Islamic wealth management conference in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia (July 2011)

5-6 July 2011
KL Conference on Islamic Wealth Management
The Royale Chulan Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

Please visit: http://islamic-wealth-management.net

View event schedule, download brochure and register here

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Hadith of the Day: Take benefit of five before five...

The Prophet (pbuh) said:
“Take benefit of five before five:
your youth before your old age,
your health before your sickness,
your wealth before your poverty,
your free-time before your preoccupation,
and your life before your death.”
(Hakim)


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How many total verses in the Holy Quran?

How many total verses in the Holy Quran?

There are several answers given to us.

Majority would answer 6,666 verses.

Others would answer 6,240 verses, 6,226 verses or other answers in the range of 6,000-7,000 verses.

We read the the same Quran throughout the world so there should be one answer only.

It seem trivial but it is important to know the fact.

To put the debate to rest, I decided to calculate the number of verses in the Holy Quran using MS Excel spreadsheet.

The definite answer is 6236 verses

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Tafsir Ibn Kathir - Chapter 1: Surah Al Fatihah

The Tafsir of Surat Al-Fatihah (Chapter 1)
Which was revealed in Makkah
The Meaning of Al-Fatihah and its Various Names
The Meaning of Al-Fatihah and its Various Names
How many Ayat does Al-Fatihah contain
The Number of Words and Letters in Al-Fatihah
The Reason it is called Umm Al-Kitab
Virtues of Al-Fatihah
Al-Fatihah and the Prayer
Explaining this Hadith
Reciting Al-Fatihah is required in Every Rak`ah of the Prayer
The Tafsir of Isti`adhah (seeking Refuge)
Seeking Refuge before reciting the Qur'an
Seeking Refuge with Allah when One is Angry
Is the Isti`adhah (seeking Refuge) required
Virtues of the Isti`adhah
What does Isti`adhah mean
Why the Devil is called Shaytan
The Meaning of Ar-Rajim
Bismillah is the First Ayah of Al-Fatihah
Basmalah aloud in the Prayer
The Virtue of Al-Fatihah
Basmalah is recommended before performing any Deed
The Meaning of "Allah
The Meaning of Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The Meaning of Al-Hamd
The Difference between Praise and Thanks
The Statements of the Salaf about Al-Hamd
The Virtues of Al-Hamd
Al before Hamd encompasses all Types of Thanks and Appreciation for Allah
The Meaning of Ar-Rabb, the LordThe Meaning of Al-`Alamin
Why is the Creation called `Alam
Indicating Sovereignty on the Day of Judgment
The Meaning of Yawm Ad-Din
Allah is Al-Malik (King or Owner)
The Meaning of Ad-Din
The Linguistic and Religious Meaning of `Ibadah
The Merit of stating the Object of the Action before the Doer of the Act, and the Merit of these Negations
Al-Fatihah indicates the Necessity of praising Allah. It is required in every Prayer.
Tawhid Al-Uluhiyyah
Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah
Allah called His Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم an `Abd
Encouraging the Performance of the Acts of Worship during Times of Distress
Why Praise was mentioned First
The Meaning of As-Sirat Al-Mustaqim, the Straight Path.
The Faithful ask for and abide by Guidance
The Summary of Al-Fatihah
The Bounties are because of Allah, not the Deviations
Saying Amin


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Conferences on Islamic finance and Islamic wealth management

Conferences on Islamic finance and Islamic wealth management

Links:

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Think Deeply

And has subjected to you all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth; it is all as a favour and kindness from Him. Verily, in it are signs for a people who think deeply. (The Noble Quran, سورة الجاثية , Al-Jathiya: 13)

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lâ hawla wa lâ quwwata illâ bi Allâh

lâ hawla wa lâ quwwata illâ bi Allâh

The magnificent phrase lâ hawla wa lâ quwwata illâ bi Allâh is mentioned numerous times in the hadith (sayings of Muhammad) as being highly regarded and highly recommended by the Prophet Muhammad. The phrase is a part of daily prayers for many Muslims, and is a common phrase in ceremony and dhikr.

