The Rasul of Allah (saw) explains the merit of this tasbih with the following hadith:
“Reciting this dhikr is more beloved than everything upon which the sun rises, the whole world and everything that is in it.”
This tasbih is also done in salat and is called ‘Salat-i Tasbih’.
لآَاِلٰهَ اِلَّاﷲُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Laa ilaaha illa Allah wa-h dahu la shareeka lah lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-hamd wa huwa `alaa kulli shayin qadeer[1]
There is no deity-god (being or existence other than Allah), there is only the One denoted by the name Allah, who has no partners. To Him belongs the Sovereignty, to Him belongs evaluation. HU is Qadir over all things.
Abu Ayyash adh-Dhuraki (ra) narrates:
The Rasul of Allah (saw) says, “Whoever says, ‘Laa ilaaha illa Allah wa-h dahu la shareeka lah lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-hamd wa huwa `alaa kulli shayin qadeer’ in the morning, he will gain as much merit as though he has freed a slave from the children of Ishmael (as), ten of his mistakes will be erased, he will be raised by ten degrees, and he will be protected from the devil until the end of that day. If he reads it at night, he will earn the same merits and the equivalent will apply until the next morning.”
لآَاِلٰهَ اِلَّاﷲُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِ وَ يُمِيتُ وَ هُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ أَبَدًا بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Laa ilaaha illa Allahu wa-h dahu la shareeka lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-hamd yuhyee wa yumeetu wa huwa hayyun la yamootu abadan bi yadhihi l-khayru wa huwa `alaa kulli shayin qadeer[2]
There is no deity-god (being or existence other than Allah) there is only the One denoted by the name Allah. To Him belongs all sovereignty. To Him belongs all evaluation. He brings to life (with knowledge) and enables the experience of death; He is the everliving Hayy... All good is eternally in the hands (power) of HU... HU is Qadir over all things.”
The Rasul of Allah (saw) says:
“Whoever does this tasbih because this is really what he believes about Allah, Allah will put him into Paradises of Bliss.”
While other hadith talk about gaining merits or deletion of sins, this hadith is about a direct entrance to Paradise… Thus, it is imperative we understand its meaning. Here it is again:
There is no deity-god, Allah is One, He has no partners, sovereignty and evaluation belong to him, He gives life and takes life, the concept of death does not apply to Him, He is the eternally everliving One, all good is eternally in His power and He is powerful over all things.
سُبْحَانَ ﷲِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ سُبْحَانَ ﷲِ الْعَظِيمِ أَسْتَغْفِرُﷲَ وَ أَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
Subhaana Allahi wa Bi hamdihi Subhaana Allahi l-`aliyyil adheem asgahfiroo Allaha wa atoobu ilayhi[3]
Allah is Subhan with His hamd (I tasbih and tanzih Allah with His hamd). Allah, the Azim is Subhan (I tasbih and tanzih Allah the possessor of might). I ask for forgiveness from Allah (I ask that my ‘personhood’ or ego-based identity is covered). My repentance (return) is to HU.
Ibn Abbas narrates that the Rasul of Allah (saw) says:
“Whoever says ‘Subha-nal-lahi-wa-biham-dihi, Subha-nal-lahil Adeem, astaghfirullaaha wa atubu ilayhe,’ this will be recorded in their book of deeds and sent to the Throne. Until the person enters the presence of Allah on the Day of Resurrection this prayer will remain sealed. No mistake or sin he does can erase the merits of this prayer.”
As known, mistakes erase merits, but this tasbih is not erased by any sin or mistake. Perhaps we should ponder this...
لَكَ الْحَمْدُ كَمَا يَنْبَغِى لِجَلاَلِ وَجْهِكَ وَلِعَظِيمِ سُلْطَانِكَ
Laka l-hamdu kamaa yanbaghee lijalaali wajhika wa li `atheemi sultaanika[4]
Evaluation belongs to You, as the Glory of Your countenance and the might of Your sultanate deserves.
Omar (ra) narrates from the Rasul of Allah (saw):
A servant of Allah said, ‘O Rabb, Hamd belongs to You, as the jalal of Your countenance and the might of Your sultanate deserves’. The inscriber angels did not know how to record the merits of this tasbih so they ascended to the heavens and asked, ‘O Rabb, Your servant said something we dont know what to write’. Allah, even though He knew, asked, ‘What did My servant say?’ They answered, ‘O Rabb, Your servant said ‘Hamd belongs to You, as the jalal of Your countenance and the might of Your sultanate deserves,’ whereupon Allah said, ‘Write it as it is until My servant meets Me, I will grant the merits of this Myself.’
We know from other hadith that the Rasul (saw) used to say this tasbih in his salat when he arose from the ruku position before prostrating.
This is a practice that I’ve incorporated into my life for many years and one that I recommend to others.
لآَاِلٰهَ اِلَّاﷲُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ* أَلْحَمْدُ ِللهِ وَ سُبْحَانَ ﷲِ وَلآَ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاﷲُ وﷲُ أَكْبَرُ وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللهِ الْعَلِىِّ الْعَظِيمِ
Laa ilaaha illa Allah wa-h dahu la shareeka lah lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-hamd wa huwa `alaa kulli shayin qadeer. Al-hamdulillahi wa subhaana Allahi wa laa ilaha illa l-Llahu wa Llahu akbar wa la hawla wa la quwatta iilla bi-l Llahil `aliyyil Adheem[5]