Islamic phrase · meaning and usage
SubhanAllahi wa Bihamdihi meaning
Also written SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi, Subhanallah wa bihamdihi, Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi subhan Allahil azim, Subhanallahi wabihamdihi
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ
subḥānallāhi wa bi-ḥamdih
“Glory be to Allah, and with His praise”
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SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi (سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ) means “glory be to Allah, and with His praise”. Whoever says it 100 times a day has his sins wiped away, even if they are like the foam of the sea (Bukhari 6405).
What SubhanAllahi wa Bihamdihi means
It joins two acts in one breath: declaring Allah free of every flaw (tasbīḥ), and praising Him for His perfection (ḥamd). “With His praise” means: I glorify Him while praising Him, and I can glorify Him only by His favour.
Word by word
| Arabic | Say | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| سُبْحَانَ | subḥāna | glory be to |
| اللَّهِ | Allāhi | Allah |
| وَبِحَمْدِهِ | wa bi-ḥamdihī | and with His praise |
When to say it
- 100 times a day, morning or evening or spread across the day.
- As light dhikr while walking, waiting or working.
- With its partner phrase: subḥānallāhil-‘aẓīm.
How to reply
No reply is needed.
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ
subḥānallāhi wa bi-ḥamdihī, subḥānallāhil-‘aẓīm
Glory be to Allah and with His praise; glory be to Allah, the Most Great.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6406; Sahih Muslim 2694
Where it comes from
In the Qur’an
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ تَوَّابًۢا
Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.
In the hadith
“Whoever says subḥānallāhi wa bi-ḥamdih a hundred times a day, his sins are wiped away even if they are like the foam of the sea.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6405; Sahih Muslim 2691
“Two words are light on the tongue, heavy on the scale, and beloved to the Most Merciful: subḥānallāhi wa bi-ḥamdih, subḥānallāhil-‘aẓīm.” It is the last hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6406, 7563; Sahih Muslim 2694
“The most beloved words to Allah: subḥānallāhi wa bi-ḥamdih.”
Sahih Muslim 2731
Whoever says subḥānallāhil-‘aẓīmi wa bi-ḥamdih, a palm tree is planted for him in Paradise.
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3464
Common mistakes
- Thinking it wipes out everything with no effort. Scholars explain that this forgiveness covers minor sins; major sins need repentance.
- Dropping the “h” sounds. Bi-ḥamdih has the strong ḥā’ (ح) and ends in a light hā’ (ه).
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Frequently asked questions
What does subhanallahi wa bihamdihi mean?
“Glory be to Allah, and with His praise.” It joins glorification and praise of Allah.
What is the reward of saying it 100 times?
Sins are wiped away even if they are like the foam of the sea (Bukhari 6405; Muslim 2691).
What are the two words light on the tongue?
Subḥānallāhi wa bi-ḥamdih, subḥānallāhil-‘aẓīm: light on the tongue, heavy on the scale, beloved to the Most Merciful (Bukhari 6406).
Do I have to say the 100 at one time?
No. Scholars say the count can be spread across the day. Many say it in the morning and evening adhkar.
Can I count on a tasbih?
Yes. Counting on the fingers is the sunnah way, and a tasbih counter is also fine.
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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