These forms of remembrance are verbal utterances, not physical acts of worship such as prostrating, standing, or entering ihrām (the consecrated state for pilgrimage). The Lord Most High praises Himself, but He does not worship Himself. Praise is thus the most comprehensive of the sciences concerning Allah, and it serves as both an opening and a conclusion.

It is therefore the Sunnah for someone who has eaten or drunk to praise Allah. In Sahīh Muslim, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Indeed, Allah is pleased with a servant who eats a meal and praises Him for it, and takes a drink and praises Him for it.”

Allah Most High says:

“Judgment will be passed between them in truth, and it will be said, ‘Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds.’”

He Most High also says:

“So the people who did wrong were utterly destroyed. And praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds.”

And He says:

“Their final invocation will be, ‘Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds.’”

Section

The only regular supplication made obligatory upon the servant—repeated with every prayer, indeed with every unit of prayer, whether obligatory or voluntary—is the supplication contained in the Mother of the Quran, namely His words, Most High:

“Guide us to the straight path—the path of those You have blessed, not of those who have incurred anger, nor of those who have gone astray.”

For every servant is always in desperate need of what this supplication seeks: guidance to the straight path. There is no salvation from punishment except through this guidance, nor any attainment of happiness except through it. Whoever lacks this guidance is therefore either among those who have incurred anger or among those who have gone astray.