَما لي، قالَ: قُل: اللَّهمَّ ارحَمني وارزُقني وعافِني واهدِني، فلمَّا قامَ قالَ: هَكَذا بيدِهِ فقالَ رسولُ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ: أمَّا هذا فقد ملأَ يدَهُ منَ الخيرِ (صحيح أبي داود:832)
Translation: A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, “I cannot memorize anything from the Quran, so teach me something that will suffice me.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Say: ‘Subhan Allah, and Alhamdulillah, and La ilaha illallah, and Allahu Akbar, and La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah al-Ali al-Azim.'” The man said, “O Messenger of Allah, this is for Allah, so what is for me?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “Say: ‘O Allah, have mercy on me, provide for me, grant me health, and guide me.'” When he stood up, he gestured with his hands, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “He has filled his hands with good.”

(2) Abadah bin Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
من تعارَّ من الليلِ فقال حين يستيقظُ: لا إله إلا اللهُ وحدَه لا شريكَ له ، له الملكُ ، وله الحمدُ وهو على كلِّ شيءٍ قديرٌ ، سبحانَ اللهِ ، والحمدُ للهِ ، ولا إله إلا اللهُ ، واللهُ أكبرُ ، ولا حولَ ولا قوةَ إلا باللهِ ، ثم دعا: ربِّ اغفر لي استُجيبَ له ؛ فإن قام فتوضأَ ثم صلَّى قُبِلتْ صلاتَه.(صحيح أبي داود: 5060)
Translation: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever wakes up at night and says upon waking: ‘La ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu al-mulk, wa lahu al-hamd, wa huwa ala kulli shay’in qadir, Subhan Allah, and Alhamdulillah, and La ilaha illallah, and Allahu Akbar, and La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah al-Ali al-Azim,’ then makes a supplication: ‘O our Lord, forgive us,’ his supplication will be accepted; and if he gets up, performs ablution, and prays, his prayer will be accepted.”
In this narration, “al-Ali al-Azim” is not mentioned.

(3) Whoever says when he goes to bed:
(لا إله إلا اللهُ وحدَه لا شريكَ لهُ ، له المُلْكُ ، و له الحمدُ ، و هو على كلِّ شيءٍ قديرٌ ، لاحَوْلَ ولا قُوةَ إلا باللهِ العلىِّ العظيمِ ، سُبحانَ اللهِ ، والحمدُ للهِ ، ولا إلهَ إلا اللهُ ، واللهُ أكبرُ) ؛ غُفِرَتْ له ذنوبُه أوخطايَاهُ – شَكَّ مِسْعرٌ – وإنْ كانت مِثلَ زَبَدِ البحرِ (صحيح الترغيب: 607)
Translation: Whoever lies down on his bed and says these words: “La ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu al-mulk, wa lahu al-hamd, wa huwa ala kulli shay’in qadir, La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah al-Ali al-Azim, Subhan Allah, and Alhamdulillah, and La ilaha illallah, and Allahu Akbar,” his sins will be forgiven, even if they are as numerous as the foam of the sea.
In this narration, the phrase “La hawla wa la quwwata” is mentioned before “Subhan Allah.”

This dhikr, when recited with specific numbers, is either weak or fabricated:

• The narration of reciting it four times is false (Tabeen al-Ajab: 31).
• The narration of reciting it seven times is also weak.
• The narration of reciting it fifteen times (as per al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah: 5066).
• The narration of reciting it seventy times (as per Mawdu’at Ibn al-Jawzi: 2/417).
• The narration of reciting it one hundred times is found among the Shia, and it is said to have great reward; be aware of this.

✍️ Written by: Sheikh Maqbool Ahmad Salafi حفظه الله
❪Jeddah Da’wah Center – Al-Salamah – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia❫