, glory be to You! I have wronged myself, so forgive me.’ Then he laughed and said, ‘I laughed because of the Lord’s laughter when His servant says this. Allah says, “My servant knows that none but Me forgives sins.”’”

He then recited the remembrance associated with elevated places: proclaiming Allah’s greatness together with declaring His oneness. He concluded by seeking forgiveness, for this is coupled with affirming Allah’s oneness, just as Allah has placed seeking forgiveness alongside affirming His oneness in several passages, such as His saying:

“Know, then, that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and seek forgiveness for your sin.”

And His saying:

“Worship none but Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a warner and a bearer of good tidings. And seek your Lord’s forgiveness.”

And His saying:

“So remain steadfast toward Him and seek His forgiveness.”

Thus, his remembrance while riding included the four phrases that constitute the enduring good deeds, together with seeking forgiveness. Likewise, the remembrance recited at the Eids encompasses both magnifying Allah and acknowledging His blessing, and therefore combines proclaiming His greatness with praising Him. Thus we proclaim Allah’s greatness for having guided us, and praise Allah for what He has bestowed upon us.

It is reported that Ibn ‘Umar would proclaim Allah’s greatness three times and say:

“There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is all praise, and He has power over all things.”

He thus made it resemble the remembrance associated with elevated places by repeating the proclamation of Allah’s greatness three times and joining it with the declaration of His oneness. This is the practice preferred by al-Shāfi‘ī. Ahmad, Abū Hanīfah and others, however, preferred the form they transmitted from a group