It is not uncommon to find the phrase lâ hawla wa lâ quwwata illâ bi Allâh translated simply as there is no power or strength except through Allâh. However that translation fails to capture the grandeur and deeper significance of this magnificent phrase.

Translating the word hawla simply as power is an over-simplification. The Arabic root h-w-l depicts all manner of change and transformation. The root h-w-l has led to a wide variety of words, but they all share this common thread of change and transformation. Certainly it is true that transformation and change require power, but power alone is not an adequate translation.... change and transformation are the keys to this magnificent phrase.

The phrase may be translated word-by-word as:

lâ = no, not, none, neither

hawla = change, alteration, transformation, movement, motion

wa = and

lâ = no, not, none, neither

quwwata = strength, power, potency, force, might, vigor

illâ = but, except, if not

bi = with, to, for, in, through, by means of

Allâh = Arabic name for the Supreme Being

Progress is only achieved through change and transformation... and spiritual progress requires the highest degree of change and transformation. We may wish to change, but we alone do not have the power to make such changes.

Such change and transformation can only occur through the tahwîl (transformation) of Allâh. That is to say, true change and transformation can arise only through the awesome and glorious powers of Allâh.

Here are some literal translations of the phrase lâ hawla wa lâ quwwata illâ billâh that incorporate the idea of change and transformation:

There is neither change nor power except by means of Allâh.

There is no transformation or strength except through Allâh.

There is neither progress nor might except through Allâh.

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The history of the Noble Quran

The Quran is the backbone of Islam. On this Sacred Book of Allah depends the Islamic call, state, society and the civilisation of the Muslim world. It is the last Divine revelation, which was sent down to Prophet Muhammad , the last and final of all Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention. His task was to convey the message of worshipping the One God, Allah, without ascribing any partners to Him. The Noble Quran, which is the source of guidance and mercy to mankind, is divided into one hundred and fourteen (114) Soorahs (chapters) of varying lengths. Ninety-three chapters were revealed in Makkah, while the remaining twenty-one were revealed in Madeenah.

The first revelation that the Prophet received was Soorat Al-'Alaq, which was in Makkah where Soorat An-Najm was to later became the first to be recited openly to the people. In Madeenah, Soorat Al-Mutaffifeen was the first one revealed after the Hijrah (migration). The Prophet had to flee to Madeenah to save his own life and the lives of his followers, upon the command of Allaah.
The last verse sent down to the Prophet was the saying of Allaah which means: “…This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion...” [Quran: 5:3]

Some chapters in the Quran focus on the call to Islam as guidance for humanity. They focus upon monotheism and the fight against polytheism and idolatry. Thus, stress is laid on all that is related to faith. In other chapters, attention is given to legislation, acts of worship, relationships among people and the laws that regulate matters within the Muslim community, government, and family.

A number of chapters inform about Resurrection, the Hereafter and the unseen; others relate the stories of various prophets and their calls to their people to return to Allaah. We see how the previous nations were severely punished when they disobeyed Allaah and denied the messages of previous prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention.

In addition, several chapters focus on the story of creation and the development of human life. In fact, Makkan revelations made the Muslims' faith in Allaah firmly established. On the other hand, Madeenan revelations were meant to translate the faith into action and give details of the Divine Law.

Allaah will forever preserve the Quran against all attempts to destroy or corrupt it. Being guarded by Allaah, it will always remain pure. There does not exist a single copy with any variation from the recognised text. Any attempt of alteration has resulted in failure.

Upon the command of the Prophet his Companions would write down what was revealed of the Noble Quran. They used, for this purpose, palm branches stripped of leaves, parchments, shoulder bones, stone tablets, etc. About forty people were involved in this task. Among them was Zayd Ibn Thaabit who showed his work to the Prophet . Thus, the Quran was correctly arranged during the Prophet’s life, but it was not yet compiled into one book. In the meantime, most of the Prophet’s Companions memorised the Quran.

When Abu Bakr became Caliph after the Prophet died, a large number of the Companions were killed during the War of Apostasy. 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab went to the Caliph and discussed the idea of compiling the Quran into one volume. He was disturbed, as most of those who memorised it had died. Then, Abu Bakr called for Zayd and commissioned him to collect the Quran into one book, which became known as the 'Mus-haf.'

