Al-Hākim said, “This is an authentic hadith that meets Muslim’s criteria, though neither Muslim nor al-Bukhārī recorded it.” Al-Dhahabī concurred with him, and the eminent scholar al-Albānī also graded it authentic.1

Al-Tirmidhī, Ibn Hibbān, and al-Hākim narrated from Abū Hurayra—may Allah be pleased with him—that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, “Whoever sits in a gathering in which his idle talk becomes abundant and, before leaving that gathering, says, ‘Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, our Lord. I bear witness that there is no deity but You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You,’ will be forgiven for what occurred in that gathering.”2

These are some of the hadiths concerning the glorification of Allah and demonstrating its immense virtue and reward with Him. In most of these hadiths, praise of Allah Most High is joined with glorification. This is because glorification declares Allah free of deficiencies and defects, whereas praising Him affirms that every praiseworthy quality belongs to Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He. Positive affirmation is more complete than negation. For this reason, glorification never occurs on its own; rather, it is accompanied by words affirming perfection. At times it is joined with praise, as in these texts, and at other times it is joined with one of the names signifying greatness and majesty, as in the phrases, “Glory be to Allah, the Magnificent,” and “Glory be to my Lord, the Most High,” and similar expressions.3

Declaring Allah free of imperfection does not constitute praise unless it entails a positive affirmation. Thus, when Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He—declared Himself far above the unworthy things that the enemies of the Messengers attributed to Him,