the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, although its chain of transmission is open to criticism. Al-Hākim narrated in al-Mustadrak from Abd al-Rahmān ibn Hammād, who said: Hafs ibn Sulaymān narrated to us; Talha ibn Yahyā ibn Talha narrated to us, from his father, from Talha ibn Ubayd Allah—may Allah be pleased with him—who said: I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about the meaning of Subhān Allah (Glory be to Allah). He replied, “It means declaring Allah free of every evil.” Al-Hākim said, “Its chain of transmission is authentic, though neither al-Bukhārī nor Muslim included it.” Al-Dhahabī responded to him in his abridgment of al-Mustadrak: “Rather, it is not authentic, for al-Bukhārī said that Talha’s hadiths are rejected; Hafs is very weak in hadith; and Abū Hātim likewise declared Abd al-Rahmān’s hadiths rejected.”1.

The hadith was also narrated through another route, with the Companion omitted from its chain.

Numerous reports conveying this meaning have been related from the early Muslims—may Allah have mercy on them. Al-Tabarī narrated a number of them in his Quranic commentary, as did al-Tabarānī in his book al-Duā, in the chapter entitled “The Meaning of Subhān Allah”2, along with other scholars. They include the following:

Ibn Abbās—may Allah be pleased with him and his father—said: “Subhān Allah means declaring Allah, Mighty and Majestic, free of every evil.”

Abd Allah ibn Burayda related that a man asked Alī—may Allah be pleased with him—about Subhān Allah. He replied, “It is the exaltation of Allah’s majesty.”

Mujāhid said: “Tasbīh signifies Allah’s complete freedom from every evil.” Ibn al-Athīr explained in al-Nihāya: “That is, declaring Him free of imperfection and sanctifying Him.”

Maymūn ibn Mihrān said: “Subhān Allah is an expression by which Allah is glorified,