After Zayd accomplished this great task and organized the Quran into one book, he submitted the precious collection to Abu Bakr who kept it in his possession until the end of his life. During the caliphate of 'Umar it was kept with his daughter Hafsah who was also a wife of the Prophet .

During the Caliphate of 'Uthmaan Islam reached many countries, and readers began to recite the Quran in different ways (dialects). 'Uthmaan then had various copies made and sent them out to the different Muslim lands, lest these dialects would cause alterations to the Quran, and kept the original copy with Hafsah . Thus, the Quran remained preserved and the Caliph was very much pleased with his achievement.

Today, every copy of the Quran conforms with the standard copy of 'Uthmaan . In fact, Muslims over the ages excelled in producing the best manuscripts of the Noble Quran in the most wonderful handwriting. With the introduction of printing, more and more editions of the Noble Quran became available all over the world.

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Quran and Modern Science - Dr Maurice Bucaille

INTRODUCTION

Dr. Maurice Bucaille is an eminent French surgeon, scientist, scholar and author of “THE BIBLE, THE QUR’AN AND SCIENCE” which contains the result of his research into the Judeo-Christian Revelation and the Qur’an. It is a unique contribution in the field of religion and science. Being an outstanding Scientist, he was selected to treat the mummy of Merneptah (Pharaoh) which he did. During his visit to Saudi Arabia he was shown the verses of the Holy Qur’an in which Allah says that the dead body of the Pharaoh will be preserved as a “Sign” for posterity. An impartial scientist like Dr. Bucaille, who (being also a Christian) was conversant with the Biblical version of Pharaoh’s story as being drowned in pursuit of Prophet Moses. He was pleasantly surprised to learn that unknown to the world till only of late, the Holy Qur’an made definite prediction about the preservation of the body of that same Pharaoh of Moses’ time. This led Dr. Bucaille to study the Holy Qur’an thoroughly after learning the Arabic language. The final conclusion of his comparative study of Qur’an and the Bible is that the statements about scientific phenomena in the Holy Qur’an are perfectly in conformity with the modern sciences whereas the Biblical narration’s on the same subjects are scientifically entirely unacceptable.

FROM THE ORIGIN OF MAN

As most people in the West have been brought up on misconceptions concerning Islam and the Qur’an; for a large part of my life, I myself was one such person. Let me cite one or two specific examples to indicate the kind of inaccurate ideas generally current.

MISCONCEPTIONS

As I grew up, I was always taught that ‘Mahomet’ was the author of the Qur’an; I remember seeing French translations bearing this information. I was invariably told that the ‘author’ of the Qur’an simply compiled, in a slightly different form, stories of sacred history taken from the Bible; the ‘author’ was said to have added or removed certain passages, while setting forth the principles and rules of the religion he himself had founded. There are moreover Islamic scholars today in France whose duties include teaching and who express exactly these views, although perhaps in a more subtle form. This description of the origins of the Qur’anic text, which is so out of touch with reality, might lead one immediately to assume that if there are scientific errors in the Bible, there must also be errors of this kind in the Qur’an! This is the natural conclusion to be drawn in such circumstances, but it is based on a misconception. We are well aware that at the time of Muhammad - the Qur’anic Revelation took place between 610 and 632 A.D - scientific obscurantism prevailed, both in the Orient as well as in the West. In France, for example, this period corresponded roughly to the reign of King Dagobert, the last of the Mrovingians. This approach to what was supposedly the Qur’anic text may on first sight seem logical, but when one examines the text with an informed and impartial eye, it becomes clear that this approach is not at all in keeping with reality. We shall see in a moment the truth of this statement, which is obvious from the texts. Whenever there is textual proof of the existence in the Qur’an of statements that are in agreement with modern knowledge, but which in the Bible are related in a manner that is scientifically unacceptable, the stock response is that, during the period separating the two Scriptures, Arab scientists made discoveries in various disciplines which enabled them to arrive at these supposed adaptations. This approach takes no account whatsoever of the history of the sciences. The latter indicates that the great period of Islamic civilizations, during which, as we know, science made considerable progress, came several centuries after the communication of the Qur’an to the communication of the Qur’an to man. Furthermore, scientific history informs us that, as far as the subjects dealt with in this present book are concerned, no discoveries were made during, the period separating the Bible from the Qur’an. When this aspect of the Qur’an is mentioned in the West, however, we are likely to hear it said that while this may indeed be so, nowhere is this fact referred to in the translations of the Qur’an which we possess today, or in the prefaces and commentaries that accompany them. This is a very judicious remark. Muslim - and indeed non-Muslim - translators who have produced a French version of the Qur’an are basically men of letters. More often than not, they mistranslate a passage because they do not possess the scientific knowledge required to understand its true meaning. The fact is, however, that in order to translate correctly, one must first understand what one is reading. A further point is that translators - especially those mentioned above - - may have been influenced by notes provided by ancient commentators often came to be regarded as highly authoritative, even though they had no scientific knowledge - nor indeed had anybody else at that time. They were incapable of imagining that the texts might contain allusions to secular knowledge, and thus they could not devote attention to a specific passage by comparing it to other verses in the Qur’an dealing with the same subject - a process that often provides the key to the meaning of a word or expression. From this results the fact that any passage in the Qur’an that gives rise to a comparison with modern secular knowledge is likely to be unreliably translated. Very often, the translations are peppered with inaccurate - if not totally nonsensical - statements. The only way to avoid such errors is to possess a scientific background and to study the Qur’anic text in the original language.

