of Allah, I have praised my Lord with words of praise.” He replied, “Your Lord loves praise.”

An authentic hadith relates that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say in prostration:

“O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your displeasure, in Your pardon from Your punishment, and in You from You. I cannot enumerate Your praises; You are as You have praised Yourself.”

It is also reported that he used to say this at the end of the witr prayer.

Thus He extols Himself, for even the best of His creation cannot enumerate His praises.

Extolling consists in repeating and reiterating words of praise, as in the authentic hadith in which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“When the servant says, ‘All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’ When he says, ‘The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful,’ He says, ‘My servant has extolled Me.’ When he says, ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ He says, ‘My servant has glorified Me.’”

An authentic hadith relates that when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, raised his head from bowing, he would say:

“Our Lord, to You belongs all praise, filling the heavens, filling the earth, filling all that is between them, and filling whatever else You will. You are worthy of praise and glory. The most fitting words a servant can say—and we are all Your servants—are: none can withhold what You give, nor