glorifies Allah one hundred times—that is, says, “Glory be to Allah,” one hundred times—will receive a reward equivalent to freeing one hundred slaves from among the descendants of Ishmael. The descendants of Ishmael were singled out because they possess the noblest lineage among the Arabs. Whoever praises Allah one hundred times—that is, says, “All praise belongs to Allah,” one hundred times—will receive a reward equivalent to that of someone who gives one hundred saddled and bridled horses in charity—that is, horses equipped with saddles and bridles—to carry those fighting in the path of Allah. Whoever proclaims Allah’s greatness one hundred times—that is, says, “Allah is the Greatest,” one hundred times—will receive a reward equivalent to offering one hundred garlanded sacrificial animals accepted by Allah. Whoever declares Allah’s oneness one hundred times—that is, says, “There is no deity but Allah,” one hundred times—his declaration will fill everything between heaven and earth. No one’s deed will be raised unless he brings the equivalent of what this person has brought.
4 — Another virtue of these phrases is that they expiate sins. It is established in the Musnad, Sunan al-Tirmidhī, and al-Hākim’s Mustadrak, in the hadith of Abd Allāh ibn Amr ibn al-Ās, may Allah be pleased with them both, who reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “No man on earth says, ‘There is no deity but Allah; Allah is the Greatest; glory be to Allah; all praise belongs to Allah; and there is no might or power except with Allah,’ without his sins being forgiven, even if they are more numerous than the foam of the sea.” Al-Tirmidhī graded it good; al-Hākim declared it authentic, and al-Dhahabī concurred with him; and al-Albānī graded it good.1
The sins intended here are minor sins, as established in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, who reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say: “The five daily prayers, one Friday to the next, and one Ramadan to the next are expiations for