SCIENTIFIC ERRORS

On the subject of man, as well as the other topics mentioned earlier, it is not possible to find any corresponding data in the Bible. Furthermore the scientific errors contained in the Bible - such as those describing man’s first appearance on earth, which, as we have seen, may be deduced from the Genealogies that figure in Genesis are not to be found in the Qur’an. It is crucial to understand that such errors could not have been ‘edited out’ of the Qur’an since the time they first became apparent: well over a thousand years have elapsed since the most ancient manuscripts and today’s texts of the Qur’an, but these texts are still absolutely identical. Thus, if Muhammad were the author of the Qur’an (a theory upheld by some people), it is difficult to see how he could have spotted the scientific errors in the Bible dealing with such a wide variety of subjects and have proceeded to eliminate every single one of them when he came to compose his own text on the same themes. Let us state once again, that no new scientific facts had been discovered since the time the Bible was written that might have helped eliminate such errors. In view of the above, it is imperative to know the history of the texts, just as it is essential to our understanding of certain aspects of the Bible for us to be aware, of the conditions in which it was written. As we have noted earlier, experts in Biblical exegesis consider the books of Old and New Testaments to be divinely inspired works. Let us now examine, however, the teachings of Muslim exegetes, who present the Qur’an in quite a different fashion. When Muhammad was roughly forty years old, it was his custom to retire to a retreat just outside Mecca in order to meditate. It was here that he received a first message from God via the Angel Gabriel, at a date that corresponds to 610 A.D. After a long period of silence, this first message was followed by successive revelations spread over some twenty years. During the Prophet’s lifetime, they were both written down and recited by heart among his first followers. Similarly, the revelations were divided into suras (chapters) and collected together after the Prophet’ death (in 632 A.D.) in a book: the Qur’an. The Book contains the Word of God, to the exclusion of any human additions. Manuscripts dating from the first century of Islam authenticate today’s text, the other form of authentication being the recitation by heart of the Qur’an, a practice that has continued unbroken from the time of the Prophet down to the present day.

UNCORRUPTED NATURE OF THE QUR’AN

In contrast to the Bible, therefore, we are presented with a text that is none other than the transcript of the Revelation itself; the only way it can be received and interpreted is literally. The purity of the revealed text has been greatly emphasized, and the uncorrupted nature of the Qur’an stems from the following factors: First, as stated above, fragments of the text were written down during the Prophet’s lifetime; inscribed on tablets, parchments and other materials current at the time. The Qur’an itself refers to the fact that the text was set down in writing. We find this in several suras dating from before and after the Hejira (Muhammad’s departure from Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D.) In addition to the transcription of the text, however, there was also the fact that it was learned by heart. The text of the Qur’an is much shorter than the Old Testament and slightly longer than the New Testament. Since it took twenty years for the Qur’an to be revealed, however, it was easy for the Prophet’s followers to recite it by heart, sura by sura. This process of recitation afforded a considerable advantage as far as an uncorrupted text was concerned, for it provided a system of double-checking at the time the definitive text was written down. This took place several years after the Prophet’s death; first under the caliphate of Abu Bakr, his first successor, and later under the caliphate of Omar and in particular that of Uthman (644 to 655 A.D.) The latter ordered an extremely strict recension of the text, which involved checking it against the recited versions.

