The five great phrases of dhikr — meanings and rewards
The meanings and virtues of SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illallah and Astaghfirullah — with the authentic hadith on the reward of each phrase of dhikr.
28 July 2026 · 8 min read · by Muslamica
Five short phrases carry the daily remembrance of over a billion Muslims. Each is light on the tongue, each is heavy on the scales — and each has its own meaning, mood and promised reward. In gardeen, each one will tend its own garden; here is what they mean.
SubhanAllah — Glory be to Allah
SubhanAllah (سُبْحَانَ ٱللَّٰه) declares Allah's perfection — utterly free of any flaw, limit or partner. It is the dhikr of awe: said when you witness beauty, wonder, or simply want to glorify Him.
“Whoever says SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi one hundred times a day will have his sins forgiven, even if they were like the foam of the sea.”
Alhamdulillah — All praise is due to Allah
Alhamdulillah (ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰه) is the dhikr of gratitude — praise that belongs to Allah in every state, in ease and in difficulty. The Prophet ﷺ said it “fills the scale” (Sahih Muslim), and it opens the very first surah of the Quran.
Allahu Akbar — Allah is the Greatest
Allahu Akbar (ٱللَّٰهُ أَكْبَر) puts everything in its true size: whatever worries you, whatever distracts you — Allah is greater. It opens every prayer, and it recalibrates the heart every time it is said.
La ilaha illallah — There is no deity but Allah
La ilaha illallah (لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰه) is the core of the faith itself. The Prophet ﷺ called it the best dhikr (Tirmidhi), and said that whoever says it sincerely, it will be their key to Paradise.
“The best remembrance is: La ilaha illallah, and the best supplication is: Alhamdulillah.”
Astaghfirullah — I seek Allah's forgiveness
Astaghfirullah (أَسْتَغْفِرُ ٱللَّٰه) is the dhikr of return. The Prophet ﷺ — sinless — sought forgiveness more than seventy times a day (Bukhari), teaching us that istighfar is not only for falling short; it is how the heart stays soft. We've written a full guide to istighfar.
Better together
“That I say SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah and Allahu Akbar is more beloved to me than everything the sun has risen upon.”
You don't have to choose one. Rotate them, or attach each to a moment of your day — and if you want your totals for each phrase to build into something you can see, gardeen gives every phrase its own living garden, starting with SubhanAllah.
Frequently asked questions
What does SubhanAllah mean?
SubhanAllah means 'Glory be to Allah' — declaring Allah absolutely perfect and free of any flaw or partner. It is often said in moments of awe and is counted 33 times after each prayer.
What is the reward of saying SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi 100 times?
The Prophet ﷺ said whoever says it 100 times a day will have their sins forgiven even if they were like the foam of the sea (Bukhari & Muslim).
Which dhikr is the best?
The Prophet ﷺ said the best dhikr is La ilaha illallah (Tirmidhi). The four phrases together — SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar — were dearer to him than all the world.
What is the difference between Alhamdulillah and Shukr?
Shukr is thanking Allah for a specific blessing; hamd (Alhamdulillah) is broader — praising Allah for who He is, in every circumstance, whether or not a specific blessing prompted it.