bowing. Muslim narrated in his Sahīh from Alī ibn Abī Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his head, he would say, “Allah hears whoever praises Him. Our Lord, to You belongs all praise—as much as fills the heavens and the earth, and whatever else You will beyond them.”1

Muslim also narrated from Abū Saīd al-Khudrī that whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his head from bowing, he would say, “O Allah, our Lord, to You belongs all praise—as much as fills the heavens and the earth, and whatever else You will beyond them. You are worthy of praise and glory. The truest words a servant can utter—and all of us are Your servants—are these: O Allah, none can withhold what You give, none can give what You withhold, and worldly fortune cannot avail its possessor against You.”2

Al-Bukhārī narrated in his Sahīh from Rifāa ibn Rāfi al-Zuraqī (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: We were praying behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When he raised his head from bowing, he said, “Allah hears whoever praises Him.” A man behind him said, “Our Lord, to You belongs praise—abundant, wholesome, and blessed.” When the Prophet had finished the prayer, he asked, “Who said those words?” The man replied, “I did.” He said, “I saw thirty-odd angels racing to see which of them would write them down first.”3

Al-Bukhārī and Muslim narrated from Ibn Abbās (may Allah be pleased with them both) that whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rose at night to pray, he would say, “O Allah, to You belongs all praise. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and all who are in them. To You belongs all praise. You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all who are in them. To You belongs all praise. You are the Truth; Your promise is true; meeting You is true; Paradise is true; the Fire is true; and the prophets…”