54 / The Excellence of “There Is No Might nor Power except with Allah”
Among the momentous formulas whose excellence and lofty standing are affirmed in the texts is the hawqala, namely saying, “There is no might nor power except with Allah.” In some hadiths, it is mentioned alongside the four formulas discussed in detail previously. One such text is the hadith narrated by al-Tirmidhī and al-Hākim from Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Ās—may Allah be pleased with them both—who reported that the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “There is no man on earth who says, ‘There is no god worthy of worship except Allah; Allah is the Greatest; glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; and there is no might nor power except with Allah,’ without his sins being forgiven, even if they were more numerous than the foam of the sea.”1
Another is the report narrated by Abū Dāwūd, al-Nasā’ī, al-Dāraqutnī, and others from Ibn Abī Awfā—may Allah be pleased with them both—who said: A man came to the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I am unable to learn the Quran, so teach me something that will suffice for me.” He said: “Say: ‘Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no god worthy of worship except Allah; Allah is the Greatest; and there is no might nor power except with Allah.’” The Bedouin then gestured like this, closing his hands, and said, “This is for Allah; but what is there for me?” He replied: “Say: ‘O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, grant me well-being, provide for me, and guide me.’” The Bedouin took hold of these words, closing both his palms, whereupon the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “This man has indeed filled his hands with goodness.”2