He also said:

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The three expressions of remembrance contained in the address narrated by Ibn Mas‘ūd and others—“Praise be to Allah; we seek His help and His forgiveness”—are those reportedly described by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qādir, and later by Abū al-Hasan al-Shādhilī, as comprehensive expressions of beneficial speech. They are: “Praise be to Allah,” “I seek Allah’s forgiveness,” and “There is no might or power except through Allah.”

This is because the servant is concerned with two kinds of action: what Allah does for him—His blessings bestowed upon him, which call for gratitude—and what he himself does, whether good or evil. Doing good requires Allah’s assistance, so he needs to seek His help; wrongdoing requires seeking forgiveness to erase its effects.

The hadith of Dimād al-Azdī contains only:

“Praise be to Allah; we praise Him and seek His help.”

This accords with the Opening of the Book, which is divided into two halves: one for the Lord and one for the servant. The Lord’s half opens with praise of Allah, while the servant’s half opens with seeking His help. Hence the words: “We praise Him and seek His help.”

Praise may also be coupled with seeking forgiveness, as in the report narrated by Ahmad in al-Zuhd (Asceticism): “A man lived in the time of