TEXT OF QUR’AN UNCORRUPTED

After Muhammad’s death, Islam rapidly expanded far beyond the limits of the area in which it was born. Soon, it included many peoples whose native language was not Arabic. Very strict steps were taken to ensure that the text of the Qur’an did not suffer from this expansion of Islam: Uthman sent copies of his entire recension to the principal centers of the vast Islamic empire. Some copies still exist today, in more or less complete form, in such places as Tashkent (U.S.S.R) and Istanbul. Copies have also been discovered that date from the very first centuries after the Hejira; they are all identical, and all of them correspond to the earliest manuscripts. Today’s editions of the Qur’an are all faithful reproductions of the original copies. In the case of the Qur’an, there are no instances of rewriting or corruption of the text over the course of time. If the origin of the Qur’an had been similar to those of the Bible, it would not be unreasonable to suppose that the subjects it raised would be presented in the light of the ideas influenced by certain opinions of the time, often derived from myth and superstition. If this were the case, one might argue that there were untold opportunities for inaccurate assertions, based on such sources, to find their way into the many and varied subjects briefly summarized above. In actual fact, however, we find nothing of the kind in the Qur’an. But having said this, we should note that the Qur’an is a religious book par excellence. We should not use statements that have a bearing on secular knowledge as a pretext to go hunting after any expression of scientific laws. As stated earlier, all we should seek are reflections on natural phenomena, phrases occasioned by references to divine omnipotence and designed to emphasize that omnipotence in the eyes of mankind throughout the ages. The presence of such reflections in the Qur’an has become particularly significant in modern times, for their meaning is clearly explained by the data of contemporary knowledge. This characteristic is specific to the Qur’an.

UNEXPECTED DISCOVERIES

It was not until I had learnt Arabic and read the Qur’an in the original that I realized the precise meaning of certain verses. Only then did I make certain discoveries that were astounding. With my basic ideas on the Qur’an - which to begin with were inaccurate, just as those of most people in the West - I certainly did not expect to find in the text the statements that I in fact uncovered. With each new discovery, I was beset with doubt lest I might be mistaken in my translation or perhaps have provided an interpretation rather than a true rendering of the Arabic text. Only after consultations with several specialists in linguistics and exegesis, both Muslim and non-Muslim, was I convinced that a new concept might be formed from such a study: the compatibility between the statements in the Qur’an and firmly established data of modern science with regard to subjects on which nobody at the time of Muhammad - not even the Prophet himself - could have had access to the knowledge we possess today. Since then, I have not found in the Qur’an any support given to the myths or superstitions present at the time the text was communicated to man. This is not the case for the Bible, whose authors expressed themselves in the language of their period. In ‘La Bible le Coran et la Science’ (The Bible, the Qur’an and Science), which first appeared in the original French in 1976 and which subsequently appeared in English in 1978, I set forth the main points of these findings. On November 9, 1976, I gave a lecture to the Academia de Medecine (French academy of Medicine) in which I explored the statements of the origins of man contained in the Qur’an; the title of the lecture was ‘Donnees physiologiques et embryologiques de Coran’(Physiological and Embryological Data in the Qur’an). I emphasised the fact that these data - which I shall summarize below - formed part of a much wider study. The following are some of the points which arise from a reading of the Qur’an:* a concept of the creation of the world which, while different from the ideas contained in the Bible, is fully in keeping with today’s general theories on the formations of the universe;* statements that are in perfect agreement with today’s ideas concerning the movements and evolution of the heavenly bodies;* a prediction of the conquest of space;* notions concerning the water cycle in nature and the earth’s relief, which were not proven correct until many centuries later.All of these data are bound to amaze anyone who approaches them inan objective spirit. They add a much wider dimension to the problem studied in the present work. The basic point remains the same , however: we must surely be in the presence of facts which place a heavy strain on our natural propensity for explaining everything in materialistic terms, for the existence in the Qur’an of these scientific statements appears as a challenge to human explanations.That does not mean to say, however, that the statements in the Qur’an - especially those concerning man - may all of them be examined in the light of the findings of modern science. The creation of man as described in both the Bible and the Qu’ran totally eludes scientific investigation of the event per se. Similarly, when the New Testament or the Qur’an informs us that Jesus was not born of a father, in the biological sense of the term, we cannot counter this Scriptural statement by saying that there is no example in the human species of an individual having been formed without receiving the paternal chromosomes that make up one half of its genetic inheritance. Science does not explain miracles, for by definition miracles are inexplicable, thus, when we read in both the Qur’an and the Bible that man was moulded from the ground, we are in fact learning a fundamental religious principle: Man returns from where he came, for from the place he is buried, he will rise again on the judgment. Side by side with the main religious aspect of such reflections on man, we find in the Qur’an statements on man that refer to strictly material facts. They are quite amazing when one approaches them for the first time. For example, the Qur’an describes the origins of life in general and devotes a great deal of space to the morphological transformation undergone by man, repeatedly emphasizing the fact that God fashioned him as He willed. We likewise discover statements on human reproduction that are expressed in precise terms that lend themselves to comparison with the secular knowledge we today possess on the subject.

