The excellence of remembering Allah — Du'a 9

جَاءَ أَعرَابِيٌّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ: عَلِّمنِي كَلاماً أَقُولُهُ: قَالَ: ((قُل: لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، اللَّهُ أَكبَرُ كَبِيراً، وَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ كَثِيراً، سُبحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ العَالَمِينَ، لاَ حَولَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ العَزِيزِ الحَكِيمِ)) قَالَ: فَهَؤُلاَءِ لِرَبِّي، فَمَا لِي؟ قَالَ: ((قُل: اللَّهُمَّ اغفِر لِي، وَارحَمنِي، وَاهدِنِي، وَارزُقنِي)).

Approximate Arabic reading aid

Jā'a a'rābiyyun ilā rasūli allāhi ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam faqāla: 'allimnī kalaman aqūluhu: qāla: qul: lā ilāha illā allāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu, allāhu akbaru kabīran, wal-ḥamdu lillāhi kathīran, subḥāna allāhi rabbi al'ālamīna, lā ḥawla walā quwwata illā billāhi al'azīzi alḥakīmi qāla: faha'ulā'i lirabbī, famā lī? qāla: qul: allāhumma aghfir lī, warḥamnī, wahdinī, warzuqnī.

English meaning

SaAAd Ibn Abee Waqqas narrated that a man came to the Messenger of Allah and said to him: ‘Teach me something which I should say?’ He said: ‘Say: (None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone without partener. Allah is most great and much praise is for Allah. How perfect Allah is, Lord of the worlds. There is no might nor power except with Allah, The Exalted in might, The Wise.) the man then said: ‘These are for my Lord, and what is for me?’ He replied: ‘Say:(O Allah, forgive me, have mercy upon me, guide me and grant me sustenance.)

Explanation (Tafseer)

The first part of this remembrance declares Allah’s oneness, greatness, abundant praise, perfection, lordship, might, and wisdom, while denying power apart from Him. The second part turns to personal need, asking Allah for forgiveness, mercy, guidance, and provision. Together they balance praise with direct petition.

When to use

The excellence of remembering Allah

Reference & source

Hisn al-Muslim 262

Open source