and ‘al-hamdu lillah’ (praise be to Allah), ‘la ilaha illa Allah’ (there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah), and ‘Allahu akbar’ (Allah is the Greatest) is dearer to me than everything over which the sun rises.” Reported by Muslim.

1409 – And from him likewise: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever says ‘la ilaha illa Allah, wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu al-mulk wa lahu al-hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir’ (there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone, without partner; to Him belongs all dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He is capable of all things) one hundred times in a day, it will be equivalent for him to freeing ten slaves; a hundred good deeds will be recorded for him, a hundred sins will be erased, and it will be a protection for him from Satan that day until evening. No one will come with a deed superior to his except a person who has done more than that. And whoever says ‘Subhan Allah wa bi-hamdih’ (Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him) one hundred times in a day, his sins will be erased even if they were as plentiful as the foam of the sea.” Agreed upon.

[Explanation]

These three hadiths narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) all testify to the virtue of dhikr (remembrance of Allah). In the first, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Two statements are light upon the tongue, heavy on the Scale, and beloved to the All-Merciful: ‘Subhan Allah wa bi-hamdih; Subhan Allah al-‘Azim.’” They are two phrases, and they will also be heavy on the Scale when deeds are weighed on the Day of Resurrection and these two statements are placed in