8/24. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1503 — Powerful Words of Tasbih
At-Tasbih (Glorifying Allah) Using Pebbles
Subhan Allah Wa Bihamdihi: A Powerful Dhikr Hadith
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1503
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1503
حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، مَوْلَى أَبِي طَلْحَةَ عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ عِنْدِ جُوَيْرِيَةَ - وَكَانَ اسْمُهَا بَرَّةَ فَحَوَّلَ اسْمَهَا - فَخَرَجَ وَهِيَ فِي مُصَلاَّهَا وَرَجَعَ وَهِيَ فِي مُصَلاَّهَا فَقَالَ " لَمْ تَزَالِي فِي مُصَلاَّكِ هَذَا " . قَالَتْ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " قَدْ قُلْتُ بَعْدَكِ أَرْبَعَ كَلِمَاتٍ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ لَوْ وُزِنَتْ بِمَا قُلْتِ لَوَزَنَتْهُنَّ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ عَدَدَ خَلْقِهِ وَرِضَا نَفْسِهِ وَزِنَةَ عَرْشِهِ وَمِدَادَ كَلِمَاتِهِ " .
Abdullah ibn Abbas Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out from Juwayriyyah (wife of the Prophet). Earlier her name was Barrah, and he changed it. When he went out she was in her place of worship, and when he returned she was in her place of worship. He asked: Have you been in your place of worship continuously? She said: Yes.He then said: Since leaving you I have said three times four phrases which, if weighed against all that you have said (during this period), would prove to be heavier: "Glory be to Allah, and I begin with praise of Him to the number of His creatures, in accordance with His good pleasure, to the weight of His throne and to the ink (extent) of His words."
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1503In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 88English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1498
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1503
This hadith centers on a short but weighty form of dhikr. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم left Juwayriyyah while she was in her place of worship, then returned and found her still there. When she said she had remained there, he taught her four phrases that he had said three times. He said that if those words were weighed against all that she had said during that time, they would be heavier. The phrase praises Allah by saying: Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him, by the number of His creatures, according to His pleasure, by the weight of His throne, and by the extent of His words. This hadith about Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi shows that short dhikr can carry deep praise when taught by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
What we learn from this hadith
- Short words of dhikr can hold great weight when taught by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The hadith highlights praising Allah with broad and rich meanings.
- Worship includes both long devotion and concise remembrance.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم guided his family to words of remembrance.
