Islamic phrase · meaning and usage
SubhanAllah meaning
Also written SubhanAllah, Subhanallah, Subhan Allah, Subhana Allah, Subhanalla
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ
subḥān Allāh
“Glory be to Allah”
The sound button uses your device’s built-in Arabic voice. It is a computer voice, so use it as a rough guide and learn the exact sounds from a teacher or a reciter.
SubhanAllah (سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ) means “glory be to Allah”: Allah is far above any flaw or anything unworthy of Him. It is said in wonder, in prayer, and 33 times after each salah.
What SubhanAllah means
Subḥān comes from the root s-b-ḥ, which carries the sense of being far removed. Saying subḥān Allāh declares that Allah is free of every imperfection, of having partners, and of anything people falsely say about Him. This act is called tasbīḥ.
Muslims also say it in amazement, at something beautiful or surprising, because it points the wonder back to its Maker. The Prophet ﷺ himself said “SubhanAllah!” when surprised.
Word by word
| Arabic | Say | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| سُبْحَانَ | subḥāna | glory be to / far above every flaw is |
| اللَّهِ | Allāh | Allah |
When to say it
- 33 times after every obligatory prayer, with alhamdulillah and Allahu akbar.
- In bowing (subḥāna rabbiyal-‘aẓīm) and prostration (subḥāna rabbiyal-a‘lā).
- When you see something amazing or beautiful.
- When going downhill or down stairs, as the Companions did.
- Any time, as dhikr: it is one of the four words most beloved to Allah.
How to reply
Nothing needs to be said in reply. If someone says it in wonder, you can agree with subḥānAllāh yourself.
Where it comes from
In the Qur’an
سُبْحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِۦ لَيْلًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْأَقْصَا ٱلَّذِى بَٰرَكْنَا حَوْلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنْ ءَايَٰتِنَآ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ
Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
فَسُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ حِينَ تُمْسُونَ وَحِينَ تُصْبِحُونَ
So exalted is Allah when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning.
In the hadith
“The most beloved words to Allah are four: subḥānAllāh, al-ḥamdu lillāh, lā ilāha illallāh and Allāhu akbar. It does not matter which you begin with.”
Sahih Muslim 2137
Saying subhanAllah 33 times, alhamdulillah 33 times and Allahu akbar 33 times after each prayer, completing a hundred with lā ilāha illallāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah…, brings forgiveness of sins.
Sahih Muslim 597
“SubhanAllah and alhamdulillah fill what is between the heavens and the earth.”
Sahih Muslim 223
When surprised, the Prophet ﷺ said: “SubhanAllah! A believer does not become impure.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 283
“When we went up we said Allahu akbar, and when we went down we said subhanAllah.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 2993
Common mistakes
- Using it only for bad news. It is mainly praise and wonder, not a sigh.
- Rushing the count after salah. The reward is in remembrance, not speed. Use your fingers or a tasbih counter and say each one clearly.
Use it today
Frequently asked questions
What does subhanallah mean?
SubhanAllah means “glory be to Allah”: Allah is perfect and far above every flaw. Saying it is called tasbih.
How many times do you say subhanallah after prayer?
33 times, then alhamdulillah 33 times and Allahu akbar 33 times (some reports say 34), completing 100 (Sahih Muslim 597).
When should you say subhanallah?
In wonder at something beautiful or surprising, in ruku and sujud, after salah, when going downhill, and any time as dhikr.
Is it subhanallah or subhan Allah?
Both spellings are fine. They transliterate the same Arabic, سبحان الله.
What is the difference between subhanallah and subhanallahi wa bihamdihi?
SubhanAllah declares Allah free of flaws. SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi adds praise: “and with His praise”. It has its own hadith on its reward.
Related phrases
How this page works and sources
Qur’an text and its English meaning are taken from the same Uthmani text and translation the Niyat app uses, and each ayah links to its place in our Qur’an reader. Hadith are cited by collection and number (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud, Jami at-Tirmidhi, Sunan an-Nasa’i, Sunan Ibn Majah); where a narration has a weak chain we say so. Hadith wording is summarised in plain English. Where the schools of law differ, the page says so in one line. The sound button uses your browser’s own Arabic voice; nothing is sent anywhere.
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