INTEREST TO MEN OF SCIENCE

The many statements in the Qur’an that may thus be compared with modern knowledge are by no means easy to find. In preparing the study published in 1976, I was unable to draw on any previous works known in the West, for there were none. All I could refer to were a few works in Arabic dealing with themes treated in the Qur’an that were of interest to men of science - there was, however, no overall study. Over and above this, research of this kind requires scientific knowledge covering many different disciplines. It is not easy, however, for Islamologists to acquire such knowledge, for they possess a mainly literary background. Indeed, such questions hardly seem to occupy a place in their field of classic Islamology, at least as far as the West is concerned. Only a scientist, thoroughly acquainted with Arabic literature, can draw comparisons between the Qur’anic text - for which he must be able to read Arabic - and the data supplied by modern knowledge. There is another reason why such statements are not immediately apparent: Verses bearing on a single theme are scattered throughout the Qur’an. The book is indeed a juxtaposition of reflections on a wide variety of subjects referred to one after the other and taken up again later on, often several times over. The data on a precise theme must therefore be collected from all over the Book and brought together under a single heading. This requires many hours’ work tracking down verses, in spite of the existence of thematic indexes provided by various translators, for such lists may perhaps be incomplete and indeed, in many cases, they often are. - (Taken from: “The Origin of Man”, by Dr. Maurice Bucaille Source: islamicity.com )

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What Wolfgang Goethe, the Greatest European Poet Ever, Wrote About Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe perhaps the greatest European poet ever, wrote about Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. He said:

"He is a prophet and not a poet and therefore his Quran is to be seen as Divine Law and not as a book of a human being, made for education or entertainment." [Noten und Abhandlungen zum Weststlichen Dvan, WA I, 7, 32]

Muhammad, peace be upon him, was nothing more or less than a human being, but he was a man with a noble mission, which was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE and ONLY ONE GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God. He always described himself as, 'A Servant and Messenger of God' and so indeed every action of his proclaimed to be.


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Dhikr (Zikir) and Tasbihat from the Sunnah

A collection of various dhikrs from the sunnah.

سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ

SubhanAllahi wa biHamdihi (Glory be to Allah and I Praise Him)

Whoever says (the above) at morning and evening time, one hundred times, none shall come on the Day of Resurrection with anything better except someone who has said the same or more [Muslim; 4:42071]

سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ

SubhanAllah wa biHamdihi (Glory be to Allah and I Praise Him)

Whoever says (the above) a hundred times during the day, his sins are wiped away, even if they are like the foam of the sea [Sahih al-Bukhari; 7:168, Muslim; 4:2071]

سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ

SubhanAllahi wa biHamdihi (Glory be to Allah and I Praise Him)

Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet (SAW) said, "Shall I tell you the words that Allah loves the most?" I said: "Yes, tell me, O Messenger of Allah." He said: "The words dearest to Allah are: subhanAllah wa bihamdihi [Muslim and at-Tirmidhi]

سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ الْعَظِيمِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ

SubhanAllahil adheem wa biHamdihi (Glory be to Allah, The Supreme, and I Praise Him)

Whoever says (the above) a palm tree is planted for him in Paradise [at-Tirmidhi; 5:511, al-Hakim]

سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ ، سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ الْعَظِيمِ

SubhanAllahi wa biHamdihi, SubhanAllahil adheem (Glory be to Allah, and Praise, Glory be to Allah, the Supreme)

Muhammad (SAW) said: "Two words are light on the tongue, weigh heavily in the balance, they are loved by the Most Merciful One"

[Sahih al-Bukhari; 7:67, Muslim; 4:2071]

سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ

SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah)

Whoever says (the above) one Hundred times, a thousand good deeds are recorded for him or a thousand bad deeds are wiped away

[Muslim; 4:2073]

لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّهِ

La Hawla wa la Quwatta illa Billah (There is no Might or Power except with Allah)

This is mentioned in a hadith as "a treasure from the treasures of Paradise" [Sahih al-Bukhari; al-Fath al-Bari; 11:213, Muslim; 4:2076]

سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ ، والْحَمْدُللّهِ ، وَ لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ ، وَ اللّهُ اَكْبَرُ

SubhanAllah, walHamdulilah, wa La illaha ilAllahu, waAllahu Akbar (Glory be to Allah, All Praise is for Allah, There is No God but Allah, Allah is the Greatest)

The above are mentioned as the four most beloved words to Allah. It doesnt matter which of them is begun with [Muslim; 3:1685]

Abu Saiid reported that the Prophet (SAW) said, "Perform the enduring goods deeds (al-baqiyat al-salihat) more frequently." They asked, "What are these enduring good deeds?" The Prophet replied: Takbir [Allahu Akbar], Tahlil [la ilaha illallah], Tasbih [Subhan'Allah], alhamdu lillah, and la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. [an-Nasa'i and Hakim, who said its chain is sahih]

سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ ، والْحَمْدُللّهِ ، وَ لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ ، وَ اللّهُ اَكْبَرُ

SubhanAllah, walHamdulilah, wa La illaha ilAllahu, waAllahu Akbar (Glory be to Allah, All Praise is for Allah, There is No God but Allah, Allah is the Greatest)

Muhammad (SAW) said: 'For me to say (the above) is dearer to me and all that the sun rises upon (ie the whole world) [Muslim; 4:2072]

سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ ، والْحَمْدُللّهِ ، وَ لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ ، وَ اللّهُ اَكْبَرُ ، وَ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّهِ

SubhanAllah, walHamdulilah, wa La illaha ilAllahu, waAllahu Akbar, wa la Hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (Glory be to Allah, All Praise is for Allah, There is No God but Allah, Allah is the Greatest, There is no might or any power Except with Allah)

The good deeds which endure are (the above)

سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ ، والْحَمْدُللّهِ ، وَ لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ ، وَ اللّهُ اَكْبَرُ ، وَ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّهِ

SubhanAllah, walHamdulilah, wa La illaha ilAllahu, waAllahu Akbar, wa la Hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (Glory be to Allah, All Praise is for Allah, There is No God but Allah, Allah is the Greatest, There is no might or any power Except with Allah)

AbdAllah ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet said: "During the Night Journey I met Ibrahim (AS) who said to me: O Muhammad, convey my greetings to your Community, and tell them that the Paradise is of pure land, its water is sweet, and its expanse is vast, spacious and even. And its seedlings are SubhanAllah, walhamdulilah, wa la ilaha ilAllah, waAllahu Akbar (the above)

[at-Tirmidhi and Tabarani whose version adds: "There is no power nor strength save through Allah"]

الْحَمْدُللّهِ

Alhamdulilah (All Praise is for Allah)

Verily the best supplication is (above). [Muslim; 4:2073]

لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ

La illaha ilAllah(u)(There is No God But Allah)

- The best form of remembrance is (above). [Muslim; 4:2073]

لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ

La illaha ilAllah(u) (There is No God But Allah)

- Abu Huraira (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said:

"When a servant of Allah utters the words la ilaha illallah (there is no God except Allah) sincerely, the doors of heaven open up for these words until they reach the Throne of Allah, so long as its utterer keeps away from the major sins.

