It is also narrated from Abū Saīd al-Khudrī—may Allah be pleased with him—that the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “Accumulate an abundance of the enduring righteous deeds.” He was asked, “What are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “Saying, ‘Allah is the Greatest,’ ‘There is no god worthy of worship except Allah,’ ‘Glory be to Allah,’ ‘Praise be to Allah,’ and ‘There is no might nor power except with Allah.’” It was narrated by Ahmad, Ibn Hibbān, al-Hākim, and others.1 Its chain of transmission includes Abū al-Samh Darrāj ibn Samān, who is truthful, though his narrations from Abū al-Haytham contain some weakness;2 this is one of them.

However, a number of the Companions and Successors counted “There is no might nor power except with Allah” among “the enduring righteous deeds.”3 Imam Ahmad narrated in his Musnad that the Commander of the Faithful, Uthmān ibn Affān—may Allah be pleased with him—was asked, “What are the enduring righteous deeds?” He replied: “They are: ‘There is no god worthy of worship except Allah,’ ‘Glory be to Allah,’ ‘Praise be to Allah,’ ‘Allah is the Greatest,’ and ‘There is no might nor power except with Allah.’”4

Ibn Jarīr narrated that Ibn Umar—may Allah be pleased with them both—was asked about “the enduring righteous deeds.” He replied: There is no god worthy of worship except Allah; Allah is the Greatest; glory be to Allah; and there is no might nor power except with Allah.

Mālik narrated that Saīd ibn al-Musayyib said: “The enduring righteous deeds are: ‘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.’”