This is further clarified by the Prophet’s statement (may Allah bless him and grant him peace):

“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,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has glorified Me.’”

Thus, he mentioned praise, commendation, and glorification. After that, the servant says, “You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help,” continuing to the end of the surah. This occurs at the beginning of the recitation while standing in prayer. Then, in the final standing after bowing, he says:

“Our Lord, to You belongs all praise, filling the heavens and filling the earth,”

and continues until the words:

“You who are worthy of all commendation and glory! This is the most fitting thing a servant can say—and we are all Your servants. None can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold; nor can the fortune of anyone favoured by fortune avail him against You.”

The phrase “the most fitting thing a servant can say” is the predicate of an omitted subject; that is, “These words are the most fitting thing a servant can say.” It is therefore clear that praising and extolling Allah is the most fitting thing a servant can say. This includes affirming His oneness when the servant says, “To You belongs all praise”—meaning, to You alone, not to anyone else. At the end, he says, “None can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold.” This entails that He alone gives and withholds, so help is to be sought from Him alone, and requests are to be directed to Him alone.

Then he says, “Nor can the fortune of anyone favoured by fortune avail him against You.” This makes clear that even if a person is granted dominion, wealth, and leadership, none of this can save him from You. Only faith and piety can save him. This gives full expression to the words:

“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.”

This remembrance therefore comes at the end of the standing, just as it was recited at the beginning. The words “the most fitting thing a servant can say” imply that praising Allah is the utterance most deserving of being spoken by the servant. Whatever utterance is most deserving is also the best and the most incumbent upon a person.

For this reason, Allah has made it obligatory for His servants to begin every prayer by saying:

“All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds.”

He has also commanded them to begin every sermon with “All praise is for Allah.” Thus, He commanded them to