[at-Tirmidhi, who says it is hasan gharib. al-Mundhiri included in al-Targhib 2:414]

لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ

La illaha ilAllah(u) (There is No God But Allah)

- Abu Huraira (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said, "Renew your faith." "How can we renew our faith?" they asked. The Prophet replied: "Say always: la ilaha illallah." [Ahmad with a fair chain of authorities]

لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

La illaha ilAllahu, waHdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul Mulku, wa lahul Hamd, wa Huwa ala kulli shaiy'in Qadeer (There is No God But Allah Alone, who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the raise, and He is Able to do all things)

- whoever says the above ten times, will have the reward for freeing four slaves from the Children of Isma'il (AS) [Sahih al-Bukhari; 7:67, Muslim; 4:2071]

لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

La illaha ilAllahu, waHdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul Mulku, wa lahul Hamd, wa Huwa ala kulli shaiy'in Qadeer (There is No God But Allah Alone, who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the raise, and He is Able to do all things)

- whoever says the above one Hundred times, has the reward of freeing ten slaves, a hundred good deeds are recorded for him and a hundred bad deeds are wiped away and he has gained refuge from the devil that day until evening and none shall come with anything better except someone who has done more. [Sahih al-Bukhari; 4:95, Muslim; 4:2071]

لَآ اِلهَ اِلاَّ اللّهُ وَاحِدًا اَحَدًا صَمَدًا لَّمْ يَتَّخِذْ صَاحِبَةً وَّ لاَ وَلَدًا وَّ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَّوْ كُفُوًا اَحَدٌ

La illaha ilAllahu, Wahidda(n), Ahada(n), Samada(n), lam yatakhidh sahiba(n). Wa la walada, wa la yak(n)ul-lahu kufuwan Ahad (There is no God except Allah, the One and Only, the Eternal, Who has not taken a partner nor a son. And there is none like unto Him)

Whoever says the words above ten times, then 40,000 (forty thousand) good deeds will be recorded for him [Ahmad]

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْْقَيُّومُ وَ أَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

Astaghfirullah al-'Adheemal-ladhi la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum wa atubu ilai (I seek the forgiveness of Allah the Mighty, Whom there is none worthy except Him, the Living, The Eternal, and I repent unto Him) Whoever says the above words, Allah will forgive him even if he deserted the army's ranks

[Abu Dawud 2/85, at-Tirmithi 5/569, Al-Hakim who declared it authentic and ath-Thahabi agreed with him 1/511]

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّى لاَ إِلهَ إِلاَ أَنْتَ ، خَلَقْتَنِى وَ أنَا عَبْدُكَ وَ أنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ ما اسْتَطَعْتُ ، أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِ مَا صَنَعْت ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَ أبُوءُ بِذَنْبى فَاغْفِرْ لِى فإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, Anta Khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana 'ala ahdika wa wa'dika mastata'tu, A'udhu bika min Sharri ma sana'tu, abu'u Laka bini'matika 'alaiya, wa Abu Laka bidhanbi faghfirli innahu la yaghfiru adhdhunuba illa anta

(O Allah! You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So I entreat You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except You.)

The above du'a is known as the Sayyid al-Istighfar and is the most superior way of asking for forgiveness from Allah.

Whoever says it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise.

[Sahih al-Bukhari 8, 75 #318]

If someone implements ten verses of the Qur'an, He/She will not be considerate amongst the negligent on the Day of Judgment [Abu Dawud, Ibn Hibban - sahih]

If someone implements one hundred verses of the Qur'an, He/She will be considered among the obedient on the Day of Judgment. [Abu Dawud, Ibn Hibban - sahih]

If someone implements one thousand verses of the Qur'an, He/She will be amongst the extremely rich on the Day of Judgement. [Abu Dawud, Ibn Hibban - sahih]

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